Griswold the Goblin:
Islands of Fire — Chapter One
I think we can all agree that episodic adventure games are good, as they represent a commitment from the developer to deliver a full, satisfying storyline without delaying the final product. Instead of gorging ourselves in one sitting, we can enjoy our meal in courses, already savoring our anticipation for the next entrée.
With that in mind, allow us to remove the dome cover from Griswold the Goblin: Islands of Fire — Chapter One, a beautifully compact and well-produced point-and-click adventure game from B-Group Productions. Take the reins of Griswold, a droopy half-alert fellow with ridiculous posture, as he embarks on a sure-to-be-epic quest, for no other reason than that his TV broke and he's just bored enough to look for some treasure. In the animated introduction, we see there is some sort of mysterious evil at large, armed with a robot fish and messing with important magical forces; but at the beginning of his day, Griswold is just feckless and greedy, as you'd expect from a proper goblin.
Navigate Griswold's adventure mostly with the mouse. Click the icons at the bottom of the screen (or rotate the mouse wheel) to switch between Walking, Looking, Handling, and Talking; then click on objects to interact with them. Click on the MENU button or press [space] to enter the inventory screen. A few events involve mini-games, and you can control all of those with the mouse as well.
Analysis: This is not the first story about Griswold; programmer/scriptor Casper Smith and artist Chris Gianelloni have a previous collaboration under their belts starring the lovable gawky hero. However, this new adventure is a step up in every way, featuring smooth cartoony artwork and animation, a fitting soundtrack by Brian Holmes, fewer farts, and a completely voiced script.
The voice talent is exceptional, doing as much to anchor us in Griswold's world as any other element of the game. The various characters suffer a bit from Random Funny Accent Syndrome (and Griswold himself sounds a lot like Abe from Oddworld), but they sound distinctive and, most importantly, believable.
I just have to call out the designers on one decision: an early action-oriented mini-game that doesn't add much to the story but might frustrate some players with the precise timing required. If you get hung up on that one, just know that the other mini-games are more brain-oriented, and there isn't anything else that arbitrary later in the game.
In a welcome departure for this game genre, the puzzles all have logical, physically plausible solutions. In fact, they may be almost too logical, to the point where you will instantly know the purpose of most objects, and the only challenge is in figuring out what you can interact with. There are none of the wild flights of fancy found in, for example, the Journeys of Reemus; but on the other hand, Smith might just be warming up. By populating the first chapter of Griswold with these prosaic trials, he earns our trust, and the right to get weird on us later on. I mean, we already know there's a big robot fish ahead. Who knows where this saga will lead?
Play Griswold the Goblin: Islands of Fire — Chapter One
[Warning for those with slow internet connections: Griswold the Goblin takes a long time to load, and it displays a white screen at the beginning for longer than you'd expect. Don't worry; the pre-loading screen will kick in about a third of the way through.]
Walkthrough Guide
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Hint-through
This is my first hint-through, so...Bear with me. Constructive criticism would rock, too. =]
Before I start, I'd recommend opening the menu, clicking options, and setting walk speed and scroll speed to fast. Speeds him up a LOT!
Okay, here goes! This hint-through takes a longer path through the game to avoid spoiling the puzzles early.
What was that?! Better go check!
Seriously? Go. Outside. And. Check.
Okay, we're obviously NOT going that way... Where else can we go?
Maybe behind the cave?
Two exits from here...Head up first.
She looks sad!
Maybe Griswold can help her?
No, seriously. Talk to her.
Check out the gate.
Maybe we can open it.
Okay, maybe we can't.
That's all to do here...So, head back down
And head left.
Whoa! Better keep an eye out for that thing! At least we got a chicken, though...I guess...Whatever.
Hmm...That's a large spider.
Check out the web! Do you see the one thing on it? (Not the spider.)
Yeah, a piece of paper. Those are ALWAYS important!
So, maybe we should do something about the spider. Try seeing what you can do with it right now.
Did you try EVERYTHING?
Did you try talking to it?
Okay, the spider seems to be hungry.
Wonder where we can get something to help...
We know what spiders like.
Spiders like bugs.
Where have we seen bugs?
Think back.
Oh yeah! We saw them on Griswold's TV!
But, how to get that to the spider?
You've already seen it.
What do you store flies in?
Jars! Right! So, where've we seen a jar?
Between two trees by the lava flow.
Now, fun minigame time!
This one's hard, watch out!
Really. I don't want you to hurt yourself when you see this!
Click the bugs.
Delivery time!
Now, grab that thing from the web!
A photo?
From a husband!
This looks precious! Maybe someone'll want that!
Like the widow at the Labyrinth Gate!
Her long lost husband will know where the Goblin City is?
Great. Now we have to find him. Maybe she'll know more.
So talk to her.
Okay, so, we need to find a different way in.
What's that gate made out of?
Metal! Right!
What if we melted the lock?
Then we could get in! But, how?
Remember the lava?
Can't carry it though...Maybe Griswold has something at home we can use...
That stone mug will work! (Look all the way left, it can be hard to see.)
I don't think we want to put our hand that close to the lava, though...We need a way to get the lava without getting close.
This next part is actually difficult, and not very logical.
Grab the stool from Griswold's home. Go behind the cave, and use the stool on the tall stump behind the well.
Sweet! A fishing rod! Now we know what to do!
Combine the fishing rod and the stone mug. Use the new rod on the lava to get a mug of lava. Use the lava on the gate.
Whew, that was tough, now go inside!
Okay, this is a grueling maze.
Try heading right first.
Whoa. REALLY dark. We'll need a light.
What could we use as a light?
You've already seen it.
How about a candle?
Like the one in Griswold's house.
Go grab it.
But we can't light it yet. So, I guess we should try going left in the Labyrinth now.
Explore around the labyrinth.
Eventually you should come across something interesting.
You'll know it when you see it.
Can't find it?
From the entrance to the Labyrinth, go Up, Left, Up, Left, Left, Down
Ooh, see that near the bones?
A lighter! Grab that! Now we can use the candle!
Check in the backpack, too. Never know what you'll find!
A map? Check it out!
That's...Interesting...Try unscrambling it.
There. Nice to have an accurate map.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way...Continue on, brave hero!
Light that candle!
Huh? It didn't work? Try it again.
Still didn't? Hmm, the wind seems to be putting it out.
How could we shield it from the wind?
Aha! The jar! That'll make a wonderful lantern!
Put the candle in the jar, light the candle.
Now we can go through!
Follow your map to the exit.
That's a...dangerous looking tentacle...Maybe we should find a way to get rid of it.
Check some of the nearby dead-ends
Did you find someone?
The lumberjack. In the top-right area. (Yes, it is strange, but the game jumps you back inside the dark area when you try to enter. Just head back and try it again.
Looks like he's lost. Maybe we should help him!
Show him your map.
He gives you his axe and leaves.
So try taking it.
Too hard for you?
He said something about Lumberjack Juice to make you stronger.
That he'd dropped some in the dark.
Explore the dark area and find the juice.
Drink it.
Now go get the axe.
Eww, what IS that all over it?
Sticky gum? Hmm...How to get it off?
The solution's similar to a solution from earlier.
Maybe we can melt the gum, too!
Use your lighter on it.
That should be able to help us get out.
So, use the axe on the tentacle.
Nice looking tree up ahead.
What's that all over the trunk?
Symbols? Odd.
Maybe that owl can help us.
Talk to it. It gives you a riddle.
It isn't too hard.
The answer's on your screen.
Full Moon
Input that on the rings on the tree.
Head on inside
Uh-oh! He's after you! Better do something fast!
What do you have in your inventory?
Something that could distract him?
How about the chicken?
Yes, use the chicken.
Now, go talk to the guy.
Isn't he familiar?
Right! He's the woman's husband!
Talk to him and let him free
He gives you a key to a chest on the western beach.
Where's this beach at?
West, of course.
But how do we get past the plant?
If we don't do something it'll eat you.
What if we gave it something else to eat instead?
Maybe like the really sticky gum?
Use the gum on the plant.
Head west
Ooh, a chest!
Open it!
Locked?
We've got a key...
Some ROPE? We were promised VALUABLES!
Ah, well...What can we do with the rope?
Remember anything that could use one?
You were JUST there.
Maybe try the well?
It worked! Climb down!
And...
To Be Continued!
Alright! Here it is. Hopefully I didn't nest the tags too deep. I went through a few times and broke them apart some to help out.
Posted by: wlangford
|
January 16, 2009 6:21 PM