If you're a sucker for a great story and don't mind a slow paced, puzzle filled adventure, Hotel Dusk has a room for you
As Kyle Hyde, life hasn't been very good to you. In 1976, you were forced to take arms against a man named Brian Bradley, gunning him down in the prime of his life. That man, once your partner on the police force, was your friend and what you did, you did out of duty. Not being able to move on with your life, you turn in your badge and gun, leaving the force behind after eight long years. After a short while, you've take on a job with Red Crown as a salesman, going door-to-door in an effort to placate middle aged housewives with household goods to make their lives easier, more manageable. You feel as if something fishy is going on behind the curtain, but brush it off as none of your business - you're simply there to sell, sell, sell. Still, there is something odd about you. You feel as if your partner isn't dead, that someone, somewhere, might know something about what really happened that night. Still, you have more important things to attend to. Ed, your boss at Red Crown, needs you to head to a hotel and grab a package he's sent for you and you head down the road in your busted ass station wagon until you see the sign - Hotel Dusk. Little do you know of the mystery that awaits you in this interactive novel...
The marked similarity to a book become blatantly obvious the moment you start the game, as you'll find yourself forced to grasp the DS sideways - as if you were reading a paperback novel. From a cinematic viewpoint, this perspective provides the gamer with an interesting view of the action, allowing the story to be told on multiple screens, but with a stronger emphasis on panoramic visualization. It provides interesting potential and offers some amazing and innovative ways with which to tell a story, as you can use both screens as one large screen (albeit one divided screen) and then switch to allow action to take place on each of the individual screens for dramatic flair and effect. It's amazingly well thought out and works out in favor of the game, allowing for a very rich and powerful story to unfurl itself in ways that really haven't been done before. It's almost like a live action graphic novel, but one in which our interaction will dictate what occurs throughout the story.
On the topic of story, some people may find distaste for the copious amount of text and reading necessary to truly enjoy the game, but those folks would be missing the point. Though some exchanges can be chalked up to being pure fluff, almost all of the exposition within the game serves to keep the story in continuous motion and thus is important when attempting to piece together the many different subtleties that the title has to offer. It's not unlike a good book or critically acclaimed graphic novel - the majority of the enjoyment comes from the written word, coupled with the overall presentation. Sure, we're thrilled to pieces when we're allowed to become interlopers in the world of Hotel Dusk, but the fact of the matter is that the slow, methodical pacing is clearly put in place to allow us to truly take pleasure in the overall storyline, which is done almost completely through the use of in-game text. If you aren't a reader and aren't interested in getting involved in an interactive novel, this is clearly not going to be a title you'll enjoy - it is a game, most certainly, but the amount of text likens it more to a good book first and foremost and in this respect it clearly succeeds.
While there is a clear emphasis on plotline and storytelling, there is an even stronger prominence placed on the part of character development. More often than not, games such as these feature characters whose role is one sided, perhaps being only a minor figure in the overall tale. Such is not the case in Hotel Dusk, as characters within the game are multi-faceted and feature various layers that you'll have to uncover as the story progresses. It's part of what makes the game so amazing, but is also part of the reason that the game becomes so decidedly slow - confrontations with each character can take many different angles and each angle can mean the difference between unlocking part of the mystery or finding your ass tossed back on the street. It's not always clear what it is you're supposed to discern from each and every conversation, but you're allowed to ask characters certain questions, as well as press them for further information on a point they're currently making. While in the midst of a deeply rooted conversation, you may find yourself confronted with a yellow, triangular hand icon. By gently tapping this icon during the course of the dialogue, Kyle will be able to follow up on what a character had just finished talking about. Conversations can take many paths and this is one way in which Kyle can attempt to make sense of what is going on within the hotel. These different paths can take Kyle down different roads, which helps to bring about some manner of replay, so you'll want to try different forms of persuasion and questioning in order to see where the conversation and characterizations take you. However, like I said before, some characters may not feel comfortable with Kyle and may respond negatively, thereby ending the game. It is only through trial and error, as well as careful examination of the characters and the different ways in which they interact and talk to Kyle, that you'll be able to successfully glean crucial information from the many different guests who inhabit the premises.
The gameplay itself is somewhat unusual, though still follows the old point and click adventure rule set. Using the touch screen, Kyle can be guided around using either the control pad (or the buttons if you're left handed) or by dragging him from place to place using the stylus. In truth, the stylus control is actually preferable in this case, but it's purely due to the fact that you're holding the DS like a book. The opposite screen provides you with a three dimensional view of the action and allows you to see what is going on in real time. As you walk around the room using the stylus and touch screen, you'll be able to examine the different areas by simply looking at the other screen and this layout is incredibly convenient and useful. At the bottom of the touch screen are several icons, each one representing a different action that can be performed during the course of Kyle's stay. If you find a door you'd like to try to open, for example, you can click on the door icon, allowing you to directly interact with the door. As you move towards different areas, such as a desk, for example, you might see a magnifying glass icon light up - this is your search ability and is one of the most important abilities required in order to get through the game.
Once you've entered search mode, you'll be able to freely interact with items you see on counters, desk, etc. as well as pick up any possible items that may be lying around. Holding on to these items is critical to success in the game, as you'll have to use them in order to make your way through the game, ala any other type of adventure game. Thankfully, however, the puzzles in the game tend to have a clearer focus and apply more to specific situations in which you might have to ponder the situation for a while before the solution springs to life. You won't find any puzzles that require any sort of ridiculous item association in order to progress - you'll simply need to take each item into account and put two and two together. Sadly, some of the puzzles are sullied by a little too much hand holding and obviousness, but for the most part, the game is littered with puzzles that are interesting, creative and innovative.
If you run into an area that you can't do anything with, but feel as if there is a clue lingering in the background, you can always use your notebook to write down a memo. Call me crazy, but this addition is one of the coolest features in the game, as it really makes you feel like you're part of the adventure rather than simply playing a game. You can take up to three pages of handwritten notes, so you might want to use them sparingly.
Visually, the game is stunning, with a heavy neo noir feel to it. All of the characters and animations are done through pencil sketches, which really drive home the graphic novel presentation (though in some ways makes me think back to a-ha's 1985 video "Take on Me"). The different reactions, the different story elements, all of the character portraits - the pencil sketch appearance truly makes them all the more spectacular to watch and work with. The rest of the game, the in-game portions of the graphics, are presented through the use of normal, 3D visuals and this works just fine and is offset by the sketch style quite nicely. Artistically speaking, this is a sensational title and really gives the reader/gamer something unusual to play through. It is a thing of beauty and a game that you won't simply look at and cast away as a "been there, done that" sort of graphic experience. While it may not sit well with some people, the overall presentation is splendid and offers up an experience that is a singular and distinctive and its storyline.
As for the overall sound, well, there isn't much to be found within the game apart from some swanky jazz tunes thrown in for overall background color. There is no voice acting in the game, which, considering the text heavy conversations, comes as no real surprise. From a purely technical standpoint, there is no way possible to fit that much recorded dialogue into on DS game, though if any game could have benefited from it, it would have been Hotel Dusk. Still, reading is fundamental!
Sadly, the lack of hype surrounding this title, as well as the somewhat lackluster release of the game (I've seen it at a total of one store thus far) are more or less going to keep this title from being anything more than a cult classic, which is a shame given the incredible art styling and storytelling that Hotel Dusk: Room 215 offers up. As I said before, some people may be put off by the sheer amount of reading involved in the game, but those people are sure to miss out on what can only be described as one of this years first Game of The Year candidates. You've had plenty of time to exercise that trigger finger, so take some time out of your life to play something that trains those brain cells a bit! If you're a sucker for a great story and don't mind a slow paced, puzzle filled adventure, Hotel Dusk has a room for you, so come on down, check in and get yourself involved in the mystery of room 215!