Developer: KING Art
Publisher: Nordic Games
Platform: PC
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 – Preview
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is the sequel to the success that was The Book of Unwritten Tales which was followed up by the Critter Chronicles. Much like the first in the series, the sequel continues the traditional point and click adventure gameplay mechanics with creative puzzle solving in the fantasy lands of Aventásia, where we are once again united with our four playable characters.
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 takes place one year after the events of the first game. The storyline continues in The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 but it does so without having the player to need knowledge of the previous game. The introduction is followed up with a tutorial and then the real game begins. It is both in the intro and in the actual game itself that one can find many references to what the player would’ve done in the first game. Thus those who are unfamiliar with the first game can still follow the storyline. The references are subtle and are in no way an annoyance.
The majority of the gameplay mechanics in BoUT 2 are standard in the point and click genre, however the puzzles themselves are by far superior to other games in the same genre. The puzzle solving is rather creative and not as dull nor as straight forward. A good example of this creative puzzle solving is the fact that you have to scare the happy willow by reading a book about carpentry – thus making him sad in the process. As these types of puzzle solving are not as straight forward as most point and click games, it does cause some rather difficult moments. This is not necessarily a bad thing though as the game still manages to pull you right in – you just need to use your head in a less logical, more fantasy logic kind of way.
To mix things up a little in the traditional gameplay, there are four playable characters – Wilbur, Nate, Princess Ivo and the Critter. Each of these characters will be playable in different locations and all have to accomplish different tasks. Not only does this provide a healthy dose of variation in the game, it also keeps the player involved in the game itself as each playable character must interact with other characters and locations. It is a great way to change the scenery somewhat without having the player to travel through many different locations.
There are plenty of references to movies, books and even other video games throughout the game and this serves for a pleasant gameplay. The intro with Nate and the Genie for example is, for me at least, a perfect reference to Aladdin. Another location that is filled with Easter eggs is the Elven library. For example, the helmet in the library is a subtle reference to Skyrim – those strange people who shout into the mouths of dragons – while the weapon rack in the library has a less subtle yet utmost perfect reference to Minecraft. All of these references provide a good sense of humor throughout the entire game and made me chuckle countless of times. I will this trend will continue in the next chapters.
As I previously mentioned the game is set in a fantasy land and is played in a third person perspective. Visually the game is truly outstanding, especially for a game in its genre. Each location is beautifully crafted and has plenty of details. Each location has their own carefully thought-off color schemes which provides plenty of great atmospheres for each location. Shadows provide a good sense of depth in the game and therefore it is hard to tell that the game is 2D, 2.5D. All-in-all, I find that the visual design in BoUT 2 is even better than in the first game.
The sound design is equally great. The voices are not an annoyance and there are plenty to be heard. The voice-acting itself is fine as well, the lip synching may be off here and there but these flaws are rather small in comparison. The sound effect themselves are fantastic, from the growling of the rabbit-sheep to the rustling of page to the trolling trolls. The background music, whether it is the calls of nature or an orchestra, is rather subtle although often quite loud compared to the volume of the voices themselves.
Conclusion
The classic point and click adventure games let you use your brain without fully overloading it while you unravel a great story in the meantime. The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is no different, yet it is far more superior to games in the same genre due to the outstanding visual and auditory design. The first chapter has plenty of references that will make anyone chuckle and I can only look forward to the next chapters which will release periodically over the next few months.
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