Guard Duty

At the end of the day Guard Duty is a pretty good point and click adventure game. Combining fantasy and futuristic storylines is a really interesting concept. The story is pretty good with interesting characters which are completely voice acted. There are some interesting twists and it can be funny at times. The gameplay is pretty typical for a point and click game, but the game does a good job streamlining the gameplay. The puzzles are also fun to solve. Even the artwork is pretty good. The problem with Guard Duty is that the game is quite easy. You won’t be challenged by most of the puzzles as you will solve most of them almost immediately. This leads to the game being pretty short for a point and click game.

69%Game Brain Score

story, humor

grinding, replayability

89% User Score Based on 300 reviews

Critic Score 0%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

Guard Duty is a single player puzzle game with fantasy, comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Headware Games and was released on May 2, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"Guard Duty" is a point-and-click adventure game with two playable characters in different time periods. Tondbert, a medieval castle guard, must rescue the kidnapped princess, while Agent Starborn, a future resistance member, fights to overthrow evil and save humanity. With over 6000 lines of voice acting and detailed animations, the game features a compelling story that intertwines the two characters' fates.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 300 reviews

story78 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Charming pixel art and animations that evoke nostalgia for classic point-and-click games.
Engaging story with humorous dialogue and well-developed characters, making it enjoyable to play.
Easy to navigate gameplay with logical puzzles that are accessible for both new and experienced players.

The game is quite short, typically taking only 3-4 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more.
Some puzzles are overly simplistic, lacking the challenge that fans of the genre might expect.
Voice acting quality varies, with some performances being less engaging, which can detract from the overall experience.

story
232 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
61%
5%
The story of "Guard Duty" is a whimsical blend of fantasy and sci-fi, featuring engaging characters and humorous dialogue, though it suffers from uneven pacing and filler content that detracts from the main narrative. While some players appreciate its nostalgic charm and plot twists, others find the writing inconsistent and the overall story lacking depth, particularly in the latter parts of the game. Despite its shortcomings, the game is recommended for casual players who enjoy light-hearted, story-driven adventures.
- “A vibrant point 'n' click sporting the most authentic VGA style you're likely to see in a modern adventure, 'Guard Duty' spans a fairy tale setting and a dystopian sci-fi one to tell a whimsical story that would be right at home on an early 90's PC.”
- “The story is interesting and the characters and situations are genuinely funny.”
- “This game had a very captivating story spanning two different timelines, likeable characters, and feels like it was in the nineties (as planned).”
- “The story is as basic as you can put in a tiny three-hour point-and-click game, and this is padded out by the aforementioned story-irrelevant lore dump character dialogues.”
- “The characters and the story in the last third are just atrocious.”
- “This type of 'heavy-handed storytelling' is very distracting, very frustrating, and had me clicking through large portions of dialogue because I didn't want to suffer through having them read it out to me when it had no relevance to the story I was actually playing through.”
humor
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its light-hearted, quirky dialogue and nostalgic references to classic adventure games, reminiscent of titles like Discworld and Simon the Sorcerer. However, some reviewers found the humor inconsistent, with tonal shifts that detracted from the overall experience, leading to moments that felt forced or overly reliant on clichés. Overall, while the game has its funny moments and charming characters, opinions vary on the effectiveness and execution of its comedic elements.
- “Great characters, fantastic visuals, and funny writing.”
- “Original story, funny characters, great jokes... stop reading right now and go play it!”
- “The humor in this game made me laugh a ton, and I really love how the last section of the game really delivers on what's at stake by contrasting just how much charm is lost in the conflict of the story while still maintaining a great tongue-in-cheek delivery.”
- “It also suffers from some truly eye-roll-worthy and unfunny Metal Gear Solid references.”
graphics
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
34%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, hand-drawn pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click adventures. While many reviewers appreciate the vibrant visuals and charming animations, some note inconsistencies in quality and express disappointment with the retro 4:3 aspect ratio. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the humor and storytelling.
- “The hand-drawn pixel graphics are definitely top-notch and the game works flawlessly.”
- “The graphics are fantastic large pixel art, the voice overs are great, good characters all around, lots of variety, and the writing and pacing top notch.”
- “The vibrant art style is quite lovely and I'm pretty amazed with how much animated things there are in every scene.”
- “The graphics seem a little uneven to me, with the normal pixel art style graphics looking relatively good and in line with a 90's cartoonish style point & click.”
- “Graphics were somewhat meh, but I knew that going in.”
- “The upscaling of the low-res pixel graphics is problematic; hopefully, it will be improved in a patch.”
music
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
38%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and variety, effectively enhancing the atmosphere with a mix of medieval tunes and unexpected styles, such as jazzy themes. However, some users noted the lack of separate volume controls for voice acting and music, which can lead to dialogue being overshadowed. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “Everything just clicked - graphics, music, puzzles, and characters.”
- “The soundtrack offers a wide variety of medieval tunes - from idyllic, pastoral, to ones more urgent.”
- “The game is so charming and peaceful that I would often get a cup of tea and leave it running so that I could enjoy the soundtrack and visuals.”
- “There are no separate volume settings for voice acting and music, which means that voices sometimes get lost under the music and sound effects.”
- “There are no separate volume settings for voice acting and music, which means that voices sometimes get lost under the music and sound effects.”
- “There are no separate volume settings for voice acting and music, which means that voices sometimes get lost under the music and sound effects.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
72%
11%
The gameplay is characterized as a classic point-and-click experience, featuring typical mechanics such as dialogue, object interaction, and exploration. While some players appreciate the smooth and streamlined gameplay, others criticize it for being light on content and overly reliant on dialogue, leading to a lack of engagement. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising its homage to 90s adventure games and others finding it lacking in depth and enjoyment.
- “Great plot, perfect writing and voice acting, captivating and somewhat innovative gameplay.”
- “Still enjoyable overall; it was smooth and fluid gameplay.”
- “I fully recommend this game as a new fix for people who miss the comedy, gameplay, and aesthetics of classic point and clicks like Discworld, Monkey Island, and Simon the Sorcerer.”
- “Heavy on dialogue and exposition, light on content and gameplay.”
- “The game just isn't there, and it's not accurate to describe this game as an 'unforgettable adventure' when it spans barely 3 hours of gameplay.”
- “Did not enjoy the gameplay even for a moment.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the fitting music, engaging sounds, and unique humor that evoke nostalgia for classic point-and-click titles. The game successfully combines elements reminiscent of old Amiga/DOS games while establishing its own distinct ambiance, appealing to both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
- “The music is also quite fitting for the game's atmosphere.”
- “Love the atmosphere, the music, the characters... for those who loved the classic point-and-click games, and for the new ones!”
- “Guard Duty is a tribute to the old Amiga/DOS point-and-click games, such as Monkey Island and Loom, although this has its own unique atmosphere.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its charming and heartwarming narrative, appealing particularly to casual players who enjoy nostalgic point-and-click experiences. While it may not resonate with everyone, the game features engaging animations and an unexpectedly rich voiceover, contributing to a touching story that maintains player interest throughout.
- “Definitely won't land with everyone; personally, I found it very charming in a bumbling, twee kind of way and overall a heartwarming journey.”
- “Charming animations, far more voiceover than you would expect for something with that price tag, a touching story that keeps up the pace and keeps you interested throughout.”
- “Recommended for casual players with a thing for nostalgic point and click who can appreciate a wholesome story with some issues here and there.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to lengthy monologues and sections of exposition that limit player interaction. While the story is generally straightforward and the writing is adequate, these drawn-out moments can detract from the overall experience.
- “My only criticism is that there were some sections of exposition that were quite long where you didn't have any options to speak or do anything, which personally felt a bit tedious, but that's a minor complaint.”
- “The story is not overly complicated and the quality of writing is adequate, while some of the monologues can be a bit tedious and lengthy.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and thoughtfulness, with players expressing strong emotional connections to the characters. The impressive character designs and the game's ability to bring them to life contribute significantly to the overall experience, making players genuinely care about their journeys.
- “Character development is well thought out.”
- “I also found myself just falling head over heels for so many characters - there are some seriously great character designs, and the game does a fantastic job of really making them come to life and feel like people you should care about.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that its short duration of about four hours may leave players wanting more. While the overall experience has its merits, the absence of replay value significantly impacts its longevity.
- “It's about four hours long and its pros outweigh the cons; however, with no replayability, you might find this to be quite short.”
- “No replay value, though.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stability, with users reporting a bug-free experience across different platforms, including Linux on lower-end hardware. Overall, it runs smoothly even on systems with integrated graphics.
- “I had a bug-free experience with this game. Well done!”
- “I've played this game on Fedora 30 (Linux), and it runs great, even on an AMD laptop with integrated graphics only (Vega 8).”
- “I had a bug-free experience with this game. Well done!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is generally considered adequate, with performances described as merely acceptable rather than exceptional.