"ME WILLIE...ME WILLIE TROMBONE"
A Review of The Neverhood
by Mark W. Frantz
I fondly remember the wonderful Claymation movies of years ago. Rudolph and Frosty, Davy and Goliath, all that neato claymation stuff. So when this game from Dreamworks came into my possession, I jumped at the chance to step into the world of claymation. For the Neverhood, a wonderful creation, was made entirely from claymation. If that doesn't pique your interest, I don't know what will.
The requirements are stiff. Pentium 75 or better, Windows95. But the game rewards the blessed owners of these powerhouses with smooth animation unmatched in any other claymation game. (Of course, there aren't many). And, the graphics are divine. The cut scenes, the characters, the backgrounds, everything is clay. Over three tons of it, to be exact. This gives a great overall effect, and makes certain aspects of the adventure story an interesting adventure. (Especially when clay things hit each other...squish)
These graphics are underlined by an intriguing plotline and some truly excellent puzzles. I haven't enjoyed a graphic adventure game in a long time, bu this one was quite enjoyable. The puzzles are challenging but not impossible, and most are certainly logical.
The plotline revolves around the Neverhood, a world created by Hoborg, a god like figure. But he gets lonely in his world so he creates a friend, who ultimately stole the power giving crown from Hoborg and became ruler of the Neverhood. Klaymen, your character, was created by Willie Trombone, another friend, just after Hoborg lost his crown. It's his (Klaymen, you) job to solve the secrets of the Neverhood and return Hoborg to power.
One innovative feature of this game is the lack of an inventory system. When Klaymen picks up anything, he sticks it in his body, and carries it around until he needs to use it. The player doesn't have to worry about how much stuff he has, or how to use it. The game does it for you. Many would consider this a detraction, but lends itself well to the Neverhood.
Perhaps one of the most interesting things in the game is that nothing has any use at all. Even in the first board, where the player must pull a series of rings to escape a room, one of the rings unlocks a key object much later in the game. This can drive the player nuts at times, but if he keeps in mind that it all figures in the end, he should do all right.
The musical score is perhaps one of the best I have ever heard. Dixieland Jazz and Blues are the theme, and each room basically has its on musical theme. I didn't find one I didn't like. Unfortunately, (as far as I could tell), you can't hear the songs outside of the game. Too bad, this is the kind of soundtrack I'd pop into my CD player to listen to later.
In conclusion, Dreamworks Interactive's first game is a remarkable success. The immersiveness of claymation, and the excellent score and game play is infectious and addicting. The worst problem with this game is that it ends.
Gamer's Zone Scorecard
| Product: |
The Neverhood |
| Company: |
Dreamworks Interactive
|
| Cost: |
$49.95 |
System Requirements:
Pentium 75Mhz
8Mb required (16Mb recommended)
4x CD-ROM
SVGA Monitor
8-bit Sound card
10Mb Hard drive space
Windows95
Breakdown:
Fun Factor 5
Graphics 5
Sound 5
Interface 5
Replayability 3
Overall Score:
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