[REVIEW] Resonance

Jonathan Tay

(PC [REVIEWED])

Whenever someone asks me why I like adventure games, I invariably come up with three main reasons: the story, the characters, and the puzzles. It goes without saying that classic adventure games executed these elements with outstanding flair. Can Resonancehold a candle to the legends of old?

                                                                         

Resonance has no qualms about throwing you straight into the thick of things. The story begins in medias res, where we can see (very well done) television reports of high profile terrorist attacks all over the globe. It then flashes back 60 hours, where the game begins proper. You start off the game playing as Ed, a particle physicist, but the game soon expands to include Anna, a medical doctor; Bennett, a detective; and Ray, an investigative journalist. They converge in an attempt to locate Resonance, a powerful device which theoretical quantum physicists, self-styled or not, would love. In order to not spoil anything, I’ll quickly sum up the story of the game using the old “short and sweet” adage.  

                                                                                                                                                                                    

Resonance is a point-and-click adventure game in the truest sense of the word. For the large majority of the game, you’ll find yourself walking around, talking to people, and picking up objects that will somehow help you in the future. Pixel hunting is minimal to nonexistent. In order to help keep things fresh, there are a few insubstantial minigames thrown in here and there. Some are timed—in order to add appropriate tension to the plot—while some are able to be skipped, which will almost certainly cull some frustration.

They’re kind of like the Avengers. Except not at all.  

What makes the game interesting is your ability to control multiple characters, which is necessary in order to solve certain puzzles and progress through the story. Although coordination between the four characters is sometimes overwhelming—it’s often hard to tell who needs to go where, who talks to who, who needs to grab an item, and so forth—the game is ultimately better off for it. Each character gets their due in development time, which ultimately culminates in a tremendous third act, while the puzzles themselves are, in a word, unique. And I mean that in a good way: unlike obtuse, Myst-class puzzles, everything in Resonance operates on simple logic, while having the added benefit of not being blindingly obvious. Using multiple characters to solve a single puzzle can be challenging, but it’s definitely doable and rewarding. The title is an apt one, then: resonance refers to not only to the particle physics that drives the story, but to the harmony of action between the characters.

Music-wise, the game is above a mixed bag. The voice acting ranges from decent to excellent (Logan Cunningham from Bastioncomes to mind), while the music, though good, can get a tad repetitious. Graphically, the game is exactly what you’d expect it to be: colourful and pixelated, just like the adventure games of old. There are also some nice visual effects here and there, reminding us of the decade we’re in.  

Time-wise, you can expect the game to clock in at over 10 hours. Although my first playthrough lasted only 6 hours, I was nowhere near thorough (completing roughly 2/3 of whatever I could complete, according to my score). There are also two different endings, so if you’re planning on 100% completion, you can expect the game to last you a while. As an added bonus (at least to me), certain puzzles are randomized on each playthrough, meaning that a new game won’t entirely be rote repetition.

I know you won’t believe me, but this real-life resonance curve is an accurate description of the characters in the story: together, they add up to a greater whole. 

Although the complexity of the gameplay is what both distinguishes and burdens Resonance, you can expect a good time should you choose to pick it up. The story is tight, well-paced, and finely executed, and the puzzles are sure to challenge and delight even the most seasoned of veterans. While it isn’t perfect, I’m confident that Resonance can hold its own against the annals of adventure games that we call “classics”.