Grim Fandango tips
Grim Fandango, often included on lists of the best videogames of all time, was recently remastered and rereleased for multiple platforms including the Mac. It's a classic of the "point-and-click adventure" genre, with a very well done Day of the Dead theme.
I loved the game, and I got stuck a lot of times in ways that I felt were really rewarding to figure out, but a dozen or so of the places I got stuck ultimately felt like the solution was a little bit too obscure to be fun. That's always true of this genre; the frustration can be rewarding, but sometimes the puzzles aren't quite calibrated right.
So as I played and figured everything out, I kept a running list of things I wish I had been told before I played. They're sort of hints, but designed not to interfere with the fun of figuring things out. I was careful not to spoil anything.
- Some doors have a separate deadbolt lock and wheel to open them.
- You can put multiple things in the same container, dish or bowl.
- When you have no idea where to go, a sign really helps.
- If there's someone you've spoken to already who could help you in a new way, go back and ask them.
- Keep talking to your friends from time to time.
- There are a few elaborate devices/situations/places that seem they must play a core role, but don't.
- The forklift is annoyingly precise; right is better than left.
- It sounds stupid, but open doors can be very distracting to people who are trying to concentrate.
- Metal detectors can sense metal in odd places, no matter how it got in there.
- Things that rattle suspiciously should be reported to the proper authorities.
- If you can’t get someone’s attention, maybe you need to be closer at the moment you talk to them.
- Dwell at important places and make sure to investigate every area you can touch. Crucial points, like fulcrums and joints, are especially sensitive.
- Notice little clues the game gives you; don’t assume it’s just being cute.
- If a character is present, remember the type of function they play.
- When stuck in a room, make sure you’ve identified everything touchable there. Sometimes your eyes need to do the detective work.
Labels: video games