Although adventure games have certainly come a long way from the point-and-click days, there’s still a lot of charm in that subgenre. This was on full display while I played through an early version of Sunday Gold, an upcoming adventure and turn-based RPG from the crew at BKOM Studios. With an emphasis on puzzles and unique combat, I quickly got a sense for how the full game will make its mark.
Sunday Gold finds players in London in the year of 1970. Playing as three different criminals, the player is tasked with exposing the evil CEO of a megacorporation. Of course, this journey will be anything but easy, and it’ll be an uphill battle to take down one of the world’s most powerful figures.
What immediately struck me about Sunday Gold was how much personality and charisma there is at every turn. Not just with the characters, but with the world itself. The various faces that you encounter are interesting in their own right, but every street, alleyway, and shop compelled me to look around and explore. It’s a trait that really makes Sunday Gold work as a point-and-click adventure.
Sunday Gold really nails the environmental puzzle aspect of point-and-click games, too. Whether it’s trying to get into a coffee shop or rescue someone in danger, the world around you is a puzzle waiting to be solved. Interacting with various characters and objects is the key to gathering the information and items you need, but there’s a clever twist on this model in Sunday Gold.
Action Points are a common mechanic in turn-based games, but are usually reserved for combat encounters. In Sunday Gold, the Action Points come into play even when exploring the world. There was a scenario early on where I used up all my AP trying to figure out how to enter a gated alleyway. Once I ended my turn, the world around me moved forward. At that time, a thug in that alleyway began to attack another individual. As he continued to wail on him, I spent the first AP of my next turn approaching him and triggering a combat scenario. The fact that I only had a limited amount of moves before matters worsened created a sense of urgency that I don’t usually feel in these games.
While Sunday Gold follows a turn-based combat format, there’s enough there to make the experience feel fresh and well-paced. There are a wide variety of weapons that can be used in combat, many of which are found exploring the world. It’s also a constant dance of defending and depleting an enemy’s defense in order to set yourself up for a devastating strike. The comic book-inspired depiction of the action bolstered an already stylish presentation.
My early preview of Sunday Gold managed to deliver just about everything I seek in a point-and-click adventure game: Cool characters, an interesting world to explore, and combat that doesn’t feel too generic. I look forward to finishing the mission when the game releases later this year.
These impressions are based on an early Steam version of the game provided by the publisher. Sunday Gold will launch for PC later this year.
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replyDonovan Erskine posted a new article, Sunday Gold is a stylish throwback to classic adventure games
