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Don't let an eleven year old play it

NotFuryNotFury
edited July 2010 in Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent
Just a warning. Don't let your 11 year old brother play Puzzle Agent first. No matter how big a Layton fan they are. One of the puzzles absolutely horrified him.

This game isn't as family friendly as Telltale's previous titles. It probably should have a warning "Resorts to cheap scare tactics".


That being said I thought the scene was cool, albeit a bit cheap, and it'll scare off any children from playing games in the franchise.
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Comments

  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    All that said, I think the game is awesome. I'm not bashing the game at all. It's really good. Just not for kids.
  • Giant TopeGiant Tope
    edited July 2010
    Cool.
  • NeeloNeelo
    edited July 2010
    What's the scene that scared him? Is it when the
    hidden people come to steal the pipes/gear pieces
    ?
  • nodoctorsnodoctors
    edited July 2010
    I'm more than twice his age and that trick got me. The fact it was late at night and my headphones were turned up way too loud didn't help. It calls to mind the classic online trick where you get somebody to concentrate on something comfortably and then throw a disfigured face at the screen with a shriek. Except this was a little more classy as it was integrated in with the story and wasn't completely random for the sake of it. You can't deny its effectiveness either way.

    Also, lol.
  • corruptbigginscorruptbiggins
    edited July 2010
    I loved that bit. Made me jump a little mind but it was so perfectly Grickle.
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    I'm 20 and I found it pretty freaky myself. I actually liked it, sorta. It's gonna scare off half the WiiWare audience though, considering the average age of a Wii gamer is 10.
  • Toast_BurnerToast_Burner
    edited July 2010
    They did it on the most innocent puzzle. then when you think you're safe they do it again!
    I loved that scene btw
  • julianjulian
    edited July 2010
    I also used headphones, but fortunately (?) I played that part in the afternoon, so the shock effect wasn't that severe.

    While I wouldn't recommend this game for children either, I really love the dark atmosphere compared to other Telltale games, especially because the recent Sam & Max episodes were (for me) a bit too family-friendly and lacked some dirty jokes :)
  • jeeno0142jeeno0142
    edited July 2010
    I really loved that
    you were forced to stop the puzzle because a Hidden Person was taking part of it away.
    It suprised me. In a good way!
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    julian wrote: »
    I also used headphones, but fortunately (?) I played that part in the afternoon, so the shock effect wasn't that severe.

    While I wouldn't recommend this game for children either, I really love the dark atmosphere compared to other Telltale games, especially because the recent Sam & Max episodes were (for me) a bit too family-friendly and lacked some dirty jokes :)

    Yeah, I agree. The atmosphere is fantastic. Completely in contrast to every other game they've made. I love it.
  • G.byrneG.byrne
    edited July 2010
    Damn... Now I really want to play it! Cursed iPad wait.
  • RingmasterJ5RingmasterJ5
    edited July 2010
    Honestly, I wouldn't call that scene "cheap". It was a important part of the story. Also, i'm 13, and I was shocked, but not scared(Actually, I was expecting the game to be scarier that it actually was).
  • AlcoremortisAlcoremortis
    edited July 2010
    I was playing that bit around one in the morning and I nearly woke up my entire family by squeaking. I'm also 20.

    It was awesome.
  • StrongBrush1StrongBrush1
    edited July 2010
    I was almost scared to DEATH when those creepy gnomes showed up. It was a mind screw. I had lost control, and then there was the fact that it was so sudden. That type of thing always scares me.
  • onlyamonkeyonlyamonkey
    edited July 2010
    It scared me better than most horrormovies. I think the episode was excellent, innovative and exciting. I was a bit bothered by the extreme limitations of movement and dialogue as it felt like that was just something you wanted to click through until you reached a puzzle, but I still got caught up in the story in the end.

    I would def buy a season.
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    Fucking hell! Just got the shit scared out of me a second time! Those fucking gnomes! I hate them!
  • LaserschwertLaserschwert
    edited July 2010
    Don't worry, it only happens those two times in the game...

    ... OR DOES IT???

    MWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    I hate screamers! They suck!

    Layton > Puzzle Agent! No screamers in Layton!
  • AlcoremortisAlcoremortis
    edited July 2010
    How on earth would you put a screamer in Layton?
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    Alcoremortis wrote: »
    How on earth would you put a screamer in Layton?

    Same way Puzzle Agent did.

    Just finished it. Thought the ending was meh, was hoping for a conclusion, but it's just the first episode in a series of many.

    I'm not a fan of horror, and because of that I wouldn't bother getitng the others in the series. Mostly because the puzzles were vague, and most of the times I failed was because the rules weren't explained, like the lifts mechanics were hazy, and with the footballers it never said if it was allowed to go to a single player only once or multiple times. There were others too.
  • RingmasterJ5RingmasterJ5
    edited July 2010
    NotFury wrote: »
    Same way Puzzle Agent did.

    Just finished it. Thought the ending was meh, was hoping for a conclusion, but it's just the first episode in a series of many.

    I'm not a fan of horror, and because of that I wouldn't bother getitng the others in the series. Mostly because the puzzles were vague, and most of the times I failed was because the rules weren't explained, like the lifts mechanics were hazy, and with the footballers it never said if it was allowed to go to a single player only once or multiple times. There were others too.

    I'm not a fan of horror movies either, but I came into the game actually thinking something like that could happen. Also, It did say that "one player" rule in the puzzle's info screen.
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    RingmasterJ5 wrote: »
    I'm not a fan of horror movies either, but I came into the game actually thinking something like that could happen. Also, It did say that "one player" rule in the puzzle's info screen.

    See, I just thought it would be Professor Layton, but with a dark atmosphere throughout the whole game, instead of only at the ending like in Layton 1. That tower was creepy, but the rest of the game was bright and sunny, or a well lit night etc.

    Had no idea it would do that. My brother didn't either, the poor little dude.
  • hippodragon9hippodragon9
    edited July 2010
    There are at least two. Probably three.
    But *effing awesome*
    EDIT: I really didn't think the game was going to be creepy at all until I saw the "Hidden People" short, and remembered seeing them on TT before.
    Then I curled up in the effing fetal position the first time I saw one in the game, and practically had a seizure when they screwed up your puzzles
  • der_ketzerder_ketzer
    edited July 2010
    NotFury wrote: »
    Just finished it. Thought the ending was meh, was hoping for a conclusion.

    The ending was already too much of a conclusion for me.
  • DAISHIDAISHI
    edited July 2010
    NotFury wrote: »
    See, I just thought it would be Professor Layton, but with a dark atmosphere throughout the whole game, instead of only at the ending like in Layton 1. That tower was creepy, but the rest of the game was bright and sunny, or a well lit night etc.

    Had no idea it would do that. My brother didn't either, the poor little dude.

    Did you watch the movie it was based on or the movies/genres it was compared to?
  • priznaprizna
    edited July 2010
    I jumped when they appeared but it wasnt as bad as a screamer. I really liked the fact that they added a few of those in, and it wasnt like it was for the hell of it, it had something to do with the story.
  • ElvenmonkElvenmonk
    edited July 2010
    I wasn't shocked or freaked out. More so,"What the hell's going on?" went through my head. Then, "Aw, damn it, got to restart the puzzle."
    NotFury wrote: »
    Same way Puzzle Agent did.

    Just finished it. Thought the ending was meh, was hoping for a conclusion, but it's just the first episode in a series of many.

    I'm not a fan of horror, and because of that I wouldn't bother getitng the others in the series. Mostly because the puzzles were vague, and most of the times I failed was because the rules weren't explained, like the lifts mechanics were hazy, and with the footballers it never said if it was allowed to go to a single player only once or multiple times. There were others too.

    How were the lift mechanics hazy (I assume you mean the end)? It seemed pretty clear cut to me. It said if it was in the finish zone it would stop moving, same if near a wall or barrel of it's direction, and f it touched a bear trap it'd blow up.
  • NotFuryNotFury
    edited July 2010
    prizna wrote: »
    I jumped when they appeared but it wasnt as bad as a screamer. I really liked the fact that they added a few of those in, and it wasnt like it was for the hell of it, it had something to do with the story.

    They didn't have to do it they way they did though. It waited a few seconds until you were concentrating on the puzzle, then "BAM!". It was a classic screamer, with gnomes instead of zombies/whatever.

    Could have just had the gnomes show up during dialogue. Wouldn't have been as freaky, but it also wouldn't have been as cheap.
  • doodinthemooddoodinthemood
    edited July 2010
    I really liked this scene. Made the hidden people feel more omnipresent and threatening. Not much of a screamer though really.
  • DaVinceDaVince
    edited July 2010
    NotFury wrote: »
    Same way Puzzle Agent did.

    Just finished it. Thought the ending was meh, was hoping for a conclusion, but it's just the first episode in a series of many.

    I'm not a fan of horror, and because of that I wouldn't bother getitng the others in the series. Mostly because the puzzles were vague, and most of the times I failed was because the rules weren't explained, like the lifts mechanics were hazy, and with the footballers it never said if it was allowed to go to a single player only once or multiple times. There were others too.

    Maybe you're just reading too hastily? Both of these were explained rather clearly.
  • mightypiratetmmightypiratetm
    edited July 2010
    I am 13 and i really freaked out when i see the
    red gnome
    and it was 24:00
  • GinnyNGinnyN
    edited July 2010
    I'm a bad person who thinks childrens need to be scared at least once, so they will know how is the feeling and know what to do when they are adults.

    Of course, that's me.
  • HaydenHayden
    edited July 2010
    I loved the scary moments. I was a little shocked during both of the puzzle 'screamers', but the only time that I really jumped was
    at the end when a large group of gnomes appears behind Nelson
    , that sort of freaked me out. I'm generally not a horror fan, but I like the approach used in Puzzle Agent because it's sort of mild horror, and it's also balanced out by the jokes that are scattered throughout the game. I really like the whole theme, feel and mood of the game; it really appealed to me and now I'm craving more Puzzle Agent. Hats off to Telltale, this game was top-notch.
  • The HighwayThe Highway
    edited July 2010
    hippodragon9 wrote: »
    Then I curled up in the effing fetal position the first time I saw one in the game, and practically had a seizure when they screwed up your puzzles

    Me too! I couldn't sleep!
  • akaimizuakaimizu
    edited July 2010
    That was an awesome scene. Totally unexpected and something Layton never does. In fact, if you've played a couple of Layton games, you would be especially conditioned to get surprised by that. I thought that was the coolest thing, myself.

    Though I would worry if I gave an iPad, running that, to a small kid. For fear that they'd chuck the thing. That, alone, would be scary.
  • UrdUrd
    edited July 2010
    I am 24, and a total Scaredy Cat, but
    a) it was for the story, not the sake of it, imagine poor nelson, concentrating on the Puzzle, and then a Gnome Jumps in, grabs a part and ran off..
    b) Ita totally Grickle, scary through the build up athmodpshere and the soundtrack, less due to visuals. The Gnomes don't look scary, meaning their visuals, but the caracters react to them scared, as well does the score.
    c) Watch the "Hidden People"-Video, it is scary in the very same way, or Closet, Scary only due to score.

    due to that, i wouldn't say its particulary suitably for children, it not some innocent Puzzle game,
  • LinqueLinque
    edited July 2010
    This game is not suitable for small kids regardless of that gnome thing.
  • akaimizuakaimizu
    edited July 2010
    Then again. Neither was "Watership Down", even though that was totally marketed towards children. That movie practically left scars. :)

    Then again. This game is made for people mature enough to handle psychological thrillers and possibilities of death.
  • Dash383535Dash383535
    edited July 2010
    NotFury wrote: »
    Just a warning. Don't let your 11 year old brother play Puzzle Agent first. No matter how big a Layton fan they are. One of the puzzles absolutely horrified him.

    This game isn't as family friendly as Telltale's previous titles. It probably should have a warning "Resorts to cheap scare tactics".


    That being said I thought the scene was cool, albeit a bit cheap, and it'll scare off any children from playing games in the franchise.

    i played the game iam 12 and i was not scared in fact i like that game alot
  • AlcoremortisAlcoremortis
    edited July 2010
    As someone who loved watching dinosaurs eat people but was terrified of Mrs. Hannigan from Annie as a kid, I'd say that it definitely depends on the kid.:p
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