No Stone Unturned

Initially, I was confused about No Stone Unturned, considering it was a recommendation. Yet, I could find little on where to find the title. Finally, the name was changed for different markets because it bears a similar title to an older tabletop game. We'll be clear here; this game has nothing to do with the pen-and-paper representation; it's just a coincidence.

No Stone Unturned is a point-and-click adventure, leveraging the popularity of pixelated graphics to create a nostalgic neo-noir storyline based on a relatable series of events. Will this narrative-heavy title give us the thrills and twists we crave in these games? Time to crack out the mouse and warm up our clicking hand to see if all the initial confusion was worth navigating.

A Different Kind of Delivery

No Stone Unturned is a game about delivering less-than-savvy goods to desperate clients. The pixelated art style relates to Prohibition-Era America, where you'll successfully navigate a series of tasks to transport your illicit material. For some reason, the protagonist decides to be suspicious about everything that's going on around him. Who's in charge here, and why are people close to me suddenly disappearing?

It highlights the first beef with No Stone Unturned; the narrative is confusing. There is a storyline set on recreating that neo-noir mystery, but there's so much going on with multiple loose ends that it's hard to get your head around. That lack of tie-in is critical, considering that the point-and-click mechanics spin off the narrative to give players incentive.

The game does improve upon progression, where multiple factors create different scenarios, such as dialogue choices and drug consumption. The branching storyline because of minor actions is admirable. Eventually, players will start to find a rhythm with No Stone Unturned, which wraps up, leaving players enjoying this short cinematic experience.

The multiple endings leave players with replayable value. You'll likely get involved again once your head is around the concept. Overall, No Stone Unturned is a simple point-and-click adventure that is a precursor for a more significant idea. But that's something we'll have to wait and see, as the title feels like it didn't get off on the right foot for multiple reasons.

Some Stones Are Better Left Unturned

No Stone Unturned is intended to be a piece of artwork as playable media. The neo-noir setting and the shaping of the narrative feel like an auteur's approach to video game development. However, as a point-and-click adventure, it still feels like something is missing from the game. It lacks the same satisfaction that genre titles like Pentiment have.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Fascinating art style and theme
• Compact game with many different endings
• An artistic approach to video game development

Cons:

• The narrative is initially confusing
• The playtime is short
• Achieving all the endings is a tedious job