The 90s were renowned for their sitcoms and bizarre tongue-in-cheek humour. I wasn’t a big fan, but I still chuckled at the silly and often obvious jokes. However, I adored the comedy musings of many 90s games! The witty and often borderline outrageous jokes had me laughing for hours. Consequently, whenever a modern title is written in this way, I instantly fall for its charms. Adventures of Chris does just that. It is an amusing and silly game that’ll make you smile.
Developed by RED ART GAMES and published by Guin Entertainment LLC, this is an old-school adventure puzzle title. It’s set in a fantasy world full of bizarre characters, surreal locations, and weird and wonderful moments. Subsequently, you won’t know what’s hit you as you complete each of the 9 stages.
Adventures of Chris is odd.
My first impression of Adventures of Chris is that its presentation is slick and its gameplay is interesting, challenging, and unique. However, it is odd as well. The developers have used their creative licence to its fullest, and this has generated a surreal platforming experience.
The plot revolves around Chris and his outlandish adventures. This chubby underdog has long been “invisible”. Subsequently, he feels unappreciated and worthless. But this soon changes when he stumbles across a young vampire’s dinner party. One thing leads to another, and the guests are transformed into party favours and Chris is turned into a balloon. From here, he floats into the Kingdom of Lost Balloons and his journey begins.
As I said, it is very odd. Yet, it’s strangely moreish and captivating. As the game progresses, the writing becomes more eccentric, your enemies become tougher, and Chris becomes more powerful. No longer is he considered a chubby underdog, instead, he fulfils his destiny and becomes an all-powerful hero.
9 stages, new skills, and ridiculous foes.
Adventures of Chris isn’t lacking in content. Each of its 9 stages is varied, complex, and filled with enemies. What’s more, the further you explore, the more skills Chris learns.
The would-be hero soon transforms from a pathetic loser to a jaw-dropping hero. He learns how to cast magic, inflate like a balloon, slide through tight spaces, crush his foes, and more. Each of these abilities is essential to exploring each level and saving the other children.
Each stage is set in a different country and comes with unique monsters and problems. You’ll face off against bats, slime, spiders, penguins, and so forth. Accordingly, you must use your powers to annihilate them before they kill you. Alongside this, you’ll float through narrow passageways while avoiding spikes and fans. This isn’t easy as one touch of these obstacles causes Chris to explode.
Rewarding gameplay, collectables, and bosses.
Like its peers, Adventures of Chris has some in-depth and rewarding mechanics. Overcoming your enemies and obstacles is no mean feat. Therefore, death is all but assured. As such, when you are successful, you’ll cherish the moment and will want to keep gaming.
What I particularly liked about this, though, was the collectables and gargantuan bosses. Every level is filled with cookies to collect, flags to snatch, and books to find. The cookies are spent in the shop to improve your stats or armour. The books must be returned to the library because that’s where books live. Finally, the flags are a gift for an obsessed Vexillologist balloon. As you can see, there is plenty to do and lots to entertain you.
The bosses, on the other hand, will drive you insane. They are brutal, unforgiving, and perfectly represent 90s gaming. What’s more, you’ll need certain abilities to defeat each one. Consequently, you must explore the world map, learn every skill, and return when you are ready.
Adventures of Chris looks fantastic.
I didn’t have high hopes when it came to the graphics, but I was pleasantly surprised. Its polished finish, detailed sprites, and eerie environment set the scene. Furthermore, it reminded me of Scooby Doo, and this enhanced the nostalgic vibes. Alongside this, the stage design is intelligent, interesting, and perfectly suited to the core mechanics.
The audio is also very good. With a playful but dark soundtrack, it captures the essence of the story. Moreover, the sound effects are wonderfully retro, OTT, and add energy to this fun and challenging title.
Excellent controls.
Adventures of Chris does an amazing job with its controls. They’re responsive and well-thought-out, and make it a pleasure to play. Because of its simple UI and excellent tutorial, you won’t struggle. However, this doesn’t mean it’s unnecessarily easy because it isn’t. The gameplay requires finesse and accuracy, and unfortunately, this means that failure is just around the corner.
Unlike some modern indie platformers, this has loads of replay value and longevity. With multiple difficulty settings, additional game modes, and the collectables to find, you’ll be kept busy.
Adventures of Chris takes you on a hilariously tough journey.
Though there are many tough moments, Adventures of Chris will make you smile throughout. Its script is immature and punchy and will make you laugh. Alongside this, the level design is well-considered and will hold your attention from the beginning until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this and I recommend you to buy it here! You are the unlikeliest of heroes, but that matters not. Learn new skills, make new friends, and save those poor children.
