Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Just plain fun"

First, I'll save everyone some time - if you don't like PA (Penny Arcade), you won't like Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One (OTRSPODE1). If you don't know if you like PA, then I suggest you go check it out to see if you like it.

Now, if you like PA, you will in all likelihood really enjoy this game. The humor is very much the same between the site and the game, and the personalities of the PA characters Gabe and Tycho (and their creators) really stand out in the game. This really goes a long way in the game - the characterization, despite not being very fleshed out, feels robust, because fans of the site already know the characters. The third character (yourself), is not as robust, but since it's supposed to be you, it's not a deal breaker.

However, one area of the game that fails to shine is the character creator. The options are sufficient, but not stellar. All of the characterizations fit the theme well, but the color options seem limited. On the whole, the creator is a bit disappointing, but it is certainly livable.

The only other major gripe I had with the game was the total dependence on the mouse for gameplay. As someone who prefers console to PC gaming, I found the use of the mouse for all input to be rather annoying. I prefer to move with an analog stick or number pad, rather than by clicking the mouse. Also, to perform an action, you have to click the attack button by the character, then go click the enemy you wish to attack. I would have vastly preferred some sort of keyboard interface, which, if it existed, I could not discover. After an hour or two with the game, I had pretty much made the adjustment, but over the course of the game the controls never did quite feel right to me.

Having pointed out the few shortcomings, I would be remiss if I did not then point out the many strong suits of the game as well. As mentioned previously, the characters were strong, having already been familiar with them from my PA fandom. The settings were fun as well, though admittedly there were few of them as the game itself is quite small (after all, it is episodic in nature and this is but episode 1).

To me, the two pillars on which this game was built were the art and the humor. The art is simply fantastic. If you are a fan of the PA art style, the game incorporates it perfectly. The effort of the PA crew is evident in the final product, as the environments and characters fit the style of the comic absolutely perfectly. Again, if you are not a fan of the PA style, you may not find the art to be as appealing. For PA fans, however, it rings true and is a true strong point for this game.

The humor is, again, directly from PA. It is not always appropriate (in fact, it rarely is), but it is almost always funny. Once again, the characters of Gabe and Tycho fit their comic counterparts perfectly, and fans of the comic will not be disappointed. I found myself laughing out loud a lot during the course of the game, and there was nary a moment when I didn't have at least a cheeky grin on my face while I played. In the end, many games that claim to be "funny" simply are not, but OTRSODE1 definitely was.

In the end, it boils down to whether you are or are not a Penny Arcade fan. As a fan, I found the game to be very engaging - I wanted to play more and I am anxiously anticipating the second episode. If you do not like Penny Arcade, you will not like this game. Of course, if you needed me to tell you that, you might just be an idiot.