Adventure Time Pirates of The Enchiridion E3 Preview
It’s always hard to capture the essence of a franchise in a video game adaptation. All too often some element gets left out which ends up being critical. Adventure time is a show which doesn’t always translate well to other media. So I went into the demo for Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion feeling more than a little anxious. I’m still not certain about this game, but my fears are a tiny bit relieved. One good point is the dialogue. The bit of story we saw was sharp, getting good laughs from everyone who watched (myself included). Actual adventure time episodes have this insane, frantic pace that game dialogue can’t match, but the tone was on point.
The combat is turn-based, with shifting camera angles and bombastic abilities helping to set the rhythm. It’s too early to tell what sort of hooks the fighting will have, but the demo is promising. According to the devs, they want to make sure the game is accessible to audiences of all ages. From what I saw, there’s still an element of challenge present, although the strategy is somewhat pared down. There’s still a robust leveling and upgrade system to explore, albeit a streamlined one. If nothing else, I’m looking forward to seeing what sort of swords Finn acquires, as well as what kind of abilities the rest of the party picks up. As a legit Adventure time fan, I’m hoping for a faithful adaptation as well as a fun game.
The other major element at work here is exploration. You sail around in a ship modeled after the boat from Jaws, collecting treasure and exploring the various islands. At one point we were treated to an interrogation scene, a combination of fast reflexes and good cop/bad cop. It should be a good way of filling out the main narrative and showcasing the writing. Progression is set up in such a way that you need a proper combination of skills and persistence in order to succeed, which I appreciate. The jury is still out, but we won’t have to wait long to find out more about pirates of the Enchiridion, as it’s coming out this July.
