By Stephen Heller
TellTale return a month later as promised with another serving of everyone’s favourite claymation duo in Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: The Last Resort. While it goes forward in leaps and bounds over the last episode, the story tends to get a little lost among the large cast, despite the episode being played out within the confines of a handful of rooms.
This episode see’s Wallace’s plans to visit the beach shot down by bad weather, so he has this fantastic idea to open up a beach resort in their own basement. Building beach resorts in your basements, albeit fun, is not cheap so the loveable duo open their house up to customers to help pay the costs. The episode can be split up into three gameplay components, the beginning will have you collecting items for the resort, the second will have you keeping the paying customers happy and finally a ridiculous mystery needs to be solved, which ensure hilarity.
While the first episode had some supporting cast it seems TellTale have gone overboard in this episode. This episode has a slew of supporting cast and it really detracts from the relationship between Wallace and Gromit. Instead we find ourselves focusing on the relationship of the supporting cast, and due to the short nature of the title, the focus should really be on the two main characters.
TellTale has ramped up the puzzle component in the new installment, with your interactions always seeming clear and logical if you actually think about it. The puzzles involving the collection of the beach resort items feel a little contrived, but things soon challenge the old grey matter in the later exactions of the game.
Once again Telltale have managed to capture the distinct look and feel of a Wallace and Gromit episode with top notch graphics and even better voice acting. The jokes are laugh out loud funny, if you are a fan of the series you are going to have a ball. People who aren’t fans of British humor be warned, you simply won’t find this game funny at all. Interactions of the customers are downright hilarious at times, and Gromit’s facial expressions are some of the best put into gaming.
When comparing Last Resort to the previous episode you will notice that due to a lack of locations, and the fact it is set in a basement, the environments feel a little drab and depressing in comparison. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is certainly noticeable.
The Final Verdict
Telltale has stepped out with another great episode for their new series, yet it seems to be lacking what the first episode had to offer. Stuck in only a few rooms, and with minimal interaction between Wallace & Gromit, who seem to take a backseat to the supporting cast, it seems a little lacking. Regardless it’s well worth the price of admission and a must have for fans or adventure gamers alike!
Gameplay
7.5/10
With three to four hours on offer the game is long enough, the puzzles are logical and fun, yet the collection component at the start of the game feels contrived and boring. The lack of environments fails to keep this episode as interesting as the first.
Graphics
8.2/10
Once again the look and feel of Wallace and Gromit has been captured perfectly, yet the drab environments really let this episode down.
Sound
8.5/10
Some of the best voice acting you will hear, delivering genuinely witty and funny dialogue.
Value
8.8/10
Such a cheap price tag for a decently engaging adventure, this is bang for buck at its best
Overall
7.8/10
Wallace and Gromit Episode 2: The Last Resort is available from www.telltalegames.com/wallaceandgromit or the STEAM store. It will launch on Xbox Live in the next few weeks