Other than for the previously reviewed crowdfunded Point'n'clicks Gibbous and Thimbleweed Park I'm actually happy I didn't back the Broken Age Kickstarter, because it would probably have distracted me from the beauty of this adventure.
Though Ron Gilbert later stated he was only at Double Fine to finish The Cave, the promotion clip suggested his involvement in my opinion and I have a hunch Broken Age grew out of the initial pitch with the money that got thrown at them. I'm not even sure though the disappointed had been old adventure aficionados like me, or if it was a newer generation hardly in touch with Grim Fandango and rather entitled to be edgy about not receiving another Brütal Legend.
The Broken Age Kickstarter became a milestone for independent funding in the gaming industry and it might be mandatory for an actual business to have that kind of backing to produce a Point'n'click adventure after Tim Schafer himself expanded his creative freedom at Lucas Arts to a point hundreds of thousands sold copies of Grim Fandango weren't enough to not call it a flop. You'd either need enthusiasts willing to trash away their lifetime 24/7 at almost no guaranteed pay or you've got to keep your business running and I understand that, appreciating every ambitious work in the genre.
For the only $300k initially asked to create the Double Fine Adventure, it might have been even possible to have a representative majority take part in deciding over the game's direction, but with the millions from 87000 backers within a month, what might have become a simpler Point'n'click more likely to be catering to the fans took on a life of its own. Opinions are like arse holes, everybody's got one. And so creating a game everyone would love seems almost impossible to me.
Even though Tim Schafer says in the documentary (now available free on YouTube) having the money takes away the pressure from him, it turns out to be a feeling of responsibility towards future crowdfunding in the industry. With worldwide media attention due to the surprise success they had on Kickstarter with over 70% of newly registered accounts to participate, Broken Age became a singular chance to show the world adventures are relevant.
With the backing, there was also a chance to address a new generation of gamers with a product good enough to convince them and with broad success pave the way for more genre titles to come. I myself probably wouldn't have seen this or that Tim Schafer actually progressed since the Monkey Island games. I might have wished for him to turn back to the good old times before Grim Fandango that I didn't even notice on release and shied away from ever since I hated the controls of Monkey Island 4 that used the same engine.
To be fair, with Deck 13, Wadget Eye and Daedelic for instance there have been other publishers keeping the genre alive, at least as a european phenomenon. Being featured in popular Let's plays by streamers like Gronkh might have helped acquiring fresh blood, too, but none of that was enough to determine if majors turn down Point'n'clicks for a reason. So much so that even I, as a fan in Germany, thought they just had ceased existence until a few years ago.
What some critics also seem to forget is Double Fine didn't just collect the millions and were able to use them on the project. As far as I know Kickstarter gets a cut and money flowing into a company usually has to be taxed sooner or later. They also had to ship a bunch of pledge rewards. Then just running a place with employees to enable the creative process eats away another part of the cake. So they might have gotten away with a simpler product on that budget, but ended up looking for more funds and released Broken Age in two parts to roughly keep a schedule at all.
It will always be a bumpy graph for announcement, hype, disappointment and finally the reasonable level of appreciation and I think Broken Age deserves more than the rushed bashing it received so often. I must add here, that I played the German dub, that doesn't drop as prominent names such as Elijah Wood, Jack Black or Wil Wheaton, who later even invited Tim Schafer to his TableTop format on YouTube. It's also said the translation had to be cut in places due to length of the animation. I can't tell if it was for the good, but I very much enjoyed the results.
And here it's about the actual game, finally, but it's going to be hard to not give away too much before you've played Broken Age and you really should. I will try my best to review it without spoilers and if I'll drop information, it is meant to create an image in your head, but not to reveal crucial twists.
I don't compare this coming of age story to Maniac Mansion specifically, but with the two parallel stories of a boy and a girl, I imagine this could have a similar adventurous effect on the kids of today like it had on us, when we played the Lucas Arts adventure without ever really finishing it at that time. It was fun enough to roam that old house with characters older than us to be someone we would like to impersonate, but not too old to be too absurd. It was about exploring the environment in a way reality wouldn't allow safely.
At first sight, I found the art of Broken Age gorgeous and repulsive at the same time, because I'm that age when you acknowledge the character style as a thing, but especially girls with matchstick thin extremities like in Miraculous and those big eyes aren't really my idea of aesthetic. The fact Schafer's daughter actually decided which "princess" they used might explain the choice and knowing my niece, out of any adventure games I have, Broken Age would be the one I'd introduce her to the genre with.
We could stop here and say this isn't a product for us, but is it? Broken Age didn't feel like being in the wrong place like Pokemon does sometimes for instance. Growing old on not growing up I'd like to say I prefer to consume stuff aimed at kids that transports the comforting feeling from my own childhood over newer productions I don't have any nostalgia for. But I appreciate an included metaphorical level you might not actively acknowledge as a youngster.
I liked very much how Schafer makes it appear as if you pick one of the two protagonists, but then both sides are essential to the story and you can click on the icon to either play teenage girl Vella in some random badlands or the teenage boy Shay on a spaceship. Whilst Vella grows up destined to become the ritual sacrifice at a maiden's feast, Shay seems stuck on groundhog days of playing the hero for his wool puppets and is beginning to look for his purpose in life, just as Vella is putting the ritual in question and would like to defeat the monster.
Double Fine tried to avoid many flaws of previous Point'n'click adventures and so hitboxes for hotspots are quite generous. The number of items to pick up and combine is rather small, so you will not end up hunting pixels. In fact, I even had the impression Broken Age was designed with tablets in mind, especially because you can pick between the way you drag and drop.
What couldn't be avoided is having to go back and forth on the screens and practically the only times I felt stuck was, when what I wanted to do wasn't wrong per se, but the game expected me to go somewhere else first and maybe finish a dialogue to be able to proceed.
I would describe the puzzles as increasingly challenging, because Broken Age welcomes the players very warmly to then require more clues between the stories and it is mandatory to keep track of them. This incline also occurs due to feedback chapter one was too easy.
I did not find any impossibilities though. The game always allows to somehow unveil required information again, so you can't mess up by trying. It's recommended to keep track of information though and I ended up taking photos and short videos with my phone, when back in the day I would have used a pencil. You might not have played older adventures, but Broken Age is actually designed quite well if you expect more than an interactive storybook.
I know, today better Point'n'clicks often have a log to keep track of these things, but that just proves the point that genre games evolved even in the last ten years. If you don't want to get involved into playing at all, then maybe you're better off watching along with a YouTube video, like some people discovered for them to be representative for a game and I don't mind if you're doing so. It's just like when we gathered as viewers at a friend's place back then. But it's not the same feeling of actually finishing the game yourself.
What I understand might have bothered players back then is the cliffhanger. With the luxury of the complete edition I was able to transition seamlessly into the second chapter, which to me only carried on after an expected paradigm shift, that basically applies Plato's cave allegory to adolescence. And it's actually bizarre how protective parents keep their children from recognizing consequences of their behavior, when they simultaneously follow a belief that heavily affects the future of the kids they're trying to keep safe.
Children are born to point out our mistakes and so Broken Age tells a story way beyond the teenager protagonist's Initiation. It might also reveal other layers intertwined with each and everything and will be interpreted and explained with a narrative. It's like the concept of god lies and lives or dies within us. The community of believers will decide for instance if a catastrophe was a sign of a vengeful being, wiping sinners off the earth, or if it was the merciful, showing his kindness by saving the pure.
Not having followed the entire development of Broken Age I can't judge on false promises Tim Schafer might have made. I understand at least, that quite a few backers had a different image in mind of what product they could expect. It's possible this ambivalent conflict even influenced the writing of this adventurous story, which is encapsulated accordingly.
After ten years though, maybe it's time to forget about a possible grudge. Let's focus on the good parts and the possibly good intentions behind a decision that, like stated above, could never have met everybody's expectations anyway. So here's a captivating tale you could pass on your love to the genre with to a new generation.
Broken Age can be a great game for adults and kids alike and though it hints what might happen after by still sketches during the credits inspired by My Neighbor Totoro, there's still enough space to discuss the plot and form an adequate conclusion that may be applied as wishes for the personal future as well.
I must admit I haven't played Grim Fandango to this day, but now I regret not having bought the remaster again, when it was on sale. I should really give it a shot, at least to see if my reservations had been justified. Opening up as parochial I've acted all those years means something, doesn't it?
Maybe it won't become my uttermost personal favorite, but Broken Age is a brilliant story driven Sci-fi/Fantasy adventure nonetheless. It was a fresh take on the genre, juvenile but grim and it pioneered financing for more fantastic games we wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Though Ron Gilbert later stated he was only at Double Fine to finish The Cave, the promotion clip suggested his involvement in my opinion and I have a hunch Broken Age grew out of the initial pitch with the money that got thrown at them. I'm not even sure though the disappointed had been old adventure aficionados like me, or if it was a newer generation hardly in touch with Grim Fandango and rather entitled to be edgy about not receiving another Brütal Legend.
The Broken Age Kickstarter became a milestone for independent funding in the gaming industry and it might be mandatory for an actual business to have that kind of backing to produce a Point'n'click adventure after Tim Schafer himself expanded his creative freedom at Lucas Arts to a point hundreds of thousands sold copies of Grim Fandango weren't enough to not call it a flop. You'd either need enthusiasts willing to trash away their lifetime 24/7 at almost no guaranteed pay or you've got to keep your business running and I understand that, appreciating every ambitious work in the genre.
For the only $300k initially asked to create the Double Fine Adventure, it might have been even possible to have a representative majority take part in deciding over the game's direction, but with the millions from 87000 backers within a month, what might have become a simpler Point'n'click more likely to be catering to the fans took on a life of its own. Opinions are like arse holes, everybody's got one. And so creating a game everyone would love seems almost impossible to me.
Even though Tim Schafer says in the documentary (now available free on YouTube) having the money takes away the pressure from him, it turns out to be a feeling of responsibility towards future crowdfunding in the industry. With worldwide media attention due to the surprise success they had on Kickstarter with over 70% of newly registered accounts to participate, Broken Age became a singular chance to show the world adventures are relevant.
With the backing, there was also a chance to address a new generation of gamers with a product good enough to convince them and with broad success pave the way for more genre titles to come. I myself probably wouldn't have seen this or that Tim Schafer actually progressed since the Monkey Island games. I might have wished for him to turn back to the good old times before Grim Fandango that I didn't even notice on release and shied away from ever since I hated the controls of Monkey Island 4 that used the same engine.
To be fair, with Deck 13, Wadget Eye and Daedelic for instance there have been other publishers keeping the genre alive, at least as a european phenomenon. Being featured in popular Let's plays by streamers like Gronkh might have helped acquiring fresh blood, too, but none of that was enough to determine if majors turn down Point'n'clicks for a reason. So much so that even I, as a fan in Germany, thought they just had ceased existence until a few years ago.
What some critics also seem to forget is Double Fine didn't just collect the millions and were able to use them on the project. As far as I know Kickstarter gets a cut and money flowing into a company usually has to be taxed sooner or later. They also had to ship a bunch of pledge rewards. Then just running a place with employees to enable the creative process eats away another part of the cake. So they might have gotten away with a simpler product on that budget, but ended up looking for more funds and released Broken Age in two parts to roughly keep a schedule at all.
It will always be a bumpy graph for announcement, hype, disappointment and finally the reasonable level of appreciation and I think Broken Age deserves more than the rushed bashing it received so often. I must add here, that I played the German dub, that doesn't drop as prominent names such as Elijah Wood, Jack Black or Wil Wheaton, who later even invited Tim Schafer to his TableTop format on YouTube. It's also said the translation had to be cut in places due to length of the animation. I can't tell if it was for the good, but I very much enjoyed the results.
And here it's about the actual game, finally, but it's going to be hard to not give away too much before you've played Broken Age and you really should. I will try my best to review it without spoilers and if I'll drop information, it is meant to create an image in your head, but not to reveal crucial twists.
I don't compare this coming of age story to Maniac Mansion specifically, but with the two parallel stories of a boy and a girl, I imagine this could have a similar adventurous effect on the kids of today like it had on us, when we played the Lucas Arts adventure without ever really finishing it at that time. It was fun enough to roam that old house with characters older than us to be someone we would like to impersonate, but not too old to be too absurd. It was about exploring the environment in a way reality wouldn't allow safely.
At first sight, I found the art of Broken Age gorgeous and repulsive at the same time, because I'm that age when you acknowledge the character style as a thing, but especially girls with matchstick thin extremities like in Miraculous and those big eyes aren't really my idea of aesthetic. The fact Schafer's daughter actually decided which "princess" they used might explain the choice and knowing my niece, out of any adventure games I have, Broken Age would be the one I'd introduce her to the genre with.
We could stop here and say this isn't a product for us, but is it? Broken Age didn't feel like being in the wrong place like Pokemon does sometimes for instance. Growing old on not growing up I'd like to say I prefer to consume stuff aimed at kids that transports the comforting feeling from my own childhood over newer productions I don't have any nostalgia for. But I appreciate an included metaphorical level you might not actively acknowledge as a youngster.
I liked very much how Schafer makes it appear as if you pick one of the two protagonists, but then both sides are essential to the story and you can click on the icon to either play teenage girl Vella in some random badlands or the teenage boy Shay on a spaceship. Whilst Vella grows up destined to become the ritual sacrifice at a maiden's feast, Shay seems stuck on groundhog days of playing the hero for his wool puppets and is beginning to look for his purpose in life, just as Vella is putting the ritual in question and would like to defeat the monster.
Double Fine tried to avoid many flaws of previous Point'n'click adventures and so hitboxes for hotspots are quite generous. The number of items to pick up and combine is rather small, so you will not end up hunting pixels. In fact, I even had the impression Broken Age was designed with tablets in mind, especially because you can pick between the way you drag and drop.
What couldn't be avoided is having to go back and forth on the screens and practically the only times I felt stuck was, when what I wanted to do wasn't wrong per se, but the game expected me to go somewhere else first and maybe finish a dialogue to be able to proceed.
I would describe the puzzles as increasingly challenging, because Broken Age welcomes the players very warmly to then require more clues between the stories and it is mandatory to keep track of them. This incline also occurs due to feedback chapter one was too easy.
I did not find any impossibilities though. The game always allows to somehow unveil required information again, so you can't mess up by trying. It's recommended to keep track of information though and I ended up taking photos and short videos with my phone, when back in the day I would have used a pencil. You might not have played older adventures, but Broken Age is actually designed quite well if you expect more than an interactive storybook.
I know, today better Point'n'clicks often have a log to keep track of these things, but that just proves the point that genre games evolved even in the last ten years. If you don't want to get involved into playing at all, then maybe you're better off watching along with a YouTube video, like some people discovered for them to be representative for a game and I don't mind if you're doing so. It's just like when we gathered as viewers at a friend's place back then. But it's not the same feeling of actually finishing the game yourself.
What I understand might have bothered players back then is the cliffhanger. With the luxury of the complete edition I was able to transition seamlessly into the second chapter, which to me only carried on after an expected paradigm shift, that basically applies Plato's cave allegory to adolescence. And it's actually bizarre how protective parents keep their children from recognizing consequences of their behavior, when they simultaneously follow a belief that heavily affects the future of the kids they're trying to keep safe.
Children are born to point out our mistakes and so Broken Age tells a story way beyond the teenager protagonist's Initiation. It might also reveal other layers intertwined with each and everything and will be interpreted and explained with a narrative. It's like the concept of god lies and lives or dies within us. The community of believers will decide for instance if a catastrophe was a sign of a vengeful being, wiping sinners off the earth, or if it was the merciful, showing his kindness by saving the pure.
Not having followed the entire development of Broken Age I can't judge on false promises Tim Schafer might have made. I understand at least, that quite a few backers had a different image in mind of what product they could expect. It's possible this ambivalent conflict even influenced the writing of this adventurous story, which is encapsulated accordingly.
After ten years though, maybe it's time to forget about a possible grudge. Let's focus on the good parts and the possibly good intentions behind a decision that, like stated above, could never have met everybody's expectations anyway. So here's a captivating tale you could pass on your love to the genre with to a new generation.
Broken Age can be a great game for adults and kids alike and though it hints what might happen after by still sketches during the credits inspired by My Neighbor Totoro, there's still enough space to discuss the plot and form an adequate conclusion that may be applied as wishes for the personal future as well.
I must admit I haven't played Grim Fandango to this day, but now I regret not having bought the remaster again, when it was on sale. I should really give it a shot, at least to see if my reservations had been justified. Opening up as parochial I've acted all those years means something, doesn't it?
Maybe it won't become my uttermost personal favorite, but Broken Age is a brilliant story driven Sci-fi/Fantasy adventure nonetheless. It was a fresh take on the genre, juvenile but grim and it pioneered financing for more fantastic games we wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Easily one of my favorite games of all time. Broken Age tells a riveting, charming story about two teens growing into their own, hoping to prove themselves. Vella's casual violence and joy for trying to kill god makes her one of the greatest characters in western literature.
In some ways its a tragedy of its own success: the immense expectations of the first big kickstarter game and the realities of game expenses gave it a reputation I felt was unwarranted. But setting aside the surrounding controversy, its just a charming coming-of-age story with fun puzzles and great characters. What's not to love?
In some ways its a tragedy of its own success: the immense expectations of the first big kickstarter game and the realities of game expenses gave it a reputation I felt was unwarranted. But setting aside the surrounding controversy, its just a charming coming-of-age story with fun puzzles and great characters. What's not to love?
first act: banger
second act: ehhhh
third act: what
overall: game has jablinski games 10/10
second act: ehhhh
third act: what
overall: game has jablinski games 10/10
what a charming little thing. classic double fine goodness. we gotta start putting elijah wood in more games
1st half rocks, part 2 feels a little rushed. Nice art
Hmm... Broken Age is an odd duck. It was released in two halves for financial reasons, and I remember enjoying the first half a whole lot more than the second. It's charming and fairly humorous, but some of the puzzles are very rough.
act 1 is a charming point and click adventure game experience with wonderful characters, dialogue, puzzles, world building, and all. act 2 shits the bed to a severity that i've rarely seen given how much i was enjoying the first half.
not sure who the target audience for the game was the more i think about it. going in i thought this was something aimed at being a potential first in terms of adventure/puzzle gaming for new players while appealing to everyone still but with how the puzzle difficulty goes off the rails i'm not so sure. i know with the acts releasing separately what came in act 2 was probably a response to the reception of act 1 but it's too bad that it resulted in such repetitive and miserable puzzles.
could absolutely see myself returning to play act 1 and then dropping the game there someday.
not sure who the target audience for the game was the more i think about it. going in i thought this was something aimed at being a potential first in terms of adventure/puzzle gaming for new players while appealing to everyone still but with how the puzzle difficulty goes off the rails i'm not so sure. i know with the acts releasing separately what came in act 2 was probably a response to the reception of act 1 but it's too bad that it resulted in such repetitive and miserable puzzles.
could absolutely see myself returning to play act 1 and then dropping the game there someday.
Broken Age just didn't work for me, both conceptually and in actuality. The story was only so-so, and when I was trying to finish the ending of part 1, I remember being surprised and disappointed to see one of the monster's arms displayed as a big white rectangle. I did try part 2 when it came out, but quickly lost all interest in trying to solve those puzzles.
It's a serviceable point-and-click, but occasionally has downright bizarre puzzles that have awful solutions that don't make sense relative to every other puzzle in the game, or hide their answers very out of the way where you'd never think to look unless you're very well versed in the subgenre's worst behaviors.
This is a genius premise for a point-n-click adventure game. They took two separate adventures and combined them into one package. A lot of the fun is guessing why these two engaging stories have been paired together.
This game excels when it comes to not wasting any of its material. Items, level details, and character motivations that are discovered during Act 1 will remain relevant during Act 2. It was fun to play through the entire game in one week, as I was able to appreciate the narrative's symbolism and the foreshadowing within Act 1.
The game does a lot right. Puzzles have telegraphed solutions that are also clever, numerous whacky characters can be met, and there are some stellar environments. That said, certain characters are undercooked. I can forgive some side characters being simple, but many major characters will have wishy-washy motivations, and refuse to satisfyingly explain certain details. Also, it feels like the last segment could've been expanded a bit more. The puzzle itself was nice, but everything wraps up a bit too quickly and neatly.
This game excels when it comes to not wasting any of its material. Items, level details, and character motivations that are discovered during Act 1 will remain relevant during Act 2. It was fun to play through the entire game in one week, as I was able to appreciate the narrative's symbolism and the foreshadowing within Act 1.
The game does a lot right. Puzzles have telegraphed solutions that are also clever, numerous whacky characters can be met, and there are some stellar environments. That said, certain characters are undercooked. I can forgive some side characters being simple, but many major characters will have wishy-washy motivations, and refuse to satisfyingly explain certain details. Also, it feels like the last segment could've been expanded a bit more. The puzzle itself was nice, but everything wraps up a bit too quickly and neatly.
Tim Schaefer’s Kickstarter adventure.
Broken Age was a major moment for the game industry, Schaefer asked for public funding and broke all the records, and then some. Now I have some controversial opinions on a lot of the development, and Schafer's history but we’ll only focus on the game here. Broken Age is a point-and-click adventure where players control two protagonists with Schaefer’s level of humor. At least that’s what people say.
I just didn’t find this game as hilarious as some people claimed. The first half of the game was a solid point-and-click adventure, but the second half feels lazy at times and has an obvious issue that is also a spoiler, so I can’t talk about it. At the end of the day, Broken Age is right in the middle of some rough years for Double Fine, and ultimately it kind of shows.
Pick this up if you want to play a weaker point and click adventure or you find everything Schafer does is hilarious, but this one doesn’t live up to the legacy of Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, or Day of the Tentacle, and is nowhere near as good as Psychonauts or Psychonauts 2. I’d probably play all of those first.
If you want to see more from me: Check out my video on this month of Game Pass games: https://youtu.be/vUqrUn1HrwQ
Broken Age was a major moment for the game industry, Schaefer asked for public funding and broke all the records, and then some. Now I have some controversial opinions on a lot of the development, and Schafer's history but we’ll only focus on the game here. Broken Age is a point-and-click adventure where players control two protagonists with Schaefer’s level of humor. At least that’s what people say.
I just didn’t find this game as hilarious as some people claimed. The first half of the game was a solid point-and-click adventure, but the second half feels lazy at times and has an obvious issue that is also a spoiler, so I can’t talk about it. At the end of the day, Broken Age is right in the middle of some rough years for Double Fine, and ultimately it kind of shows.
Pick this up if you want to play a weaker point and click adventure or you find everything Schafer does is hilarious, but this one doesn’t live up to the legacy of Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, or Day of the Tentacle, and is nowhere near as good as Psychonauts or Psychonauts 2. I’d probably play all of those first.
If you want to see more from me: Check out my video on this month of Game Pass games: https://youtu.be/vUqrUn1HrwQ
A VILLAIN IN THIS GAME IS A FURRY
The second half ruins almost everything established in the first half of the game. Simple, logical puzzles turn into incredibly hard, moon logic tripe. An intriguing and personal tale gives way to trite conspiracies and turns into a total mess ending with an unsatisfying thud.
Bro really said "What if it took is 2 years to release Part 2 and in that part we introduce literally no new characters, art assets, locations, or Puzzles".
I love this game. The story is so good, and the characters are cool
The statute on ever returning to this game and completing it has passed. It looks very good, its got that trademark Double Fine charm. Its also a point and click adventure game and it being ironic about its unintuitive puzzles doesnt make them less unintuitive.
The first act is great the but second act falls flat. The first act achieves a fair difficulty while the second act has a horrendous difficulty spike that really takes away from the experience. It is filled with very obtuse puzzles that are frustrating to solve. I'm not gonna comment on the story much but I enjoyed it, although it doesn't take much for a story to entertain me. Broken age has some great moments but overall it is a mixed bag.
look, i get it, i'd spend my entire budget on elijah wood too if i could. mf looks at me once with those dreamy hobbit eyes and i'm ready for him to climb my garden wall, you know what i mean
Lets just all agree to keep putting Elijah Wood in more games. He's very good at VA and has an incredibly soothing voice.
(Winner of Beta’s Alpha Award for worst early access game)
3.3 million-fucking-dollars. And that was just the first half of a game that is basically a pop-up book voiced by frodo. Only way you’re getting that second half is if you BUY THE EARLY ACCESS GAME.
So let’s recap what happened: Tim Schaefer suckerd a bunch of nostalgic buffoons into funding his “Grand Idea”, only to be fed lies and disappointment. Unable to meet the release date and features originally promised, Double Fine went out and released what most would consider a proof of concept, let alone an actual game. Broken Age is the definition of overpromising and under delivering and honestly, that’s an understatement. Next time you think about backing a Kickstarter or purchasing an Early Access game, remember that night when Ol’ Timmy fucked you in the ass and didn’t have the courtesy to give you a reach around.
(Winner of Pixels Are Art 2 for most pretentious indie game)
You can measure a game’s pretentiousness by how many characters sport the rosy colored nose made popular by Penny Arcade comics and 4chan’s sister website, Tumblr. The gaming equivalent of a horn rimmed, type-writer punching, scarf wielding, latte drinking hipster who sexually identifies as a cross gendered redwood tree, Broken Age took pretentiousness to new heights. Its art style is one that tries to convey serious emotional depth without being constricted by realism. Unfortunately, it removes the effect Double Fine attempted to get across with its so called story. Broken Age shouldn’t even be considered a game as each scene is barely held together by such weak gameplay elements, it’s hard to believe it cost more than 3 million dollars to develop. Broken Age’s narrative tries so hard to break from the norm that it’s hard to take seriously. Mixing themes of racism, independence, and predetermined destinies don’t mix well when you’ve got Jack Black shitting golden eggs as a way to advance your story.
3.3 million-fucking-dollars. And that was just the first half of a game that is basically a pop-up book voiced by frodo. Only way you’re getting that second half is if you BUY THE EARLY ACCESS GAME.
So let’s recap what happened: Tim Schaefer suckerd a bunch of nostalgic buffoons into funding his “Grand Idea”, only to be fed lies and disappointment. Unable to meet the release date and features originally promised, Double Fine went out and released what most would consider a proof of concept, let alone an actual game. Broken Age is the definition of overpromising and under delivering and honestly, that’s an understatement. Next time you think about backing a Kickstarter or purchasing an Early Access game, remember that night when Ol’ Timmy fucked you in the ass and didn’t have the courtesy to give you a reach around.
(Winner of Pixels Are Art 2 for most pretentious indie game)
You can measure a game’s pretentiousness by how many characters sport the rosy colored nose made popular by Penny Arcade comics and 4chan’s sister website, Tumblr. The gaming equivalent of a horn rimmed, type-writer punching, scarf wielding, latte drinking hipster who sexually identifies as a cross gendered redwood tree, Broken Age took pretentiousness to new heights. Its art style is one that tries to convey serious emotional depth without being constricted by realism. Unfortunately, it removes the effect Double Fine attempted to get across with its so called story. Broken Age shouldn’t even be considered a game as each scene is barely held together by such weak gameplay elements, it’s hard to believe it cost more than 3 million dollars to develop. Broken Age’s narrative tries so hard to break from the norm that it’s hard to take seriously. Mixing themes of racism, independence, and predetermined destinies don’t mix well when you’ve got Jack Black shitting golden eggs as a way to advance your story.
Now for a disclaimer I didn't play this game until both acts had been released so I don't have the many years of waiting that had happened to many others who expected more from Tim Schafer. I have the review split in two below:
Act 1:
Honestly, I really enjoyed this. I found the puzzles not too simple, but solvable and quite a lot of fun. The two different characters are very interesting, both wanting to go against the curve of their surroundings and free themselves. The many different characters are well written and voice acted too with a twist at the end which I sadly saw coming as I had seen Zero Punctuation's review of Act 2. I still quite enjoyed it though.
Act 2:
The sequel was quite interesting as both teens try to get to grips with what has just been revealed to them and they have to work hard to get out of the situation and reveal a diabolical plan. Unlike the first game, you need control of both characters to complete puzzles on either side (as if they were mentally linked, but they aren't) with one of the most ANNOYING puzzles I have ever seen in a Double Fine game. Luckily there were a few guides online that helped me out with this, leading to a interesting and somewhat symbolic ending.
Now, unlike everyone else I didn't play the first part before the release of the second part. As a full game, it's fine and works well. However, if I were waiting for this second part I would be VERY disappointed. Not to get into any spoilers, but the ending was cut a little short. The villains never get killed or take one, but it ends it with the whole "hope" message like RAGE which also pissed me off as it's like reading a story and then someone tore out the last few pages before the hero's confrontation with the villain.
All in all, now I would say it's worth the money but considering the kickstarter behind it, the amount of time it's taken and other issues like with Spacebase DF9 being incomplete I'd say not to support Double Fine's games unless they're COMPLETE as they have proven that even given a year they can't finish a game that they had received a stupid amount of money over.
Act 1:
Honestly, I really enjoyed this. I found the puzzles not too simple, but solvable and quite a lot of fun. The two different characters are very interesting, both wanting to go against the curve of their surroundings and free themselves. The many different characters are well written and voice acted too with a twist at the end which I sadly saw coming as I had seen Zero Punctuation's review of Act 2. I still quite enjoyed it though.
Act 2:
The sequel was quite interesting as both teens try to get to grips with what has just been revealed to them and they have to work hard to get out of the situation and reveal a diabolical plan. Unlike the first game, you need control of both characters to complete puzzles on either side (as if they were mentally linked, but they aren't) with one of the most ANNOYING puzzles I have ever seen in a Double Fine game. Luckily there were a few guides online that helped me out with this, leading to a interesting and somewhat symbolic ending.
Now, unlike everyone else I didn't play the first part before the release of the second part. As a full game, it's fine and works well. However, if I were waiting for this second part I would be VERY disappointed. Not to get into any spoilers, but the ending was cut a little short. The villains never get killed or take one, but it ends it with the whole "hope" message like RAGE which also pissed me off as it's like reading a story and then someone tore out the last few pages before the hero's confrontation with the villain.
All in all, now I would say it's worth the money but considering the kickstarter behind it, the amount of time it's taken and other issues like with Spacebase DF9 being incomplete I'd say not to support Double Fine's games unless they're COMPLETE as they have proven that even given a year they can't finish a game that they had received a stupid amount of money over.
This review contains spoilers
My second playthrough. Releasing the game in two parts was a terrible decision and the main reason I disliked the game the first time around. I’m happy I replayed it because it’s actually pretty great. I love all the characters, locations, puzzles, art, and music. I thought it was one of the few adventure games where every puzzle felt fair.
I was shocked how many items in the game had unique dialogue for using it on so many irrelevant people, items in your inventory, and your environment. Some really funny lines too by just messing around with different items. I’ve played so many adventure games where the use the same throwaway lines that I was extremely impressed with the quantity of lines.
The voice acting is nearly spotless. Vella’s actress was probably the weakest. Honestly I think Jack Black was just okay too, but maybe that was the writing more than anything.
The script was terrific and one of the best from Double Fine. I was laughing constantly. The story was compelling for me also. It felt to me like Tim Schafer took huge inspiration from the Bene Gesserit of the Dune universe; how they infiltrate and indoctrinate local populations to prepare them for exploitation. I enjoyed the themes of breaking free from harmful traditions and smothering parents who don’t let you experience life. I do wish that what happened to the secret society (Thrush) was clearer, but it’s a minor complaint.
I was shocked how many items in the game had unique dialogue for using it on so many irrelevant people, items in your inventory, and your environment. Some really funny lines too by just messing around with different items. I’ve played so many adventure games where the use the same throwaway lines that I was extremely impressed with the quantity of lines.
The voice acting is nearly spotless. Vella’s actress was probably the weakest. Honestly I think Jack Black was just okay too, but maybe that was the writing more than anything.
The script was terrific and one of the best from Double Fine. I was laughing constantly. The story was compelling for me also. It felt to me like Tim Schafer took huge inspiration from the Bene Gesserit of the Dune universe; how they infiltrate and indoctrinate local populations to prepare them for exploitation. I enjoyed the themes of breaking free from harmful traditions and smothering parents who don’t let you experience life. I do wish that what happened to the secret society (Thrush) was clearer, but it’s a minor complaint.
Unique concept with excellent art direction and execution, sprinkled with delectable voice acting and enjoyable puzzles.
Perhaps because I had no expectations, I liked this. However, I can also understand why people were disappointed. Generally, artwork is very beautiful and voice acting is superb. First act of the game is really good, though puzzles are a bit easy. The story is captivating, writing is also great with funny dialogue. In the second act, however, it all wents downhills. Story becomes a cliche "save the people you love" thing instead of a tale about adolescence. Puzzles became ridiculously hard, with little to no hint. This act really brings down the game, but I still would say it's at least worth playing.
Nice voice acting, story building and visuals! Sadly when I played the game only the first half was out and I never managed to start playing the second half. I guess the story/gameplay wasn't that engaging that I immediately wanted to go back, although I'm still thinking about finishing it.
Puzzles and and pacing were a little it on the easy/slow side but otherwise very nice.
(Note: I was a backer of the Kickstarter)
Puzzles and and pacing were a little it on the easy/slow side but otherwise very nice.
(Note: I was a backer of the Kickstarter)
The fact that Wil Wheaton is credited before actual talented voice actors who didn't play shitty characters on Star Trek is one of the greatest crimes of our generation
i watched someone play this as a kid and it's near and dear to my heart. what a game :)
Broken Age has fantastic characters and art direction, but once act 2 starts the gameplay quickly becomes convoluted and frustrating to the point that it takes away from the beauty of the rest of the game.
I've never had a puzzle game experience where I correctly did part B of a puzzle but it just acted like it was wrong because I had not done part A yet. This led to a ton of just wandering around and exhaustively clicking on things because why would I go back and try a solution the game explicitly told me was wrong an hour ago?
Then there's the solutions that just go against basic game design. The solution to the snake puzzle was doing nothing because I just had to guess I wouldn't actually get choked out? This is especially ludicrous because Shay remarks something along the lines of "Yeah this is going nowhere..." after which I left the second time I went there (first time I blew the horn to get the snake off, which further cements the idea you need something to deal with the snake). I figured you'd have to put on the clothing that the sad girl in the trees makes for you or something along those lines but NOPE!
Just stand still for an unnessecarily long time, with the game actively telling you to not do that. It's maddening!
The story also goes kind of off the rails once part 2 starts with the whole ethnic cleansing and hidden civilisation thing. They didn't feel like satisfying pay-offs to the mysteries set up in the first act, and a lot of the explanations attempting to glue together the increasingly wonky story feel a bit flimsy.
Don't get me wrong though, I do not hate Broken Age. There really is a lot to love here. Vella is one of my favourite protagonists in video game history, and Shay has a lot of great moments too. The side characters are genuinely wonderful and help make the world feel more realized and fun to explore. Vella's Act 1 does a great job at hooking the audience in, and Shay's first act creates some interesting plotlines too with his whole obsessed robotic parents thing.
I suppose I'm just kind of in the same boat as I was with Oxenfree, where you can just see the potential of the product in front of you and have to painfully watch your enjoyment degrade over time as the gameplay devolves into frustration or boredom and the story starts to frantically overexplain itself.
I would give Act 1 around a 4/5 stars, but I cannot in good conscience give Act 2 and the rest much higher than a 2 or 2.5/5 stars. So I'll settle on 3 stars. Glad I played it for all the great jokes and characters, but ultimately I'll remember my growing dissapointment with it the most I think.
I've never had a puzzle game experience where I correctly did part B of a puzzle but it just acted like it was wrong because I had not done part A yet. This led to a ton of just wandering around and exhaustively clicking on things because why would I go back and try a solution the game explicitly told me was wrong an hour ago?
Then there's the solutions that just go against basic game design. The solution to the snake puzzle was doing nothing because I just had to guess I wouldn't actually get choked out? This is especially ludicrous because Shay remarks something along the lines of "Yeah this is going nowhere..." after which I left the second time I went there (first time I blew the horn to get the snake off, which further cements the idea you need something to deal with the snake). I figured you'd have to put on the clothing that the sad girl in the trees makes for you or something along those lines but NOPE!
Just stand still for an unnessecarily long time, with the game actively telling you to not do that. It's maddening!
The story also goes kind of off the rails once part 2 starts with the whole ethnic cleansing and hidden civilisation thing. They didn't feel like satisfying pay-offs to the mysteries set up in the first act, and a lot of the explanations attempting to glue together the increasingly wonky story feel a bit flimsy.
Don't get me wrong though, I do not hate Broken Age. There really is a lot to love here. Vella is one of my favourite protagonists in video game history, and Shay has a lot of great moments too. The side characters are genuinely wonderful and help make the world feel more realized and fun to explore. Vella's Act 1 does a great job at hooking the audience in, and Shay's first act creates some interesting plotlines too with his whole obsessed robotic parents thing.
I suppose I'm just kind of in the same boat as I was with Oxenfree, where you can just see the potential of the product in front of you and have to painfully watch your enjoyment degrade over time as the gameplay devolves into frustration or boredom and the story starts to frantically overexplain itself.
I would give Act 1 around a 4/5 stars, but I cannot in good conscience give Act 2 and the rest much higher than a 2 or 2.5/5 stars. So I'll settle on 3 stars. Glad I played it for all the great jokes and characters, but ultimately I'll remember my growing dissapointment with it the most I think.
ignore the bad reviews, alot of people got burned by something that will not affect your playthrough. sorry to anyone that felt slighted, but the game is still great.
Broken Age (2014): Aventura gráfica clásica, y salvo por un par de picos (maldito hexacompi), con dificultad actualizada a los tiempos. Recupera el sabor añejo de Monkey Island o Day of Tentacle, pero sin llegarle a la suela. Aún así, la recomiendo a quién le guste el género (6,85)