Pros: Nice graphics, funny, very good conversation system, good plot, lots of characters
Cons: Not enough objects / puzzles, jerky animation, sometimes a bit too much dialogue
The Bottom Line: Highly recommended to fans of adventure games and / or Discworld. If you're not either, you may or may not like the game, so just go with your gut feeling.
captaind's Full Review: Discworld Noir for Windows
If you feel like you've seen this review before, that's because it was accidentally posted in the wrong place (the first Discworld game)... see here for the review of that game...
Here's the review of Discworld Noir:
Overview
I have never played any of the earlier Discworld games, though I had seen reviews which said they were pretty good. However, I am quite a fan of the "point and click" adventure game genre, especially the LucasArts games - the Monkey Island series in particular. (Curse of Monkey Island (MI3) – available on The Monkey Island Archives (Monkey Island 1, 2, and 3) being my favourite).
This is quite different from those games, although still has at its heart the same sense of discovery and problem-solving. This game is based around you as the Disc's first (and most probably last) Private Investigator. It does help quite a bit if you have read some of the books, not necessarily for solving the puzzles itself, but for familiarity with the whole set-up of Ankh-Morpork. (The capital city, where the action in this game takes place).
First Impressions
Apart from drawing on its Discworld itself for the humour in the game, it parodies many films and (I think) even computer games. In particular, it seems to be taking off Westwood's excellent Bladerunner game in many ways, from locations (and the constant rain), right down to dialogue and game system.
As with that game (and indeed many others), only a couple of locations on the map are available for you to go to at first, these being lit up on the map area. As you advance through the game, through dialogue or puzzle solving, more areas are opened up for you to explore. Whenever a new area becomes available, your map icon shows in the top left corner, so you will never fail to realise that there's somewhere else you can go.
Another key part of the game is the notepad. As you talk to people and find more things out, you automatically add it to your notepad, and these can later be recalled or used in conversation. In fact, the conversation system is quite innovative - normally, you get a series of up to four lines of dialogue that you can use in any given conversation (or part of such). But in Discworld:Noir, you can use either given phrases from a list, or talk about things in your notepad, or objects in your inventory. This does give you a feeling that you're much more in control of the conversations than in other games. However, one sight drawback of this (albeit a similar problem will be encountered in every other adventure game of this type) is that you sometimes have to spend ages going through every item and notepad entry with every character, trying to find out what you've missed, since you've got stuck in a dead-end with apparently nothing else to do. Occasionally, you do feel that the amount of dialogue in the game is overwhelming, but you can skip it if you think it's not important. (Then again, you may be wrong...)
The plot originally revolves around a simple case of tracking someone down for a woman named Carlotta, but quickly escalates with the discovery of sinister murders going on. You end up with more than one employer, and you can't trust them, either. The story-line is very well thought out and involving, and the humour almost always works. (There are some points where you just want them to get on with it and tell you what you need to know!) The intro begins with a long cinematic scene (things are narrated by your character, Leyton, in true Bladerunner
style), which shows how you get to your first case. There are several well-constructed cut-scenes throughout the game, and it is a shame that the jerky animation gets in the way of these being really enjoyable in their own right. (It's almost like watching a cartoon otherwise).
Interface
The interface is simple and effective - right-click on anything for a description, double-click to interact. The name of the item appears when the mouse pointer is over something you can interact with, so it's not completely left to guess-work. Along with the notepad and inventory, however, it feels like a versatile enough system despite its simplicity.
Difficulty
You will probably need to use find some hints on the internet for some parts of the game. (A good resource is http://www.co.uk.lspace.org/games/discworld/noir/index.html). The main problem with the more obscure problems is that some items are very hard to actually find. You can only talk about things once you know about them, and then you can only progress in the game after you have talked to the right person about them... etc. (HINT - at the start of Act II, spend time finding the FRAYED ROPE - top left of screen - and MUNDAY'S BOOTS. I spent ages messing around unable to do anything because I hadn't noticed them! Another hint is to use the Gamma Correction (accessed by pressing F1) to lighten the screen a bit - some things just don't show up if it's too dark.) Sometimes the puzzles are a bit too obscure, but just try everything - however, there is always some logic to the solution once you've seen it, so you never feel entirely cheated.
Aesthetics
The quality of the sound effects and speech throughout the game is high, although with some characters the samples have a definite "clipped" feeling to them. (Like a sharp click at the end of every sentence they say). The graphics are good, though not as good as I expected them to be, considering the minimum requirement is a 32Mb 3D card. However, on the version I have, for some reason clicking on "options" on the intro screen returns you to windows, so whatever I'm seeing is only the default. Actually, trying to restore a game does the same thing, so I have to start a new game, skip the intro scenes, and then load the game, which is annoying. If anyone has had the same problem (and particularly if they have overcome this problem!!), can you email me? (Using my email from the profile screen).
The animation is a little disappointing, being quite jerky at times, generally when a character is speaking. But generally the aesthetics are good and add atmosphere to the game. The jerky animation does grate after a while, but doesn't seriously detract from the gameplay.
Options
Options are pretty basic but do their job okay.
Compatibility
Works fine on XP, notwithstanding the problem mentioned earlier. I don’t know if this was an installation bug / bug with the particular CD-Rom that I had. Bear in mind that you need a fairly recent 3D card (TNT 2, GE Force 2, etc).
Will You Still Be Playing it in 6 Months’ Time?
Possibly. But probably not. You’ll either have completed it or be fed up with it, I suspect.
Is it Worth the Money?
Hmmm…
Well, there is much to recommend this game, although it helps a lot if you are a fan of Discworld and of this type of game. It's not by any means perfect, not up to the quality of Curse of Monkey Island (though as that is my favourite ever adventure game, perhaps it is not a fair comparison). And it is certainly a game that will keep you involved for some time to come. The four star rating is for fans of adventure games - just a few things hold it back from an excellent rating – most notably the lack of puzzles. If you're a Discworld enthusiast, then read five stars, as being able to talk to your favourite characters is great, and you'll appreciate the humour and locations more. For anyone else, I guess you should read it as 3 stars.
*****************
Final Ratings
Graphics: – 72% - Pretty backgrounds though I would expect better from a game that demands a minimum 32Mb 3D card, and the animation’s often choppy.
Sound: – - 85% - Mostly excellent but some speech samples definitely sound clipped.
Playability: - 90% - earns huge bonus points for originality of the notepad and dialogue interface.
Longevity:.- 78% - Will keep you going for quite a while, but partly due to some of the puzzles being unnecessarily obscure.
Replay Value: . 67% - I can’t really see myself going back to it for a long time, but probably will eventually. It’s a game that a group can enjoy rather than just an individual, which is a rarity.
Value For Money: - 85% - Considering it’s out on budget and is entertaining while it lasts, it does represent good value for money.
Overall Rating: - 79% - Not as good as the best LucasArts games, but a very good effort – and nice to see someone trying to be original with the interface.
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