The Several Journeys of Reemus: Chapter One
The inimitable Zeebarf returns, armed with The Several Journeys of Reemus: Chapter One, and you'll be pleased to know that his work just keeps getting better. The plan is to release a new episode each month, so devotees of pointing, clicking, and walrus mustaches rejoice!
Your job is to guide opportunistic exterminator Reemus and his ursine companion Liam through a series of eight oddball misadventures on a quest to... well... do something or other. Go to a castle and save the world, I guess. They get sidetracked a lot. There's an epic threat to life as feudal society knows it and all that, but Reemus doesn't really care. He's too busy looking for his next meal ticket and representing that amazing mustache. What's that? You say I already mentioned the facial hair? Oh, I don't think so. You mustache been mistaken! I'm bear-y disappointed in you! Hahahahahahahahaha *snork*
Analysis: Slick animation: check. Colorful fantasy world full of imaginative flora and fauna: check. Weird, sometimes illogical puzzles: unfortunately, also check. This adventure follows in the footsteps of The Visitor (who gets a cool cameo appearance) and Reemus Zero by giving you two or three showstoppers, and filling the rest of the scenes with random sprite-hunting. But the showstoppers are really clever, and even the most brainless puzzles are at least entertaining to watch unfold. One major improvement is that you can't ever completely cut yourself off from a solution; there's no need for restarts (well, unless you run into some random bug, which I did a couple of times).
The problem right now is this: I'm not sure who the player is supposed to be. Clicking on objects causes them to do all kinds of complicated things. Ropes tie themselves into loops and hurl themselves over parapets, swords fly into the air and sharpen themselves. Most of the time, it's clear that either Reemus or Liam is supposed to be performing these actions, and the only reason you don't see it happen is the sheer time and resources it would take to animate them doing everything—which is fine. But occasionally you'll be asked to manipulate objects that neither one of them could possibly reach, and you suddenly feel like a helpful passing poltergeist. The logical derailment is jarring.
However, this is still Zeebarf's best game to date, although if you were into the violence, he's definitely lightening up on that. The story blends seamlessly into the gameplay, the cut-scenes are crisp, and none of the puzzles feel outright unfair. If the author can live up to his episode-per-month promise, we can look forward to swimming in mustaches for some time. I don't know what that means.
Walkthrough Guide
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I thought this game was better than the other ones from zeebarf because it was more intuitive. Also I liked that there were no gross out scenes.
Walkin' it through! (Clicking on stuff out of turn sometimes gives amusing one-liners, if you want to explore.) This walkthrough goes up to the last scene. I will do the last scene in my next comment with both options.
Scene One:
Escaping the Wolf-thing
1. In the bottom left, there is a blue tail sticking out from under the bush. Click!
2. Click on the lowest-hanging yellow thing, and then click on the snake. It will be mesmerized. Click on the snake again to tie its tail to the branch.
3. Click on the upper right green fruit to make the rabbit-thing move to it.
4. Click on the lower green fruit. Gulp!
Scene Two:
A Good Rope is Hard to Find
1. Click on the fallen orange flag in the lower left.
2. Click on the stick in the lower left and then click on the green rock in the well.
3. Click on the stick, and click on the dirt pile.
4. Click on the tree.
5. Click on the rock.
6. Click on the tree.
7. Click on the fallen rope.
Scene Three:
Lassie, Get Help!
1. Click on the orange fish when it jumps.
2. Click on the green plant stuck to the hanging stalactite.
3. Click on the orange fish again.
4. Click on Liam. Whee!
5. Click on the hook hanging out of the green thing on the wall, and then click on the lilypads in the corner. Then click on them twice to attach them and throw it up to the bucket.
6. Click on the fish's tail.
7. Click on the insect colony next to the bucket. Click on the bucket and you're free!
Scene Four:
It's a Door Puzzle!
1. Click on the axe and use it on the barricade until it breaks.
2. Click the axe and use it on the chain on the well. Click the chain twice.
3. Click the wheel on the wagon, and then the spoke that the wheel was on.
4. Click the spoke, the wheel, and finally the chain. Give the whole thing another click to open the door.
Scene Five:
Chicken Tonight
1. Click the feed sack, and then the chicken. Gulp. Is he gone?
2. Click the chicken carcass. Guess he's not!
3. Click the pulley to position the towel over the wolf-thing.
4. Click the towel to drop it on the wolf-thing.
5. Click the rope and spike to tie the wolf-thing's tail.
6. Click the door twice.
Scene Six:
Pay No Attention to the Monster in the Room
Part One, the Hook.
1. Open the door and enter it. A smithy!
2. Sharpen the sword by clicking on the wheel lever, the sword, the fire, the hammer, the sword, and the wheel again.
3. Click the shiny shiny sword and use it on the lantern. Hot wax, hmm?
4. Click the spear and use it on the vice. Click again the break the stick part off.
5. Click the stick to use it on the wax. Click the hook (it's on the hammering table) to attach it to the stick. Click your hook on a stick to move on!
Part Two: Another Door Puzzle
1. Use the hook-stick on the attic door. Cut scene.
2. The key clue here is "the Crow Flies at Red Dawn.
3. Need it spelled out? Ok. Click the wheels until red, the bird, and the rising sun (the half-circle with lines sticking out of it) are all on top. Click the lever.
4. Dialogue. Click the rope hanging in the closet, and then click the rope again.
Posted by: joye
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September 10, 2008 3:28 PM
Walkthrough Part 2: The Slug Things Strike Back? Here's how to get both endings. (When you finish one ending, you have the option to restart from the last scene and get the other.)
Mouse Ending:
1. Click on the cage to get a spoon. The bird flies away but what do you care? You're doing the mouse ending!
2. Click on the purple box on the lowest shelf to get cauldron quickstart. Click on the cauldron quickstart to, um, start the cauldron. Quickly.
3. Click on the scroll. Don't worry about the squiggles. Look at the colors and the symbols on the right. Purple makes something bigger, and green gives it wings. (Orange is not important for this ending.) Now you just need a guinea pig!
4. Click on the cheese, and then on the blue stuff on the shelf above the cheese. Aw, he's stuck!
5. Mix yellow and blue in the cauldron (using the spoon) to get green. Click on the mouse.
6. Mix red and blue in the cauldron and use it on the mouse. You're outta there!
Bird Ending:
1. Click the birdcage to get the spoon. Yeah, I know, the bird flew away. Relax, ok? I got you covered.
2. Click the purple box on the bottom shelf to get cauldron quickstart. Click on the cauldron quickstart to start the cauldron.
3. Click on the scroll. Ignore the squiggles on the left. The important thing is the colors: purple makes things big, green gives them wings, and orange makes things pop.
4. Click on the red and blue vials and mix them with the spoon. Use the spoon on the orange flower on the shelves. The flower grows and knocks down the birdcage, revealing a lever.
5. Click on the cheese, and use it on the lever. A mouse comes out.
6. Mix yellow and blue to get green and use it on the mouse. He will fly up to the cheese and weigh down the lever. Some gravel and a canister will fall out.
7. Click on the canister twice to put the noodles into the cauldron. Click on the cauldron to pull out a rope, which conveniently arrays itself into a bird catching device.
8. Mix red and yellow and use it on the flower. Popcorn! Click on the bird to make Liam catch it.
9. Mix red and blue and use it on the bird. You're gone!
Posted by: joye
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September 10, 2008 3:50 PM