Game Stooge

REVIEW: Puzzle Agent (PC/Mac)

• Scribbled on July 5th, 2010 by Jonah Falcon
• Filed in Adventure, Apple, Mac, Mobile Gaming, Nintendo Wii, PC, Puzzle, Reviews, WiiWare

Poor Nelson Tethers. He’s an FBI agent who is happy and content in his cozy office, heading the office of Puzzle Investigation, a branch of the FBI that is comprised of one person: himself. His job is to relax and solve crossword puzzles. But one day, Nelson falls asleep at his desk and has a terrifying vision that foretells a trip to Scoggins, MN, which is where he is sent to investigate the mysterious goings-on at the town’s famous eraser factory, which services the President with erasers.

Puzzle Agent is an adventure game which can best be described as an unholy mix of Professor Layton and David Lynch by way of Fargo. The game manages to mix whimsy with disturbing imagery skillfully, even with its minimalist, Flash-style animation.

The game is based on and created by Graham Annable, best known for the Grickle Youtube channel. The Grickle channel revels in turning everyday objects and well-known figures into mysterious entitles, as best exemplified by “Santa’s“. The work is similar to Courage the Cowardly Dog’s odd pathos, and that same vibe permeates Puzzle Agent.

Nelson’s visit to Scoggins is filled with the same air of disquiet, even as it lulls you into a false sense of security – simple acts of violence like cocking a gun are louder than most Hollywood explosions. The game is a slow burn in that when something happens, its punctuated. Nelson is a mild man, despite being sort of a kook with a passion for puzzles and bubblegum. When things happen, you feel his distress. The slow burn of oddness and threatened violence finally explodes at the end, which will stay with many players a few hours after the game is over. It’s not a cliffhanger, but rather a non-ending that leaves you at once confused, trying to figure out just what happened, and wanting more.

It’s fortunate that the story, dialog and voice acting is so strong, because its core gameplay mechanic – puzzles – is weak. There are too many easy puzzles; at best, some puzzles will only require a lot of time and patience, while others practically solve themselves for you. The game desperately needs puzzles that the Professor Layton games will hurl at you, that require some real brainpower to solve. Hopefully, if new episodes are produced, there will be harder, more devious puzzles to solve.

Note the “if” in the last statement. Puzzle Agent is something Telltale Games calls a “pilot” episode. Basically, there’s no commitment to making new episodes – new ones will be produced if the game proves to be popular. For $10, Puzzle Agent, despite its minor flaws, is an experience that must be had, with a witty, disturbing unique story. It’s far more worth the money than going to see The Last Airbender, for example.

Check it out at the official site here. The game is currently available for PC and Mac OS, and will be hitting iPhone, iPad and WiiWare in the near future.

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