5 May, 2011
Title: Hector: Episode 1 – We negotiate with Terrorists
Platform: PC, Mac, iPad iPhone (reviewed on PC)
Developers: Straandlooper
Release Date: 27th April 2011
TWOL (Ten words or less): An incredibly witty and enjoyable point and click
Hector: Episode 1 – We negotiate with Terrorists is a point and click game from the folks at Straandlooper Studios. The game released for the iPhone and iPod touch about a year ago, and now Straandlooper have teamed up with point and click veterans Telltale Games for a multiplatform release. The game is set in the rundown town of Clappers Wreake. As the name suggests in true Dickensian style, Clappers Wreake is a grimy, run-down British town, and a hotbed for all types of weirdoes and evildoers. You play as Hector, a lazy slob who just happens to be the resident detective. Throughout the game you are tasked to gather various items, then use and combine these items accordingly in order to progress. Yes, you’re right- this doesn’t stray much from the usual point and click format. But is that necessarily a bad thing?
Without doubt, the game’s strength lies in the game’s stylised graphics. With characters looking as though they’d stepped right out of a children’s cartoon – ironic, given the game’s adult sense of humour – they are wonderfully animated against the dull, grimy but wonderfully detailed environments of Clappers Wreake.
Hard at, errr.... work?
Don’t be fooled by the pleasant animation, though. Right from the offset it is clear that the Hector games are not for kids. Everything, from the setting to the dialogue, is splashed with a heavy dose of adult – and chiefly British – humour. The game gently teases most British caricatures, from slang-spouting chavs to drunken Scottish tramps. Whilst refreshing to a knowledgeable British audience could the jokes be lost on the rest of the world? Possibly. Thankfully, however, many of the jokes are broad enough and inclusive enough to ensure most audiences can appreciate the humour, but a few of the more, let’s say ‘British’ jokes, could still pass unnoticed. The good news is that there’s lots of dialogue, so whilst it may seem that not one line of dialogue passes without some kind of witticism, there’s enough to sure that everyone will get at least one joke or two, which makes interacting with all the characters a joy. The comedic style of the game compliments the genre and engaging and enjoyable to play.
The gameplay is pretty much the same as any point and click adventure (think Monkey Island set in a crappy UK town) and getting Telltale on board has obviously paid off as this title is a brilliant addition to the point and click genre. But while the idea of searching for objects, combining them, and using at the right moment might seem like second nature to veteran pointers and clickers, newcomers need not be afraid! The game offers a brilliant hint system in order to nudge the player in the right direction and these hints, coupled with a bombardment of light-hearted abuse from the creators, helps newbies develop their skills and confidence quickly. It also often points you in the direction of characters that could give you a clue, rather than using out-and-out solutions, that often dampen the enjoyable. This opens such games to newcomers and makes it a lot more playable for those new to the genre and, just yet anyway, don’t quite think in a point-and-click way straight off the bat. Would hard-core players disagree? Possibly. However what Staandlooper and Telltale have done is create a system (and an optional one at that) that doesn’t isolate the player, or force them, crestfallen, to seek out answers online. Fair enough, the sense of achievement is somewhat numbed by using these hints; however there’s nothing wrong with a subtle nudge in the right direction, particularly if you’re completely and utterly stuck!
Yep, that's a porn shop
There is no doubt that fans of point and click games will whole-heartedly appreciate Hector: Episode 1 – We negotiate with terrorists. The game offers up a wonderful mix of humour and pick-up-and-play gameplay. Whilst the game certainly won’t take long to complete, particularly with such a robust hint system in place, but fortunately two more episodes are slated for release later this year. Will its quirky and original humour be lost on some? We hope not!
Score – 4/5
Good times!
• Brilliant humour
• Pick-up-and-play
• Robust and useful hint system
Bad times :(
• Some humour may be lost
• Possibly too short
• Have to wait for the other instalments
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