Face front, true believers, for another installment of wonder and mayhem from your super friends at Jay is Games! Today we're going to reach into the vault of yesteryear — providing, of course, your definition of yesteryear is a 2005 point-and-click adventure game about supervillains, from the author of A Case of the Crabs and The Goat in the Grey Fedora. Some of you will be familiar with this strange gem of a title, but others may have been too wrapped up in their consoles to notice when it snuck onto the scene. And if you've never checked into the Brain Hotel before, there's no time like the present to make your reservation.
Meet Ed. He's a bit of a schlub, but don't hold that against him. Ed would seem an unlikely candidate to save the city… mostly because he is. You won't find a utility belt or a freeze ray or even a cleft chin anywhere on him. What he does have, aside from a disgruntled outlook on life and a rapidly receding hairline, is work. Namely, Stuff Bringers, a delivery service that winds up getting drafted one day to deliver a package to a guest at the cozily named Brain Hotel, right around the time the annual supervillain convention is taking place. He thinks actually getting his package into the hands of his customer is the difficult part. He's wrong.
The game lets you play online in your browser window, but you can also download the game for free — for both Windows and Mac — which will eliminate some potentially frustrating load times at certain scenes for those of you with slower connections. At just over 31 MB, it will barely make a dent on most hard drives, and you'll get the added benefit of being able to play in almost-full screen — which, unfortunately, doesn't do a whole lot for Ed's ugly mug. Sorry, Ed.
Analysis: Brain Hotel doesn't look bad, per se, and the big, simple interface gets the job done, even if it's not exactly pretty enough to take home to mother. But the heavily painted and saturated characters and environments, interspersed with real objects, looks more than a little messy at times, rather than the inked, comic-book feel the designers seemed to be trying for. What you will notice immediately, however, is how strikingly professional it all is. Brain Hotel boasts not only smooth animations that make every character look and feel distinct, but some of the best voice acting you'll likely have heard in a game in a long time, free or otherwise. Each character's personality comes through in his or her voice, and you can tell the actors were having a fantastic time with it all.
Along with the characters, Brain Hotel's biggest gold star comes from it's humour and ability to take itself less than seriously. It's hard to poke fun at how flamboyant or outrageous some of the characters are because they're already doing it to themselves. There were times when I honestly laughed out loud at some of the dialogue, which, while occasionally mildly risque, never resorts to crudeness to elicit laughs.
Of course, not every line is solid gold. There are times when it feels like the writers are reaching too far to come up with "zany" dialogue, rather than letting the game's own weirdness speak for itself. As a result, some of it just sounds silly instead of being honestly funny, like a stand-up routine by Fozzie Bear, or the sort of nonsense joke a five-year-old might tell that just leaves you smiling politely.
As you might expect from a science-fiction themed comedy point-and-click adventure, some of the puzzle solutions are, shall we say, less than obvious. You're not usually given a whole lot of direction as to what you need to do to accomplish your goals, so you'll find yourself advancing more easily if you exhaust every dialogue option and examine everything around you. I was rarely actually frustrated because exploring the game and experiencing all the weirdness is as much a reward as the end of the game itself.
So what are you waiting for? Get comfortable on your pink bearskin rug. Strap on your spandex, straight your mask, tell your young ward to hold all your calls, and get ready to save the world, one supervillain at a time.
UPDATE: This game is no longer available to play completely on the Web (all known versions get stuck at the first cut scene triggered when accessing the front desk computer). Previously tagged as: adventure, browser, download, flash, free, game, linux, mac, nbounty, pinheadgames, pointandclick, rating-o, scifi, windows
Again, beat it ages ago, loved it ages ago, starting to wonder why JIG has been going through this old catalog of great games...
it says Service Unavailable, is this a problem with my computer or is anyone else getting this message?
I need a walkthrough bad!!!
Yeah, I'm getting the service unavailable as well.
Hi Sonrisa_Bonita. The site the game is hosted on seems to be suffering from a sudden influx of traffic. If you can't get at the game now, please give it a try later. I had this problem once myself, but it was resolved within an hour. (like right now!)
Wisedude, part of the reason we've been showcasing some of the older titles lately is because we feel they're stellar games that were missed for a review for one reason or another. We feel that because they manage to stand the test of time and still be enjoyable years later -- even despite some, uh, aesthetic differences -- they're still going to be appreciated by gamers newer to the scene who might never have heard of them before, especially if they rely on sites like this to find out about games they might be interested in.
For those of you having trouble, please visit the official Brain Hotel hints page for gentle prods in the right direction.
Walkthrough
I played this game before so i have a walkthrough that might be helpful.
In the water fountain there is a "coin" and "pennies." Get them both. Enter the hotel. Talk to the desk clerk until he tells you that non-guest cannot go on beyond the lobby. Exit the hotel. Use the white courtesy phone to the left of the hotel entrance. Tell the clerk that you are stuck on the thirteenth floor. Enter the hotel. Use the clerk's computer. Go to the room that is right of the lobby. This is the bar. Try to get the bottle that has a radiation stick on top of it. Then ask, "What am I allowed to drink." You will receive a horrible tasting chocolate smoothie in your inventory. Proceed right to the next room. Use the pennies with the soda machine. Get the metal bucket. Proceed left to the bar, and further left into the lobby, left again to the elevator area. Talk to Impo the elevator operator and ask for the sixth floor. Get the bottle of ammonia off the housekeeper's cleaning cart. Use the 616 door to deliver the package. Enter you hotel room (618). Enter the side door to the left of the TV. Use the side door again. Talk to the weeping robot. The robot will give you a list of things you need to acquire. There is a yellow label on the carpet in the room. Get the label. Exit the room and return to the elevator. Talk to Impo the elevator operator. Ask him if you haven't seen a cell phone around here. Click on any joke. Use the chocolate smoothie with the elevator operator. Use the Canadian coin with the Impo the elevator operator, and he will then give you the cell phone. Proceed to the room left of the elevator. In the closet there are bottles of green deodorant, get one. Proceed right back to the elevator area, and talk to Impo the elevator operator and ask to go to the pool. Use the bucket with the pool. Go left of the pool and you will return the hotel lobby elevator area. Proceed right all the way until you meet Judge Mental standing in front of Evil Inc posters. Talk to "judge mental" if you wish, but it is not necessary. When you are done talking to him, use the gas mask underneath judge mental's table of wares. Then use this bucket of pool water with the ammonia. Then get the quad c computer chip on the table of wares. Proceed left to the bar area. Use the radiation warning label with the bartender. The bartender will give you a bottle of plutonium. Exit the hotel. Exit the hotel, return to the delivery truck. Open the back of the truck, get the undeliverable package. Return to the elevator, go to the sixth floor. Go into your room (618). Click on open/close then click on the deodorant bottle in your inventory. Walk on the pink bear rug carpet. The static sparks will set the deodorant on fire, causing a smoke alarm to go off in the room behind the potted tree. Move the potted tree ("Chuck the Plant") to uncover the smoke detector. Open the smoke detector and you will receive a battery. Return to room 616 and hand the robot the undeliverable package. (Use package with robot.) Then talk to the robot.
Love this game; great writing, great puzzles (same for all of Pinhead's games - I hear he's working for Telltale now, which is cool)
"Seriously, I'm mentally ill"
Brain Hotel Walkthrough
Delivering the Package
Get the pennies and the flashing coin from the fountain.
Enter the hotel and talk to the desk clerk in the lobby. You'll discover you need to deliver a package to a hotel guest, Botsmith, but won't be let past the lobby.
Go back outside and use the phone. The desk clerk will answer - tell him you're stuck on the 13th floor.
The clerk leaves the lobby, allowing you access to the hotel.
Use the computer. This will trigger a cutscene where Ed books himself the room next to Botsmith in 618 and gets a key.
When the clerk returns he will see you are a registered guest.
Return to the lobby and go left.
Talk to the elevator operator and go to the 6th floor, where your room is.
Grab a bottle of ammonia off the maid's cart.
Go to room 616 where Botsmith is staying. This will trigger a cutscene where you deliver the package.
Discovering the Plan
Now enter your room, 618.
Open the door on the left - you will witness Botsmith revealing his plan to take over the city and kill all the convention guests.
When the scene ends, return to Botsmith's room through the same door and talk to the weeping robot.
Robot 6 enlists you to help him stop Botsmith's diabolical plan and gives you a list of items he requires.
Pick up the radioactive label on the floor of the room.
Collecting Items for Device
Plutonium
Go to the bar to the right of the lobby.
Notice the bottle of Plutonium on the counter. Try picking it up, then talk to the bartender. You'll receive a bottle of Chocolate Smoothie as a result of this conversation - the only liquid authorized for human consumption.
Now give the bartender the radiation label. He'll give you the bottle of plutonium.
Cell Phone
Return to the elevator
Ask Impo about the cell phone. He'll give you one if you make him laugh.
Use the chocolate smoothie on Impo. He'll appreciate this trick and promises to give you the cell phone - if you can get it from his pants.
Give Impo the Canadian coin from the fountain, and he'll give you the cell phone.
Quad-C Computer Chip
Go past the bar to the room with the soda machine. Pick up the bucket.
Take the elevator to the pool.
Use the bucket with the pool to fill it with water.
Go back to where the soda machine was, and enter the convention room. Talk to Judge Mental. Turns out he has a Quad-C Computer chip on his table of wares.
Pick up the gas mask.
Use the ammonia with the bucket of water.
The chemical reaction will disable Judge Mental. Now you can get the computer chip.
9-Volt Battery
Go to the room with the painting on the far left. Notice that you can't reach anything inside the closet with the maintenance clone standing there.
Return to the soda machine, and use the stuck together pennies from the fountain with it.
Now return to the room with the painting, since the maintenance clone is occupied with fixing the soda machine.
Grab the highly flammable deodorant from the supply closet.
Return to your room. Notice the electrical sparks coming off the bear rug.
Open the highly flammable bottle of deodorant. Use the open bottle on the rug.
This will start a fire and set off a hidden smoke alarm behind Chunk the Plant.
Move the plant, and open the smoke alarm.
You will receive the 9-volt battery.
Airtight Insulated Rubber Vessel
Return outside the hotel to your truck - open back of truck.
Get and look at the undeliverable package.
Apparently its some kind of rubber sex toy. Ed doesn't want to open it though...
Return to Robot 6 in room 618. Give him the undeliverable package to open - turns out it is the perfect insulated rubber chamber to assemble the device.
Assemble Device
With all the items, talk to to Robot 6 in room 616 to trigger the final cutscene.
hey thanks Dora! i just was able to open the game now!
figure. i posted a walkthrough before anyone else,yet mine doesn't get credit. whatever :(
Hi Paul,
Honestly? I seriously appreciate the way everyone helps each other out here, and you get super kudos from me for posting your walkthrough. How are those better than regular kudos? THEY JUST ARE.
I think Eileen's walkthrough was just more concise and easy to read. (Each step was separately spoiler'd so you didn't run the risk of learning too much, for those of us who use walkthroughs as a last resort.) I'm sorry you felt overlooked, and believe me when I say we appreciate it every time someone takes it on themselves to try to help someone else here. (Especially since I am frequently off being irresponsible.)
And Sonrisa_bonita, I'm glad you're finally able to play! :)
Brain Hotel Walkthrough
In the water fountain there is a "coin" and "pennies." Get them both.
Enter the hotel. Talk to the desk clerk until he tells you that non-guest cannot go on beyond the lobby. Exit the hotel.
Use the white courtesy phone to the left of the hotel entrance. Tell the clerk that you are stuck on the thirteenth floor. Enter the hotel.
Use the clerk's computer.
Go to the room that is right of the lobby. This is the bar. Try to get the bottle that has a radiation stick on top of it. Then ask, "What am I allowed to drink." You will receive a horrible tasting chocolate smoothie in your inventory.
Proceed right to the next room. Use the pennies with the soda machine. Get the metal bucket.
Proceed left to the bar, and further left into the lobby, left again to the elevator area. Talk to Impo the elevator operator and ask for the sixth floor. Get the bottle of ammonia off the housekeeper's cleaning cart.
Use the 616 door to deliver the package. Enter you hotel room (618). Enter the side door to the left of the TV. Use the side door again. Talk to the weeping robot. The robot will give you a list of things you need to acquire. There is a yellow label on the carpet in the room. Get the label. Exit the room and return to the elevator.
Talk to Impo the elevator operator. Ask him if you have seen a cell phone around here. Click on any joke. Use the chocolate smoothie with the elevator operator. Use the Canadian coin with the Impo the elevator operator, and he will then give you the cell phone.
Proceed to the room left of the elevator. In the closet there are bottles of green deodorant, get one.
Proceed right back to the elevator area, and talk to Impo the elevator operator and ask to go to the pool. Use the bucket with the pool. Go left of the pool and you will return the hotel lobby elevator area.
Proceed right all the way until you meet Judge Mental standing in front of Evil Inc posters. Talk to "judge mental" if you wish, but it is not necessary. When you are done talking to him, use the gas mask underneath judge mental's table of wares. Then use this bucket of pool water with the ammonia. Then get the quad c computer chip on the table of wares.
Proceed left to the bar area. Use the radiation warning label with the bartender. The bartender will give you a bottle of plutonium. Exit the hotel.
return to the delivery truck. Open the back of the truck, get the undeliverable package.
Return to the elevator, go to the sixth floor. Go into your room (618). Click on open/close then click on the deodorant bottle in your inventory. Walk on the pink bear rug carpet. The static sparks will set the deodorant on fire, causing a smoke alarm to go off in the room behind the potted tree. Move the potted tree ("Chuck the Plant") to uncover the smoke detector. Open the smoke detector and you will receive a battery.
Return to room 616 and hand the robot the undeliverable package. (Use package with robot.) Then talk to the robot.
Ok i just posted my walkthrough better. sorry about before i hope you can use it.
Added. Thanks, Paul. :)
sorry if i sounded angry earlier. :( i don't want anyone to think i was being rude or starting trouble. i just felt like i was being ignored and got a little upset. Thanks for posting it. i'll be careful from now on.
I don't get the end. :/
looks like they fixed it. Thanks. and jiguest,what don't you get about the end?
Problem with the downloadable version (at least the Mac one):
There seems to be a hidden link to the game's homepage around the lower center of the game screen. Whenever you try to interact with something that happens to be in that space, the web browser pops up and takes you to that page. This is very annoying.
If the developers could sort this out, it would be appreciated.
Thanks.
The Botsmith's voice is very Chris Latta-ish. I wonder if that's what they're going for.
(And I love how he's just this awkward, nerdy looking guy.)
"Most of the people coming to the supervillain convention are not truly evil. They're just social misfits who like dressing up in costumes."
"So it's like any other convention then."
LOL. XD
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