Available on Steam for PC and due for release on Xbox and PS3, Hamilton’s Great Adventure is a fun and brilliantly additive co-op puzzle-adventure game from indie developer Fatshark. The game follows the fantastically depicted Hamilton, as he re-lives his adventures though an Indiana Jones-esque environment with booby traps and bad guys behind every turn.
The simple story is portrayed through the eyes of Hamilton, telling the tales of his adventures to his granddaughter Amy. This quirky outlook on classic story telling really brings the game to life and is appealing to both new and old gamers alike. Within in a selection of levels there is a number of small in-game cut scenes featuring the past Hamilton being the gutsy hero attempting to retrieve what was stolen from him – the Fluxatron.
Hamilton’s adventures voyage through a series of levels designed to take him closer to the thieves that took his Fulxatron, each with a variety of traps and obstacles to hinder him on his journey. Marking the end of each level is a momentous golden door, which can only be opened with the one golden key hidden within each level. Alongside Golden keys on each level, there are a number of other collectables for Hamilton to discover. Silver Keys are used to open smaller doors inside each level and are sometimes optional. You can also collect Treasure, which is used to fund Hamilton’s many adventures and donates your overall score (Bronze, Silver or Gold). Finally, Sasha (Hamilton’s trusted pet bird) can collect Mystic Dust used to power magical gadgets which Hamilton has at his disposal, such as the Spyglass of Ulthar and Boots of Celephais.
Throughout the game you simultaneously control Hamilton with the WASD keys and Sasha with mouse control. Having two characters to control at once definitely adds a level of complexity to each of the puzzles. The game does contain co-op elements but unfortunately this is only available locally.
The puzzle solving starts off fairly simple, but quickly gains pace and complexity whilst remaining consistently unforgiving. You steadily get used to having your level ruined and having to restart after walking too far in one direction and watching your path behind you fall and crumble away. Even though the game at points is difficult, and you’ll end up having multiple restarts, it is never boring and remains thrilling.
Audio
The audio within Hamilton’s Great Adventure has amazing quality, both the music and sound effects keep the action fast-paced, whilst being so appealing they never become repetitive. The game does lack any actual voice acting besides some grunts and occasional words.
Video
The graphic style of the game is somewhat basic and caricature-like, all of the key characters have stereotypical depictions; the brave Adventurer, the nerdy scientist and the bubbly granddaughter. The bright and vibrant graphic style aids puzzle diversity with each of the different level regions having their own interesting unique theme.
Gameplay
The old-school trial-and-error style of gameplay is addictive and somewhat frustrating, but overall extremely exciting. The game ticks all the boxes and completes a fantastic game for both the casual and hardcore gamers alike.
Closing Comments
The game, though short, is an absolute bargain for the price and provides a lot of replay value with its Advanced levels and scoreboard system. Advanced levels can only be unlocked with the completion of a certain amount of Gold medals per chapter, and with 20+ advanced levels to choose from there is a lot to do once the main story is finished. It would be nice to see if an online co-op feature would be added into the game, as local play has its limitations. As mentioned before, i highly recommend this game for any puzzle solver.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
