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Escapades vs. Namyak
Escapades Boobies!!!11!!
Leonhart
Download: 108 KB
V.S.
Namyak
Play Time: 0 hours and 30 minutes
Review # 2 for Namyak Boobies!!!11!!
Them's Fightin' Words
    "Escapades" takes you on a whirlwind jaunt from an ancient temple in the Phillipines, to the ruins of Pompeii at Mount Vesuvius, and finally back to the the United States to prevent some sort of psychotic artifact collector from possessing the MUNA, an artifact that will cause great harm if not returned to its proper place. Can you prevent the vaguely hinted at destruction of the world?
Graphics
    The graphics are basic at best. Shading is almost wholly lacking, meaning most graphics are a single color. This applies even to the best part of the graphics, the character cutscenes that underlay certain important parts of dialogue. The walking animation for both the hero and the NPCs makes them appear to be shuffling, shifting their strange tentacled hands in vague grasping motions. Simple shading would have made the graphics at least 2.7x greater.  
Storyline
    The storyline is non-existant. You are hurled into the game with only a three screen introduction, telling you how you are going to an ancient temple in the Phillipines to translate some texts for Lady Tanya because Kimberly Oaks, nondescript teenager? from the US is the only one who can speak the "language of the Old Tablets". Even though it's Lady Tanya who hired you and flew you the Phillipines, she doesn't stop her hired goons from preventing you from reading the tablets, which makes very little sense when you think about it... the rest of the game is you chasing the goons across continents for less then explained reasons, other then "bad things will happen".  
Gameplay
    The strongest aspect of an overall weak game, "Escapades" does involve a couple interesting puzzles in its short playtime; unfortunately, the rest of the puzzles are the classic "push the boulders to open a path". And with only three levels (the Ancient Temple, Vesuvius, and Lady Tanya's masion) there is precious little room for any deep gameplay.

Another good point, battles don't occur at random, rather only when you bump into an enemy NPC; however, since 80% of the enemies are unavoidable it doesn't really matter much.

Where the gameplay falls apart is in the battles and the many small errors: misplaced wallmaping, misconnected doors and dialogue that doesn't flow.
 
  Battle
    Your battles are composed of fighting snakes, worms, and random guards who dress in the most unguard-like outfits possible (whoever told them random goons dressed like that was playing a cruel joke on them). There is one boss battle (that inexplicably you can run from and continue to advance the game), but it's no more difficult than any of the random battles, even though the boss has far more HP. Since your character, Kim, has no spells all the battles are of the "hold down the spacebar until whatever you're fighting dies" variety.  
  Map Design
    Map design incorporates the puzzles you are faced with, so that's a small plus, but other than that the maps are seemingly randomly composed.  
  Balance
    This game is incredibly easy, and unless you screw up one of the puzzles, ie touching the red sparks OF DEATH!!! or walking on one of the floor tiles OF DEATH!!! in one of the rooms, you should only perish in this game if you suffer an aneurism during a battle and no one finds your body until the enemies have whiddled away your life a half hour later.  
Music
    Not much to say about the music. All of it was taken from the music that comes with the editor.  
Enjoyment
    "Escapades" wasn't completely without merit: I did enjoy a couple of the puzzle elements, and its shortness prevents it from becoming overly grating. There are certainly many things I would rather be doing than playing "Escapades", but it's not like it was painful to play through the game.  
Final Blows
    "Escapades" is game hampered by sub-par graphics, a missing storyline, uneventful battles, bland dialogue, and thoughtless music. It's only saving grace is marginally enjoyable gameplay, but that doesn't manage to save it from its own inadequacy.
Gives a whole new meaning to

Gives a whole new meaning to "seeing red"...
Final Scores
Graphics: 3/10.0
The term "unfinished" comes to mind.
Storyline: 1/10.0
Easily the weakest portion of the game.
Gameplay: 4/10.0
strongest aspect of the game.
Music: 2.5/10.0
Taken from the BAMs that come with the editor, and none particularly "fit" where they're placed.
Enjoyment: 3.5/10.0
Some of the puzzles in the game can bring slight enjoyment, but overall the game leaves one with an "eh" feeling.
Overall Grade: D-
Final Thoughts
    Though not completely disappointing, "Escapades" presents very little to merit a download and a playthrough.  


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