Shardlight Demo

Point & click adventure games are pretty popular once again, thanks to games like Game of Thrones or The Wolf Among Us, even if they do not use the classic gameplay mechanics. Even so, it’s nice to see the genre making a comeback, especially since the medium is great for telling exquisite stories and providing players with unforgettable adventures.

Shardlight is a point & click adventure game that looks like it was released two decades ago, but that’s only a mirage devised by the developers. The gameplay mechanics are the same as in all the great classics, which means that you should know immediately what to do if you are familiar with the genre. On top of it all, the puzzles are pretty rewarding and engaging, which only adds to the atmosphere.

The events take place in a post-apocalyptic world consumed by war and disease, where people are controlled by a select few that hold dominion over food and resources. You play the role of a young woman by the name of Amy Wellard, who suffers from a deadly disease and needs to get her hands on the vaccine. Unfortunately, she must enter a so-called lottery in order to stand a chance for the vaccine, a lottery that involves doing a lot of dirty work for the aristocrats that control it.

All you need to do in order to play the game is click on objects and figure out how to use them in order to obtain what you want. Hence, the left-click is used to interact with objects and the right-click is used to examine them. Fortunately, the puzzles are quite ingenious and engaging, and you’ll often find yourself surprised at how challenging, yet intuitive they all are.

The artwork creates a great atmosphere as well, since everything actually looks and feels post-apocalyptic. There is the slight possibility that you’ll experience some Fallout deja vus every now and again, but it’s only normal, considering the similar themes. Finally, the voice acting is worth a mention too, because it’s quite obvious that the actors truly put some effort into it.

In the end, Shardlight is a wonderful experience, especially if you are aching for some good old adventure games. The atmosphere is permeating, the story is intriguing, and the puzzles are very engaging and non-idiotic.