Game Review #208: Demetrios: The Big Cynical Adventure (Nintendo Switch)
Reviewer: Jordan M.
Developer: COWCAT
Publisher: COWCAT
Category: Adventure/Puzzle
Release Date: 12.03.2018
Price (at time of review): $9.99
Buy Demetrios: The Big Cynical Adventure from the Nintendo eShop here.
A Hungover Paris Adventure
Demetrios: The Big Cynical Adventure follows Paris antique dealer Bjorn Thonen, our not-so-bright hero. After getting robbed while coming home drunk, Bjorn notices an old tablet has been stolen. He decides to get his neighbors to help him conduct an investigation which will take them farther than they realized. Travel to faraway places and meet all kinds of different characters and - who knows? Maybe you'll even save the world.
Beginning on Kickstarter and originally releasing for PC from COWCAT Studios in 2016, Demetrios is now making its cynical way to the Nintendo Switch. The game takes you across several different locations each with different areas to explore. Each area will have its own sets of puzzles, mini games, and characters to interact with.
Taking Control of This Investigation
The left trigger allows you to quickly move around your play area. Interact with objects of interest by pressing A and examining them. The right trigger allows for a slower, more detailed zoomed in version of exploration. This allows you to zoom in on certain areas to find any hidden items of interest. Your items you've collected can be accessed by pressing B. Clicking an item with A will allow you to examine it or interact it with by using it on something or combining it with another item. By going up to the home icon in the top left and then going over to What To Do, you can actually view all hotspots on the map in case you feel there is something you missed. Interaction with items reminded me of other point and click adventures such as The Raven: Remastered which is a game I reviewed for the site a few months ago.
There are a few things I really enjoyed about this game. One is that in each area you go to, there are up to three cookies hidden throughout. Each cookie you find can be saved and when you are really stuck on something, you can eat a cookie which will offer you an extra clue. I also enjoy that your character can make decisions which will cause them to wind up in prison or dead. Yes, your character can die based on your decisions. According to the game over menu, there are over 68 different ways to die. My first was by sticking my finger in the power outlet. Sigh… we always remember our first time, don't we? Thankfully, the game doesn't make you start all over and instead puts you back to before you made the decision.
All the 90's But Without the Windbreakers
All of the artwork in the game is hand drawn and looks very nice. It has a nice kind of 90s style retro vibe which I enjoy. Each area has a lot of attention to detail with bright environments and lots of items to interact with. The soundtrack can get a little repetitive but I wasn't really expecting anything too dynamic for this type of game.
Will I Point and Click My Way to Purchase?
This game doesn't knock my socks off, but it isn't bad either. Some of the humor is a little more toilet humor than I'd like, but the game is still amusing overall. The game lasts about eight to ten hours so for the price point it isn't a bad little point and click adventure. The hand drawn art looks nice and each map/area has a lot of options as far as things to interact with. I like that the game gives the option to tone down the farts and burps etc, making it a little more PG. The puzzles aren't so hard that they are unsolvable and you always have the cookie option for extra clues if you get stuck. Some of the characters can be kind of annoying at times but some of them aren't so bad. I think this is a pretty decent point and click adventure that’s worth checking out just for its depth and humor.
Rating: 8/10
Buy Demetrios: The Big Cynical Adventure from the Nintendo eShop here.
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