Keepsake hands-on archived preview
Once upon a time, when the genre was still a child, the world was filled with fantasy adventures. From Daventry to Discworld, from Kyrandia to the G.U.E., it was an innocent age of dragons and castles, villains and wizards. The only limit to fantasy was imagination, and in those days, we thought it would last forever. But as children are wont to do, the genre grew up, and when it did, it stopped believing. And when the dreams ended, the magic disappeared, and fantasy was lost.
The adventure may not have died, but the fantasy adventure certainly did. Until now.
When Wicked Studios first revealed Keepsake, the news came as a welcome change from the seemingly endless stream of reality-based adventures of the last several years. I like history, conspiracy theories, and detective stories as much as the next gamer, but sometimes I'd like there to be a little more "escape" in my escapist hobby. Keepsake promised plenty of that, borrowing heavily from traditional fantasy themes and settings that have so long been absent from the genre. However, rather than a simple rehashing of tired old clichés of yesteryear, the independent developers out of Montreal have brought their own unique vision to Keepsake, and the result is a fantasy adventure quite unlike any other. Having spent considerable time now with a preview version of the game, I've been pleasantly surprised by what I've discovered. No shallow preview-fluff praise here. I have genuinely enjoyed myself more with Keepsake than with most other adventures in recent memory.
The game opens with a narrated lament from the head of the acclaimed Dragonvale magic academy, long tormented by personal loss and most recently by the fate of the school, whose occupants are seen disappearing like wisps of smoke. The player then assumes the role of a young woman named Lydia, arriving for her first day at the academy and a long overdue reunion with her dearest childhood friend. But instead of a majestic castle teeming with students and faculty, she finds the school completely abandoned except for an exuberant travelling salesman and a talking wolf who clearly is not what he appears, or what he wants us to believe.
This atmosphere of loneliness and desertion is central to Keepsake, so it's important to understand what the game is NOT. It is not a standard "quest" style adventure, filled with dialogue and inventory and loads of varied locations. Keepsake takes place entirely in and around Dragonvale (which is colossal, fortunately), and it's very much a game focused on quiet exploration and puzzles. Although the interface might lead you to believe otherwise, the gameplay shares more in common with Myst than its third-person, point & click contemporaries.
Relieving the isolation is Zak, the wolf who claims to be a dragon under a spell. Zak accompanies you in the hopes that you can reverse his cursed condition. Strangely for a mighty dragon, Zak is afraid of the dark, heights, ghosts, and pretty much everything else short of his own shadow. Uncovering his secrets adds another dimension to the game's plot, which I certainly won't spoil here. The banter between Zak and Lydia is not overdone, or even particularly engaging, but it's a vital addition to what would otherwise be far too solitary an experience.
The lack of characters may be a blessing in disguise given the quality of the voice acting, which leaves something to be desired. Lydia fares reasonably well, while Zak and a few characters who appear only in visions are less capable, and the occasional appearance of "Mustavio the magnifico" suggests he'd more aptly be named "Mustavio whocan'tactico", though he gets full marks for ham. Keepsake is definitely better off relying on its soothing instrumentals and ambient sounds throughout the game.
Of course, who's listening to audio when there are graphics to drool over? Knowing I had a preview to write, from the moment I began playing I started thinking of synonyms for the word "wow", because this is one fantastic looking game. Adventures may lag behind other genres in overall technical achievement, but it's hard to find fault with the quality of pre-rendered background art these days. Keepsake is not only no exception to this rule, but it is virtually without peer. It may still trail Syberia for artistic design, and its singular environment causes it to lose some momentum along the way, but its gorgeous backdrops make it a pleasure to continually roam the academy. I'm pretty sure I got a splinter admiring the wood grain in one room, and if the outdoor areas looked any prettier, my allergies would have started acting up. There aren't a ton of ambient animations, but between waterfalls and streams and the occasional owl, the world manages to feel reasonably dynamic. Cutscenes are rare and rather blurry, and are more often replaced by a cinematic display of still drawings, a technique that's becoming more common as an acceptable cost compromise.
Oh, and by the way: WOW! (Sorry, the eye candy distracted me and words failed me.)
Character models are the least impressive graphical aspect of Keepsake. Though serviceable, the 3D figures are not particularly detailed and tend to move unnaturally, appearing to glide across the ground instead of actually walking on it. Actually, I should say "running", as Lydia typically moves at a quickened pace. This is crucial, as you'll spend much of your time traipsing all around Dragonvale and you can't be waiting around for a slowpoke. Lydia is a lithe, slender little thing, which is lucky for her, because anyone else would have keeled over from a heart attack after the marathon I've already put her through. All the to-ing and fro-ing does start to feel a little much after a while, and there aren't a lot of ways to minimize the backtracking. Part of the problem is that Dragonvale is so big, it's easy to get lost. Not send-in-a-search-party lost, but never quite remembering how to get where you're trying to go. Keepsake is a game that's absolutely screaming for a map... or maybe the screaming was me after the twelfth time I looked for the kitchen on the opposite side of the castle. I'm not sure, but there was definitely screaming involved. Either way, a map would have been a real benefit. Is it too much to hope for one with the manual in the retail release? Let's hope not.
A map is probably the only user-friendly feature NOT included in Keepsake. From the tutorial at the beginning of the game to the extensive hint system used throughout, Keepsake is easily one of the most "helpful" adventures ever made. I found the game to be completely idiot-proof, and I'm pretty much the litmus test for that particular subject. The hint system comes in two varieties, and between the two of them they'll ensure no one ever needs a walkthrough. The first provides "advance the plot" kinds of tips, and it's awfully tempting to use it from time to time. The game begins in a largely non-linear fashion, but eventually becomes more and more focused on specific events to move the story along. Since the game itself is hit-or-miss in its cluing, you may not want to make another aimless, painstaking tour of the castle. But you'd better be sure you're ready, as there's nothing subtle about this type of hint. You'll be treated to a "go to room X and do Y" instruction, complete with pictures to jar your memory. So consider the ever-present purple button to be the point of no return for spoilers. I also noticed a few factual errors in the clues (I only looked for preview purposes, of course!), but hopefully these will still be resolved before the final version.
Fortunately, the specific puzzle clues are tiered. The first layer is barely a hint, as it essentially describes what the puzzle is. The clues then become increasingly more blatant until finally reaching the fourth round, which is the whole puzzle solution, done for you automatically. That's right, complete puzzle skips if you so desire. Hopefully you won't want to, though. Keepsake's challenges consist almost exclusively of logic puzzles that feel nicely balanced for difficulty. And while the puzzles themselves probably won't show experienced adventure gamers much they haven't seen before, they're presented so stylishly that it's hard not to feel charmed by them nonetheless. And for those new to adventures, whom Keepsake is clearly intent on reaching, the game's obstacles are a wonderful introduction to the genre.
While Keepsake won't be the adventure to take the world by storm, it's a delightful, unassuming little game that's hard not to like. It really understands the limitations of its own design and works successfully within them. The resulting product is tighter and more cohesive than those sprawling, ambitious games that are ultimately lesser for the attempt. Keepsake is due out next month in both the UK and North America, so look for our full review then. In the meantime, the early verdict is in. Keepsake is a keeper, and fantasy adventure lives again!
Addendum: Following this preview, the North American version of the game was held back by The Adventure Company to address the largest criticisms listed above. These changes included new voice acting for several of the key roles, and a map both in-game and in the paper manual. Who says publishers never listen to feedback? The UK version of the game released by Lighthouse Interactive originally released in the condition described in this preview, though it, too, has now patched in a map for easier navigation.
