Germany in the 60s Was Weird!
Trüberbrook is a throwback to the point-and-click games from the late 1990s, it's story is set in the 1960s, the narrative feels like an episode of Lost or Stranger Things, while the visuals look like handcrafted clay models. An intriguing mix for sure, and if you like all of those things you will probably end up liking Trüberbrook.
For those only partially familiar or interested in those concepts I laid out, you might have to be a bit more cautious before you splash down the cash.
The visuals are a big part of the game, and for the most part they are extremely well done. There are quite a few locations in the town of Trüberbrook and you really get to know the place throughout the story. All the characters look like actual clay models that have come to life, and if you're a fan of that (admittedly very European) aesthetic, you'll get a kick out of interacting and chatting with them. The voice work is pretty good, however everyone except the main character is voiced by a German speaker speaking in English which gives it an other worldly feel, almost like an episode of Twin Peaks. It's up to you whether you find it charming or bizarre, as sometimes you're not sure if their strange wording is intentional or due to budget restraints on not allowing a full set of English voice actors (the game is developed in Germany).
The story (which won't be spoiled here) starts off traditionally, but quickly gets weird! Looking back, the first couple of chapters of the game are almost plain compared to what happens later! In a nutshell, you're a scientist (physicist) visiting an dusty old mountain town for a vacation that you won in a competition you don't remember entering. Intrigued? If you liked any of the TV shows I've referenced so far, you will probably like where it goes. By the end I actually wanted a little more, which is also how I feel at the end of lots of episodic sci-fi TV shows, so it could just be me.
Next onto how the game lets you progress through the story. This is a PC-to-console port of a cursor based game, so you'll be using your right analogue stick to move your "mouse" around the screen to highlight objects. Once you're ready to click something, you hit one of the directions on the d-pad to either touch, talk, look, or use an item on said object or area. On Switch you can also move your character around with the left stick and hold down the right trigger to run to explore the areas. The controls work well enough, although you do run into parts where your character gets stuck in places and you have to massage the controls to get out, fiddly, but nothing game-breaking.
The bulk of the gameplay is talking to people for clues, picking up objects around the environment, then using/giving the objects to people and places around town. If you're not a fan of slow methodical games, or listening/reading to dialogue, this game won't magically cure you of that. It's exactly what you'd expect from this genre, for better or worse. I'm a lapsed fan of the genre myself, and ended up having a good time. I did get stuck on several occasions, and when I found the answer I sometimes said "oh, of course, silly me", but did also say "wait, how on earth was I supposed to know that?". Results may vary!
Overall the quirky story and retro stylings of the graphics made sure I had a good enough time in Trüberbrook, but please pay attention to my caveats before you make the trip.
Final Score: 7.5
Review code provided by the publisher
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