STRANGELAND

I reckon that there every fan of classic adventures knows Wadjet Eye Games. Dave Gilbert's company has provided us with umpteen gems over the years, either as a developer or publisher. Among others, its catalogue includes Unavowed, Shardlight and Primordia, which is the creation of the small development team Wormwood Studios.

For those who were lucky enough to play Primordia, they will remember that it was a particularly atmospheric adventure, which had the privilege of having alternate endings, multiple ways of solving puzzles and a scenario filled with allegories. So we weren't at all surprised that the team's newest effort, called Strangeland, is broadcasting on the same frequencies.

The game goes straight into the "deep end", placing our anonymous (?) protagonist in a bizarre and nightmarish world, which has a slight hint of the paranoia of H.R. Giger's works. The hero has no memory of the past, nor does he know how he got there. Nevertheless, the world around him has a rather abstract texture, resembling a twisted combination of carnival, circus and amusement park. Even the first intelligent (?) being that will address us is the "clown"/carnival entry, who will not even miss the opportunity to flummox us with a series of bad jokes.

After there is no other way open, we pass through the mouth of the giant clown only to witness a blonde, beautiful woman commit suicide by falling down a well. However, the well seems to have no bottom and our possible attempt to follow her results in death. Only here death does not have the meaning of the end. No matter how many times we try to kill our hero, he will be regenerated outside the "Strangeland" sign in a state of being in a state of milking. As far as his physical existence is concerned, at least, because we don't take an oath about his spiritual existence.

From there, as you explore Strangeland, you'll encounter even more bizarre situations and faces. Ravens who seem to know more than they say they do. An enigmatic creepy old man, without eyeballs, who... speaks in riddles. Even a talking furnace will get in the way of the hero, who will turn him to ashes if he tries to piss him off. Nothing seems to make sense, until slowly, with the help (?) of a mysterious voice that calls us every now and then on the phone (!) located after the carnival entrance, truths begin to reveal themselves.

Truths that the hero may not be able to bear. But there is no turning back. After all, let's not forget that we are immortal. A wish and a curse, but one that helps us the most in solving many of the game's puzzles. Puzzles that are completely intertwined with the paranoid environment we move in, with several of them having more than one way to solve. But for some inexplicable reason, which also demonstrates the mastery that the folks at Wormwood Studios possess, they don't require some sort of moon logic to solve.

On the contrary, we would say that Strangeland has a rather low difficulty index, due to the relatively few locations we visit. Of course, as we progress through the game and the hard truths come out, the environment itself starts to change and show its true face. So even though the game doesn't change shows particularly often, the creepy atmosphere, the sickening images depicted, and the equally "disturbingly" paranoid voices leave their mark on anyone who attempts to play the game. I personally haven't felt this way playing an adventure game in many years. Don't say from the Darkseed era and sound like an exaggeration.

However, if for some reason we get stuck on a puzzle, the guy calling us on the phone also acts as a hint system, but he's not so... polite to us. That is, among other things, we will face reactions of the type "but well, you still haven't figured out what to do?", which makes you reconsider if you're really as good at adventures as you think.

Among other things, Strangeland has different endings, depending on some of our choices (especially towards the end of the game), which leads us to move on to a second or even a third playthrough. Besides, the short duration of the game is not a deterrent to do so. Unfortunately, Strangeland's duration is one of those that we would describe as "shot", as it is possible to complete it in an afternoon. Roughly, it takes around four hours to watch the end credits and the game is comfortably played "one-handed", as its eerie atmosphere is so addictive that it doesn't let you quit.

Of course, there is a question of whether the much desired "catharsis" comes with the end of the game. Strangeland leaves some questions unanswered, open to different interpretations, something that many people will not see in a "good" light. This was probably done intentionally, as the game clearly does not wish to provide clear answers, but to tell an allegorical story that will make the prospective player think about who she is. It's "point of view", which I personally liked, hence the related review you see below.

A rating that takes into account the excellent pixel art (640*360 resolution please, 3080 Ti running scared) approach to graphics, which manages to create some very powerful shots. The world realisation is amazing, with the dark tones and attention to detail easily winning over, while the character design is perfectly functional, as they convince us that these are sad beings trapped in a perpetual pattern of life and death.

The ally in this "uncomfortable" situation is the sound, whether we refer to the musical themes or the voice over, as mentioned above - truly impeccable work. As for the handling, all you have to do is play any point 'n' click adventure and you'll instantly feel at home. Just keep in mind that there's no hotspot indicator (no need for one here), and the addition of an inventory shortcut on the cursor is very nice, which greatly speeds up the familiar formula of testing items on a hotspot.

To sum up, Strangeland is a very interesting proposition for fans of classic adventures. Undoubtedly, its short duration, combined with the relatively low difficulty of the puzzles, will probably make you hesitate whether it's worth giving in or not. But if you decide positively, regardless of whether you are satisfied with the ending, you can be sure that this nightmarish journey will be unforgettable.