Resonance

8.5 Gameplay

As is typical of point-and-click adventures, Resonance's gameplay revolves around using and/or combining objects in order to overcome obstacles. Unlike most games in the genre, however, the player is given control over four characters who may be directed in teams or as a group. When the situation calls for it, players may also choose to take a character on a solo mission. Each character has different skills (such as strength) or items (such as a hacking device) or credentials (such as a badge) which makes them indispensable in the player's quest.

Most of the puzzles are stimulating yet realistic and conversing with NPCs and your allies plays a major role in solving them. Resonance allows players to drag symbols of obstacles into a menu which can then be dropped into dialogue menus to get information or help if it is available. Having the ability to ask logical questions of those around you isn't exactly common in in point-and-clickers. There are a couple of eye rolling exceptions in the game, but for the most part the puzzles are fun and they make sense. Most importantly, they never become so frustrating or obscure that you lose faith or interest in where the game is taking you.

10.0 Story/Setting

Resonance begins with what seems to be a series of concurrent terrorist attacks around the globe. Time is then reversed 60 hours. Four characters, a scientist, a medical doctor, a journalist and a detective attempt to discover the truth about the mysterious death of a cutting edge physicist and his life's work. Will these four unlikely companions, thrown together by circumstance, be able prevent the grim future witnessed in the opening scenes? Or is it an inevitability, and the player is merely acting out the the events leading up to it?

One of my biggest gripes and most common disappointments with video game storytelling are weakly evolved one-dimensional characters that are difficult to relate to. Obviously this only applies to games that attempt (or should attempt) to weave narratives that didn't come from the box-o'-plots that developers frequently reach into. Resonance left me pleasantly surprised in this regard. The voice acting is excellent and really brings the characters to life. The ability to alternate between the different playable characters allows their diverse personalities to be explored and their individual motives understood (or, in some cases, manipulated by the player). While you might not always agree with the decisions they make or the way they think, you will be made to understand what led them to those decisions and thought processes.

This brief history of the Patriot Ac....I mean the Antevorta Act emits intoxicating whiffs of Orwellian prophesying and reflects some of the most important political problems we face today. The enigmatic story told by Resonance never left me feeling bored or baffled. For fans of detective stories, conspiracy theorists or anyone looking for a good interactive story, this game is not to be missed.

7.5 Graphics

The 16-bit graphics are quite pleasing to the eye, but it is the still art in some of the menus that really impressed me. The conveyance of horror, despair, terror and fury is absolutely electric.

5.0 Soundtrack

The music in Resonance is not unappealing, nor does it stand out. It blends into the background so well, I hardly noticed it was there.

4.0 Replay Value

Not all of the achievements are accomplishable in a single playthrough and there is an option to play the game with developer commentary, but that's as far as the replay value goes.

9.0 Bang For Your Buck

Resonance will take roughly 7-10 hours to finish (non-completionist style). For the quality of the game and it's price of $9.99, I think it's worth every penny.