Looking at the discussion in the comments section of the game and especially the messages from people who have actually played the game, one might expect Companions of Xanth to receive a rather disappointing score. A surprising contrast to this atmosphere of dislike is provided by Digital Antiquarian’s take on the game, since there the game was portrayed in a more positive light, especially in comparison with the book series it was based on. I am not yet sure where I will land on this spectrum, and there’s only one way to find out, so let’s begin scoring!
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| Our readers are always ready! |
Puzzles and Solvability
Many reviews of the game harp on the choice of companion as an example of a bad puzzle, where the player can have no idea how it is to be solved and has to rely on pure experiment to find out which of the options is the correct one and which leads to ultimate death. I won’t put much emphasis on that particular puzzle in my scoring: the choice happens so early in the game and the results of the choice are almost immediate, so picking the wrong companion won’t require too much replaying. Besides, since the original gamebox contained the book, on which the game is based and where the choice of the companion is included as a plot point, one might even suggest that this puzzle is just a weird attempt for a copy protection.If you’ve followed the comment section of the game, there has been interesting discussion on whether some of the game’s puzzles were unfair, since they relied on bad puns (we could coin this the Monkey Wrench problem, reminiscing the famous and equally controversial puzzle in the Monkey Island series). I’d normally agree with the complaints, but since we are talking about a game based on a series that is famous for almost everything being based on puns, I am rather lenient on that front. In fact, I am rather mystified why there were so few word play puzzles in the game at all and why even the few that the game had were so hackneyed (flour – flower, a jar – ajar, pain – pane: they all are pretty standard fare in the world of puns). For good or worse, we are very far from the madness of Nord and Bert.
Indeed, my main complaint about the game puzzlewise is that it’s too simple. The puzzles have nothing really innovative that would require any kind of lateral thinking – it’s mostly one fetch quest after another. If you really get stumped, your companion has a tendency to push you in the right direction, often almost spelling out the puzzle solution, if you can’t figure it out for yourself. To add insult to the injury, the developers have chosen to replace proper adventure game puzzling with two of the three most irritating ways to lengthen your game: a maze and puzzle game puzzles.
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| Even the best word play puzzles are too easy, when there's only one option to choose from |
Score: 3.
Interface and Inventory
The interface is a slight change from what we have become used to with Legend games, being the first one with no possibility to play this like a text adventure. In fact, the interface feels a lot like if I would have played their earlier games with just the menus on, except with some helpful additions, like hotspots revealing all the objects you can interact with. Other features that adventure games in general should have are an undo-button and automatic mapping. All in all, it’s a very easy to use and gamer friendly system. |
| A lifesaver in some situations |
Story and Setting
Xanth books have shallow plots, but it still requires a certain skill to adapt one novel and make the narrative even more non-existent. There is a story, but it is barely mentioned in the beginning of the game and then it is picked up only at the very end, while for the majority of the game you just travel around the Xanthian countryside. To be fair, the developers probably had not that much to work with in the original novel, since many of the Xanth novels feel like nothing of importance to the overall narrative is happening in most of the chapters. Indeed, the sudden ending of the game probably just reflects the ending of the book. Still, because the game concentrates only on one of the two protagonists of the book, Companions of Xanth is clearly just one half of a story compared to the novel. This incompleteness is most evident in the cutscenes, which are our only glimpse to some of the characters in the story. |
| Who were these folks again? |
As for setting, I am quite disappointed that the majority of the game is spent in the elemental regions, which are one of the most humdrum and generic places in the geography of Xanth. I was especially disappointed that the time spent in the Gourd Realm was so little.
Score: 4.
Sound and Graphics
The background images are nicely made and varied. I do have to say that the colouring is somewhat drab in places, but that's understandable, since lot of the game is spent in deserts, rocky plains and caves. I was especially disappointed with the dream realm, where I would have expected zanier style. The live actors in the cut scenes didn’t fit that well in the backgrounds, but those are a really minor part of the game. As for music, it’s nice and hummable, but not that memorable. |
| Probably the dullest portion of the game |
Environment and Atmosphere
Xanth is meant to be a silly place and at least occasionally this is an appropriately silly game, with more and usually less clever puns around every corner (and the weirder aspects of Anthony's works are luckily absent). Unfortunately, the tone of the game is somewhat inconsistent. The beginning and the bit with the censorship and the Fairy Nuff is whimsical, but then the game meanders too long in the elemental regions and especially the region of earth is quite a boring place. The lair of Com-Pewter and Gap Chasm are both missed opportunities, the former being just another riddle contest and the latter being an almost automated click fest. The game improves again at the end, with both Humphrey’s castle and the Gourd Realm being rather intriguing places. All in all, a very mixed affair, but I think the scales tip a bit toward the positive side.Score: 6
Dialogue and Acting
Text has always been a highlight in Legend games. This isn’t the best writing they’ve had to offer, and sometimes the dialogue is a bit cringeworthy. Part of the clunkiness is probably due to the source material, since Xanth is ultimately in the more shallow end of the fantasy series. All in all, I'd say there’s still enough competency in the whole that the result is not a complete disaster, but the prose is sometimes a bit too flat. |
| Your words, game, not mine |
(3 + 7 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 5)/.6 = 50!
Compared to the score guesses, this is a bit on the high end (closest guess was Morpheus Kitami’s 49, which was also the second highest guess). Yet, I think the score makes sense – while there was a lot to improve with puzzles and the story, the technical side is still competent enough. So here we are, straight in the middle of the possible scores. Let’s move to CAPs!
CAP Distribution
100 CAPs to Ilmari- Blogger Award – 100 CAPs – For playing Companions of Xanth for our enjoyment
- Classic Blogger Award – 50 CAPs – For playing Jingle Bells for our enjoyment
20 CAPs to Morpheus Kitami
10 CAPs to Vetinari- Psychic Powers Award – 20 CAPs – For the closest guess of the score of Companions of Xanth
- When is a JarJar not Ajarjar Award – 5 CAPs – For sharing their experiences about playing Companions of Xanth
- Blind Guardian Award – 5 CAPs – For making a guess for the favourite Valhalla song of Morpheus
- Life of the Parties Award – 6 CAPs – For starting interesting discussion in the comments
- Nomad Award – 5 CAPS – For picking the Nomad reference
- I’ve survived Piers Anthony Award – 5 CAPs – For sharing their experiences about reading the works of Piers Anthony
- Judas Priest Award – 5 CAPs – For making a guess for the favourite Valhalla song of Morpheus
5 CAPs to Eddie
- Amon Armath Award – 5 CAPs – For making a guess for the favourite Valhalla song of Morpheus
- Manowar Award – 5 CAPs – For making a guess for the favourite Valhalla song of Morpheus
- Wadrun's Helvegen Award – 5 CAPs – For making a guess for the favourite Valhalla song of Morpheus
- I’ve survived Piers Anthony Award – 5 CAPs – For sharing their experiences about reading the works of Piers Anthony
- I’ve survived Piers Anthony Award – 5 CAPs – For sharing their experiences about reading the works of Piers Anthony
- I’ve survived Piers Anthony Award – 5 CAPs – For sharing their experiences about reading the works of Piers Anthony
- Smooshed by the Door Award – 5 CAPs – For sharing their experiences about playing Companions of Xanth
Darn, I thought I had guessed 50, but in fact that was for Jack in the Dark. Merely three games into this score-guessing business and I'm already getting them mixed up. Thanks for the commenting CAPs!
ReplyDeleteBased on your descriptions, I also already had the impression there were fewer puns and pun-related puzzles than one might expect from a game following a book in this series which is supposed to be known for puns.
In the 'Interface and Inventory' section I did not see you explicitly mention the latter - is it comprised in your thoughts on the interface?
Pretty much. Inventory is as competently made as the rest of the interface.
DeleteI might have liked Xanth better if I hadn't played Death Gate and Gateway 1+2. I hadn't read the books they were based on either, but they still managed to be good games on their own.
ReplyDeleteWith Xanth, Shannara, and Callahan's Crosstime Saloon I felt like there was a club and I wasn't part of it.
But the technical foundation is solid, and I wouldn't call any of them bad.
guess it's nothing like Knights of Xentar after all
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've learned about the literary (Nights of) Xanth universe here and about KoX (ok, sorry, no bad puns, please) on the CRPGAddict's blog, both apparently share a fascination with panties and how to get into them while, as Ilmari put it in the introductory post to the present game, showing a rather nonchalant attitude toward questions of consent.
DeleteHowever, as far as the games' respective content goes, it seems to be true this one, while still dwelling on female anatomy here and there, has less potentially NSFW content than e.g. Spellcasting 101 (haven't read the entries on its two sequels yet). Then again, I wouldn't have expected Legend to go full Eroge given their history and public.