Anachronox

This is the comments thread for <A HREF="/gamedetails.php?id=71">Anachronox</A>

 

The combat is nothing spectacular, very console-ish. However, it is rather intermittent and the newest patch gives a fast forward key.

The majority of the game is exploration and dialogue, which is punctuated by an excellent story and an abundance sheer comedic genius. Few games make me laugh out loud, this being one of them.

I feel bad for Tom Hall.

 

The strength of Anachronox is that it is so simplified that it can focus more on the story, and comedy. Easy enough, it's a great game but nothing you'd like your hardcore-wizards-of-the-coast-friends watch you play.

 

I don't have any hardcore WOTC friends. And, if I did, I'd still play Anachronox in front of them. And then I would point at them and laugh. Why? Because they would be missing out on one great game. Sure, it was simple, but it had style and substance. Not to mention the fact that it got downright hilarious in parts.

 

Sure you can play it in front of your friends. I was being sarcastic. But the game has been unworthy labeled "console-RPG" by a bunch of magazines and websites, so a little sarcasm on this matter is only justified, I say. :wink: Anachronox is a bit like Final Fantasy in the ways of how the combat is built up, but at the matters of storyline and gameplay it exceeds those games both fully and violently.

 

Not to mention the beautiful cinematics. The part where the Mexican wrestler rescues the little girl was very nice, as was the airlock ejection sequence aboard the Kraptonian villain's space ship - the superdog flies out and everybody else dies in space. The reporter hitting her head on the vent doors as she flies out made me laugh out loud.

Call me a violent person, but that was utterly comical.

 

The best part of the game was onboard the Kraptonian ship, absolutely. I especially liked the comic style-textboxes. And the boss. So incredible comic stylish and goddamn evil looking that its pure comedy.

Not forgetting to mention the bald superhero Paco, of course. :wink:

 

Although I don't consider it a strong CRPG, it's a great game and a hell of a lot of fun to play. It has a lot of soul. I think KotOR is the PC game most similar to Anachronox, and I think Anachronox beats it in every way. Even graphics: they may not be as modern or uber, but they have their own style, which counts for a lot with me.

 

I heard they brought in a professional cinematographer for all the camera sweeps and cut-scenes, and it shows. Some of the framing is just beautiful.

 

Be sure to check out Machinima -- they have a feature-length film version of Anachronox up, it's basically the cutscenes cut together with some moving around + combat tossed in. HOWEVER, only watch it if you've played the game, you'll spoil everything otherwise. [obviously ]


-- Z.
who's working on an Anachronox mod for Freedom Force, currently on hold till FF2 comes out