User Reviews (71 - 81 of 193)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

LucasArts looks to Mexican tradition for adventure's future

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Possibly the most original game idea in the history of adventure games, _Grim Fandango_ has a charm which is all in the execution. This is as close to being in a movie as the adventure game genre has yet allowed. Blending the tradition of Mexican folklore with the suave of sixties' beat culture and the style of _The Big Combo_, _Fandango_ is a sensory explosion. Somewhat courageously, it does *not* attempt to make its graphics realistic. Rather, it searches successfully to use its medium to best effect. Like the best films, _Fandango_ manipulates its elements to produce a world unto itself. Its first-rate direction and hitherto unique-to-adventure-games 3D technology points the way forward for the adventure games.

True, some of the puzzles are hard, but none of them really seem out of place. Indeed, there is with _Grim Fandango_ a true sense of plot. Maybe the characters don't develop as they do in novels or great films, but, thanks to fine vocal talent and crisp writing, they do maintain charming integrity throughout.

If I have a complaint with the game, it is the interface by which your character, Manny, communicates with others. You choose from among several sentence options, like those old "choose-an-ending" books. It's not a *bad* way to play a game, I suppose, but just as multiple choice tests are always easier than writing essays, being able to choose from amongst a few limited options make it easier to get information out of the rest of the game's cast. As a result, solving problems is sometimes dead simple. Of course, there aren't many better options for game developers trying to give players a sense of control of their destinies, but it makes one long for the day when the promise of a game like _Titanic_, with its limited ability to understand unique phrases typed in by the player, might be more fully realized.

Some people, though, might like the fact that they exhaust their investigations of other characters pretty quickly. It does speed game play, and isn't as frustrating as trying to find the right questions on your own might be. This *is* a big game, with lots of scenes and lots of people to meet. Speed-of-play matters. So, even if I personally believe there must be a better way to communicate to other characters, I can hardly rate the game down for what is possibly the best solution currently available.

Thus, even if you think you don't like adventure games, you should still buy _Grim Fandango_. Likewise, if you don't have time to play adventure games, you should get a walkthrough and cheat your way to the end, because the graphics, story, and soundtrack are just that good. This is one of the seminal achievements in the genre, and to miss out on it would be to accept a huge gap in your understanding of where the games industry might be heading.

Still One Of The Best Games Ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is one of those games where you wish you could actually *be* in the game as one of the characters. I still load it up and play it again every few months; and I first played it several years ago. The storyline is one of the best, the voice-acting is perfect, the concept is fresh and original, and the graphics are still quite good even for being several years old. I keep hoping there'll be a sequel or movie made of this game; but I don't know how it could be done and retain the charm this game has. It takes a long time to play, but you never get tired or bored--the story is so engaging and the characters so interesting that you keep wanting to see what's going to happen next. The first time I completed this game, I just sat back silently for a couple of minutes, then said "D**n...this game is going to be a Classic!". Oh, and the music is GREAT. If you want to play a game that will honestly entertain, surprise and delight you, look no further.

And if anyone that worked on this game reads this, KUDOS TO YOU--I hope life entertains and satifies you as much as the joy of experiencing this game brings to me. Thank you.

Great games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 19, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I had problems with it at first - crashing but then i installed the patch that i downloaded and it worked great. The game did remind me a lot of the Monkey Island series. Although monkey Island i'd say had the best music. Grim had ok music. Game was funny and at the end i wanted more- i finished it too fast (i shouldn't have used those cheats). Really recommended, I wish there was a part II.

One of a kind game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is without a doubt one of the best games ever made - adventure or otherwise. It is fun, amusing, original, colorful, and challenging without being annoying. The only games that came close to it may be the Monkey Island series or The Last Express. The game is beautifully designed, with unforgettable characters, amazing landscapes, and reminds me of being inside a really well-written movie. Sadly, LucasArts stopped making games like this, a loss for the world.

Great game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: July 10, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The game starts out a little slow and at the beggining and it's plot is a little murky at best, but after playing for about half an hour you are hooked. The background animation is amazing for a game made in 1997 but even for nowadays it is still great. It has a 30's kind of environment but moves through 7 differnt "worlds", each with their own stile. If you like any kind of adventure game you'll love this one, it has every thing a gamer could need in it plus some. I finished this game in 2 days but I must of played it for about 6 hours each day. The puzzels are challanging, the graphics are amazing, the soundtrack is great, and the plot is intersting. This is one of my, if not my favorite all time game. ...

Need some help

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: December 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is really irritating without a cheat sheet.
I almost gave up until I found the hints online. I am now about half way through and I am enjoying the unique design of the game much more. At [$$$] this is worth it just for the visual appeal and cultural variety. I have to chase my six year old away while I'm playing though because, as the rating points out, this is NOT a kids game. (We both like Spy Fox a lot). To sum it up: don't buy this for the puzzles, get the hints and enjoy the adventure!

THE GREATEST ADVENTURE IN THE HISTORY OF ADVENTURES!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: March 12, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Wow. This has to be the most amazing adventure game ever created, even better than **shock** Monkey Island? Once you get involved in the game, you can't escape it's grasp. It is so stylishly made that it would not look out of place in a cinema or on video. I would pay money to watch someone complete this. Buy this game- you will not be dissapointed.

BEST adventure game I ever played

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: September 21, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I beat Grim Fandango a few years back and I just recently bought the game again for a friend. For 9.99 and free shipping, that is an unbelievable deal for, argueably, the best adventure game ever made.

The world of Grim Fandango is a beautifully designed one, with rich Latin inspired environments, most notably from the Aztecs and Mayans. There are over 90 different exotic locations in the game, and each one is a pure work of art.

Grim Fandango encorporates a mix of Jazz and Latin music to further enhance the already visually rich environments, by setting the right "mood" for each scene. Its a wonderful combination for making the world of Grim Fandango more believable.

The 55 different characters that you encounter and interact with are truly memorable, they all have their own distinct personalities and quirks that they bring to the world. One of of my favorite things that I enjoyed with the game, was seeing how the characters developed throughout the 4-year long adventure. You will see how their ideas change; some characters will move up in society, some will struggle with life, romances will develop, and so on...

Other sites like gogamer.com and eb.games.com have this game for sale for 14.99 and 19.99. Amazon.com is the cheapest place you can get it and with free shipping too! Dont pass over this classic adventure, you will be immediately hooked after you play it for the first time, its THAT good.

The most fun I've ever had with an adventure game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: May 21, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Grim Fandango is hands down my favorite adventure PC game. Lucas Arts developed this game with the same goals in mind that they had when creating the Monkey Island series, but Grim Fandango is more clever, more fluid, and more interactive. Whereas Monkey Island uses two-dimensional animation, Grim Fandango employs a great 3D graphic generator. The game takes place in the Land of the Dead on the Day of the Dead, but overlays onto this setting a Casablanca-like story. You are Manny Calaveras, travel agent to the dead, with a Bogart-like persona and wit. After collecting your first soul, it becomes apparent that things are not going as they should be, and it is up to you to set the right. A funny, fun, and fascinating adventure, with the best side-kick ever to appear in a video game.

The most fun you'll have playing a puzzle solving game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: May 01, 2000
Author: Amazon User

My wife and I got this game because we had heard so many good things about it. It has turned out to be a hilariously fun game that has given us hours of fun together. THE GOOD: 1) The graphics are great! It is like playing in a dreamland made of modern Aztec architecture. 2) The way your can manipulate the 3-D character is a fresh approach that is easy to learn. Just use the keypad to walk, run, rotate, talk, pick up things etc... (This makes the game much more enjoyable than games like Riven where you just get screen shots.) 3) The story line is funny, creative and a blast to follow along and play! I found myself eagerly anticipating the opportunity to explore more of this world. 4) The non-player characters add another dimension of fun. I couldn't believe how many times I found myself laughing out loud at what they said and did! THE BAD: 1) Like all games of this nature it eventually gets to the point where it is hard to play anymore because you either can't solve the next puzzle, or you are tired of trying. We did find some free tips online though, and that made it so that we could progress through the game. 2) We are running it on a 366 MHz computer without a video card. This is fine except for the times where there are a lot of moving graphics and animation. Then our computer slowed down some, but this only happened about 10% of the time. If you have a better computer I doubt if you will have any problem. OVERALL: Sure, the characters smoke, but so does most of the world, and this second hand smoke won't even bother you! This game is so much fun that if you overlook playing it you will be missing what we consider the most enjoyable puzzle game yet made!

Review Page: Previous 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Next 

Actions