Everyone’s pumped for Double Fine and its Kickstarter success, but the genre of the point-and-click is far from dead. One only has to look to the indie scene for quality amusements, many more than willing to embrace the feel of yesteryear. The visually delectable Machinarium is an excellent example of the work that’s going on outside the realm of the triple-A and the in-development Wretcher from Alan V Drake delivers an even more old-school adventure.
If humour was the driving force behind the likes of Sam & Max and Monkey Island, terror is now the favoured meal, going by Wretcher‘s dark colours and generous use of grain filters. While it’s built in Adventure Game Studio, it’s hardly a novice effort, with the graphics and animation spot-on for a 90’s point-and-click. The music and effects are also top-notch, setting the mood from the get go. It reminds me a bit of Dark Seed; Wretcher relies on a haunting, oppressive ambience rather than cheap scares (though it has a few).
It’s a healthy length for a demo at about an hour and it’s entertaining enough that I’ll be checking in once a full version is available.
Wretcher [Official site, via IndieGames]
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