Satisfying and enjoyable cartoon adventure
If you like your graphic adventures to have a neat line in twisted humour and slick cartoon-style visuals, then Toonstruck is something of a treat and anyone who has enjoyed the Monkey Island games should find plenty to entertain them here. The inventive plot describes how an animated land is being overrun by the evil machinations of a villainous genius who is turning its inhabitants into mutated versions of themselves with the aid of his powerful ray weapon. As Drew Blanc, an animator who finds himself drawn into this world, it's up to you to restore peace to the once-friendly land and earn your safe passage home. Gameplay is similar to other graphic adventures and makes of a simple point-and-click interface to control the character and explore the many environments, while interacting with the other characters and solving puzzles as you go. Toonstruck is certainly inventive in both its visuals and its storyline, which combines elements of Wizard of OZ and other such classics to great effect. The graphics are impressive detailed, with superbly detailed and atmospheric environments to enjoy, while the script is witty and clever, with a number of highly memorable characters to encounter along the way and who are voiced by some well known actors on are on fine form. Don't let the animated look fool you though as the game isn't strictly for kids, thanks to the occasionally grown-up language and the challenging puzzles. If faults are to be found, they are generally minor, and on the whole this is a highly original and enjoyable Discworld-style adventure that provides plenty of entertainment value.
