As the title suggests, I just finished playing TSL Episode 1 for the first time. I realize that I'm a little behind, but I wanted to get through the entire series from the beginning first, so I was delayed a bit. Anyway, here I am, and here are my thoughts. Some of this has probably already been said, so I apologize if I'm bringing anything up that has already been hashed and rehashed, but I want to give my full impression.
And yes,
spoilers abound.
The opening sequence was terrific. The music was wonderful and set the mood very well. I nearly jumped in my seat when Alexander spazzed out during the ceremony. That was all very well done.
The voice acting was good. I almost feel like it could have been acted a little more, but then I also feel like any more would make it seem too fake, so I think you did well.
The graphics were really good, especially the inanimate objects and backgrounds. I must admit that I'm a little disappointed by the characters. I assume the 3D modelers aren't pros, and I could have hardly done better (I've never tried, but I doubt I could model to save my life), but many of the character models, while very well detailed and textured, seemed unpolished. One specific instance I recall was a closeup of Azure's face while Graham was speaking to him. His left eyelids were scrunched up on one side, looking like they were disfigured in some way; it was rather unsettling. Lip movements on most human characters also seemed too exaggerated most of the time.
Graham's walking speed, by the way, was very good, but his stride was so short that it looked very awkward. It may look better if he was slowed down a tad and his stride lengthened.
The narrator - Amy's got a lovely voice. She reminds me a little of Cassima from KQ6, and I loved Cassima's voice actress. Most of what she said worked. However, I also found the snarkier comments to be quite out of place. Had the tone of the episode not been as serious as it was, there would have been little problem. As it was, the little attitude behind some of her comments completely ruined the mood. I appreciate humor, especially in a King's Quest game, but for this episode it was too out of place. Examples are her comments when Graham sits down outside the room where Cassima and Alexander are, her comments when trying to pick up objects you don't need or trying to open the chest outside of the pawn shop, the fourth-wall-breaking in Graham's bedroom and the mention of the TSL Asylum and her BSP. Those sorts of things should have been saved for the more lighthearted Episode 2.
I'm not going to touch on the short length and almost non-existent puzzles; I do know that this has been discussed at length and I am satisfied with the explanation that the team has provided.
Oh, and I don't think a little thank you to Vivendi and Activision in the credits would be at all out of line, seeing as how they were both willing, eventually, to let you use their intellectual property for free.
I know I said a lot of discouraging things in this little write-up, but let me make this perfectly clear: I am incredibly grateful for all of the work POS has poured into this game. No, it's not perfect, but I never expected it to be. You all have been through a lot to bring this to us, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm looking forward to future episodes, and I hope that at least some of what others and I have said will be useful to you all in the future. Thanks to you all!
