[h1]Broken Achievements, which is a shame as it had potential[/h1]
I didn't mind this one. Decent exploration and environments, a few interesting puzzles / races, and a nice mechanic in the form of the main controls being equipping the camera, and taking photos.
For a game that is supposedly Action-adventure and horror, the camera being the only thing you can do besides interacting with switches and notes is disappointing. Movement controls feel sluggish and stiff as well, which is not a good mix when the mouse-look is fast and there is no sensitivity option in the settings.
I could have started this review by talking about the four options for starting the game, but you probably didn't read past the fact the achievements are stuffed anyway. I imagine this is why SAM (Steam. Achievement. Manager.) is still a working thing - for situations just like this, so if you already own this game and it's past the point of refund, then that is my suggestion.
So I could type and talk until I'm blue in the face but at this point no one cares enough to read this, so I've decided to write a short story. I hope you like it.
[h3]Gible's War[/h3]
[i]Gible landed in the garden with a thump. It was a typical landing for him, he'd never quite got it right. Folding his wings away awkwardly, he peered around surreptitiously, hoping no one had seen it.
A kookaburra laugh echoed through the nearby trees. It started slow but Gible could hear it getting louder. He made a show of preening his left wing, but inwardly he knew it was too late. Within moments, the sound of several kookaburras laughing raucously filled his ears.
He abandoned his erstwhile preening and glared into the trees. The laughter continued for some time, as other birds swooped in from the surrounding area to see what all the fuss was about. Finally, as the noise subsided, one of the kookaburras made an appearance. It sat proud, appearing to grow momentarily as it puffed its feathers out. The one eye Gible could see seemed to sparkle with mirth.
'Gib, my fella,' the kookaburra said, 'you should know we're always watching you. You and your... landings.'
Gible's eyes narrowed. It was Bagon. Always Bagon.
The kookaburra's huge beak opened with a grin. 'I hear tell Farmer Brown isn't happy with your lot, you better watch out.'
Gible screeched loudly and flapped his wings at him. 'Go away.'
Bagon almost burst into laughter again as one of his friends landed beside him. 'Me? Go away? Bahaha, you're as funny as ever. Farmer Brown doesn't care about us - because we don't eat his crops. Shouldn't you be going? Before something bad happens to ya?'
Gible made a big show of yawning before walking boldly to the edge of the crop. 'I go where I want. I do what I want. No gangster filth tells me what to do.'
Bagon conferred with his friend for a short time, before calling back down to Gible. 'Say, have you seen your flock today?'
Gible paused. 'No, but we cover a large territory. They'll be around.'
'Don't be so sure.'
'What is that supposed to mean?' Suddenly, Gible could feel the eyes of a great many birds watching him, and he felt cold. He looked at Bagon, but Bagon seemed distracted, looking over to the farmer's house. He raised his crest briefly, and Bagon's beak split open in a huge grin again.
'Time's up Gible. For you and all your greedy kind!' Bagon opened his wings as if to fly at him, but a noise from behind startled him. It was the local magpie couple swooping - at him! Gible could hardly believe it. They were always so timid around him and his mates. No matter. As he rounded to face down this threat though, the kookaburras dived. A flurry of more black and white to the right. Magpie larks! Overlapping images of multiple black wings signified ravens to the left. They'd joined forces! A concerted attack by the whole territory!
In the split second he'd figured all this out, Gible decided now was a good time to panic. With a tremendous screech, he took flight again, his great white wings beating as fast as he could to gain altitude, to lift above the threat. With a start, Gible realised he was still screeching - a horrible noise audible for miles. As he recognised this, and as he climbed higher, Gible also filled with dread at Bagon's words. Where were the answering screeches? Where were his friends?
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Bagon looped around with his mates and landed back in the same spot. As he folded his wings, he looked to the house. Sure enough, Farmer Brown had emerged. He was fumbling as he clutched the shiny metal, muttering to himself as he stared angrily at the screeching bird emerging from his fields.
'Here it comes, fellas,' Bagon crooned. His mate Shelgon stared in anticipation as the man pointed the metal at Gible. Even the magpie larks seemed to have forgotten their endless feud with the magpies as they settled down on a power line. The ravens had gone already, no doubt off to find some other mischief, or garbage bin to break into.
Finally a sharp, short thunderclap sounded. Bagon hooted in triumph as Gible tumbled out of the sky, his screeches cut short.
Shelgon hooted with pleasure. 'Look! A double rainbow.'
Bagon fluffed up and grinned enormously. 'I feel like chicken tonight.'[/i]
