Genre: RPG
Publisher: Hothead Games
Developer: Hothead Games
Release Date: May 21, 2008

There's a lot to be said for two guys who started a small, know-nothing comic in the late 1990s only to have it grow into a huge Internet phenomenon 10 years later, where not only is their comic one of the most popular on the Web, but they also share the joy in their own yearly convention (Penny Arcade Expo) and now their own branded game, Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness — Episode 1. These guys have done a lot of hard work to get to where they are today, and as avid gamers, they finally got to live out their dream of designing their own game. Is it any good? I can safely answer that with a resounding "Yes," but let's continue and find out why.

Penny Arcade Adventures takes place in 1922 in the city of New Arcadia, where evil has apparently run amok and chaos is freely roaming the suburbs. As you will soon find out, there is nothing nice about this city, and there certainly isn't anything desirable about it. However, as this setting is perfect for the story line that follows, it actually does a very nice job of making you really feel like this place is pure, unadulterated evil.

You'll start your adventure in the Create a Character mode, and while the system doesn't allow for too much customization, it has a unique flair and vibe that is usually missing from many of these character creation systems. The really neat part about this isn't the new 3-D perspective on all things Penny Arcade, but rather the fact that the game actually takes your 3-D modeled character and turns him or her into a comic like an actual Penny Arcade character. When all is said and done, you'll have your very own Penny Arcade character, as if Gabe had drawn it right there and then for you. It's a feature that all fans of the webcomic can appreciate.

For those who don't quite know what to expect from a Penny Arcade video game, I'll attempt to clarify it a bit. First of all, this is an adventure RPG, and while that might sound like a whole lot of fun, you probably won't find much appeal here if you are a die-hard action fan. You see, the game plays much like the old adventure games of yore in that you'll be wandering around, looking for clues, and talking to people to figure out your next task. For much of the first portion, you'll be looking for clues that will lead you to a giant robot that has been rampaging through the town. Upon finding each new clue, you'll be tasked with going to a new destination that has even more adventure quests and clues. It's a lot of fun for those with the desire to sleuth and solve puzzles, but it can be slow and drab for those who were pining for something more like Grand Theft Auto or Halo.

For the RPG fan in us all, the guys at Hothead Games and Penny Arcade have decided to toss in a traditional RPG fight sequence. As you quest around the city, you'll encounter a few enemies, and here is where the fight begins. Much like a Final Fantasy game from years past, you'll be in a turn-based arena where you get to decide which attack to use on which enemy.

However, it gets a bit more advanced than that, as the developers decided to add a couple of unique twists. First, all of your actions are mapped to three buttons: A will allow you to use items, X will allow you to do the basic attack, and Y will allow you to perform an advanced attack (B is the cancel button). Each time you attack or use an item, you will need to wait for your attacks to "recharge." Advanced attacks take less time to recharge than basic attacks, which in turn take longer to recharge than regular items. So, for example, in order to use your advanced attack, you'll have to wait for both your item skill and basic attack skill to get charged. It's a unique system, but one that actually works fairly well to keep the game balanced.

In addition to the attacking, you'll also have a block skill, which is timed depending on when the enemy is about to attack. If you use it too soon or too late, you'll only get a partial block, or no block at all. If you are able to time it perfectly, you'll get a full block, or even a counter-attack. Timing can be a bit difficult, as the enemies' attacks range from fast to slow, and you'll never quite know when to attempt a block. It's one of the weaker points in the combat system, unfortunately.

Of course, what would a Penny Arcade game be without graphics that matched the actual comic? Penny Arcade Adventures Episode 1 really shines here. The minute you begin the game, you'll be convinced that you are actually playing in the same world that Gabe and Tycho have lovingly drawn for the past decade. The graphics are so pleasant that it's almost a shame that the audio department didn't quite live up to what I was expecting. First of all, other than a brief narration, you won't be hearing any voice acting; the lack of voices isn't too bad, but it's a bit of a letdown for people who've wanted to finally hear Gabe or Tycho's voice. The music, however, is practically non-existent, as through many of the levels, like Hobo Alley, there won't be any background music at all, or in other area where the background music is largely forgettable. It was really something that could have been done better as the whole world is very vibrant and spooky.

In the end, Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness — Episode 1 was a lot of fun. While there could have been more variety in the enemies, and the sound definitely should have been better, I was left thoroughly pleased with the game. It may seem a bit expensive at 1,600 Microsoft points ($20), but if you are looking for a few good laughs and an interesting story line packed into a five- to eight-hour package, you really won't find anything better than this

Score: 8.2/10