Techtite's PC Game Reviews!

Anachronox

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A Techtite Review

Winner! Best Overall Game, 2001.

There are some games which should lead to an award for "best prologue/intro of the year." Anachronox is definitely among them. Zooming into the title's namesake in all its glory --a gigantic, alien-made planetoid-- it begins with a panning view of the numerous departing and approaching ships, in this apparent hub of galaxy commerce. As a shuttle approaches one of Anachronox's surface spikes, we see that these spikes lead to a giant metropolis within. Once the shuttle lands, we get a flyby of the twisting, turning walkways, that with their simulated gravity wrap in all types of directions of this artificial world. Then it slowly reaches the office of the main character...just as a loan shark is throwing him out the window. Award shows notwithstanding, this certainly is one of the most attention-grabbing game introductions of the year.

Of course, this mere prologue is just a small sample of Anachronox; an elaborate RPG action-adventure, several years in the making. What makes this RPG different from most of the others released these days, is that it's graphics are not mere faux 3D/isometric 2D; this is a 3D game world through and through, that you can explore at will. It takes all of the best traits of the Final Fantasy genre, and thrusts it into a superior, fully 3D game engine. This results in an RPG with inspired game maps that rival those in ION Storm's popular release last year, Deus Ex. People who love exploration will love the numerous places to explore, which seem inspired a little by a similarly great action-adventure, Thief (numerous secret items are hidden in the shadowy corners of the areas you explore).

The game also has a great story, involving detective Sly Boots (the man thrown out the window in the intro). He hasn't been having much luck lately, nor has his formerly living assistant, Fatima, whose spirit has been digitized to hologram form, and is now reduced to being his "Life Cursor" (the arrow-shaped scanning device floating around him, with the help of your mouse, which helps identify items and maintains your "mission objectives" list). What happened to Fatima --and Boots, for that matter-- is all part of the evolving story, starting with Boots looking for a job, and ending with his discovery of how big of a "job" it really is. You'll help Boots explore many different worlds --each totally unique from the others-- trying (as every game hero is) to save the universe.

This is alluding to the game's best trait; size. Anyone miffed at the relatively small size of games these days, should definitely love the size of Anachronox. Your journey starts at Boot's home "town," and soon extends to as many as seven other planets, colonies, and space platforms. Each planet/station is huge, consisting of hotels, stores, bars, and of course, many dark corridors you shouldn't be in, yet explore anyway. In time, you'll acquire a shuttle of your own, allowing you to return to some of these planets, to see sights you didn't get to see before. You'll meet seven main characters along the way, and a wide menagerie of supporting characters. You'll also learn more about Boots himself, as well as past and new friends, leading to a very three-dimensional character development that I enjoyed a lot.

The most unique aspect of this game, though, is how "alive" this game world is. This goes beyond the well chosen background music, voice actors, and visual and sound effects; it goes for the characters themselves. In the cutscenes, characters' mouths don't just move along with their voice actors; their facial expressions change as well, leading to very cinema-quality moments. Non-cutscene animation is similarly well done; Stiletto Anyway (shown here), for example, has a unique "wiggle" to her sultry walk, whenever she is used as the lead team member. As for the worlds explored, every alien on the street has a story, and each is quite amusing and funny. Many even lead Boots to over 35 optional mini-quests. Some sub-quests are continuing mini-stories all their own, especially if you decide to join the rebellion or ally with your fellow detective friend, Rukh; either of which is completely optional. This is all, as I said, within a totally "alive" game world where even the arcade machines actually work. Cool!

Even better is this game's RPG battles, between your party of heroes (3 at a time, on any mission), and a menagerie of unique villains. What I liked most about this battle engine --in addition to the excellently animated battle FX-- were the choices of battle maneuvers. You can use your current weapon, use a variety of magic spells (or "Mystech," as this game calls it), move to a more offensive/defensive location nearby, use an item in inventory (a bomb for an enemy, or a healing pack for yourself)...or, if you've saved up enough energy, you can use a "battle skill." Such battle skills are unique to each of the seven main characters, who start off with one skill, and can soon learn 3 more. Enemies all have their own, unique battle skills as well, leading to many non-repetitive battles filled with fully animated 3D effects galore.

Not all exploration, though, involves fighting and clicking your mouse around. The best places to search require serious skill on the part of your teammates. Boots, for example, can pick locks, while only the robotic PAL can tap into computer security systems. Of course, such "skills" lead to even further mini-games, within this already huge game. To pick a lock, for example, Boots must discern the 3 digit (and later, even longer) code to open the lock, within the time limit offered. PAL must tap into a system by traversing a wire "path," which is similar to a "plumbing pipes" game you may have played on PCs many years ago. Each of the seven main characters has a unique skill, leading to a unique mini-arcade-game. Furthermore, talk to enough people, and you may find a person who can upgrade your character's skill level. A better pick lock for Boots, for example, allows you to fool the timer, allowing for more time to pick the bigger, tougher locks.

Topping off Anachronox's excellent consideration to detail, is its excellent sense of humor. Such comedy relief ranges from the smart-alecky robot, PAL, to the equally grumbling old codger, named quite appropriately "Grumpos." Grumpos has the skill of "Yammering," which he can use on someone to talk their ear off until they give him what he wants. Such discussions are well-written and a real hoot. Of course, the funniest character concept is the only one of seven that is not shown within the game box's inside flap, and that's for a good reason; the surprise of seeing he/she/it for the first time, will definitely lead to a few gaping jaws in game players, as well as a few laughs.

However, much like the best selling games of late (Diablo 2 in particular), there are a few gripes, though none are worth reducing the rating of the overall game. For example, the interface does not automatically turn the camera in the direction Boots is moving; you'll have to slide Fatima (the game cursor) around with your mouse, to change your angle of view. However, other gripes are similarly minor. Given, for example, how much the female rogue Stiletto Anyway was used to pre-promote this game, it may disgruntle some gamers to find out she doesn't appear until one-quarter of the way through the whole game (though after that, you can use her on any mission you like, for the remaining 75% or so of the missions). There are other, even tinier grumblings, though again, nothing that kept me from truly loving this game.

You can note how cryptic I'm being in this review, and that's because there's too much to spoil, and I don't want to give too much away. However, I will say that the eventual reason for Boots' mission --revealed soon after PAL's mission by himself-- is totally sci-fi, and tremendously inspired. Among all the banal stories of "trade disputes with Naboo" and "bug aliens who screech a lot" in sci-fi movies these days, here is an evil villain whose diabolical scheme is, quite simply, absolutely, brilliantly sinister and devious. I haven't seen a villainous scheme like this in years; it's nice to see such inspired storytelling is still possible. Being able to be a part of the story, in an interactive RPG, makes it all the more fun.

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You may also be interested in : Prima's Official Strategy Guide : Anachronox