From publishing games like Primordia to developing its own titles like the Blackwell series, Wadjet Eye Games has cemented itself as one of the trusted brands keeping the traditional point-and-click adventure genre not just relevant, but thriving. Shardlight, internally developed and written by a team overseen by Wadjet Eye founder Dave Gilbert, only continues the studio’s run of retro-adventure excellence.

Post-apocalyptic games are a dime a dozen nowadays, and yes, this is yet another game that takes place in a very harsh and depressing world left devastated by the aftereffects of war. However, Shardlight‘s post-apocalyptic setting, familiar themes and all, has a distinct style and more grounded feel that sets it apart. Exactly twenty years since an event known as “Blast Day,” protagonist Amy Wellard, a young woman who has contracted Green Lung, the disease at the root of the game’s post-apocalyptic strife, has taken a lottery job in hopes of earning a dose of the government-controlled vaccine. The wealthy benefit from regular access to the vaccine, but the poor must take on dangerous jobs for the oligarchical Aristocrats in order to gain entry into a vaccine lottery. So in addition to the typical post-cataclysmic themes of hardship and survival, there is a very strong narrative undercurrent of class tension within the world’s social hierarchy.

On her lottery job to repair a broken down reactor, Amy meets a technician–the person previously sent to do the job she has undertaken–trapped and dying under a collapsed pile of rubble. An unexpected revelation during their encounter leads Amy into the middle of a conflict between the oppressive Aristocrats, led by Minister Tiberius, and an underground rebel resistance movement attempting to fight back against the government propaganda and neglect by the social elite.

Shardlight tells a mature and at times quite dark and violent story, driven primarily by the game’s antagonist and protagonist and the strong voice-over performances of Shelly Shenoy as Amy Wellard and Abe Goldfarb as Tiberius, respectively. Amy is very much a likeable heroine that you can empathize with and root for, while Tiberius is a compelling villain with a calm and calculating demeanor mixed with an air of mystery, menace, and madness. Tiberius’s design is especially fascinating, with the hair and dress of a George Washington matched with a sort of porcelain doll mask affixed with gas mask respirators that hides his real face and identity. While not nearly as crazy-looking as Immortan Joe from Mad Max: Fury Road, he definitely has a weird and creepy charisma that draws you to his character.

At this point you might be wondering where the game gets its title. It all comes from the shards of uranium glass which serve as the sole form of artificial light for torches, lampposts, and, in the wealthier areas, chandeliers. The sun’s UV rays make the shards glow green with an eerie effervescence that stands out in contrast to the drab browns and grays of the desolate landscape and adds a distinct note to the overall atmosphere. Wadjet Eye sure knows how to create tremendous immersion with simple pixel art.

As well told and presented as the story is, don’t come in expecting a whole lot in terms of player agency. You are given the opportunity to read a few notes and books that provide some additional backstory, engage in conversations that aren’t necessary for progressing the story, and discover little optional actions that are linked to the game’s achievements (there are even quite a few fun Easter egg-style nods and references to other post-apocalyptic fiction), but none of it has any real impact. The only true moment of choice and consequence comes at the very end, where in the final confrontation you’re given three options to determine which of the three possible outcomes you get. Unfortunately, since these choices have no bearing on playing a particular way throughout the rest of the story, the endings feel just a tiny bit cheapened. After beating the game the first time, you can simply load up your last save file and play out the other endings in a matter of minutes.

In terms of gameplay, Shardlight stays true to the traditions of old-school adventure games. There’s a lot of cursor pointing and clicking to navigate environments, examine hotspots, and make dialogue selections during conversations. Puzzles and world interaction operate on an item-based inventory system, and thankfully the object combinations make sense without crossing into some of the kooky logic that gets some adventure games into trouble. I also love the way Amy hangs on to certain items to use repeatedly, in multiple ways, throughout the game, in particular her trusty crossbow. It’s a small detail, but it makes interactions with the world feel more organic, like there are a set of rules that apply to not just one moment, but to others down the line. In addition to item usage, the game throws a few logic-type puzzles into the mix that require using multiple items and paying attention to clues left in notes. For example, laying a piece of paper over an engraving and rubbing a candle over it to reveal the writing, or studying a book on calligraphy to learn how to draw a certain symbol on a chalkboard. A few of the puzzles are more than capable of stumping even the most experienced of adventure game players.

For better or worse, depending on how pure you like your games of point and click, Shardlight sticks to a very rigid set of mechanics. Personally, I think the UI could benefit from some more modern touches that could be implemented without derailing the retro vibe, such as the ability to double-click on waypoints to quick travel between scene transitions instead of always having to watch Amy walk across the screen and complete the animation. A hotkey to highlight hotspots could help as well. Thankfully there is very little of the dreaded pixel hunting that can be a plague on old-school adventure games, but on a couple of occasions I did waste a lot of time tediously traveling back and forth between locations in search of a vaguely hidden inventory item that was needed to proceed. Getting stumped by a challenging puzzle is one thing, but getting stumped simply because a crucial item is difficult to see within the environment is something altogether more frustrating.

Good old fashioned adventure game storytelling is what you get with Shardlight. Interesting lead characters matched with effective use of pixel art, voice acting, and music sets the appropriate tone and ambiance to draw you into the game’s grounded and mature post-apocalyptic world. On top of the six to eight hour storyline, bonus content in the form of an in-depth developer commentary mode, as well as unlockable concept art and acting outtakes from the voice over recording sessions, adds meaningful value. If you like your point-and-click graphic adventures the way they were made back in the glory days of MS-DOS, Shardlight‘s not to be missed.

Pros:
+ Grounded post-apocalyptic world with an engaging story to tell
+ Strong voice acting performances led by Shelly Shenoy and Abe Goldfarb
+ Smart puzzles that feel natural within the context and logic of the setting
+ Beautifully realized pixel art atmosphere

Cons:
– Limited player agency until the very end
– Some crusty UI elements feel a bit too old fashioned

Game Info:
Platform: PC
Publisher: Wadjet Eye Games
Developer: Wadjet Eye Games
Release Date: 3/8/2016
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1

Source: Review code provided by publisher

Buy From: GOG, Steam, or Wadjet Eye Games store

Happy post-E3 week! I hope you enjoyed our from-the-other-side-of-the-country show coverage.

I also hope you’re still in the mood for some retro indie gaming after seeing all those flashy next-gen games, because up for grabs starting today are Steam codes for post-apocalyptic cyberpunk adventure game Primordia, from Wormwood Studios and Wadjet Eye Games. We loved it, and think you will, too!

Prize: 4 codes to download Primordia on Steam. Game valued at $9.99.

Do at least one of the following to enter. Only ONE form of entry is required, but each method will put your name in the hat an additional time to increase your odds of winning, up to a total of five possible entries.

1) Leave a comment on this post.

2) Follow VGBlogger on Twitter @vgblogger and retweet this message

3) ‘Like’ us on our Facebook page and then ‘Like’ and comment on this post

4) Email us at contests@vgblogger.com with the subject line “Primordia Giveaway”

Entry Period: Monday, June 17 – Friday, June 21 at 12:00 PM EST. Four contest winners will be selected at random to each receive a Steam code after entry deadline on Friday, June 21.

Visit www.primordiagame.com and follow developer Wormwood Studios on Facebook to learn more about the rich, mysterious point-and-click world of Primordia.

Released back in December, Primordia is a rich and deeply engaging point-and-click adventure game set in a mysterious cyberpunk wasteland ruled by robots. We highly recommend playing it. And it just so happens to currently be a part of the latest IndieRoyale bundle, so go ahead and grab it on the cheap along with a handful of other indies while you can.

If you would first like an introduction to the game world, or if you’ve already finished the game and want to dive back in for more, check out the new Primordia “Fallen” graphic novella developer Wormwood Studios has released this week. The Fallen short story picks up at the conclusion of Horatio’s journey and further explores the setting and themes of the Primordia universe without spoiling events from the game.

Part 1, subtitled “Awake,” is currently available as an illustrated PDF or an audiobook which can be downloaded from SoundCloud or streamed from the provided YouTube embed with narration, music, and some very minimal animation. Two more chapters will be released over the coming weeks, with the full novella to then be compiled into a single PDF or ePub file to put on your favorite eBook reader.

Oh, and did I mention this is all free to download? Can’t beat that.

With the rise of console gaming and increased demand for cutting edge 3D graphics, there is a common perception that classic point and click adventure games are a dying breed.  Sierra and LucasArts were the titans of the genre, but while these developers are no longer the gaming powerhouses they once were (or in the case of Sierra–don’t even exist any more) adventure games are indeed alive and well.

Early adventure games brought a wide variety of humor, wonderful stories, puzzles and visual styles. They were often presented in crude 8-bit sprites that titillated the imagination (pun intended of course for Leisure Suit Larry fans), but because the stories were so interesting, flashy graphics weren’t required.  Moving beyond simple 8-bit graphics to deeper color palettes and complex animations meant adventure gaming could offer humor, stories and interactivity while potentially rising to the level of cartoon animation.

Having wonderful visuals doesn’t always mean a game will be any good, as has been proven time and again.  Solid mechanics do more for a game than flashy visuals.  Add in a complex, well-crafted narrative with characters that are engaging and compelling, and a game doesn’t need excessive eye candy to succeed.  This concept is exactly what Wadjet Eye Games has been delivering for the last few years, with games like The Shivah, The Blackwell series and the more recent Resonance all providing top notch storytelling without requiring a powerhouse computer to play.  Continuing their winning track of wonderful adventure games is the newly released Primordia, developed by Wormwood Studios and available today at PrimordiaGame.com, Steam and GOG.

Set in a future where robots rule and man is merely a forbidden myth, Primordia tells the story of a robot named Horatio and his hovering companion, Crispin, as they attempt to recover a stolen power cell.  While Horatio and Cripsin attempt to retrieve this vital energy source, Primordia unravels a wonderful story of conflicting factions struggling against each other, all in the attempt of progress, redemption and rebuilding what was once a great world.  Now the world is a wasteland of the broken, rusting, destroyed remnants of a past glorious civilization.  Horatio is a robot with good intentions thrust into a situation where a healthy and positive moral outcome is questionable. I don’t want to get into too many details without potentially spoiling anything, but I can say without a doubt that Horatio, Crispin and all of the other robots throughout game are some of the richest characters I’ve had the pleasure of playing with in quite a long time.

Along the way to recovering the power core, Horatio and Crispin scour junk piles, encounter schizophrenic robots–even zombie bots–and discover what caused the world they live in to become such a barren, dying wasteland.  One of the best things about good science fiction isn’t the fantastical future tech or the luxuries it brings, but rather turning the events of the future into a parable of what is wrong with the course of modern man and society.  Primordia isn’t exactly a warning of what will happen to our current society, but it does raise some interesting questions about our dependence on automation.  Man built robots to help build, or so the Gospel of Man in Primordia states. The game further explores what happens when robots want to do more than build or, in other words, when a robot designed to perform one function becomes all powerful.  Now I’m not saying that a robot designed to mold plastic ejected dashboards would end up ruling our world, but the game posits the idea that robots are only as smart as the task they are programmed for.  If they take over the world, even after 392 revisions of programming, the world would likely become a rusting, power starved, rotted junk heap.

Point and click adventure games are great for being able to build strong characters in unique locations all while running a simple, intuitive interface.  Typically games of this ilk are a “hunt for the right pixel until the mouse cursor changes” and the real challenge comes from figuring out what inventory objects need to be placed together in order to solve a puzzle.  Primordia follows the same sort of ideal, but goes a step further by including an in-game hint system via Crispin, the hovering droid sidekick.  I love playing adventure games, but I’m stupid when it comes to figuring out what I need to do next in a lot of these types of games. I admit that I’m usually playing with an FAQ or a walkthrough by my side.  Sure it can sometimes ruin the magic of a game, but how often in real life does any one ever think that “if I combine a hose with a pumpkin, I’ll be able to open a door?”  

Adventure games are often known for having crazy solutions like that, but thankfully Primordia doesn’t fall victim to puzzle obscurity.  Maybe I’m smarter than I think.  Or maybe all of the puzzles make sense in this game. Maybe Crispin’s clues are just worded so perfectly that I never once had to fret over needing a walkthrough.  What I’m getting at here is that Primordia goes to great lengths to ensure that its puzzles can be solved without putting players into a position where they have to look to an outside reference for aid.

Crispin will offer clues, but not right away.  Clicking on him will return several replies such as, “Do you hear clicking?” or “I’m just a sidekick, why do you keep asking ME what to do next?”  The game is full of sly self aware humor; the writing is fantastic.  Not only does the game question the world’s moral gray areas (and in turn the real world), but the writing also provides some truly laugh out loud moments with interactions between Horatio, Crispin and various other robots.

Writing such great characters goes a long way to creating a wonderful game, but Primordia goes a step further by having a fantastic cast of voice actors. Logan Cunningham, most notably known as the Narrator in Bastion, stands out once again as the star of the game.  Logan does a wonderful job, but he is not alone in spectacular performances.  Abe Goldfarb performs as Crispin, and the banter that is tossed back and forth between the two characters adds a charm that almost goes against everything that Primordia would seem to represent.  Sarah Elmaleh voices Clarity, a mid-game character that brings another layer of depth to the narrative.  Normally I wouldn’t find it necessary to call out individual actors, except that part of Primordia‘s lasting impact is due to these fantastic voice-over performances.

There are two other aspects that I want to mention about Primordia before wrapping things up.  The first is the fact that not every puzzle needs to be solved, nor do they have to all be solved the same way.  That’s not to say that every puzzle can be skipped, but it shows that Wormwood Studios put a lot of effort into giving players options when faced with solving sections of the game, which is welcomed change in a genre that is mostly known for high linearity and almost no player choice.  Not solving one puzzle has the potential for impacting future interactions with other robots, and because of this the ending is also not so cut and dry.  I must have replayed the end at least five different times, just to see how many variations the game had to offer.  

The second thing that needs to be pointed out is the fact that the developers also include a commentary track which offers some fun insight and inspiration into the design process of the game.  Developer commentary is something I think more studios should add to their games and I’m always happy to see this type of feature.

Fans of story-driven gaming should not pass up Primordia. Clearly a lot of care and hard work went into creating this game, and the results are a wonderful journey into a decaying world filled with mystery and unique, memorable characters.  An adventure game that offers humor, optional ways to solve puzzles and a clean, intuitive interface, Primordia truly is a shining example that old school point and click gaming isn’t dead, but is in fact thriving more than ever before.

Pros:
+ Rich, mysterious game world
+ Engaging characters supported by top notch voice acting
+ Multiple ways to solve puzzles
+ Optional developer commentary feature is a nice touch
+ In-game hint system offers clues and solutions without holding a gamer’s hand

Cons:
– Resolution settings aren’t available within the game interface

Game Info:
Platform: PC
Publisher: Wadjet Eye Games
Developer: Wormwood Studios
Release Date: 12/5/2012
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1
Source: Review code provided by publisher

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The 2012 adventure game renaissance continues this fall with what appears to be another point-and-click masterpiece from Wadjet Eye Games.

Crafted by Wormwood Studios, Primordia is a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk adventure about a robot named Horatio, voiced by actor Logan Cunningham of Bastion and Resonance fame, who leaves his home in the city of Metropol to wander the desolate wastelands accompanied by a hovering droid named Crispin Horatiobuilt.

Instead of pounding players over the head with tedious backtracking and illogical trial and error like so many adventure games of yore, Primordia will focus on deep character interaction and puzzles with logical solutions and plenty of exploration. Plus, look at those hand-drawn graphics–yeah it may be a bit old and pixel-fuzzy, but the art design is phenomenal and very distinct in a genre filled with mystery crime thrillers and color fantasy worlds.

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Even as today’s modern gamer mentality fights to bury it, the point-and-click adventure genre is here to stay. Particularly now that the indie gaming scene is so in vogue, small development shops and one-man home developers are keeping adventure gaming alive and kicking. Dave Gilbert’s Wadjet Eye Games is one such indie studio, stoking the fires of original and creative adventure game development with recent favorites like Puzzle Bots and the Blackwell series.

I did get a chance to play Puzzle Bots last year, but I am just catching on to the Blackwell series with the latest installment released earlier this month, The Blackwell Deception. Fortunately, while there is some carry over with the characters, from what I understand the games are self-contained enough to not require prior experience with each passing installment, so do not fear jumping into this new chapter blind as I did.

In this instance, The Blackwell Deception tells a supernatural murder mystery as seen through the eyes of spiritual medium Rosa Blackwell and her ghostly sidekick Joey Mallone. Confused spirits of victims scammed by a shady street psychic are being left behind after strange deaths are uncovered, each linking back to a mysterious man known only as Gavin. These spirits don’t yet realize they are dead, and so to ultimately get to the bottom of the plot Rosa must first help them recognize their passing and pump them for clues before aiding in their final transition.

The Blackwell Deception is a blast from the past; a throwback in all ways to the 1980s and 90s ‘Golden Age’ of Sierra and LucasArts classics like Leisure Suit Larry, King’s Quest, Maniac Mansion and Sam & Max Hit the Road. In no way does it compete with those titles, but it’s a successful homage and modern extension of that era nonetheless. The 2D graphics do look that old and that ugly by today’s standards, but the pixelated, aliased sprites are key to this game’s retro charm. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Like those adventures from yesteryear, Deception is an adventure game built upon a sturdy foundation of quality writing and storytelling, strong character performances, and smart puzzle design. As an indie game with budget limitations, there are inconsistencies, particularly in the voice acting department with certain actors/actresses playing multiple roles, leading to a few characters that all sound exactly the same despite significant differences in age and personality. However, that is an admittedly nitpicky complaint, and for the most part the acting is solid, especially for the two main characters. The score is absolutely perfect too, blending jazzy detective themes and dramatic pieces to set a unified atmosphere befitting a supernatural mystery.

Gameplay similarly unfolds in traditional adventure game fashion. Traveling from a spirit-driven yacht out at sea to the seedy streets of present day late-night New York City, you guide Rosa and Joey along with points and clicks of the mouse, examining the environments for important evidence, using items in the inventory to solve puzzles, comparing and matching notes to uncover new clues, and chatting through dialogue trees like an old text adventure to bring all the pieces together and push the story forward.

At any given time, you can switch control between Rosa and Joey. As Rosa, you can interact with physical objects, talk to live NPCs, and use her phone—the MyPhone (see what they did there?)—to make calls, check email, track notes, and use the Oogle (another one!) web browser to search for addresses, phone numbers and other pertinent information based on other clues you’ve gathered. Things are a bit different with Joey. As a ghost, he is able to search areas undetected and pass through walls and doors, accessing areas and viewing items Rosa is unable to. He can also use his cool breath to blow objects off tabletops or to give nearby characters a chill.

Figuring out the best way to combine their unique talents is often the only way to solve the mystery at hand, and from start to finish the puzzles are incredibly balanced and well thought out. Not one single time did I find myself stumped by some obscure, nonsensical conundrum or stuck doing the old hotspot mouse-over hunt, tediously attempting to find some nondescript object of interest buried within a cluttered background. There is a remarkable cerebral quality to the game’s puzzles that forces you to think like a detective and pay attention to even the subtlest of clues, be it a post-it note stuck to a computer monitor or an unassuming poster on the wall of a student’s dorm room. You may miss these things the first time over, but any good sleuth knows that the most important clues are often found on the second pass. Once you figure out the final piece of each puzzle, everything clicks into place in a satisfying way.

Even though it’s a $15 digital download, The Blackwell Deception feels like a full-sized adventure game. I didn’t keep track of a specific run time, but playing over the course of the past week I’d estimate that I got at least six hours out of the game, maybe even a little more. Plus, the developer stuck in a neat commentary mode, and I’ve been enjoying going back through some of the early segments clicking on thought bubbles placed around the screen to have Dave Gilbert personally explain various design aspects for a scene or to listen to funny voice acting bloopers. Little touches like these are what separate indie productions from the big-budget blockbusters from greedy publishers all too eager to sell bonus features as DLC.

You won’t find anything innovative or cutting edge in Wadjet Eye’s latest, but The Blackwell Deception is the type of game that knows what it is and is secure in its old school ways, coming from a developer that you can tell is confident in his ability to tell a simple yet engaging story, intertwine it with smart, thoughtful game design, and let those fundamental components stand on their own. That’s exactly the quality I look for in any great indie game that I play, and The Blackwell Deception certainly is one of those.

Pros:
+ Compelling supernatural murder mystery storyline
+ Smartly designed puzzles
+ Pixelated 2D sprites exude retro charm
+ Musical score sets the mood beautifully

Cons:
– Certain voice actors are noticeably reused for multiple characters

Game Info:
Platform: PC
Publisher: Wadjet Eye Games
Developer: Wadjet Eye Games
Release Date: 10/12/2011
Genre: Mystery / Adventure
ESRB Rating: N/A
Players: 1
Source: Review code provided by publisher

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