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LucasFilm Games - known today as LucasArts - made themselves famous for their point and click adventure games back in the day, programmed using SCUMM. You will have most likely heard of their Monkey Island series, and many other games like Maniac Mansion, and these games all used a similar interface. Verbs and inventory are listed at the bottom of the screen; your aim is to use the correct verbs or items in the right places to solve puzzles. However, that's not to say every one of these games are the same...
Loom is an adventure game with a twist. You play Bobbin Threadbare - a 17-year-old living in the year 8021, known as The Age of the Great Guilds. Bobbin has no memory of his mother, and was raised by Dame Hetchel - an elderly woman who is part of the Weavers' Guild. Going against the warnings from the other elders, Hetchel has secretly been teaching Bobbin the art of weaving, and well... let's just say the elders are not too pleased when they find out! Things get even more drastic when it turns out the world is in danger of being destroyed by "the Third Shadow". Your task is to guide Bobbin on his quest to find a mysterious flock of swans, who may be able to rescue everyone. Sounds simple enough, right? But of course, in an adventure game, nothing is ever simple.
If you are familiar with the LucasArts classics, one of the first things you will notice that's different about Loom is that there is a blank space where you'd expect your verbs and inventory to be. How peculiar. Quite near the beginning of the game, Bobbin acquires a "distaff". This serves as all the verbs and inventory you will need on your journey. Using the distaff, you can "weave" drafts made of four ordered musical notes. Each draft has a different meaning (e.g. the first one you will learn is the "opening" draft, which you use to... er, open things with, believe it or not) and you learn more and more of these as you progress in the game. You also start the game with the ability to weave only three different notes (lower C, D and E) but gain experience as you play the game. Each time you level up, you gain the ability to weave one more note.
All this talk about music might be putting you off if you are not a musical person. Not to worry! At the beginning of the game, you are given a choice of proficiency level. The standard option shows you the notes written underneath your distaff at the bottom of the screen, and the practice option even writes the notes down in order whenever you hear a draft in the game. The expert level shows no notation. You must be able to recognize the notes by ear (this option is NOT for the tone-deaf). Whichever level you choose, remember to write down your drafts so that you don't forget them!
Loom is a cleverly-crafted game. The story unfolds wonderfully as you progress. The presentation is of the high standard one can expect from LucasFilm Games. The graphics are pleasing to the eye, the animation is smooth, and the soundtrack suits the game perfectly. When originally released, the game came with an audio drama on a cassette, telling the story of the prologue, which was definitely something unique! But what makes the gameplay unique is the puzzle format. It is a simple enough idea, yet (to the best of my knowledge) never been done until this game.
Even if adventure gaming is not usually your cup of tea, I still highly recommend you give Loom a go. It's got a great storyline, an interesting range of characters, tons of imagination and a real nostalgic feel to it. Loom is a true masterpiece.
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Everything looks good in the game, and animation is done well, though some parts of the background look a little overly-simplistic. Some of the graphics though (such as the starry sky) really are beautiful.
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Very well orchestrated music; some excerpts are appropriately taken from Swan Lake. Sometimes there is very little sound going on (lacking in sound effects, and music is not continuous throughout). But when the music plays, it's great!
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The game encourages you to think outside the box; you will find yourself using the drafts you learn in imaginative and unexpected ways. The puzzles are a bit linear at times but overall are very impressive. The drafts change every time you replay the game too (except the first and last ones you use).
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| An original (and musical) take on adventure gaming. If you're looking for a quality, unique challenge that's unlike any other game... Loom is your Holy Grail! |
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