Patricio Land repeatedly justifies Sol705 by saying nostalgia isn’t what it used to be; he doesn’t care to elaborate nor am I entirely sure what that means, but he’s been programming games since the 90s and I’m inclined to believe him.
Then of course there’s this list of influences he’s put up on Kickstarter to drive home the point.
Indeed Sol705 went live looking for some crowdfunds sometime yesterday with, as Billy mentioned last month, an hour’s worth of a free demo. He also wasn’t sure what made it different from the other point n’ click adventures and really neither was I.
But then again I’ve spent a bit too much time growing out my hair, listening to the likes of The Doors and enjoying Grease a bit more than I should have to presume I’d know better. Having spent more than an hour on the demo this morning, I concede Billy’s quite right.
Because at least in game-play, there’s nothing groundbreakingly novel here given Land’s admitted Lucas Art inspired examine, pick-up/use, talk mechanics. The charm instead is meant to lie in its wacky script and equally wacky cast of characters.
It’s the sort that you’d now find narrated by a cheesy voiceover on YouTube and described as something entirely different on the back of its VHS tape. With a few bombastic one-liners even. Because while Sol705’s synopsis talks of investigating paranormal phenomena, there was none of that to be had during the demo.
Unless you count the mole wearing a pair of shades I came across. Or the intro that pretentiously attempts to set a very sci-fi thriller vibe before a flying jellyfish kicks in. Other than that, I found myself sneaking out of school as one Meeno Estucco, running around town to find my brother a bassist so he wouldn’t tell on my miserable grades, and arguing with a newspaper vendor about his talking cat.
It’s all very 1970s in its absurdity and as Land asserts, worth quite a few chuckles. To this end the ambience is pretty much on point with its silly period one-liners, pop culture references, casually pixel-drawn characters that sit against well-drawn environments, and a light-hearted rock n’roll background beat.
Not everything’s perfect though since typos pretty much trouble the game’s English subtitles. That’s one of the aspects Land intends to work on with your funds, apart from more playable characters from a cast of 40-odd eccentrics, cameos and multi-language support claiming that more than 60% of the full game is already in effect.
The complete adventure will feature 7 more ‘days’/chapters in addition to the first chapter that’s playable with the current demo. Plus more funds allows for more rock n’roll and a box set! Yes!
Go check it out, man.
