Point-and-click adventure games aren’t released as much as they used to be, which is a shame, as when done right, they can be super entertaining. Elf Games and Luna2 Studio’s Children of Silentown offer plenty of things to like, but is it enough to make it one of the greats? Can it grab and hold my attention like I’m the point-and-click adventure?
Creepy Silentown
Children of Silentown is set in a small, quaint village in the middle of nowhere. And it’s creepy. No wonder everyone looks like they could be in the Walking Dead. The village is surrounded by a dense forest that poses the biggest threat to the village and its citizens. It’s said to be filled with vicious beasts. Residents never venture into it, preferring to stay within the borders of their tiny village. For their own safety, they’ve established a couple of rules that are enforced with great strictness. Don’t make too much noise. Don’t be outside when it’s dark. Break those rules, and you’re guaranteed to be snatched away and taken deep into the woods, never to return. See what I mean by creepy?
What is Children of Silentown all about?
Play as lucy, a young girl who loves music and singing, who, along with other children in the village, are trying to live a normal life. Well, as normal as you can in a creepy village like Silentown. The dangers of the forest and its chilling inhabitants pose a threat to the village early on in the story. After a couple of disappearances, Lucy takes it upon herself to investigate the mysteries of the monsters and why the adults of the village are so insistent on keeping the village’s secrets closely guarded. Is it for the protection of the children, or is something more sinister going on? Is this like an M. Night Shyamalan film?
Whilst children of Silentown doesn’t have the most gripping or breathtaking story, it does keep you engaged and invested. Layer after layer of the village’s mystery is revealed as you go and that’s what keeps you pushing forward and pulling you into the story. That and the stunning visuals, but more on that later.
Children of Silentown, like all point-and-click adventure games, is pretty simplistic. The game revolves around exploring environments examining objects, talking to people and, of course, solving puzzles. There’s not much exploring involved as basically the first half is set entirely within the village. It’s not a very big village. He flicked between a handful of locations which can be a little repetitive but thankfully, later in the game, you do get some new locations to explore.
Interacting with other characters is interesting and, at times, rather humorous. It is, though, still quite straightforward. Conversations aren’t complex and don’t present you with many options to choose from. This isn’t a complaint, though, as Children of Silentown is clearly going for a simplistic vibe, and I appreciate that.
A game of puzzles.
The bulk of the game’s puzzles are presented within the context of lucy singing. With stickers serving as the game’s collectable items, lucy can also find different musical notes to compose songs. With a handful of songs to unlock, which, thankfully, are only composed of three notes so they are quite simple, each goes hand in hand with a unique puzzle. It’s a nice feature to include though, which I didn’t expect. The puzzles aren’t particularly taxing, which is quite nice with a game like this where everything has a simplistic feel. I like games where I can just pick it up and play without remembering too much.
There are a decent variety of puzzles, which grow more elaborate the further you progress. Even at their most complex, they remained quite simple, but more importantly, they are also pretty enjoyable. The cog puzzles are possibly the exception as they try to add a layer of difficulty, which at times seems unnecessarily confusing. There’s zero hint system built into the game, so if you get stuck, then you’re stuck. Thankfully, there’s always the internet if you need the help, but it’s an odd choice for point and click adventure game not to have any form of hint system in place.
That art style is really something.
What really sets this game apart from others is the game’s unique vibe. The hand-drawn art style combines charming and child-like elements that can be genuinely chilling. The character’s big hollow eyes really add a creepy feel to the game. It makes you feel a little unsettled. There are no highly detailed sets. Everything looks murky and some parts are hidden by shadows. Whilst the sets can look quite clear and bright at times, particularly when outside, there’s still a feeling of everything being janky thanks to the assorted buildings of various types. The end result is something that fills unique and distinct. It’s the absolute highlight of Children of Silentown and a style I want to see more of, but I also don’t want this game to lose its unique look and feel. Although if Elf Games use this look in future games and it becomes their style, then I’ll be quite happy. It’s the kind of style that’ll instantly make me interested in a game.
Conclusions
Children of Silentown won’t blow you away, but it’s definitely worth your time playing. I know I’ve said it’s simplistic, but that doesn’t mean the gameplay experience isn’t there. It’s still able to deliver an experience that’s fun and engaging. There are enjoyable puzzles, characters that ooze charm, an absolutely superb art style, and an intriguing story. All of this bundled together creates a solid game that’s quite enjoyable.
I score Children of Silentown a solid 7/10. It’s definitely worth your time.
Children of Silentown | Nintendo Switch download software | Games | Nintendo
A code was kindly provided for us to review this.
