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The crime solving adventure platformer featuring private investigator Emma Jones and her feline partner Franky from developer Glass Bottom Games was released on Friday. I've had a look at the game and will provide some initial thoughts on the experience.
In the teaser trailer below you'll see some footage from your first assignment; the case of a missing testament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoddljw1gdE
As might be seen in the video, you usually move along a 2D plane in a 3D environment. Inside locations are often laid out as though wrapped around the inside of a cube, and when you reach a corner you start moving along the next wall. Outside in the city, which acts as a hub between locations, there are several streets, alleys and zones laid out on a huge grid. There are several possible routes to traverse to get from one part of town to another. When you reach an intersection, you'll have the option to start moving in a direction perpendicular to the one you were on. This is all very cool, but it can naturally get pretty confusing fast, and it highlights a major problem with this game: There's no map. I love a good map in a game, and especially in a game of this kind, with hidden passages and items, a good map feels essential. Therefore the absence of one feels even more unpleasant.
With that out of the way, let's move on to the gameplay. As mentioned, this is an adventure platformer; one of the metroidvania-esque variety even. Levelling up your character is very basic, as it involves picking up flowers to add to the number of flower petals determining your maximum number of hitpoints. It works though, and some of the well hidden ones make finding them feel like a reward in itself. At certain points in the game you find new types of ammo for your four-round revolver, which gives you access to a new skill, like regular ammo to destroy small crates or bubble ammo to reveal secrets indicated by small sparkles. Your first case even grants you access to grappling ammo, which attaches to certain surfaces and lets you hoist yourself up to areas unreachable by jumps alone.
Talking to NPCs is also a huge part of the game, and in addition to the characters critical to driving the investigation forward, there's also a huge number of non-essential NPCs scattered around throughout the game to add flavor to the game world. Conversations are presented as the kind of branching conversation trees that are a trademark of point-and-click adventure games, though with the inclusion of clue cards you can present to sometimes add additional information to a certain mystery. These clue cards are what helps you keep track of where to go and what to do, and so it's unfortunate that using them doesn't feel like an integral part of the game. You can't trigger them directly with a button, and so you have to open the pause menu and select one with the cursor to study it or to sometimes have Franky offer some insight on it. The weapon reload screen is similarly clunky, since you have to use the cursor to both remove and add bullets and click on arrow icons to change ammo type.
Despite these unfortunate flaws, I have really enjoyed my time with the game so far, and it feels very different from most things I've played. If I were to compare it to something, I might compare it to Incecticide or Jazzpunk for their similarly unique takes on the adventure formula. The former is unfortunately not available for Linux (or complete in its desktop incarnation) and the latter is sadly plagued by a large amount of technical issues. I strongly hope that lack of funds or time doesn't keep Hot Tin Roof from improving beyond release, as it feels like it has potential to become something truly special. And if, like me, you feel like you can enjoy the game despite its mentioned shortcomings, it is one I recommend picking up at its current state.
Currently, the game is available from Steam or directly from the developer. Note that if you buy it through the Humble Widget on their site, there is currently only the option to download a Windows version, but because of some mix-up, this is actually a zip file with versions for both Linux, Windows and Mac. I have played the DRM free version and it works as expected, but if you rather not download a file triple its intended size, you do also get a Steam key with the purchase.
About the game
You’re the Private Investigator on a string of grisly murders, scouring for clues in a 3D side-scrolling world. Grab your fedora and revolver - in Hot Tin Roof you’re on the case! Dive into a noir mystery and become Emma Jones, the only PI partnered to a cat named Franky.
It’s a dog eat dog world out there, but luckily? A cat has your back. Franky. The cat that wore a fedora. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
In the teaser trailer below you'll see some footage from your first assignment; the case of a missing testament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoddljw1gdE
As might be seen in the video, you usually move along a 2D plane in a 3D environment. Inside locations are often laid out as though wrapped around the inside of a cube, and when you reach a corner you start moving along the next wall. Outside in the city, which acts as a hub between locations, there are several streets, alleys and zones laid out on a huge grid. There are several possible routes to traverse to get from one part of town to another. When you reach an intersection, you'll have the option to start moving in a direction perpendicular to the one you were on. This is all very cool, but it can naturally get pretty confusing fast, and it highlights a major problem with this game: There's no map. I love a good map in a game, and especially in a game of this kind, with hidden passages and items, a good map feels essential. Therefore the absence of one feels even more unpleasant.
With that out of the way, let's move on to the gameplay. As mentioned, this is an adventure platformer; one of the metroidvania-esque variety even. Levelling up your character is very basic, as it involves picking up flowers to add to the number of flower petals determining your maximum number of hitpoints. It works though, and some of the well hidden ones make finding them feel like a reward in itself. At certain points in the game you find new types of ammo for your four-round revolver, which gives you access to a new skill, like regular ammo to destroy small crates or bubble ammo to reveal secrets indicated by small sparkles. Your first case even grants you access to grappling ammo, which attaches to certain surfaces and lets you hoist yourself up to areas unreachable by jumps alone.
Talking to NPCs is also a huge part of the game, and in addition to the characters critical to driving the investigation forward, there's also a huge number of non-essential NPCs scattered around throughout the game to add flavor to the game world. Conversations are presented as the kind of branching conversation trees that are a trademark of point-and-click adventure games, though with the inclusion of clue cards you can present to sometimes add additional information to a certain mystery. These clue cards are what helps you keep track of where to go and what to do, and so it's unfortunate that using them doesn't feel like an integral part of the game. You can't trigger them directly with a button, and so you have to open the pause menu and select one with the cursor to study it or to sometimes have Franky offer some insight on it. The weapon reload screen is similarly clunky, since you have to use the cursor to both remove and add bullets and click on arrow icons to change ammo type.
Despite these unfortunate flaws, I have really enjoyed my time with the game so far, and it feels very different from most things I've played. If I were to compare it to something, I might compare it to Incecticide or Jazzpunk for their similarly unique takes on the adventure formula. The former is unfortunately not available for Linux (or complete in its desktop incarnation) and the latter is sadly plagued by a large amount of technical issues. I strongly hope that lack of funds or time doesn't keep Hot Tin Roof from improving beyond release, as it feels like it has potential to become something truly special. And if, like me, you feel like you can enjoy the game despite its mentioned shortcomings, it is one I recommend picking up at its current state.
Currently, the game is available from Steam or directly from the developer. Note that if you buy it through the Humble Widget on their site, there is currently only the option to download a Windows version, but because of some mix-up, this is actually a zip file with versions for both Linux, Windows and Mac. I have played the DRM free version and it works as expected, but if you rather not download a file triple its intended size, you do also get a Steam key with the purchase.
About the game
You’re the Private Investigator on a string of grisly murders, scouring for clues in a 3D side-scrolling world. Grab your fedora and revolver - in Hot Tin Roof you’re on the case! Dive into a noir mystery and become Emma Jones, the only PI partnered to a cat named Franky.
- Noir as heck.
- Metroidvania meets Adventure Game in a side-scrolling 3D world, with tons of platforming and exploration
- 4 distinct plot threads, with 15 different resolutions.
- Instead of acquiring abilities, you find new revolver rounds, which you load into your revolver yourself. Combine them in unique ways!
- Scour the world for clues! Use them in conversations to unlock secrets, solve murders and more.
- Cats. More cats than you could shake a cat at. Also, pigeons and rats. Many wearing tiny hats.
- Spiffy chip noir jazz soundtrack.
It’s a dog eat dog world out there, but luckily? A cat has your back. Franky. The cat that wore a fedora. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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2 comments
Pretty good and succinct review.
I've been mildly interested in this game since I first learned about it. It's unfortunate that it has the flaws that it does; a lack of map and the clunky clue system probably makes the game more tedious than it need be. Somehow I doubt that's the kind of thing that can just be patched in, as this feels more like a design decision they took early in the project. I'd like to be proven wrong, however, and will be watching how post launch support pans out.
All that said, I think I'll wait until the next big sale to maybe pick it up. I have way too many unfinished games in my library and not as much money in my wallet as I'd like :P
I've been mildly interested in this game since I first learned about it. It's unfortunate that it has the flaws that it does; a lack of map and the clunky clue system probably makes the game more tedious than it need be. Somehow I doubt that's the kind of thing that can just be patched in, as this feels more like a design decision they took early in the project. I'd like to be proven wrong, however, and will be watching how post launch support pans out.
All that said, I think I'll wait until the next big sale to maybe pick it up. I have way too many unfinished games in my library and not as much money in my wallet as I'd like :P
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Looks interesting and I like the art style. Might pick this one up at some point.
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I run the Hidden Linux Gems group on Steam, where we highlight good indie games for Linux that we feel deserve more attention.
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