Posted June 02, 2010
Since the series evolved a bit, I'll start with reviewing the first one and then go on about the sequels.
You take control of three simple-minded goblins on a quest to help the king. Apart from walking, each one has managed to grasp only one ability: the warrior can punch stuff, the technician carry things (one object at a time!) and the magician can cast spells. Spells with wild, unforeseen effects, mind you, but it's still magic.
This happy-go-lucky bunch must get through a series of rooms, each consisting of one screen of objects (and beings) to interact with. The gameplay is mostly trial and error - many puzzles are wacky, often thanks to our friend the magician - but this game makes it fun. Even if you'll find the right solution quickly, you'll want to come back and check out what happens if you do the wrong things... And since the set-up is simple, so there aren't that many possibilities to try out. There is a flaw with this system - by some inexplicably stupid decision, there is an 'energy meter' in the game that goes down with every bad decision, and when it reaches 0 it's game over. And it carries between levels. And there's just one opportunity in the game to recharge it. It's baffling why they included it. It's not a crippling problem though, since the levels are short and you can always come back to the start of the current one.
The story is good - for such a simple game - the characters are bizarrely interesting and the graphics are great, if you like the unique style.
The sequels moved away from this simplicity and more towards usual point-and-click adventures, with normal inventory etc., but still remained enjoyable and funny, part 3 is probably my favorite. They are harder, too - there are more items, the characters aren't as clear cut, and some puzzles span multiple screens. While there is an in-game hint system, it doesn't cover everything, so a walkthrough may be needed.
Bottom line: If you like the wackiness and don't mind some trial and error, give it a try.
You take control of three simple-minded goblins on a quest to help the king. Apart from walking, each one has managed to grasp only one ability: the warrior can punch stuff, the technician carry things (one object at a time!) and the magician can cast spells. Spells with wild, unforeseen effects, mind you, but it's still magic.
This happy-go-lucky bunch must get through a series of rooms, each consisting of one screen of objects (and beings) to interact with. The gameplay is mostly trial and error - many puzzles are wacky, often thanks to our friend the magician - but this game makes it fun. Even if you'll find the right solution quickly, you'll want to come back and check out what happens if you do the wrong things... And since the set-up is simple, so there aren't that many possibilities to try out. There is a flaw with this system - by some inexplicably stupid decision, there is an 'energy meter' in the game that goes down with every bad decision, and when it reaches 0 it's game over. And it carries between levels. And there's just one opportunity in the game to recharge it. It's baffling why they included it. It's not a crippling problem though, since the levels are short and you can always come back to the start of the current one.
The story is good - for such a simple game - the characters are bizarrely interesting and the graphics are great, if you like the unique style.
The sequels moved away from this simplicity and more towards usual point-and-click adventures, with normal inventory etc., but still remained enjoyable and funny, part 3 is probably my favorite. They are harder, too - there are more items, the characters aren't as clear cut, and some puzzles span multiple screens. While there is an in-game hint system, it doesn't cover everything, so a walkthrough may be needed.
Bottom line: If you like the wackiness and don't mind some trial and error, give it a try.