It’s Christmas time, and people are starting to act strange. No, not the usual festive-induced insanity that results in people wearing silly sweaters, drinking egg-based concoctions, and getting blind drunk in front of their boss at the office party, more the kind where they start snacking on their neighbours.
Yes, The Long Reach is an upcoming adventure set during the early stages of some kind of zombie apocalypse. And just like cheery Christmas classic Gremlins, it all takes places during the season of goodwill. Inspired by Double Fine’s The Cave, you control multiple characters and solve traditional inventory puzzles, with everything taking place on a 2D plane. You also need to be on guard from the biters, running and hiding when necessary and finding ways to get past them. And in true Ron Gilbert style, it’s full of cheeky humour, and everyone is a cynical wisecracker. I do love dialogue options that allow you to be a massive jerk if the mood takes you.
Pixel-art adventures do seem to be all the rage at the moment, but what caught my eye with The Long Reach was the sheer quality of the visuals. They’re layered, colourful, incredibly detailed, and brilliantly atmospheric with huge and superbly animated sprites. The moody 80s-infused soundtrack and rich ambiance don’t disappoint either.
You can checkout the free playable teaser over on Game Jolt now (for Windows and Mac). It’s not very long, but it’s definitely whet my appetite. What can I say, I’m a sucker for good pixel art and old school-style adventures. The Long Reach has been Greenlit on Steam and is expected to release early next year.