Review Hub - Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness

Penny Arcade is perhaps the longest-running video game webcomic, beginning in November 1998. The basic premise of the strip features two guys, Johnathan Gabriel and Tycho Brahe, discussing video games and gaming events for humor; it has since expanded to making fun of other pop culture as well as the family lives of creators Mike Krahulik (artist) and Jerry Holkins (writer), though it still edges heavily towards video game humor. The Penny Arcade name has since expanded to involve other forms of media, including a number of books and webseries, in addition to video games.

In 2008, an episodic video game based on the comic, Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipices of Darkness (OTRSPOD), was released by Hothead Games, with the first two episodes released in the same year. However, Hothead put the series on indefinite hiatus, leading Penny Arcade writer Jerry Holkins to release Episode 3 in prose form. In 2012, however, development continued under developer Zeboyd Games, with Episodes 3 and 4 proper coming out between 2012 and 2013. Though the presentations are different between the two halves, the Penny Arcade style remains consistent throughout, aided by the creators themselves having a hand in development.

Below are links to every review of Penny Arcade Adventures on this blog, with games and DLC presented in chronological order and separated by developer. (Second Opinions are listed next to reviews in parentheses.)

Hothead Games

 

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One (Second Opinion)
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode Two (Second Opinion)

Zeboyd Games

 

 

The Beginning of the End (Second Opinion)
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 (Second Opinion)
Lair of the Seamstress (Second Opinion)
Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 (Second Opinion)

Second Opinion - Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4

At long last, we have finally come to the end of the Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness tetralogy started by Hothead Games just over five years ago and concluded by Zeboyd Games just over 2 days ago. This series has presented a very interesting spin on Penny Arcade lore, creating an interesting universe wherein Johnathan Gabriel and Tycho Erasmus Brahe, members of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, must defeat 4 Dark Gods known as the Four Below before it is too late for the universe. Since the release of Episode 3 from Zeboyd after such a long time, I was hooked on the possibilities of what Episode 4 would possibly bring to the table, especially after having a small conversation with Jerry Holkins (Penny Arcade's and OTRSPOD's writer) at last year's San Diego Comic-Con about upcoming features. After finally getting my hands on Episode 4 the other day (at the amazingly low price of just under $5 due to a discount on Steam), I have to say that I was genuinely surprised by what the final installment had to bring, and I believe the entire journey to be worth every second of play.

The final verse in the Quartet for the Dusk of Man.

Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 starts off from the end of Rain-Slick 3, following the aftermath of Gabe, Dr. Blood, Jim, and Moira falling to Hell and Tycho being torn apart by energy from Yog Modaigh, God of Doors. The first four are split up into two groups at different locations, each finding out that they have landed in a place called the Underhell, a place beneath Earth where undead souls and monsters reside. Dr. Blood takes Gabe, who had just been punching him for centuries, to find his lost love Hestia while Jim (who is now able to talk) and Moira, who are far away from the other group, decide to set off and locate Tycho in order to get some much-needed answers. As each group finds their answers, each one only raises further questions as they discover more about the history of the Brahe clan.

The story, while darker than the previous entries, is very interesting and the execution only makes you want to keep playing until every lingering question has been answered. Of course, the overall tone of the game is counterbalanced by the usual Penny Arcade charm, but it presents a very interesting situation for the characters and it really sucks you into the setting and makes you want to learn more about the characters' situation(s). The plot is also filled with several twists and turns that fully come together at the end, including the unexpected identity of the fourth and final Dark God; not only does it take the form of the Overhell that exists above the Underhell, it also turns out to be the narrator of the entire series, which I must say is a very unique and original twist. The ending of the game, and thus the entire OTRSPOD saga, is a bit bitter-sweet to say the least, but I won't spoil anything here about it. What I can say, however, is that it does feel like your actions actually had some value in reaching the final goal.

Combat in this game is similar to that of Episode 3, but this time with a twist. The Class Pin system from the previous installment in dropped in this game in favor of a system wherein you capture monsters into a Monstorb; these monsters are then used to fight enemies in the Underhell, as humans are unable to harm them (as shown when Gabe attempts to punch one at the beginning). Up to four monsters that can join you can battle at a time, each one possessing a unique class in addition to the class of their assigned Trainer; as an added bonus, all monsters and Trainers level up at the same time, allowing you to have a comparably powerful army of monsters as you advance through the game. This is one of the aforementioned features that I learned about when I talked to Jerry Holkins and, while it does have some similarities to Pokémon, it also has some improvements to Pokémon's battle formula as well, making combat much more versatile and opening up many possibilities for handling the situation (plus, you are able to switch the assigned Trainer for each monster, allowing further Class and power customization to create your ideal party during battle).

Jim's Monstorb. Monstorbs can take on other forms as well.

I don't have much to say in terms of the graphics, since they are similar to those of Episode 3, but I do compliment the variety and creativeness of the new enemies found in the game, as well as the design of the added overworld map that gives the game more of an RPG feel. The music is also much different than in Rain-Slick 3, but in a more positive way rather than negative. There's definitely more range to be found in the soundtrack, especially in the middle of combat, becoming more atmospheric and cinematic to create a more immersive experience. I especially praise the music during major boss battles, as it really increased the epic nature of each fight quite nicely.

Overall, Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 is not only an amazing game, but it also serves as a satisfactory conclusion to the On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series as a whole. The sense of scale has been increased from the previous games in multiple aspects while exploring more with its gameplay in a fun way. The feeling of dread increases the more you reach the end and several twists and turns help to up the ante and lead up to a big payoff before the credits roll. If you haven't already played any of the games in this tetralogy, especially if you're a fan of Penny Arcade, I would suggest first starting with Episode One from the Hothead half of the series and playing everything in the suggested order, since this game is where everything comes together. For those wanting to save money, there are currently bundles for each set of two episodes available on Steam for a low price (a total of $20 for all four games if you go that route). The journey you take throughout this series is well worth the total investment.

Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4

Finally, after five long years, the long-awaited ending to Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is finally here to provide closure to the tetralogy. Though the series has had to jump publishers in order to truly be completed, the journey has certainly been worth it. While Hothead's installments were faithful to the Penny Arcade brand, their light-hearted atmosphere would be overwritten by Zeboyd Games, which marked not only a great shift in gameplay style, but also to a darker and more serious tone (with jokes). The journey taken by the Startling Developments Detective Agency, comprised of Tycho Erasmus Brahe and John Gabriel, hit the ground running and continued to build momentum throughout the highly unique and original setting. Now their journey has at last come to an end with the release of Episode 4, the subject of this review, on Steam a couple of days ago for the low, low price of $4.49 (thanks to an early discount on Steam), and in the end, that journey was well worth taking.

The final verse of The Quartet for the Dusk of Man, an important poem.

Following the events of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, Gabe had been punching Dr. Blood for centuries whilst falling a great distance, Jim and Moira were also falling endlessly and Tycho had been torn apart by a dark energy created from the remaining presence of Yog Modaigh, God of Doors. It turns out that everyone still alive, though separated by a great distance, had landed in the Underhell, a malevolent land which exists underneath that of Earth. After Gabe begrudgingly agrees to team up with Dr. Blood to locate a woman named Hestia and Jim explains the situation to Moira, both groups learn that the only reason they are still alive is because a portion of reality still exists, thus preventing its destruction for the birth of a new one. To fully accomplish their goal, they must destroy three pillars separating the Underhell from the Overhell to eliminate both the Overhell and the final Evil God of the Four Below. As they set out to fulfill this mission, Tycho seems to appear and disappear before both groups, leading them to believe that something else must be going on.

As I stated above the story of this installment is pretty dark. In fact, it gets to be quite a bit darker than the previous installment, though the balance of a serious story and Penny Arcade's signature humor is strong and kept intact throughout. The relationships between the characters are actually explored, especially with a shift in party paradigms. With the reveal of who Hestia actually is, we get to find out what she's like as a character, and she's surprisingly fleshed out well, if a little odd, for a character who was merely mentioned in Episode 3 and only now seen in Episode 4. Jim also now has the ability to speak, which reveals some hidden depths to his knowledge and speech pattern (he was previously just a head floating in a jar). The information we also learn about the Brahe clan, as well as how they relate to the Long Project, is actually interesting to find out and apart from being thought-provoking in a way, it introduces further depth to the world and explains quite a bit about the series, especially why everyone was worried about Tycho in the previous episodes.

One of the many encounters with the ever-moving Tycho.

Throughout the story there are several twists and turns that are rather unexpected and used to the point where they actually get you to play further in order to find out the true nature of your work in the first three games. These are especially prevalent in the final chapter, which is not only very lengthy, but absolutely filled with boss battles. During this stretch of time, you not only find out who exactly the four good gods were that had been destroyed by the four evil gods, as well as the true identity of the fourth and final god of the Four Below: The Narrator, who had been with you since the beginning of the first game. The final boss fight against a possessed Tycho also reveals a lot about the character and their motivations regarding the Periphery in the third game. When all is said and done, the ending is actually worth it, if very bittersweet in its design. Regardless, the story was highly original and crafted a world in which I was always eager to learn more about. From the streets of New Arcadia to the arcane realm of the Underhell, I was very satisfied in my knowledge of what had happened and how it ended.

Combat remains somewhat the same from the previous game, though there are a few new twists introduced. For one thing, it is impossible for anyone in the parties to physically harm the monsters of the Underhell, so to get around this handicap, they must use the Monstorb, a strange orb with the ability to capture and summon monsters at will. This was a feature that Jerry Holkins, the writer of both Penny Arcade and the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series, had revealed to me during a conversation at San Diego Comic-Con 2012, in which he sounded genuinely excited to be able to work on the project. He described it to the effect of "You capture these monsters and use them in battle and they all gain experience and level up at the same time." In a way this mechanic is similar to Pokémon, except that the monsters can also use a variation of the class system from Episode 3. Instead of using class pins, each monster has their own unique class relating to what they are, such as a Deep Crow, Philosofly, Brodent or even a Vending Machine, with their own passive and active abilities, but also has access to the class native to their trainer (which the player can change), complete with their own passive and active abilities. There are also a couple new items introduced, including one which allows you to switch one active monster out for another in reserve. With all of these elements in play, on top of forming unique strategies for each team, combat can easily get very fun, tense and hectic, sometimes all at once.

The Monstorb can take on many forms.

Thankfully, the increased amount of unique enemies, with little to no repetition, helped keep me on my toes and the ability to analyze their stats and arrange my party before actually fighting helped the flow of battle. I also commend the designs for being done in a way that while you know how many elemental weaknesses they have through analysis mode, you can sort of figure out what they might be based on what the enemy is supposed to resemble or be composed of.

You even get to fight a train. It is awesome.

The overall design of Rain-Slick 4 is a bit closer to a traditional RPG than previous games. Aside from my notes on the combat, there is also an overworld map spanning all of the Underhell, complete with secret areas, bosses and treasures. These design traits also appear to apply to individual levels, with plenty of alternate paths and treasure to discover, making everything more non-linear than Rain-Slick 3. While the graphics remain largely the same, the level architecture is noticeably more grim and varied, while enemy animations appear a little more complex when they are larger than normal. I liked the consistent atmosphere and deeper thought put into levels, the twisting and unusual paths usually worth exploring in the long run.

One of the darker moments (though it gets way worse later on).

One thing I liked about Rain-Slick 3 was its simple, but memorable music, with some additional themes for important or unique bosses. In Rain-Slick 4, the music isn't as memorable, but it is certainly more complex, with increased instrumentation and important battles donning a different atmosphere, like one at the end that brings about an certain presence that makes it more intimidating. There is also a certain piece that compliments a rather humorous Pokémon shout-out, which I won't discuss here so you may enjoy it on your own.

Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 is an incredible game. The improved Pokémon-esque monster combat is very fun and well thought out, the environments are darker but better in overall design and the story concludes the epic saga in a way that is very satisfactory. Existing fans of Penny Arcade are the most likely to buy this, and while it's sure to fly under the radar of most gamers, I'd still encourage whoever is reading this to play the series, which can be picked up on Steam for a grand total of $20 (a $12 bundle of the two Hothead installments and an $8 one for the two Zeboyd installments), an incredible bargain for such a great tetralogy. For being based on a webcomic, this game has provided me with thrills and laughs set in an original world that I have yet to see matched in conception or execution by most big-budget titles. Well done, Penny Arcade, well done.

Second Opinion - The Beginning of the End (DLC)

To conclude discussion of the story-driven DLC for Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, I will be discussing The Beginning of the End, a sort of prequel to the main story. While this post will end up a bit short, I still want to discuss my opinion on this, as it presents something rather interesting.

The main purpose of this bit of DLC is to explain exactly what happened to you after the events of Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episodes One and Two. At the Startling Developments Detective Agency, Gabe is feeling a bit jumpy, so Tycho takes him to Desperation Street to help take care of something for him. When they see You at your once again ruined home, Tycho stuffs You into a sack and ties it up, leaving eye holes for You to be able to cooperate (this solves the issue of You being customizable in earlier episodes). The humorous events that follow confront Gabe and Tycho's roles and do an interesting job of explaining what happened to You and why it wasn't brought up much in Episode 3. While the revelation is a little strange, it does at least acknowledge what it needed to (but still no answer to what was in Dr. Stripe's safe deposit box).

Combat is a little faster paced this time around, if only due to the overall length. There are no class pins in sight, justified by when this takes place, so as a result, each ally only has one class and strategy is more focused and linear as a result. You, for instance, are a Gardenar and have more rake-based attacks. Also, potions are the only items, but they hardly got used in the end. I was still satisfied and the enemies were still able to provide a good source of entertainment in their descriptions. The music is also still good and the environments are well-designed with some interesting exposition about them.

While The Beginning of the End may only last about 90 minutes, it's still an essential part of the experience that Rain-Slick 3 owners should definitely not miss out on. The combat is simple, but it still retains the edge that made the parent game so great to play. If you have Rain-Slick 3, play it. If you don't, the $5 to get it, and the $0 to play this, are very well worth the time and money. Now to see how Rain-Slick 4 ends up when it releases this Friday.

The Beginning of the End (DLC)

Continuing with the DLC for Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, we got into the second and final bit of story DLC, The Beginning of the End. This particular story takes place before the events of the main game (Episode 3) and explores your fate from Hothead's Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episodes One and Two. Having played through this story to see what had happened to me between Episodes Two and 3, I found the experience to be somewhat satisfying.

After the harrowing experience of taking down two dark gods, Gabe feels a little jumpy and decides to rest. Just as quick as he gets to sleep, however, Tycho wakes him up and takes him on a trip to Desperation Street, the place where their last two adventures began, in order to seek your aid. While the story is short, lasting about an hour and a half, You are treated to another hilarious adventure as You help Gab and Tycho on their quest (the problem of having yourself be customizable in the Hothead half of the OTRSPOD series is even cleverly solved by having You be inside of a sack). The ending is a bit weird (I'm not going to spoil it for people who haven't played it yet), but overall it feels like a nice continuation of Episode Two.

Gameplay is similar to that of Episode 3 and the Lair of the Seamstress DLC, with the twist that your party only has one class, with You being a Gardenar with slighty different, more rake-focused powers. The battle system is otherwise the same, but you are also treated to a whole swath of new enemies including evil mail boxes, tumbleweeds, and many others, most of which have a funny description that continues with the Penny Arcade brand of humor. The final boss is as much of a surprise as the campaign's ending, but once again I won't spoil anything here. This is all complimented by some very catchy music, utilizing music from the main game while also including at least one original piece to help it feel more unique.

The Beginning of the End is a great add-on to an already great game, one that you don't even have to pay for since it was added for free through another patch. As the game says, it is best that you play through the $5 Episode 3 (and maybe even Episodes One and Two) before exploring this story, since if you jump to this right away you might be confused about a few things. Hopefully the upcoming Episode 4 will provide a satisfying conclusion to the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness storyline when it drops on Friday.

And just what was in Dr. Stripe's safe deposit box anyway?

Second Opinion - Lair of the Seamstress (DLC)

Within the next couple of weeks, Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness will finally be complete with the release of Episode 4 from Zeboyd Games. A few pieces of DLC have been automatically added to Episode 3 since it was first released, two of which (Lair of the Seamstress and The Beginning of the End) actually contribute to the story of the game. Since we're a bit behind on those, we decided it would be a good idea to actually play these bits of additional gameplay as a lead-in to the upcoming Episode 4. Now without further ado, let's take a look at the first of these, Lair of the Seamstress.

As I mentioned in my review of Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, the gameplay involves Class Pins that offer you new abilities in combat, of which there are 17. Once you reach Level 40 on all 17 Pins, you must go to the top floor of the temple, where a portal is opened that leads you to the titular Lair of the Seamstress. Your entire party (Gabe, Tycho, Jim, and Moira) is then brought down to Level 1 (but only within the DLC area) and must face waves of enemies of increasing difficulty as you Level back up.

While the gameplay isn't any different, it is an interesting experience to be de-powered and then have to fight in order to gain your abilities back. Though some enemies are ones you may have faced in the main game, what I like is that some of the ones chosen are ones that represent each of the Class Pins and what powers they have to offer. As I went through each encounter, I had to really think about what strategy I wanted to use with the abilities I was given to work with. There are also some additional moments of hilarity in the text boxes, on par with that of the game itself, which only enhances the experience of it being a Penny Arcade game. The final boss against the Seamstress is a very difficult one indeed; even after lowering the difficulty to Easy during my multiple attempts, I somehow managed to beat her with what I would consider a great deal of luck, coupled with the strategy I developed over time with the intent to take her down.

One of the most satisfying screenshots you will ever see in DLC for a retro
installment in an episodic game based on a webcomic

Overall, the Lair of the Seamstress DLC, while challenging, is a fairly short but fulfilling side-quest to explore. Your efforts are rewarded at the end, though that's all I'm going to say about it to prevent spoilers for those that haven't played OTRSPOD 3 yet. If you haven't already, have we mentioned it only costs $5?

Lair of the Seamstress (DLC)

With Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 4 finally on its way, we thought it would be a good idea to finally go over the DLC for Episode 3. While we did get them automatically as they came out, we either never really had the time to play them or we forgot while trying to review something else. Regardless, there are two pieces of DLC which contribute to the game, Lair of the Seamstress and The Beginning of the End. While I might not have very much to say, this review will still cover the first piece, Lair of the Seamstress.

During the events of Episode 3, the party acquires Class Pins, a gameplay system that factors heavily into the overall combat through their various active and passive abilities. It is also revealed early on that these pins were created by the Seamstress using various beings that represent each class, ranging from a Crabomancer or Cordwainer to a Hobo or a Dinosorceror. At the top floor of the temple housing the statues of each class is a circle of torches, each representing a class, that light up one by one as you raise each one to Level 40. Once all of them become lit, a mysterious portal appears in the back of the room, one which the shrine maidens have never encountered before. Wishing to find out where it leads, Gabe, Tycho, Jim and Moira enter the portal to a previously unseen section of the temple, one in which they feel all of their power has been drained. At this point, the only way to leave is to conquer the dungeon ahead.

The gameplay of Lair of the Seamstress is no different from the rest of the game in terms of functionality, but the twist here is that every pin is reset to Level 1 and each victory awards two levels back, though items remain untouched. This made the dungeon a bit difficult to get through at first, though the challenge got easier as I went on and rearranged some of my pins to develop a different strategy altogether with handling each wave of class-based enemies. However, all momentum becomes halted when you encounter the final boss, the Seamstress herself. Against her, I lost a few times after repeatedly getting to a certain point, which prompted me to eventually lower the difficulty level just to stand a chance against her. When she still proved to be seemingly insurmountable, I rearranged my pins again and began to form a concrete strategy for taking her down. After a couple tries with my new setup, I eventually managed to beat her due to careful execution of a long-running plan. Reveling in my glory, I claimed my prize and left.

While the music is still the same, and still very catchy, the architecture of the dungeon is fairly straightforward. There are a couple of branching pathways leading to chests containing some pretty good items for each character, but other than that it's very easy to navigate. The battle environments still look pretty good in the 16-bit representation and act as a good backdrop for the action. New enemies were also pretty easy to interpret based on their appearance, particularly the Seamstress.

Lair of the Seamstress is an expansion worth playing. The extra challenge is interesting in itself and although there's nothing much in the way of story, the journey becomes worth the time put in, between two to four hours depending on how well you do in the enemy encounters, to feel the rush of finally taking down the Seamstress. The prize for beating her may or not seem worth it, though it depends on if you really want it as part of your setup. If you have Rain-Slick 3 already, since that's the only way to play it, there's no reason for you not to attempt this challenging dungeon.

Second Opinion - Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3

As I have stated before, Episodes One and Two of Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness are very enjoyable and are among my favorite games. However, Hothead Games, the developer of the first 2 episodes, decided to cease production of the series in pursuit of other projects, leaving the story only half-finished and Jerry Holkins, the writer of Penny Arcade, to create a prose version of what would have happened in Episode Three (I have yet to read it). Fortunately for fans of the games, the series would later be picked up by Zeboyd games, developer of Cthulu Saves the World. After a four-year wait from Episode Two, the switch to a 16-bit graphical style from 3D graphics does not stop the game from being an entertaining installment in the OTRSPOD series.

Though you are not involved in the events of OTRSPOD 3, the story is still very engaging as it focuses more on Gabe and Tycho after the first two Episodes (you still get a mention as someone who helped them defeat two evil gods). In addition to being able to control them, you also get to control their roommate Jim and a new character, Moira, through various new and old locales on a quest to defeat a third dark god, Yog Modaigh, Lord of Doors. Along the way, you learn some interesting facts about the Brahe clan and how their involvement with this sort of nature is crucial to Yog Modaigh's motivations.

The combat is different this time around, but I found it to have a good amount of depth. Rather than moving in real time, each character (including enemies) is represented on a bar in the corner, displaying who's turn it is at what time. Because everyone moves down the bar at different speeds, this can create situations where you have to really think about how you want to defeat the current wave of enemies. The game also features a  well-done character class system, where giving one of your party members a Class Pin obtained during gameplay grants them access to a whole new array of abilities, which grows bigger the more they level up. The fact that each character is able to wield 2 Class Pins also greatly adds to the variety of moves you can perform, given that you have enough MP to use them, letting you think more about how to approach certain situations in combat.

While this installment may be different from the ones before, the normal Penny Arcade humor remains intact. At various points in the story, someone (mainly Gabe or Tycho) will say something that helps lighten the dark tone of the narrative a bit before it becomes serious again. Whenever you target an enemy in battle, some of which are clever visual references to earlier Penny Arcade strips, you also get to see a description of them, which most of the time will say something funny about them, especially when it relates to the situation. There's even an entire section that switches to a more 8-bit graphical style that parodies older RPGs at every opportunity.

Out of my entire experience, the only issue I have involves something being carried over between games. I'm not talking about the lack of a character creator, but rather a key that is given to you by Dr. Stripes in Episode Two. Throughout the entirety of OTRSPOD 3, as much as I enjoyed it, I was half-expecting that key to come into play so I could see what he forgot he had in his safe deposit box. This could be attributed to the shift in developers halfway through the series, but in any case this bugged me a little.

Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 is a game that any RPG or Penny Arcade fan is sure to enjoy (as long as they are of age). Those that have played the first two games from Hothead will not want to miss out on the long-awaited return of OTRSPOD, and knowledge of the first 2 games is not required for anyone that wants to hop on the bandwagon. As a plus, this game only costs $5, which is a great deal for 12 entertaining hours of gameplay.

Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3

As stated before, we here at the blog are fans of not only Penny Arcade, but also the Hothead Games series Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episodes One and Two. As soon as we finished playing them, we were gravely disappointed to find out that the other half of this four-part series was cancelled. Later on I found out that Jerry Holkins, the writer of Penny Arcade, was going to finish the story through prose chapters on the webcomic's site, but I never got around to reading them (not that I wasn't interested). Much later, I heard that the games sold extremely well when it ported to iOS devices, at the same time having the fires of hope for a third Hothead-made episode snuffed out. Then later still, it was announced that the reins would be handed over to Zeboyd games, an independent developer known for making the faux retro RPG games Breath of Death VII and Cthulu Saves the World. Knowing that this third episode would be done in a 16-bit graphical style, I was even more intrigued as to how this would be accomplished. With the release of Episode 3 on Monday, I can happily conclude that the four-year wait for a new installment is definitely worth it.

Having defeated Yog Sethis the Silent One and Yog Kathak, God of Gears, Gabe and Tycho of the Startlng Developments Detective Agency are called to handle the third of the Four Below -four evil gods that killed the four good gods- known as Yog Modiagh, God of Doors. The very power of Yog Modiagh threatens to destroy the universe itself, forcing the duo to work to prevent his summoning. Simultaneously, they need to take care of Dr. Raven Darktalon Blood, a man who wishes to speed up the process by gathering specific paintings together in one spot. On this journey, the past comes alive and new information is gained about the Brahe clan that may ultimately spell disaster.

The plot of On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is still very fascinating. While the stakes still are certainly high, the mysteries introduced in the previous episodes are expanded upon here in a way that makes them even more intriguing to see unfold. New characters are introduced, notably the exclusive detective character Moira, and their connection to the Brahe clan introduces new mysteries that bring the events of the games, and Tycho himself, into a new light. Keeping the Cthulu elements of the story helps to keep the dark atmosphere present, but I feel as if the story is a bit more serious this time around, which only suits the many things that go on. It's a very engaging narrative that managed to elicit all of the right reactions during play.

The most notable change this time around has to be the combat. Since Zeboyd Games went in the direction of a 16-bit RPG, the combat system needed a complete overhaul to match. Where the previous installments had a very modern system with some throwback elements, Episode 3 is the complete opposite; it is a throwback system with some more modern elements.

To begin, combat is turn-based, but goes about it in an interesting way. At the top of the screen is a bar representing who performs an action at what time, be it an ally or an enemy. When an ally silhouette hits a certain point, the player is able to give them a command, which is then carried out when the character reaches the end of the bar, thus taking their turn. Character speed is to be taken into account, since a fast enough enemy can cut in line and take their next turn much quicker, adding some urgency to the system. When actually issuing a command, the player uses a drop down menu similar to the Final Fantasy games, with different sections to use items or actions, as well as an option to defend. It's a very good framework to base an entire combat system on, since you can even interrupt a turn, a special command that comes at the cost of an ally's turn, in order to push their place in line backward depending on where they are on the bar when the command is initiated.

What makes this system even better is another deeper subsystem regarding character classes. While characters do have a class that they begin with, Brute, Scholar, Necromaster and Gumshoe, you can give the characters additional classes that allow them more commands or passive abilities to work with. The additional classes are gained through Class Pins, which can be equipped in a similar fashion to weapons and accessories. These classes all offer something completely unique to the gameplay and are gained in sets at two specific points in the game. Some of these range from the Tube Samurai class, which uses stances for different powers, to the Cordwainer, which has the power of shoes. Some of these classes can even add abilities to the bar that repeat themselves by having their own turns until a command replaces them with something else. A great example would be the Apocalypt class, which places a prophecy with its own lengthy turn on the bar and can be stacked with various positive and damaging effects that will all simultaneously trigger at the end. And the best part about this class system? Up to two pins can be equipped, which means that all allies can have three different class setups, creating some incredible depth to the combat.

My personal setup. There are still more classes than this.

Modern elements include the fact that your health and items all regenerate at the end of each battle. So instead of having to purchase new items all the time, you purchase "Upgroids" that will allow additional uses in combat. However, if you're good enough in your tactics, you may never need to use the items all that often. It is because of these conveniences that combat is more like a puzzle, the solution being the combination of abilities you use to take down opponents. For example, with my setup I had a few base strategies to suit certain enemy configurations and adjusted what I did to suit the variables. All of this makes combat very fun and exciting, even with a couple of annoying fights toward the end.

Another great thing about this game is the enemy design. They are all very creative and suit the areas they are in perfectly; there are also quite a few references to a lot of the earlier strips from the original comic that are translated to 16-bit very faithfully. All of the attacks can present a different challenge to overcome and have interesting visuals. Groups also get progressively more difficult at a very good pace, with a small spike a couple of times that could still be surmounted with the right actions falling into place. It's always satisfying to finally see the victory screen and any rewards, with defeat only serving as a motivation to try again.

A reference to Rex Ready; one of my favorites. (Click for better view)

One of the best things about the game though would be just how well it preserves the humor of Penny Arcade. Every dialogue exchange, aside from the more serious conversations, has at least one line, usually from Gabe, that caused me to laugh hard in front of my laptop screen. This includes descriptions of enemies, which either explain something briefly about them or take a jab at something about them. There's even an entire section of the game where it shifts to a more 8-bit graphical style down to the music and swims around for a bit in a clichéd RPG setting that pokes fun at itself whenever it possibly can.

Aside from the humor, I also really liked the music. Not only does the score match the events and graphical style, it's also extremely memorable to the point where I found myself humming it during my regular breaks. How often these breaks happened though was a little inconsistent since the game is very engaging. So engaging, that when I decided to check on how long I had been playing, about two or three hours would have passed.

While I love the overall product, there are a couple of small annoyances. I'm not annoyed by the fact that you can't create your own character anymore, since recreating it in 16-bit would probably take up a lot of time to program and freeing up a character slot does help move the narrative along (plus, you are at least mentioned as a mysterious third party that helped them out). The only thing I did find wrong however was the fact that a key that you can collect in Episode 2 is now rendered completely useless, despite the fact that it was said to be usable in Episode 3. However, I suppose this can be attributed to a change in developer and Hothead dropping the project entirely. Still, I feel bad not being able to know what exactly was in Dr. Stripes' safe deposit box.

Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 is an amazing product. It's gameplay is extremely well made and the humor is something that it almost never faults on, which helps it feel like a genuine Penny Arcade experience. I had a blast during my entire 12-hour playthrough and was wanting more when I finished. Plus, the cliffhanger at the end of the campaign now has me counting the days until the final episode is put out. Any fan of Penny Arcade, Zeboyd, or RPG games in general should definitely pick it up. And if I haven't convinced anyone outside of that circle to give it a try yet, then consider the fact that it is ridiculously cheap at only $5.

Second Opinion - Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode Two

Since the first episode was such a hit, a second was sure to follow, and Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode Two is a great one at that. It picks up from the ending of the last game, with the player character finally settling into a new home, only to have it demolished by Gabe and Tycho. The duo recruit you to help them track down the giant robot from the end of the first episode, and the journey toward slaying the elder god controlling it is filled with high hilarity and a keen sense of the webcomic's style. The adventure is very well written, with a dark and expansive world in 1920's New Arcadia. If there's one thing I've always enjoyed about these games, it's the plot and how it incorporates various ideas from across the entire history of the comic into the fold.

While the graphics may not be all that different, and the sound is still good, the most improvements come from the combat. It's easier to time blocking attacks, even on Insane mode where the "Block!" prompt doesn't even show up, and enemies feel more balanced, but this deteriorates toward the end of the final act. When you finally go to the fair, the enemies there are able to attack at least a couple of times before you can even charge the attack you want, balanced by having them deal a little less damage than they probably would have. That's not to say that combat is a cakewalk, but the improvements are very welcome to help keep a certain atmosphere. While I'm not sure how to feel about the fetch quests the game has to offer, it still holds an interesting combination of Adventure and RPG elements that create a new breed, and it isn't that bad at all.

On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 2 is a very solid follow-up to the first episode, with plenty of laughs to help wipe away any feeling of tedium that may occur at times. There is also a small amount of replay value in the form of Insane mode, which has its own reward that makes it worth it. I would recommend this to anyone, especially fans; you'd get a kick out of it anyway even if you haven't been keeping up for the last decade-and-a-half.

Now, on to the long-awaited Episode 3!

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode Two

Following the success of Episode One, Episode Two of Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness (OTRSPOD) was released in late 2008, months after its predecessor. Hothead was once again the developer of this project, creating half of a planned four-game series. This second installment brought some improvements to the first one's formula, creating another worthwhile and unforgettable experience (for anyone of age).

When you finally settle into a new home, Gabe and Tycho of the Startling Developments Detective Agency end up wrecking it again, forcing you to once again look for a new abode. As it turns out, the two are still investigating the giant robot from the first game, at which point you join them. As the search for clues goes deeper, you learn more about Tycho's family and how another dark force relates to all this.

The graphics appear similar to the first episode, since they are only months apart, but they still perfectly emulate the then-current art style of the Penny Arcade webcomic. The game itself is still extremely hilarious, with several hidden jokes spread throughout each area. There's even a few more series' of jokes to be found, among them describing a singular painting and a continuation of the Eggplant Lincoln jokes from Episode One. Much like in the last game there's plenty of collectibles to be found amidst all the humor, and obtaining all the hidden concept art earns you another funny exclusive Penny Arcade strip.

What I can comment on without repeating my points on the first episode is that there are some improvements made to the combat system. For starters, it is now much easier to block against your attackers, in addition to  enemies not being able to repeatedly spam attacks before you are able to even get a hit in (at least until the last act). Another welcome change, though purely cosmetic, is that there is now more of a distinction between who is currently attacking. To elaborate, whenever a character battles, the name of the attack appears at the top of the screen. In the first game, all of these labels were white text on a red backdrop, but in this episode your party's attack names are on a green backdrop, making it easier to tell which side it is in an instant.

If there's one complaint I have with the game, it has to be the final boss. It's not that he's too difficult or anything, but rather that you don't really get to actually fight him. Just as the battle begins, when you've been preparing for it in the last act, it abruptly switches to a minigame in which you must defeat your opponent with the correct combination of commands. This seems somewhat anticlimactic to me, but at least it ties up one part of the narrative that occurs closer to the end.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode Two is an excellent addition to the series that should not be missed by anyone, including Penny Arcade fans. Those that have played the first game first will also receive a special benefit from it, since playing both episodes in order earns you both halves of a support character for use in battle.

Second Opinion - Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One

Penny Arcade, the world's first gaming webcomic, is kinda popular. Through its relentlessly professional update schedule over the course of 13-14 years, it has remained consistently funny and has even expanded itself with a charity and convention. Among the many games created around the series, one of them was a video game, this one specifically, developed by Hothead Games and released in 2008. While originally intended as a four-part episodic adventure, the studio decided to move on to other projects after only two were produced, leaving the remaining episodes in jeopardy until its cancellation. But with Zeboyd Games finally launching an official third episode after four years, I returned to OTRSPOD, in what must be at least my fifth playthrough, and still found myself laughing.

The story is excellently written. While it starts with a simple tale of revenge, and a new home, with the help of  Gabe and Tycho, it eventually involves elements of the Cthulu mythos and Penny Arcade series to form a unique atmosphere that manages to have an identity all on its own. The webcomic's style of humor is also brilliantly displayed in both the dialogue and descriptions of whatever is in the game world, allowing your experience to be a never-ending stream of laughter. Penny Arcade's unique style also resonates within the overall visuals, which are stylized to resemble Mike Krahulik's art style in 2008. This translates very well in 3D and the 2D interstitials are amazing in motion. In this sense, through making no missteps in preserving a signature style, Penny Arcade Adventures is right on the mark.

In terms of combat, this is where I had mixed feelings. Don't get me wrong, I liked the combat system; It mixes really well with the game's RPG standing, using real time combat in the vein of Final Fantasy while also using contextual button presses to carry out each character's top level attacks. My only problem was balancing against the enemies. True I played the game this time on Insane Mode (again), but it gets a little tiresome when they can get in at least two attacks before you can do anything about it aside from blocking quickly enough, even if they don't have a speed buff in use. This is especially prevalent with the penultimate boss, who might as well be broken for his incredible speed, almost non-existent blocking window, and having one abused attack initiate a strength debuff if not blocked properly. Fortunately this challenge is not insurmountable provided you have enough items at your disposal, which can be found in the world with relative ease if you know where exactly to look.

An early example of combat (click for better view)

When all is said and done, Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One is a very good downloadable title. Its humor is excellent, the style is utilized to its fullest and the combat is very solid. Combine that with an excellent story and quest design and you've got an adventure just waiting to be taken. Fans of Penny Arcade will definitely enjoy it, but even newcomers will be pleasantly surprised and end up having a good time.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One

For those of you who are unaware, Penny Arcade is a highly popular gaming webcomic by Jerry Holkins (the writer) and Mike Krahulik (the artist) that began in late 1998 and continues to this day, updating every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This comic is most certainly not for children, but in any case it is very funny and the art has greatly improved over time. Due to the strip's popularity, it has since expanded to include a charity called Child's Play, a convention called PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) that runs twice a year, a few card games, various forms of merchandise, and a video game, which I will be talking about. Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness (OTRSPOD) is a planned four-part game series starring Gabe and Tycho, the main characters of the webcomic, with Episode Three coming out next week. The first two installments were made by Hothead Games, both released in 2008. And now without further ado, here is a review of Episode One, released early that year.

After a giant robot destroys your house one day, you not only seek revenge on whoever did this to you, but also a new place to live. At the start of your quest you meet Gabe and Tycho of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, who are also investigating the giant robot. Together, the three of you dig deeper into the mystery and discover that some darker force is behind it all, one that threatens to silence all of existence forever. Though the story sounds simple enough from my description, it actually gets more complex as the game progresses, though in a way as to not be confusing. After you play it more than once though, hints dropped in earlier parts of the game start to make more sense and you get a better understanding of the greater workings of the OTRSPOD universe.

The graphics of this game are really well done, with character models that perfectly translate the art style of the comic (at the time) to a 3D plane. During conversation with an NPC, the game pauses for an interactive comic panel to appear at the bottom of the screen, reverting to the regular 2D art of the webcomic. This is also done during cutscenes, which switch scenes much like comic panels and gives the player an idea of what Penny Arcade would be like in motion. Overall visually, the game looks really impressive and it shows that the developer took great care in keeping with the feel of the comic on which it is based.

I have gone this long without mentioning that OTRSPOD is an RPG, so a couple things deserve mention. Firstly, there is a moment before you start playing where you get to customize your character's appearance and name. There isn't an expansive amount of options available, but even with the pool you are given there is still a multitude of combinations that you can create to give yourself a unique look. The other item of note is the combat system. I'm not very experienced when it comes to RPGs, but I thought the real-time battle system used was really well done, and at times I had to really think about what I wanted to do when faced with a swarm of enemies. However, a couple things did actually bug me about the combat, namely the fact that enemies can sometimes attack you multiple times before even a single basic attack in your party has finished charging up, in addition to a boss closer to the end of the game that was particularly difficult to take down.

Outside of combat, save for a few situations, the usual Penny Arcade style of humor truly SHINES in this game, more often than not turning it into an unforgettable laugh riot. Throughout each area there is a vast number of things to look at, often including jokes in the description about what it is you are learning about. There are even series' of jokes that form bigger jokes, including an eggplant shaped like Abraham Lincoln (referencing an early strip), sinister-looking mailboxes, and a Mr. Bear's Hell Circus (which even combines with another series of jokes), among other things. There's also a wide range of jokes that can be made, including a good deal of lowbrow humor, but that doesn't stop the game from being any funnier.

There's also a number of extras to be found in this game, including concept art and music tracks from the game. These extras are pretty well hidden, so unless you look up where they are you may find yourself searching every nook and cranny of each location for them. In the end, locating all of the concept art is worth it, since it will also allow you to access a Penny Arcade strip exclusive to the game.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One is a game that no one should pass up, especially if you are a fan of Penny Arcade. Much like the comic, this isn't exactly a game for younger audiences, but I can still guarantee that you will have an amazing time. Those who don't like real-time combat in an RPG might like this game a little less, but the story and humor alone are reason enough to give this game a try.