Enjoyable sci-fi adventuring
Alien Incident follows in the footsteps of humorous point-and-click adventures like the Monkey Island games and the Discworld series and while it may not quite reach the lofty heights of these classics, it's certainly well worth digging out for genre fans. The witty and inventive plot sees players thrust into the role of hapless teenager Benjamin, whose uncle just happens to be a genius who has just invented a device which creates wormholes. Unfortunately however, things go a bit wobbly when the device is first turned on, as it drags an alien spacecraft to Earth, with the aliens then promptly kidnapping your uncle. It thus falls to you to rescue your uncle and of course save the Earth from complete destruction. What follows is a fairly traditional adventure where you explore a variety of intriguing environments, gathering objects and using them to solve the generally fairly logical puzzles which litter the gameworld. While this will be familiar to anyone who has played the likes of The Dig, it's all handled with sufficient style and elegance to make this a worthy addition to the genre. The interface is simple and intuitive, with even novice gamers able to pick it up in a matter of seconds and which goes a long way to helping make the game accessible and enjoyable. The story too is genuinely amusing, with some witty dialogue and amusing situations to encounter, while the puzzles are usually logical and fortunately lack the frustration which often plagues such games. The visuals too are wonderfully bright and vibrant, with some lovely character and environmental design and which again contribute to what is hugely enjoyable adventure.
