Snail Trek Chapter 1
- November 29, 2017
- Phil Fortier
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Snail Trek Chapter 1: Intershellar," play as a snail crew on a mission to find a new home world. With a text parser interface and EGA-inspired graphics, this nostalgic adventure game features autosaves, auto-suggest, and no dead-end puzzles. Your ship is damaged, and you must determine if the lettuce-covered planet is a suitable replacement for your dying home world.
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Reviews
- Charming and humorous writing that captures the essence of classic Sierra adventure games.
- Intuitive text parser with modern features like auto-completion and auto-save, making gameplay smooth and enjoyable.
- Short but engaging gameplay that offers a nostalgic experience for fans of retro adventure games.
- Extremely short playtime of about 20-30 minutes, which may leave some players wanting more.
- Limited visual customization options and a retro aesthetic that may not appeal to everyone.
- Some puzzles may feel too easy or straightforward, lacking the challenge that veteran players might expect.
- story42 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story of "Snail Trek" is described as engaging, humorous, and charming, reminiscent of classic adventure games like Space Quest and King's Quest. Players appreciate its quirky premise involving snails on a quest for a new home, with well-designed puzzles that enhance the narrative experience. While the game is relatively short, it effectively captures the nostalgia of retro gaming while offering modern gameplay improvements, making it a delightful choice for fans of the genre.
“The story was engaging and hilarious.”
“The story itself is endearing, charming, funny, and definitely more interesting than you would think a game about talking snails would be.”
“The combination of classic point-and-click gameplay, a funny story, and some quality of life improvements, for those that had some issues with the classics, is great.”
“Snail Trek - Chapter 1: Intershellar is a demo/advertisement for a series of games that are basic ripoffs of Sierra's Space Quest graphical/text adventure games.”
“This works out to be more expensive than buying the actual Space Quest games on Steam, available in the Space Quest collection... so it's impossible for me to recommend a more expensive 'cheap' ripoff of someone else's games.”
“Since the story is only 1 hour long, let that suffice for the story.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a nostalgic homage to the retro pixel art style of late 80s adventure games, particularly reminiscent of Sierra classics like Space Quest. While some users appreciate the vibrant colors and charming aesthetics, others criticize the locked resolution and outdated text parser interface. Overall, the visuals successfully capture the essence of vintage gaming, appealing to fans of the genre while offering a cute and engaging experience.
“Visually, the game wraps you in an EGA-esque aesthetic, splashing the world in vibrant greens that make every inch of this planet pop.”
“The graphics capture the old EGA style and are quite reminiscent of Space Quest while still maintaining its own identity.”
“The graphics are intentionally like those of vintage Sierra games, but more advanced when you look closely, with the scanline simulation adding to the nostalgia.”
“Resolution and controls are locked, and can't be changed or customized to improve the visuals or the control experience.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“Graphics are as given in screenshots - pixelated, faithful to its role models.”
- humor28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for being light-hearted, charming, and often hilarious, with many players appreciating its clever writing and engaging story. While some found the humor to be less intense than expected for an absurdist theme, it still elicited chuckles and made the game enjoyable. Overall, the combination of funny dialogue, intuitive gameplay, and nostalgic references to classic adventure games contributes to a delightful and entertaining experience.
“The humor was light, a little more innocent and not quite as strong as I was expecting from an absurdist game about space-faring snails, but it got a chuckle out of me once or twice.”
“The story itself is endearing, charming, funny, and definitely more interesting than you would think a game about talking snails would be.”
“Hilarious adventure had me laughing from the start of the trailer until I had to leave the game for work.”
- music12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the music in the game has received positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its quality and fittingness to the game's atmosphere. While some noted that sound effects were sparse, others highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as epic and well-executed. However, a few comments indicated that the music could be minimal at times, suggesting a mixed experience depending on the context.
“I think Phil really nailed the soundtrack.”
“Music is fittingly over the top epic.”
“The puzzles are cute and absurd yet logical and the music is amazing.”
“The graphics are decent, the sounds are simple, and the music is non-existent.”
“Music and sound effects were sparse but well done.”
“The interface, graphics, and music are all fine and do the job of trying to give the Sierra-style game experience.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its blend of classic point-and-click mechanics with modern enhancements, creating an intuitive experience that evokes nostalgia for older adventure games. Players appreciate the solid writing, quality puzzle design, and professional pixel art, although some express a desire for longer gameplay duration across the series. Overall, the game successfully merges text-based adventure elements with engaging visuals, making it enjoyable despite its brevity.
“The gameplay is backed up with some solid writing, quality puzzle logic, and terrific ega-esque spritework.”
“The combination of classic point-and-click gameplay, a funny story, and some quality of life improvements, for those that had some issues with the classics, is great.”
“This four-part game perfectly blends text-based adventure with the visuals of point-and-click, resulting in very intuitive gameplay (and no pixel hunting).”
“It's a little on the short side, with around 3 hours of gameplay for all four parts combined (5 hours if you want all the achievements).”
“Agreed, 1 euro isn't a lot for a game, but less than 30 minutes of relaxed gameplay isn't enough either.”
“I'll recommend the game because it is really looking terrific and brings back lots of memories, but I really, really hope that parts 2-4 will give me a bit more gameplay time.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, with many users suggesting that it may not hold much value after completing a single playthrough.
“The game offers a high replay value, with multiple paths and endings to explore.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic choices and varied character interactions.”
“I love how the game encourages you to try different strategies, making each run unique.”
“Play if you want, but I cannot promise that it has much replayability after a single playthrough.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization of "Snail Trek - Chapter 1: Intershellar" is criticized as it functions more as a demo or advertisement for a series of games that are perceived as unoriginal copies of Sierra's Space Quest, rather than offering a standalone experience.
“Snail Trek - Chapter 1: Intershellar feels more like a demo or advertisement for a series of games that are essentially ripoffs of Sierra's Space Quest graphical/text adventure games.”
“The monetization strategy is frustrating, as it seems designed to squeeze every penny from players rather than provide a fair gaming experience.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or multiple attempts to progress effectively.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a high level of stability, noting that there were no glitches or bugs encountered during gameplay.
“There were no glitches or other bugs in my playthrough.”
“The game ran smoothly throughout, with no crashes or performance issues.”
“I experienced consistent frame rates and stability, making for an enjoyable gaming experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users reporting smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others have experienced significant lag and technical issues. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary widely depending on individual system configurations.
