Turning a kid’s cartoon license – even one as ideally suited asAdventure Time – into a point ‘n’ click adventure strikes us as risky business. From LucasArt’s much loved classics to Telltale’s early efforts, it’s a genre renowned for having a frustrating streak due to the linear nature. Overlook an item of importance or fail to ask an NPC a critical question and you’ll often have one colossal backtrack to endure.
Fortunately Finn & Jake Investigations‘ developer Vicious Cycle (EDF: Insect Armageddon, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard) has implemented a very subtle hint system to keep frustration levels low. Quite simply, every item that can be carried or interacted with has either a vocal or written description. Hints lie within these, and this is where the quality of writing excels – just enough information is given to point players in the right direction, or kick start a train of thought. Rarely is the solution handed on a plate and because of this the difficulty level is nigh on perfectly pitched. We also have no qualms in admitting that one sliding box puzzle had us flummoxed for longer than expected.
The set-up will be familiar to fans of Finn the human and his stretchy canine pal. The likeable duo come across an antique tickertape machine that provides reports of currently unsolved investigations. Five kingdom-trotting quests are on offer, presented in the form of short intertwined “graybles” (a word that’ll be familiar to fans), with a common theme between them; a theme that isn’t revealed until the final mystery is done and dusted. The multi-floored tree house acts as a hub of sorts, and it’s here that the tutorial takes place.
Finn is the only playable character, while Jake – who follows behind Finn like a lost puppy – can be called upon during instances where his stretchy powers are required, such as helping Finn reach higher up areas. Most items in the world of ‘Ooo’ can either be examined or interacted with, sometimes with humorous results. There’s also an inventory to oversee and this is where a hidden depth lies, as often items have to be combined before they can serve purpose. A few items even have to be combined with multiple objects. A vocal prompt will notify if there’s a piece missing still, which is a thoughtful touch.
The opening investigation involves taking a trip to the Candy Kingdom to locate the whereabouts of missing candy citizens, resulting in a jaunt around the heavily guarded Wizard City. These two locations feature again in later investigations but not in a manner that seems lazy. Screen time is pretty much even for each recurring character, with the appearances of Flame Princess and Marceline saved for after the halfway mark. The final investigation meanwhile entails travelling to just about every renowned kingdom, persuading the likes of Lemongrab and the Ice King to help with a personal matter. Personal for Finn, that is. No investigation stands out as being poorer than the rest – the quality is consistent throughout, with lots of locations to rummage around and dozens of references from episodes old and new.
