Chewing gum is good for you!
Now, I know why they didn’t let you chew it in school.
DO: Fargo meets Professor Layton meets an incredible illustrator
TYPE: puzzle adventure
PLATFORM: PC (Steam version reviewed), Mac, and iPhone (coming soon)
PRICE: $10
MEAT: You are Nelson Tethers, FBI agent with the U.S. Department of Puzzle Research. You solve crimes by solving puzzles. Strangely, the puzzles are not what make this game special. It’s the incredible art style, characterization, and wonderful humor. It’s also backed up with an appropriate soundtrack. The gum? Chewing it helps you solve puzzles. The catch? you have to find some. It’s a rather funny deus ex machina.
PERKS: wonderful 2D animation; great voice acting; compelling story; character depth conveyed in something as little as eye motions; humor; price; creepy atmosphere; excellent pacing; great framing of shots; funny use for bubble gum
SCREAMS: to be a full point-n-click adventure game or better puzzles; to not be so wordy with puzzle descriptions; more puzzle variety; a little longer length than 3 hours; ending? (let’s hope not); make the gum game a hidden picture game; to be a little more difficult;
VERDICT: Buy. Get it now on Steam while it’s discounted for 10%. The title is part of TellTale Games pilot program. If it has a good response, they’ll make seasons of it. Do it. I want more of them!