Game has a ton going for it in terms of writing, voices, animation, music, etc., but actually trying to complete the game without any help was an extreme exercise in futility for me. I finally broke down and looked up a walkthrough about halfway through the game and there were some things that I could tell I probably never would have gotten. It just feels like stuff I essentially would just have to get lucky or have to be able to read the developers' mind to get. Which is too bad because I like it otherwise. If the game had some way of nudging me in the right direction I would have liked it a lot more.

A product of its time, and I mean that in the most positive way, because it's so endearing. I have a nostalgic love for point and clicks because of all the edutainment games I played as a kid, and this one has such wit and creativity (not to mention gorgeously animated whether that's in the remastered artwork or the original sprites) that makes it a solid showcase for why the genre is so fun. Did I use a guide? Absolutely, this genre has a reputation for a reason. I was ok with accepting that and not getting needlessly confused or hopelessly lost, and my experience was better for it.

Might be the best point and click adventure I've ever played!

Exploring the motel in present, past and future was a lot of fun. These kinds of intimate spaces and exploring them-- figuring out how they work-- this is why I like point and click adventures. These environments are so beautiful. A real step up from Monkey Island 2. Having the ability to swap around items between characters on the fly was a gift from the heavens in terms of convenience features. There weren't too many items to collect. The scope of the world was pretty moderate, is what I'm saying.

I found the characters and a dialogue charming. The puzzles were not too hard but still not too easy although some solutions were a bit finnicky. I also think that the story could have had a bit more heart and a theme to tie it all together.

Loose “Maniac Mansion” sequel. It features the same kind of humor but in a whole different atmosphere, somehow closer to a vintage cartoon than a video game. The gameplay dynamics are essentially the same, with the exception that one character is in the past, one in the present, and one in the future. Our actions can change little details in the other timelines and therefore make new items and puzzles available. Absurd puzzles are a trademark of LucasArt graphic adventures, but it felt like they went a little too far with this one. You will need to try all items on anything to find your way through the game, and the multiple timelines are making the operation even more complex, as items can also travel back and forth in time.

Absolutely massive step up from the archaic Maniac Mansion. Day of the Tentacle barely feels like a sequel to that one beyond a few characters. The concept of exploring three different eras of time and using the items you obtain through each time period is great, if only a bit overwhelming. I'm sure I could have cracked it open for the most part (aside from that skunk puzzle because what) =, but I went to a walkthrough relatively early on and don't necessarily regret it. These games are less about puzzle-solving and more about the dialogue for me, and this one does not disappoint. I said in my Monkey Island write-ups that I found the voices a bit annoying and it took me out of the experience, but here the voices are essentially perfect. All three playable characters have unique ways of interacting with the world and providing some hilarious dialogue. I especially loved Hoagie, who's entire arc is just trolling the United States. Dude literally destroys the entire concept of the American flag. I bet the boomers got triggered back in the 90s or actually they probably didn't care because this shit only started mattering to people once social media came into existence. I'm all for finding creative ways to shit on the United States and I'm allowed to say this because I live in Indiana and it's still better than at least 10 other states. What the hell? Anyway, the game is basically just non-stop entertainment if you use a walkthrough and allow the pacing of the writing to work it's magic. I imagine it's far more annoying if you are actually smart and figure the skunk puzzle out on your own. 4/6