
	Platform PC Genre Adventure Publisher Telltale Games Developer Telltale Games ESRB T (Teen) Released May 5, 2009

‑ Continues the stellar cinematic quality that brings the movie stars Wallace and Gromit seamlessly into a game that plays out as an interactive movie ‑ What seems just as a normal adventure game turns into an interesting Christie-style whodunit? ‑ Manual keyboard movement is less awkward and somewhat more fluid than in the first game

‑ Perfectly charming British humor has is chuckles, but still doesn’t match the humor level of either of Telltale Game’s recent episodic adventure series, Sam & Max or Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People - Once again, final mini-game that relies on pinpoint timing can get really frustrating

Review: Wallace & Gromit: Fright of the Bumblebees (PC) Review: Sam & Max Season 2 (PC) Review: Chronicles of Mystery: The Scorpio Ritual (PC)
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Wallace & Gromit Grand Adventures: Last Resort

Score: 8.5 / 10

The suntan lotion, oversized umbrella and swimsuits could be all packed and ready for sunny fun, but nothing can dampen a well-planned beach vacation or sandy holiday getaway quicker than ruinous rainy weather. Just as they are about to set off on a little beach-going holiday, Wallace and Gromit find themselves in such a predicament in their second episodic adventure from Telltale Games, Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: The Last Resort.

However, the quirky wannabe inventor and his faithful canine pal don’t let the drenching rain spoil their plans. They don’t actually go to the beach, but instead bring the beach to them by setting up a makeshift indoor resort for not only themselves but to all their West Wallaby Street neighbors looking to escape the rain

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and enjoy some (artificial) sun and sand.

It starts out as another good Telltale Games point & click adventure that gamers will find enjoyable enough featuring the same charming (but not-quite-hilarious) British humor of Wallace & Gromit. But the game quickly changes gears and turns quite distinctly into a “whodunit?” that pays a noticeable homage to

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the queen of the British mystery novel herself, Agatha Christie.

Many characters that were present in the first game return once more, and Telltale Games does an impressive job in getting gamers really familiar with each of them, their background and relationship with Wallace (and Gromit). Highlighted even further is the intelligence of Gromit and how much he really, really lends more than just a helping hand to his master. Storytelling is once again the game’s strongest element, grabbing gamers’ attention and keeping it throughout the entire adventure.

In The Last Resort, that attention-grabbing is particularly important once the gameplay shifts into full mystery mode. Those gamers who find themselves befuddled with the unknown of who really slugged the brash and boisterous Duncan on the head will find the in-game hint system very helpful, alleviating all sources of frustration (until the once-again difficult finale mini-game, which relies too much on pinpoint-accurate shooting skills and no-room-for-error timing to complete). Even considering that tough last mini-game, though, the controls of moving around Wallace and Gromit seem much more fluid and less awkward than in the first episode.

Having an almost two-games-in-one element to it, The Last Resort weaves the best of both gaming genres (point & click adventure and mystery) together seamlessly, expanding the Wallace & Gromit world with even more characters involved in the gameplay for yet more fun folly from the wacky wannabe inventor and his devoted doggie.

‑ Lee Cieniawa

lcieniawa@armchairempire.com

(June 1, 2009)