(If you wish to read my review of Episode 1: Fright of the Bumblebees and get more background, click here.)As with all episodic content, a second installment of a series is always a necessity. This tradition continues with the second episode of the delightfully charming Wallace&Gromit’s Grand Adventures by Telltale Games. Entitled “The Last Resort” we rejoin our favorite British inventor and his faithful companion for a wet’n’wild ride of enjoyment and mystery.
The opening credits reveal Wallace and Gromit already in a jam. The basement at 62 West Wallaby Street is flooded, ruining the duo’s plans to take a holiday in Blackpool. We quickly find out everyone in the neighborhood’s holiday plans had been washed out by a severe storm. Never fear as Wallace has a brilliant plan to turn his humble abode into a paradise and everyone is invited. You will aid Wallace and Gromit as they build their resort and satisfy their customers. This holiday is all revelry until one of the guests mysteriously gets conked on the head. It is up to you to find the culprit and solve the whodunit to bring about a successful end to a wonderful holiday.
The solid graphics and controls that I experienced in the first episode continue in full with this installment. The stylistic approach to graphics that was so successful in the first release works even better in this episode as the animations appear more fluid. Continuing with the same control scheme made jumping into “The Last Resort” a breeze. Some of the frustrations I felt during the first episode were abolished by the familiar controls, looks and in-game locations. A perfect example of this happened to me during the first puzzle of the game. It was much easier to recognize solutions as they presented themselves. Instead of fumbling around trying to figure out what they were getting at, I immediately picked up what was required.
That said, I do feel that this second edition made the cues easier to follow – not quite to the extreme of telling me exactly what to do next to further the solution to the puzzle, but the clues were not difficult to decipher. The puzzles themselves were of the same caliber and diversity as “Fright of the Bumblebees,” including another puzzle with Mrs. Gabberley where you must deliver the right phrase after she speaks.
While the two episodes were similar, each one had its own signature style. “The Last Resort” was a Clue-style mystery investigation whereas “Fright of the Bumblebees” was action-oriented, and while I can appreciate the differences, I will admit that I missed those short first person shooter puzzles, especially the final boss. “The Last Resort” did have a final chapter as did “Fright…” but where the first game had a final boss character to defeat, “Resort”’s final chapter felt more like an unsatisfying Quick Time Event resulting in an abrupt end.
Do not let some of these minor squabbles keep you from checking out this episode. Telltale Games is still delivering the same fun, creative puzzles and witty writing you enjoyed in the first installment of Wallace&Gromit’s Grand Adventures. For those who are fans of the point-and-click adventure genre, there has not been a better time to join the world of Great Britain’s favorite inventor and the wonderful cast of characters that live in and around West Wallaby Street. You can find Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures at Telltale Games and Steam for the PC and on Xbox Live Arcade.
