MacGuffin's Curse Preview
Brawsome had their work cut out for them; the small indie studio based in Melbourne, Australia released their debut title to critical fanfare last year. Jolly Rover not only a triumph for the local indie scene in general, but it managed to win Australian Game of the Year. That's a tough act to follow, but after our world exclusive hands on with MacGuffin's Curse we're feeling confident that Brawsome have managed to create a deep, engaging and hilarious puzzle adventure.
Gamers assume the role of Lucas; your typical adventurer who is involved in a museum heist and happens to stumble upon a cursed amulet. This isn't your typical Ark of the Covenant or Golden Idol kind of curse however - this amulet allows Lucas to shapeshift between human and werewolf forms.
That's where the adventure truly begins - each form has separate strengths and weaknesses which will need to be played upon to solved the numerous amount of puzzles you will encounter along the way. As human Lucas the player is able to jump through windows, use control pads, swim and open doors - tasks that can't be completed as your werewolf self. You can transform in-between the two forms at spots of moonlight that fill the rooms, and you will be transforming quite a bit as you move through the quests that are on offer.
Werewolf Lucas is one badass dude - with muscles that would put Schwarzenegger to shame the player can drag heavy objects, dig for clues and items, and intimidate some of the characters in the game world. The two forms truly portray almost two separate characters, however Lucas' charm and wit is what brings them together in perfect unison.
That's where MacGuffin's Curse truly excels, the writing. Whether it be the almost insane dialogue trees that can appear between characters, Lucas' thoughts when inspecting certain items, or even just the perfect nuances of the non-player characters that are on display, this game is truly funny. I challenge you not to laugh during the opening moments when you uncover what resembles a VW Kombi and the events that happen soon after.
The gameplay itself can be quite challenging as you start moving through your quests. Thankfully Brawsome have included a handy hint system that can be used throughout the game which will help you along your way, or even solve a puzzle for you if you're completely stuck. This will ensure that the game is accessible for newcomers to the genre, and is definitely a nice touch.
This top-down puzzle adventure is played out in semi-open world where you can pick up side-quests to complement the main adventure. You'll also find money stashed around the place, which you can spend at the Pawn Shop to unlock furniture and music to be used inside your home. It's an interesting concept and a freedom that you don't often find in a puzzle centric game.
MacGuffin's Curse has top notch presentation; the characters are highly detailed and present a personality of their own through the awesome art style, backed up by fluid animations that really bring them to life. The music is also catchy as hell, not to mention there are some tracks in there with some retro flavour to them. It looks great, it sounds great and it is backed up by fantastic gameplay.
So what can gamers expect when they finally get their hands on MacGuffin's Curse this October? A highly polished, charming and well written adventure that breaks the mould of most puzzle centric titles in the genre and tries something new. Shapeshifting between both forms creates a new dynamic that really expands the nature of the puzzles, and the ability to complete a number of side-quests to compliment the main story is sure to make MacGuffin's Curse another hit for this indie studio.
By Stephen Heller
MacGuffin's Curse will be available this October via Steam and the Apple App Store. The guys at Brawsome will speaking at the Freeplay Festival this Saturday at the State Library in Melbourne. They are appearing on the "What We Were Playing Panel" which kicks off at 11am. MacGuffin's Curse is also up for Freeplay's "Best Writing"award.