Dropsy takes its inspiration from the by-gone era when point-n-click games ruled game store shelves. Ignoring the temptation of quick-time events and “player choice” rampant in modern adventure titles, Dropsy finds itself squarely in the comfort zone of those who enjoyed games like Maniac Mansion: Day of The Tentacle and The Secret of Monkey Island. However, simple interactions and meandering exploration belie the extraordinary depth and emotive story that resides here. This melancholy adventure takes us through environments ranging from surreal to frighteningly average in a quest for answers, a quest for companionship and of course, a quest for hugs.
Dropsy
Developer: Tendershoot/A Jolly Corpse
Price: $9.99
Platform: PC
MonsterVine was supplied with a PC code for review.
Moments into the game you are struck by its intensely powerful stylistic approach. A surreal retelling of a tragic fire that destroyed Dropsy’s circus, followed by an affronting dream sequence sees Dropsy awake into his lonely and impoverished life. Now some would take this and assume the game would be dark and depressing, and in some ways it is, but underneath the initial layer of sadness, comes a sweet and innocent message of hope, compassion, forgiveness and love.
Leaving the confines of his home, Dropsy steps out into quite an unhappy neighbourhood. Every plant, animal and person seems to under some kind of distress. Our lovable clown, with his wide yellow smile, is most assuredly the one to help. Puzzles range from simple to incredibly obtuse, some requiring logical thought, whereas others seem to require a judicious use of what I like to call the “click-and-hope” technique. Even once you unlock fast-travel, the back and forth across the large open world can be tedious as you try to find a solution. Not only can the puzzles be hard to complete, but simply understanding what your task is can be difficult. This is because the game only uses visual means of communication. Every conversation is like trying to read a text from your little sister who has discovered how to talk using only Emoji’s. Whilst at times it can be mind-bending, it is genuinely amazing how much heart and narrative can be conveyed through only simple pictures and pixel animation.
There is a day-night cycle that ticks along with every environment you traverse, with some puzzle solutions requiring you to do certain things at certain times. The game retains the sense of accomplishment in having triggered all the right pieces to progress, making for some satisfying moments. For instance one lovely chain in the early game found Dropsy playing a satanic metal cassette he found in a dumpster to a shouting preacher, that in turn distracted her long enough for him to steal a sandwich and give it to an old homeless woman out the back. There are plenty of fantastic examples just like this which bring with them a great sense of nostalgia for the classic games mentioned previously.
Upon completing a puzzle and bringing the light back into someone’s life, you receive the only important reward to Dropsy, a hug. For every happy character you get a lovely hand drawn picture of them above Dropsy’s bed. This little touch I found to be absolutely adorable and a great way to incentivise those looking to complete it to 100%
Dropsy also has a canine companion who you can make use of in certain challenges, but who also loves to wet the odd fire-hydrant. Without going into spoiler territory, the use of controlling multiple characters is used to great effect at certain parts during the game. These sections really bolster the relationships that play a key role in driving the narrative and the empathy we have as a player.
The music is an integral piece in creating the atmosphere in Dropsy’s world. Each new scene comes with its own musical accompaniment. Ranging in styles from Jazz’s warbling saxophones, to clunky hard rock and screeching noise metal. The game contains roughly 50minutes of original music composed by Chris Schlarb and it has as much effect on the environmental tone as the bright visuals.
Sound effects themselves also play a big part, perhaps excluding the squeak and honk of Dropsy’s every step. Thankfully you are able to disable the grating and repetitive sample in the options menu, most likely only moments before it drives you insane.
What really sells this game to me is that it is open to interpretation. Whilst more or less being a linear narrative, its use of the surreal and simplistic vehicles for storytelling leave a lot to discuss at the game’s conclusion. In the early stages, it can seem that the game doesn’t have direction or strong narrative, but stick in there because it all certainly pays off.
The Final Word
Dropsy is a stand-out in the point-and-click genre and a resurgence of classic mechanics. A simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching experience, this game is able to convey emotion unlike any game I have played in a long while. If you are a fan of the genre, this is a must-play, however if you know yourself to dislike the traditional style, this game still suffers from the problems its ancestors did.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
