Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures: Fright of the Bumblebees

Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Release Date: March 24, 2009
System: PC
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: I'm still waiting on that breakfast, Gromit!

0:00 I was a minor fan of Wallace and Gromit's claymation shorts growing up, and I've been enamored of Telltale's recent Sam & Max and Strong Bad Adventures. Here's hoping the same madcap humor comes through here.

0:01 Grey gears turn in the background as a title card slides in, suspended by a few bits of rope. On it, shadow of a huge bumblebee threatens our inventive duo. Gentle, mysterious oompah music in the Aardman style fills the background.

0:02 The options screen can give hints Never, Rarely, Sometimes or Often. A nice touch. I turn it to Never for now, because I don't want to be tempted to cheat.

0:03 I decide to skip the tutorial. I think the short demo I got at the Game Developers Conference and my experience with other Telltale adventures will get me by.

0:04 Pan up from a picture of Wallace and Gromit fishing to the interior of a house. Gromit puts down a jar of "From Bee to You" honey under a spigot. "Robot Rodent Ravage Shop," says the newspaper headline. The game's title appears amidst shadows of a bumblebee swarm at the door.

0:06 "Breakfast time, Gromit," calls Wallace from upstairs. Just like that, I'm in control of the clay pooch. By the door is a wooden sign with four red lights: Slippers, Breakfast, Newspaper, Walkies. The Breakfast light is flashing. Wallace calls from upstairs: "Drop me down!" "Let's get going ... big day today!" "Up and at 'em!"

***-->CONTINUE READING AT CRISPY GAMER<--***

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