Hands-On Impressions: Runaway

Dinamic Multimedia sent us a beta version of Runaway: A Road Adventure, the upcoming cartoon-style adventure game from Pendulo Studios. The beta contains the first three chapters of the game, all of which feature detailed two-dimensional environments. The player assumes the role of the main character, Brian, a college student who happens upon an injured woman who claims to be running from the Mafia. The first chapter takes place in a hospital as the woman, Gina, is recovering from her injuries. The game mechanics are fairly standard for an adventure game. Players explore a series of environments, find objects to place in their inventory, and talk to the people they meet. In order to complete a level, players must use the objects they find in the correct way, or choose the correct responses when talking to another character.

The game has the distinct look of a comic book. The characters blend in to the background scenery well, and their movement is smooth and natural. The cutscenes use the same visual style as the actual gameplay, so the transitions between cinematics and gameplay are more or less seamless. The story takes the player to a wide variety of environments, from a New York City hospital, to a Museum of Archaeology, to an abandoned shack in the middle of the desert. If the beta we received is any indication, Runaway will feature colorful graphics, traditional adventure game puzzles, and interaction with a number of interesting characters.

We'll have more information about the game as we draw closer to its scheduled release date in the spring.