Armikrog | Xbox One

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The 1996 point-and-click adventure game The Neverhood was a cult classic, so when its creators launched a Kickstarter to fund a spiritual successor some three years ago, they comfortably met their target. Whilst Pencil Test Studios haven’t quite managed to bottle lightning here, the obvious passion project radiates a warmth that makes it unquestionably endearing.

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by Sam
​Sant

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@SlamShotSam

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Developer: Pencil
Test Studios
Publisher: Versus
Evil
Platforms: Xbox One, 
PS4, Wii U, PC, Mac &
Linux
Players: 1 

A kitschy, animated opening number establishes the story through aping 80’s and 90’s TV, setting the tone for what’s to follow. 

With the planet Ixen in desperate need of ‘P-tonium’, astronaut Tommynaut and his blind, dog-like sidekick Beak-Beak head to Spiro 5 in search of the element.

​Struck by an asteroid, things quickly go awry when our heroes crash land in hostile alien territory. The transition to solid ground also prompts a shift in presentation, revealing a world entirely handcrafted from clay and stop-motion animated to Aardman standards. These opening moments exude more love, care and attention than many games do throughout their entire course, immediately connecting the player to the world and its characters.

​Tommy and Beaky (see, we’re already on first name terms) unfortunately aren’t made enough of, as you’re unable to have them converse or inspect and discuss items as you might expect. This makes the rare instances when the strong voice talent and script are on display all the more memorable, but equally as frustrating when subtitles reveal absent voiceover in select instances.

The soundtrack never falters, however, providing an evocatively trippy and stylish mix of chilled bass lines, guitar riffs, drum beats and otherworldly synth that melds genres. It's Bowie-esque in places, which speaks to its immense quality.

​If you’ve grown accustomed to Telltale Games’ revitalised take on the point-and-click adventure genre - perhaps even played them exclusively - then (re)acquainting yourself with the classic gameplay can be jarring. Indirect movement, fiddly controls, and an occasional lack of direction give Armikrog’s mechanics an antiquated feel; though not one without some degree of nostalgic value to those with fond memories of their heyday.

The obvious passion project radiates a warmth that makes it unquestionably endearing.

A look at the wonderful world of Armikrog.

You’ll spend most of your time on Spiro 5 solving a range of puzzles that gate progress, but rest assured that solutions are never outlandish enough to deny being reached naturally through the clues you’re provided. Another LucasArts pitfall is dodged by the inclusion of a cursor that snaps to interactable objects, ensuring you won’t miss anything important and need to undertake an ensuing pixel-hunt.

Whilst some puzzles are reused numerous times, the game’s short runtime meant they never had chance to become stale. Perhaps the most interesting of the bunch involve splitting Beaky from Tom to gain a new perspective. Beaky’s blindness is portrayed through a desaturated and rippling filter that allows him to sense otherwise invisible symbols in the environment - which you might want to draw, unless you like backtracking - and communicate with aliens to gain cryptic insight.

In the few hours it takes to reach the credits, not much honestly happens, but the chilled pacing makes for a refreshingly brave change of pace. It’s clear a sequel is planned, though it’s one of those instances where you can’t be certain it’ll ever actually materialise. We certainly hope that fear is without foundation, as what little there is of Armikrog is incredibly charismatic and likeable. Despite its issues, our beaming grin never faltered - to put it simply, Armikrog made us happy.

Pros

• Rich world and characters with charm and personality to spare
• Unique and emotive claymation presentation
• Outstanding, catchy soundtrack
• Engaging puzzles that make sense
• Smart cursor prevents each screen devolving into a pixel-hunt

Cons

• Short runtime with little to no replayability
• Archaic point-and-click mechanics
• Missing dialogue in places
• Passes up opportunity for further story and character development
• Significant backtracking required if you don’t have a photographic memory (or make notes)

Score 7/10