We’ll be delirious for Delirium
One genre I have a lot of nostalgic love for is the point-and-click genre. I’ve been playing these games since I was far too young and they were little more than a string of text on a screen. Games in this category have obviously come along leaps and bounds since the King’s Quest days but it’s lovely to see the spirit in these titles has never really changed. The offering we’ll be discussing today is a modern entry into this storied genre. It’s called Delirium and it’s got all of the trappings of a brilliant point-and-click romp.
Considering the premise was always relatively simple (the premise, not the insane moon logic), what made games such as Monkey Island so memorable was the ever-present black, tongue-in-cheek, and totally anarchic humor. The fact these games were so story-driven meant that the plot had to be funny, exciting, and keep pulling you back in. This was totally welcome when everything else on the market seemed to want to take itself far too seriously. Not taking itself too seriously is Delirium, a game from BlackGate Studio that’s trying to harness the hoodlum humor that made Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango, et al. the wonderful specimens that they were.
Delirium is being pitched as an imaginative explosion of puzzles and fun in a very, very crazy city. Personally, you had me at the word explosion. I’m a gamer, that’s what we’re here for. It has to be said adding those other words makes for a very interesting premise, though. As I’ve just mentioned, the said explosion will be occurring in a first-person point-and-click environment in which you will be taking on the roles of Lola and her brother Danny. The siblings become trapped on the strange streets of Delirium, and if they are to stand any chance of getting home, they will have to solve brain-bending puzzles and talk to a diverse cast of characters. The scenarios you’ll encounter as a player will be unpredictable and the whole affair will actually test your intelligence, something that’s always nice to see.
Coming back to the humor aspect of Delirium, this title is riddled with pop-culture references designed to delight all fandom lovers wishing to rack their brains for a good time. A good variety of gags and nods to all things geeky should be enough to keep fans of the slightly nerdy entertained. The mirth should be helped along nicely by the visuals which have been influenced by independent comics, keeping things perfectly in tune with the wacky nature of the game.
If you’re looking for a brand new point-and-click adventure that will test your mental acuity and knowledge of pop culture geekery in equal measure, Delirium could be a really fun time. In my honest opinion, there can never be enough games added to this historic genre. If this one stands up to the fun-filled roller coaster ride it’s purporting to be, it could be a very good time indeed. We don’t have a release date for this title just yet but you can wishlist it on the PlayStation Store now.
