Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode 2

true Name: Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 2 Genre: RPG/Adventure Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox Live Arcade (Reviewed on PC) <img src="/contributed/12257358572tvGh2jyGo.jpg"> For fans of the Penny Arcade comic, role-playing games, and adventure titles, the first episode of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness was a blast when it came out earlier this year. It was chock-full of the comic’s signature humor, but was also on the short side, and the hefty $20 price tag turned some gamers away. Nearly six months later, the second episode has launched with more gameplay and a discounted price, but it provides just as much fruit-fucking fun as the first episode. However, with some issues not being addressed, it may be harder for Episode Two to stand out in the overcrowded holiday season. Before we get into the gameplay, I should let you know that I have been a Penny Arcade fan for years. Gabe and Tycho crack me up on a regular basis, and I love their humorous takes on video games and geek culture in general, as well as all of the other wacky stuff they think up. I even have a framed print of Fruit Fucker Prime at home. I am also, as the record will show, a lifelong fan of role-playing games and point-and-click adventures. On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness has managed to combine components of these genres into a smooth hybrid of enjoyment. I’m making all of this clear because if you don’t like any of these elements, I can tell you right now that this game is not for you. Just like the first episode, this is a niche title, and while it personally appealed to me on all levels, there’s really nothing to make a non-Penny Arcade fan suddenly fall in love with the game. <img src="/contributed/1225735839l3qCHF3VYq.jpg"> Since this is the second installment in a four-part game, it should come as no surprise that the gameplay is almost identical to that of the first episode. As the third member of Gabe and Tycho’s party, you will make your way through a handful of new locations in 1922 New Arcadia trying to accomplish a number of missions both large and small. There are new support characters in addition to some familiar faces, but the graphics and animated cut scenes are exactly the same, stylistically speaking. Assuming you liked the first episode, this isn’t a bad thing. The dialogue is extremely well written, and I loved the animation; overall, the installment is presented very nicely. Your confrontations with fruit fuckers, rich snobs, and other foes will, like before, lead to a turn-based battle in which you, Gabe, and Tycho take turns using items, basic attacks, and special moves. You can also try to deter enemy attacks by timing your blocks carefully, which can lead to taking less damage or a counterattack if you do it just right. You can also use support characters from time to time, who usually have super-powerful attacks that damage the entire enemy party. All of these elements certainly make the fights less straightforward and more interesting. Your character from the first episode can carry over into Episode Two, but it really doesn’t matter because even if you make a new character, he or she will still start at level 15, the cap from the first episode. The character creator hasn’t gotten any deeper, and it’s actually something I wasn’t really a fan of. There are so few options for customization that it almost doesn’t even seem worth it. I know it’s an episodic game, but even a few more facial, hair, and clothing options would have been nice. However, since this really doesn’t affect the actual gameplay, it’s easy to forgive the limited character creation. <img src="/contributed/1225735826sfDLex5S0f.jpg"> My only real problem with Episode Two is that it lacked a lot of challenge on the first playthrough. I never really felt like I was in any danger of getting wiped out, my inventory was constantly full of maxed-out amounts of items, and I hit the level 30 cap well before I met with the final boss. Even the last boss fight is a bit anticlimactic, but I won’t say more about that so as to not spoil the battle for others. The game has countered this problem with a new Insane Mode that unlocks after the episode is beaten, which definitely goes a long way towards adding to the replay value, but I would have liked more of a challenge the first time through. That being said, this was an experience I completely enjoyed from start to finish. RPG or adventure game veterans may find it a bit too easy the first time through, but for fans of Penny Arcade it is absolutely worth playing. The $15 price tag is much easier to swallow, and for a six-to-eight hour game, it has a good amount of replay value. I’m definitely looking forward to the next two episodes, and in the meantime, I could see myself going back and playing through Episode Two again in order to get 100% completion. Maybe I’m just a sucker for fruit fuckers. <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/Sararri411/buyit.jpg" width="275" height="175">     <a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/"><img src="/contributed/12049090913D6uenyIJz.jpg" width="111" height="42"></a><a href="http://www.metacritic.com/games"><img src="/contributed/1204909164Gepk74pXtB.jpg" width="154" height="51"></a>   Related Articles: <a href="/gamer/sarah/news/article/penny_arcade_adventures_episode_two_dated/">Penny Arcade Adventures Episode Two Dated</a> <a href="/gamer/sarah/news/article/penny_arcade_adventures_episode_one_coming_to_psn">Penny Arcade Adventures Episode One Coming to PSN</a> <a href="/gamer/sean/reviews/article/on_the_rainslick_precipice_of_darkness_mac/">Review: Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One</a> review

2008-11-03T13:36:28-05:00

Name: Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 2 Genre: RPG/Adventure Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox Live Arcade (Reviewed on PC) <img src="/contributed/12257358572tvGh2jyGo.jpg" /> For fans of the Penny Arcade comic, role-playing games, and adventure titles, the first episode of On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness was a blast when it came out earlier this year. It was chock-full of the comic’s signature humor, but was also on the short side, and the hefty $20 price tag turned some gamers away. Nearly six months later, the second episode has launched with more gameplay and a discounted price, but it provides just as much fruit-fucking fun as the first episode. However, with some issues not being addressed, it may be harder for Episode Two to stand out in the overcrowded holiday season. Before we get into the gameplay, I should let you know that I have been a Penny Arcade fan for years. Gabe and Tycho crack me up on a regular basis, and I love their humorous takes on video games and geek culture in general, as well as all of the other wacky stuff they think up. I even have a framed print of Fruit Fucker Prime at home. I am also, as the record will show, a lifelong fan of role-playing games and point-and-click adventures. On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness has managed to combine components of these genres into a smooth hybrid of enjoyment. I’m making all of this clear because if you don’t like any of these elements, I can tell you right now that this game is not for you. Just like the first episode, this is a niche title, and while it personally appealed to me on all levels, there’s really nothing to make a non-Penny Arcade fan suddenly fall in love with the game. <img src="/contributed/1225735839l3qCHF3VYq.jpg" /> Since this is the second installment in a four-part game, it should come as no surprise that the gameplay is almost identical to that of the first episode. As the third member of Gabe and Tycho’s party, you will make your way through a handful of new locations in 1922 New Arcadia trying to accomplish a number of missions both large and small. There are new support characters in addition to some familiar faces, but the graphics and animated cut scenes are exactly the same, stylistically speaking. Assuming you liked the first episode, this isn’t a bad thing. The dialogue is extremely well written, and I loved the animation; overall, the installment is presented very nicely. Your confrontations with fruit fuckers, rich snobs, and other foes will, like before, lead to a turn-based battle in which you, Gabe, and Tycho take turns using items, basic attacks, and special moves. You can also try to deter enemy attacks by timing your blocks carefully, which can lead to taking less damage or a counterattack if you do it just right. You can also use support characters from time to time, who usually have super-powerful attacks that damage the entire enemy party. All of these elements certainly make the fights less straightforward and more interesting. Your character from the first episode can carry over into Episode Two, but it really doesn’t matter because even if you make a new character, he or she will still start at level 15, the cap from the first episode. The character creator hasn’t gotten any deeper, and it’s actually something I wasn’t really a fan of. There are so few options for customization that it almost doesn’t even seem worth it. I know it’s an episodic game, but even a few more facial, hair, and clothing options would have been nice. However, since this really doesn’t affect the actual gameplay, it’s easy to forgive the limited character creation. <img src="/contributed/1225735826sfDLex5S0f.jpg" /> My only real problem with Episode Two is that it lacked a lot of challenge on the first playthrough. I never really felt like I was in any danger of getting wiped out, my inventory was constantly full of maxed-out amounts of items, and I hit the level 30 cap well before I met with the final boss. Even the last boss fight is a bit anticlimactic, but I won’t say more about that so as to not spoil the battle for others. The game has countered this problem with a new Insane Mode that unlocks after the episode is beaten, which definitely goes a long way towards adding to the replay value, but I would have liked more of a challenge the first time through. That being said, this was an experience I completely enjoyed from start to finish. RPG or adventure game veterans may find it a bit too easy the first time through, but for fans of Penny Arcade it is absolutely worth playing. The $15 price tag is much easier to swallow, and for a six-to-eight hour game, it has a good amount of replay value. I’m definitely looking forward to the next two episodes, and in the meantime, I could see myself going back and playing through Episode Two again in order to get 100% completion. Maybe I’m just a sucker for fruit fuckers. <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/Sararri411/buyit.jpg" width="275" height="175" />     <a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/"><img src="/contributed/12049090913D6uenyIJz.jpg" width="111" height="42" /></a><a href="http://www.metacritic.com/games"><img src="/contributed/1204909164Gepk74pXtB.jpg" width="154" height="51" /></a>   Related Articles: <a href="/gamer/sarah/news/article/penny_arcade_adventures_episode_two_dated/">Penny Arcade Adventures Episode Two Dated</a> <a href="/gamer/sarah/news/article/penny_arcade_adventures_episode_one_coming_to_psn">Penny Arcade Adventures Episode One Coming to PSN</a> <a href="/gamer/sean/reviews/article/on_the_rainslick_precipice_of_darkness_mac/">Review: Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One</a>

8696

5976

2008-11-03T06:12:32-05:00

2008-11-03T13:36:28-05:00

11330

8.0

penny_arcade_adventures_on_the_rain_slick_precipice_of_darkness_e published Rich People Are the New Hobos Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode 2 - PC

2009-03-02T14:49:06-05:00

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