The Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter Chronicles
- December 4, 2012
- King Art
- 9h median play time
The Book of Unwritten Chronicels: The Critter Chronicles is a prequel to The Book of Unwritten Chronicles that looks fantastic but has a very high level of frustration that is not every fan of point-and-click adventure games
Get on Steam"The Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter Chronicles" is a prequel to the original game, following the adventures of Nate Bonnett and his sidekick, Critter. Players can choose to play as either character and meet new faces in the fantasy world of Aventasia. With improved graphics and two difficulty levels, this point-and-click game offers a thrilling and humorous experience for both new and returning players.
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Reviews
- The game features charming graphics and a humorous storyline that fans of the series will enjoy.
- Puzzles are creative and engaging, providing a fun challenge without being overly difficult.
- The characters, especially Critter, are endearing and add a lot of charm to the game.
- Many puzzles rely on convoluted solutions that can feel illogical and frustrating, leading to excessive trial and error.
- The game suffers from bugs, including crashes at critical points, which can disrupt gameplay.
- The story feels less impactful and the pacing is uneven compared to the previous titles in the series.
- story92 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in "The Book of Unwritten Tales: Critter Chronicles" is generally viewed as a weaker side narrative compared to its predecessor, focusing on the humorous and light-hearted backstory of the main characters, Nate and Critter. While some players appreciate the quirky humor and character interactions, many criticize the plot for being thin and lacking high stakes, with puzzles that often feel disconnected from the storyline. Overall, it serves as a fun, albeit less engaging, prequel that may appeal to fans of the original game but might disappoint those seeking a deeper narrative experience.
“The story is entertaining and keeps you interested for the duration.”
“The critter chronicles tell the story of how adventurer Nate Bonnett and Critter, his hairy sidekick, first met, all set before their appearance in Wilbur’s and Ivo’s adventure in the book of unwritten tales.”
“It is a shorter story lasting around 8 to 10 hours depending on your play style, and tells the prequel story of how Nate and Critter first met each other, and their adventures that take place before the original game.”
“The actual point-and-click mechanics are about as tedious as the genre gets: lots of convoluted puzzles that amount to little more than busy-work because they could only think up so much story, and by golly, they want to stretch the paltry thing out as long as possible.”
“The story is a bit thin and not so well connected.”
“After the 3rd chapter, when I saw that the story does not connect and that gameplay is more puzzle-oriented than story-oriented, I kind of just felt I wanted to get to the end as soon as possible.”
- humor70 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is generally well-received, featuring witty dialogue, clever pop culture references, and amusing characters, though many reviewers note it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessors. While there are plenty of funny moments and engaging scenarios, some players feel the humor has diminished slightly, with a mix of cute and cheesy elements. Overall, it remains a fun and entertaining experience, particularly for fans of the series.
“Let's start with the good things - this game, as the original, is fun and funny.”
“Awesome story, great dialogue and the humor is outstandingly funny.”
“Humorous and uplifting, engaging and enlightening - everything you can wish from a good game.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant colors, detailed artwork, and smooth animations, contributing to an engaging visual experience. While some players noted occasional graphical glitches and performance issues on older hardware, the overall aesthetic is described as charming and reminiscent of an oil painting style. Many reviewers appreciate the improvements over the predecessor, highlighting the game's beautiful visuals and humorous atmosphere.
“Wonderful artwork, some really awesome, detailed rooms.”
“Much of the artwork flows like an oil painting plus the animations give it an extra level of depth and personality.”
“It's another great adventure with similarly beautiful graphics and lots of humour, feels there are even more references.”
“The only real gameplay annoyance I encountered, besides one crash and a few graphical glitches, was a bad puzzle sequence in the fourth chapter.”
“The graphics go blurry halfway through.”
“The graphics are about the same with the difference of the settings.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by trial and error mechanics, tedious puzzles, and a linear structure that often leads to frustration as players search for specific hotspots. While the graphics are praised and the gameplay is generally smooth, many reviewers note that the puzzles feel like busy work and detract from the overall experience, making the game more about navigating mechanics than engaging with a compelling story. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a mixed bag, appealing primarily to fans of the series rather than newcomers.
“In addition, graphics are great and gameplay is very smooth.”
“Puzzles and gameplay elements are there to enhance the story and characters.”
“Solid 8 hours of gameplay and a nice tie-in between stories.”
“Gameplay gets tedious - it's easy to miss things and get stuck for ages.”
“The actual point-and-click mechanics are about as tedious as the genre gets: lots of convoluted puzzles that amount to little more than busy work because they could only think up so much story, and by golly, they want to stretch the paltry thing out as long as possible.”
“The gameplay is so absolutely linear that you have to know exactly what the developers expect you to click on and in the correct order-- all the time, every time, which kills the game for me.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, including frequent freezes, crashes, and graphical glitches, particularly when certain settings are used or specific actions are taken. While players enjoy the gameplay, these bugs detract from the overall experience.
“Good game - however, each time I tie the string to the saltshaker and move towards Nate in the pot, the game freezes. Same kind of glitch with the second book of Unwritten Tales.”
“The only real gameplay annoyance I encountered, besides one crash and a few graphical glitches, was a bad puzzle sequence in the fourth chapter.”
“Also buggy, games saved outside the mage tower always crashed.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is marked by tedious gameplay, with convoluted puzzles that feel like busy-work and can lead to players getting stuck for extended periods. The weak storyline and lack of engaging writing further contribute to the overall sense of monotony, making the experience feel stretched and less enjoyable.
“Gameplay gets tedious - it's easy to miss things and get stuck for ages.”
“The actual point-and-click mechanics are about as tedious as the genre gets: lots of convoluted puzzles that amount to little more than busy work because they could only think up so much story, and by golly, they want to stretch the paltry thing out as long as possible.”
“Playing as Critter for such an extended period of time got a bit tedious for me.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, receiving a score of 7.5/10 for its beautiful soundtrack and excellent voice acting, which complement the game's charming art style and engaging atmosphere. Players familiar with the original will appreciate the continuity in music and overall ambiance.
“Beautiful backdrops, excellent animation, beautiful soundtrack, great voice acting, fun puzzles, lovable characters.”
“If you had played the original, you will be immediately familiar with the art style, music, and atmosphere of the game.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers noted that the character development in the game was engaging and well-executed, enhancing the overall experience alongside the intuitive puzzles.
“The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”
“The backstories and growth of the characters add so much depth to the overall narrative.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wonderful and touching story, which resonates emotionally with players, enhancing their overall experience.
“Wonderful and touching story.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the added replayability offered by an expert mode, which provides a fresh challenge and encourages multiple playthroughs.
“The game offers additional replay value with an expert mode that challenges even seasoned players.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the variety of choices and outcomes available.”
“The dynamic world changes with each run, making you want to dive back in for a new experience.”
“The game lacks significant replay value, as once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return.”
“While the expert mode adds some challenge, it doesn't fundamentally change the experience enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
“After finishing the game, I found that the limited choices and linear progression made it hard to justify replaying.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is deeply rooted in nostalgia, featuring a familiar art style and music that evoke memories for players of the original.
“If you had played the original, you will be immediately familiar with the art style, music, and atmosphere of the game.”
