Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People: Strongbadia the Free: Telltale Games
Price: $8.95 PC, $10 Wii (via WiiWare)
System(s): *PC, Wii
Release Date: September 15, 2008
Publisher (Developer): Telltale Games
ESRB Rating: E+10"Everyone 10+" for crude humor and comic mischief
Pros: Very funny, fun game play, logical puzzles.
Cons: Not enough mini games, insane rating system, short game play.
Overall Score: Two thumbs up; 95/100; A; * * * * 1/2 out of five
It’s time for the second installment of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People: Strongbadia the Free. In this game you play as Strong Bad who was put under house arrest after the King of Town went power crazy an invented several new tax laws that Strong Bad has yet to pay.
He quickly gets out of that predicament and decides to rebel against the King of Town by creating his own realm, Strongbadia, hoping that everyone will join and overthrow the king. Instead, everyone else in town decides to make their own realms so now he has to perform various tasks to convince everyone to join his. The realms are all relate to the character, “Marizistar”, “Pompomerania”, and my favorite, Bubs’ “Concessionstantnople.”
Separate Yet Equal
Strongbadia is the same in game play as Homestar Ruiner with many of the same elements and some slight tweaks. For example, you still use the Metal Detector to find items but, this time, it is needed for finding important items in the game, not just extras. Also you can still make Teen Girl Squad but it’s converted to cave paintings.
There is also a new Videlectrix game called "Math Kickers” which is a Double Dragon type game where you have to solve math problems while you play, an “edu-suck-ical fist-fest” according to Strong Bad. Also, "Math Kickers" is way more fun than the "Snake Boxer" game from Homestar Ruiner "Math Kickers" has much more variety, including different moves. I mean, what’s not fun about fighting large complicated math problem by kicking them?
It still has the same sarcastic humor and logical puzzles as it’s previous episode. In fact you feel as if you are just playing a continuance of the first game, which is how it should be. This game seems a bit longer to me which is good since Homestar Ruiner ended too quickly.
Part of the game's length is because it is set up in three parts. The first is to get out of house arrest (get out of your house). The second is to get everyone to join your realm and the third is, after you inevitably overthrow the King, to get out of power once you realize how boring it is. The other game had two parts but the first seemed to end so soon that it felt like a set up to an actual game.
Change Would be Good
One thing that disappoints me is that they haven’t changed any of the things I didn’t like about the other game. (Gee, didn’t they read my review of the first game?) First of all, their still aren’t enough mini-games. In fact I think there are less. Also, once again, you can find all the hidden items during game play, which leaves little to do after you complete the game.
The point system is exactly the same, which means it’s still hard (dare I say impossible) to figure out when you are about to level up, or what you even have to DO to level up. To me it seems like a random occurrence. Now maybe it’s not random, maybe there is a way to measure it, but that just proves me point about how hard it is to figure out.
And why can’t we do more with Strong Bad’s computer? All you can do is read and delete his emails. If you are playing on the Wii, at least you can email your friends' Wiis but they won’t let you send emails on the computer version which completely baffles me. I would love to see a mini game on there, perhaps you can play a game where you read his emails, and try to pick (multiple choice or matching) the correct way he would answer it. Just an idea.
One other minor thing that bothered me is when you are searching with your metal detector. In Homestar, if there was nothing in the area, he would tell you not to bother looking. In this game, even if there is nothing around (or you already found an item) you can still search in the area. So it leaves you on a wild goose chase trying to find something when there may be nothing!
Homestar is Still Yay!
Well once again, despite my whining, I loved Strongbadia the Free. It has a longer feel to it, it still has that same charm and humor that I loved in Homestar Ruiner and it’s basically fun. It’s worth playing the game just for the realms the characters come up with. They are hilarious and really give you in inside to each character. Too bad we never get to see Coach Z’s.
I’m anxious to pay the next episode of the game, which is due out sometime October 2008.
Site [Telltale Games] Read [Gamespot] Also Read [Gamertell]
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