Bone: Out of Boneville was published by Telltale Games following Telltale Texas Hold’em in 2005. This game is an adventure-based game released for Microsoft Windows. It consists of a quirky collection of strange but oddly compelling characters that are always involved in some kind of fantasy adventure. This is the recipe for the perfect video game. Players can download some teasers for free which will enable them to play a mini-game and meet some of the characters including Fone, Smiley and Phoney Bone. In this particular adventure this gang of brothers is lost in an enchanted valley filled with all kinds of strangeness and dangers.
Where Bone: Out of Boneville Came From
Created by Jeff Smith the comic that the game is based on is published in black and white and features a very distinct cartoon art in the style of Harvey Comics which publishes Richie Rich and Casper the Friendly Ghost. In fact, the Bone brothers look like a cross between Casper the ghost and Pogo the Possum. I can’t say that the video game graphics capture the essence of the comics but if I had nothing to compare them to, I would say the graphics are somewhat unique. The character models aren’t polished, and the backgrounds tend to be a little bare in places. Trying to make the transition from static 2D to animated 3D is not without some kinds of compromises and in this case, there are a whole lot, but keep in mind this game has to be accessible to newbies as well as devoted fans. I think the balancing act was pulled off nicely and will certainly open the door for a number of sequels.
What Bone: Out of Bonevilles About
Don’t confuse adventure games with action games. Most of the “action” takes place with players clicking the mouse and highlighting items in the environment. The focus of this game is the telling of the story. It’s not a difficult game by any stretch, requiring little skill. There are a few mini games to play but they are very simple and won’t challenge even a weekend warrior. Bringing characters’ voices to life can be a challenge. The voices in Bone: Out of Boneville are well done. The dialog is funny, witty and conveys enough depth to let all of the characters’ personalities shine through.
Lost in the desert and dying of thirst, the Bone cousins are separated by an angry swarm of locusts. Now Fone Bone, armed only with a mysterious map and his well-loved copy of Moby Dick, searches a strange valley to try and find his lost relatives. Along the way he will come face to face with its unusual denizens and begin to be drawn into the greater intrigues that surround the valley. Throughout the adventure you’ll traverse all over the land and come in contact with all sorts of creatures, both malevolent and benevolent.
Final Thoughts
The characters look fantastic, almost as if they’ve just popped to life from the pages of creator Jeff Smith. Considering the team responsible for Bone: Out of Boneville has had their hand in creating some of the best and most influential PC games released in the adventure and action genres. All in all, this game is worth checking out if players are looking for something easy to get through. Otherwise, for well-seasoned players looking for a challenge may just want to rent Bone: Out of Boneville.