Often considered the pinnacle of the point-and-click adventure games back in the 90’s, Day of the Tentacle has always been a cherished LucasArts classic. However, it is still a relic of the past and its age definitely shows despite the fresh coat of paint Double Fine Productions has slathered for the remastered edition.
Treasure Trove of Concept Art
For those who desperately have wanted a more stylish version of Day of the Tentacle, then by all means this game is for you. Double Fine has recreated the game from the ground up by ditching the old pixelated style in favor of a much more animated look that retains the original art style perfectly. They have even overhauled the user interface by ditching the old box of verbs menu in favor of the more modern right-click and select. For those who want to experience the classic old school look, you can easily switch between the original and remastered versions with just a press of a button.
Aside from the design changes, Double Fine has also included a treasure trove of bonus features they unearthed from the LucasArts archive during their time at Skywalker Ranch. Not only were they able to find the original master voice files for the game, they also discovered hundreds of pieces of concept art that you can unlock in-game. There is even a complete commentary track with most of the original development team for fans who want to delve into the creative and zany minds behind Day of the Tentacle.
An Unremarkable Relic
As a person who has experienced and enjoyed a multitude of point-and-click games from the Monkey Island series to Broken Sword growing up, I couldn’t believe how much of a boring slog Day of the Tentacle ended up being. There is nothing substantial that will draw a new audience in as it has aged rather poorly through the years. The humor is rather dated, and I rarely found myself amused. The main three characters are some of the most annoying individuals I’ve ever had the displeasure of controlling, and the level design will make you end up questioning why you have been wasting three hours of your life climbing up and down stairs.
TL;DR
While Day of the Tentacle is a reminder of gaming’s past, there is honestly nothing here for anyone aside from the most die-hard fans. While this game may have been enjoyable 20 years ago, I just cannot recommend the remaster for anyone who was unfamiliar with the original 1993 game. There are tons of behind the scenes features that were cool to check out, but other than that, this game left a rather dark blot on my memory of point-and-click adventure games.
+ Original voice acting was left intact
+ The new art style perfectly fits the mood
+ A treasure trove of behind the scenes content
- A terrible level layout
- Three of the most obnoxious characters ever
- The humor is incredibly dated
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