More of the same, blog post done, PUBLISH.

Which, really, is true but a little shortchangey. It is more of the same, at least in terms of the style and the humour and the types of puzzles. One big difference is in how you don’t have your (usual) partner – Dooley – for some of the game as he went missing (spoiler, sorry) at the end of the previous game and much of the plot of this sequel is trying to find him and get him back. You do get given other characters to fill the story exposition/discussion for the benefit of the player roles, though.

I noticed more easter eggs this time round, with references to other stuff like Simon the Sorcerer, Tron, Nightmare on Elm Street, and – I’m pretty sure – the deer thing from Rusty Lake’s games. Anyway, yes – game good. Play game. Thank.

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this in my library (in multiple libraries, in fact) and thought, ooh yeah, I’ll play that… just not right now. Tens of times. Finally, its time came!

The Darkside Detective is a point and click adventure game with big chunky pixel graphics and silly puzzles and characters. The premise is that you’re a police detective, but your cases mainly revolve around ghosts and the occult. Spooky occurrences, portals to the Darkside, a sentient toilet, Santa working in a greasy spoon, and a sidekick who is an idiot. And your non-ghost-case detective rival who always gets the kudos.

It’s funny and pleasantly surreal, and the puzzles stay away from rubber-chicken-pulley territory so they’re pretty much all logically solvable. A very enjoyable game, and almost always incredibly cheap (or free!) so if you like the genre there’s no excuse to pass it up.