Technobabylon is a really good indie graphic adventure, with a nice sci-fi setting, some smart ideas, deep themes, good writing and interesting puzzles.
Certainly one of the best point&click adventure games of all time. Great story, deep, interesting characters, immersive artwork, simple gameplay. It's a masterpiece. If you like futuristic adventure games, just buy it.
Minor problems aside, it is refreshing to play an adventure game that offers up a creative science fiction story while providing an optimal amount of challenge.
Technobabylon is a lovely throwback to the golden days of classic adventure games with Blade Runner elements. This game might seem very science fiction, but when you look around you on an average train trip, you will understand that this game might not even be that far off reality.
Whether you’re a fan of exceptional adventure games, science fiction, or even its apparent influences, there is a memorable adventure in Technobabylon backed by a believable setting and driven by a strong narrative.
I played this game with my girlfriend. Both her and I have played a lot of point and click games, and we agree this is one of the best, both puzzle and story wise.
Good point and click game, but there are better. The setting is fairly good, but the main character is not particulary likable. He is just too dull. Big minus due to the last puzzle, the game introduces new mechanics out of nowhere and does not explain it.
Here's my breakdown for the game:
The cyberpunk setting the game has is amazing. I could really connect with the characters. Their motivations were clear, and the decisions they faced were well-executed. The whole story was put together well and kept the intrigue going, apart from maybe the big plot twist, which I saw coming from a mile away, and when it was revealed, it only left me disappointed that there wasn't more to it than what I already figured out.
I also really like the old-school pixelated art style. The art is beautiful. Most notable were the character portraits. Brilliant artwork. The voice acting was also really well done.
So, a great story, beautiful art, and solid voice acting. What's the catch? Well, just like most point and click games, this game suffers from convoluted puzzles that often make no logical sense, and at times even require you to have the knowledge of how things in the game's fictional setting work, like wetware or trance. Don't get me wrong - some of the puzzles were fun and executed well, but many others require you to have a walkthrough on hand, especially in the last two chapters. It just horribly breaks the pace of the story.
The game also offers some choices. It was a great touch, though many don't seem to make much of a difference to the story. I was especially annoyed by the ending, which felt like a false choice (for spoilers sake I'll say no more).
So to conclude, although I enjoyed a lot of parts of the game, it left me feeling disappointed. If you don't mind the outlandish puzzles that will force you to consult a walkthrough, then by all means, get the game. Otherwise, eh, just watch the story on Youtube or something.
This game is good. Unfortunately only good. Cyberpunk settings are definitely growing more and more popular, but in this case they are just enhancing the overall experience, without adding much depth to the story. Gameplay-wise we have here the usual adventure game with quite limited exploration. Puzzles are contained mostly to one area, hence the simplicity. Story itself is rather cinematic and characters seem to be rich enough, however their motivations are hard to grasp. And if anybody asks, there is way better adventure game set in the cyberpunk world - Gemini Rue.
Breaks. Dialogue when I check Baxter's body doesn't appear, making it impossible to leave the room... And the music level keeps resetting, what is up with that?
SummaryTechnobabylon takes place in a dystopian cyberpunk future where genetic engineering is the norm, the addictive Trance has replaced almost any need for human interaction, and an omnipresent AI named Central powers the city. Its all-seeing CEL police force keeps tabs on everyone... including three people who are about to meet their maker.