Hotel Dusk: Room 215

The classic adventure genre has been woefully underrepresented on the DS. So old-time point-and-click fanatics should swoon over Hotel Dusk. Especially since it’s more about character interaction than “insert widget A into slot B” puzzles. You’ll come across your share of illogical and sometimes infuriating moments, sure—it is an adventure game—but the entire experience is rendered in a cool-looking film noir sketchbook style, and the real focus is on following clues and pursuing leads. While the plot feels contrived at times, it plays out like a great pulp detective novel: a mysterious woman, secret pasts, missing persons, questionable motives...the works. With a cast of well-written characters, branching conversations, and a cool interface, this is the adventure the DS has been dying for.

I completely agree—the style and character in this one make it a memorable adventure that uses the DS’ charms well. I’d have liked it even more if it let you advance the text more quickly. Gamers will have to slow. Down. And. Be. Patient. While. They. Wait. For. The. Text. To. Show. Up. I understand this pacing was intentional, but it makes the game drag in places. Still, the story is intriguing, and the puzzles nicely done. I actually didn’t find this one required as many bothersome trial-and-error logic leaps as most adventure games. It’s as linear as it can be without handing you the answers. And that pencil-sketch art style? Very cool.

For such an amazing detective drama, it’s a damn shame hardly anyone is clued-in on its brilliance—blame Nintendo for keeping this gem hidden. Playing Hotel Dusk made me realize why I love the DS: The game executes everything with such craft and creativity—you hold the system like a book, the puzzles make terrific use of the touch screen—that it pushes home how fun games can be when DS developers dare to be different. And, unlike other point-and-click adventures, Dusk does a great job of making sure you don’t get lost fishing for facts. Factor in the twist-heavy story (I want a sequel, dammit!) and you have one doozy of a DS game.