Developer Diesel Puppet cut its teeth on simple mobile games, which makes it surprising that they've taken the leap into full-on hidden object titles. Considering the team's apparent inexperience with the genre, its first hidden object adventure, Weird Park: Broken Tune is surprisingly good.
Sure, the creepy carnival idea has been seen a few times already but let's face it, it's fun. The fact that people keep buying games like this is clear evidence of the perennial popularity of the premise and aside from a few awkward moments, Broken Tune does creepy the carnival concept proud.
It starts, like so many hidden object titles do, with a tragic event. Fairy Gate Park witnesses the death of one of its star performers--a truly disturbing, tight-rope-walking clown named Louis Gauche--and from then on, things go ill for everyone associated with the park. Rides break, people are hurt or go missing, and eventually the park is closed down.
Where do you come into all this? You're a detective asked to investigate the disappearance of John Flatter, a journalist who himself was investigating the death of Louis Gauche and the mysterious accidents when he vanished. You do this in the usual hidden object way, taking part in an alternating formula of puzzle/hidden object scene/puzzle/hidden object scene. Although the approach isn't particularly creative, it's solidly done.
What the team deserves most credit for is creating a well-crafted, beautiful hidden object adventure with only a few minor problems. Oftentimes, stories in hidden object games are thin, disorganized or just plain bad and while Broken Tune's story doesn't fall to the bad side of the spectrum, it does occasionally feel haphazard and its disjointedness climaxes in a strangely abrupt and unsatisfying end.
The game's extras include a strategy guide, concept art and a generous bonus chapter that gets a thumbs up for all-new locations and artwork and a thumbs down for an utter lack of narrative context and again, an abrupt and in this case, totally inexplicable ending.
Aside from these narrative hiccups however, Weird Park: Broken Tune is well worth the time it takes to play it. It's laid out well, requires a minimum of backtracking and contains a good variety of puzzles and hidden object scenes. If this is Diesel Puppet's first attempt at a game in this genre, it'll be exciting to see what they come up with now that they've had some experience with it.
For more information on Weird Park: Broken Tune, visit Alwar Games' Broken Tune website.
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