True to the Source Material
Telltale’s latest adventure game is Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventure, an episodic title that focuses on the humor of the animated British comedy with the backdrop of some old-school adventure-style gameplay. Thankfully, it stays true to its source material and makes for a fun game as well.
The premise is that Wallace & Gromit are in financial trouble, have no income, and are also left with a debt that one of Wallace’s inventions caused. Throughout the game, it’s up to Wallace & Gromit to come up with ways to get that needed cash. This of course comes with all the craziness the duo are known for, such as awkward moments with neighbors, and tricking the local policemen. It’s all very well written and also sets everything up for the next installment.
Gameplay in Wallace & Gromit can be best described as point-and-click. It resembles adventure games of old in the sense that the majority of the game is spent looking around at various things and clicking on them. With that said, I must say that for a Wallace & Gromit game it works very well. Frequently you will be required to use certain items you’ve collected in order to complete certain objectives. This is most definitely a thinking man’s game, as it involves solving a great amount of intensive, mind-boggling puzzles. If you ever get stuck, there are also a few distractions offered–one being a shooting gallery type mini-game.
The graphics for Wallace & Gromit are very polished, and even rival the stop motion movies. This pretty much feels like a Wallace & Gromit movie, so this makes the experience even better. These nice graphics do come at a price though, as the frame rate at times is extremely unstable. Being the type of game Wallace & Gromit is though, the frame rate doesn’t hinder the experience that much.
Controls are very simple in Wallace & Gromit, as the A button does just about everything. RB and the right thumbstick select items very simply. It’s an interesting take on the point-and-click type games, considering most would just stick a cursor on the screen and call it good.
Wallace & Gromit Episode 1: Fright of the Bumblebees manages to be both fun and intriguing. The puzzles are no cakewalk, yet tend to be rewarding once sorted out. The story and humor are well written, which make the experience enjoyable. The frame rate issues could be enough to scare off some potential players though, so playing the trial first is advised. The game is only about 2-3 hours long, which is a decent value for the 800 points. If you’re a fan of the series or adventure games in general, Wallace & Gromit: Fright of the Bumblebees is for you.
