Video game review: Penny Arcade

In anticipation of the release of Penny Arcade's third game coming out next week, I made a point of downloading the first two “episodes” to give them a whirl. I had relatively few expectations:<br /><br />1. They had to be funny, like the comic. <p>2. The gameplay had to be enjoyable.</p> <p>3. They had to be priced reasonably.<br /><br />Here's what I found:<br /><br />1. They were totally funny, with the humor of <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/4/16/">the comic</a> fitting nicely into both games.</p> <p>2. The gameplay was enjoyable.</p> <p>3. They were pretty reasonably priced. For the most part.<br /><br />For those of you who have never read the <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/3/17/">Penny Arcade comic</a>, you're missing out. It's humorous, and it regularly pokes fun at the video game industry in general. You don't need to be a follower of the comic to understand the storylines of either “episodes” (which are available on Xbox Live, PC and PS3) … all you need to know is that you'll be playing an entirely unique character who is regularly helped by Gabe and Tycho, two hilarious do-gooders who are generally capable hunters of the paranormal and weird.<br /><br />The game has a cartoonish feel, and the storylines are mostly simple. For instance, in the first “Episode,” a giant robot crushes your house. You need to figure out why. What sets Penny Arcade's game apart are the hilarious storytelling and the down-to-earth gameplay that feels like a throwback to the good old-fashioned RPG's of yesteryear. With fighting.<br /><br />What's the fighting like? Well, it's kind of like the battles in Final Fantasy VII. You'll run into monsters (or mimes … or bums …) and fight them using a turn-based system that lets you attack and use special moves. In the second “episode,” you'll find that the turn-based system has been adjust a little bit to make blocking an enemy's attack a little more difficult.<br /><br />Yup … you can block your enemy's attacks if you time it right. You'll also be expected to collect a souvenir so a “scientist” can urinate on it. And since both episodes were written by the guys who do Penny Arcade, you can also expect TONS of in-jokes for those who regularly play video games.<br /><br />My one minor quibble: the price is high. Not unreasonably high, but it'll make you second-guess yourself a bit, especially if you haven't <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/12/16/">read the comic</a>. So go <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/1/29/">read the comic</a>, then make a decision. If you like the humor, you won't be disappointed.</p>