So many new novels come out every day, it's just about impossible to write one that stands out (or stands the test of time). Similarly, competing with the flood of hidden object games published every week can be daunting.
The makers of Classic Adventures: The Great Gatsby played it smart by making a game based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's homage to the Roaring '20s - and have come up with possibly the best hidden object game ever made.
Gatsby follows the plot of the novel, completely immersing players in the glamor of the Jazz Age. Scenes from the book are rendered in gorgeous detail, and are brought to life with subtle animations such as the languid swing of a flapper's leg, the night-time twinkle of party lights, the bubbles in a champagne glass or the slowly-rising smoke of an abandoned cigarette.
The gameplay is as well-crafted as the artwork, and offers some fresh ideas in hidden object mechanics. As you navigate Long Island high society in the two-toned shoes of everyman Nick Carraway, you not only engage in the usual hidden object play, you're also asked to do fun, context-specific things like making martinis. (In fact, one of the best sections of the game has you searching a room while in an alcohol-induced fog.) And Gatsby breaks new ground by taking hidden object gameplay on the road--literally--by having you search for things while riding in a car through downtown Manhattan. Even cutscenes in Gatsby are gaming opportunities and you'll get to search for objects as cutscenes play.
In addition to all this, periodically you get to "be" the author in a minigame that has you sitting behind an old-fashioned typewriter and typing words as they cascade down the screen.
Your skill as a hidden-object hunter is reflected in a score made of points and it's in your interest to score as high as possible since points can be used to customize your very own cozy, 1920's library. It's purely cosmetic, and really only functions as a place to visit the trophies you earn in game, but you can use your points to buy thing to decorate it with: plants, furniture, artwork--even pets.
Like its well-heeled characters, Classic Adventures: Great Gatsby is in a higher class than your garden variety hidden object game. With inventive gameplay, incredible artwork and one of the most poignant and unforgettable stories in literary history, it's one of the best casual games you'll ever play.
Comments