Gilbert Goodmate and the Mushroom of Phungoria

Developer: Crystal Software
Publisher: Prelusion
Release Date TBD
Platform:

By Randy Sluganski

It is not difficult to find any amount of glowing adjectives to describe the graphics and animation from Prelusion's newest project, Gilbert Goodmate and the Mushroom of Phungoria. Enchanting, Disney-esque and charming are but a few that come immediately to mind, and after viewing the attached screenshots or downloading the game's demo, I do not think that anyone will disagree with my first impressions.

What exactly is this strangely titled game about, and why is the title so long? Well, if I were to describe the plot of Gilbert Goodmate myself, either you would not believe me or you would think I have been partaking of the mushroom of Phungoria. So instead, let's see what Gilbert Goodmate's creators have to say:

"Many years ago a brave hero saved the land from unavoidable destruction by killing the evil wizard with the help of a gigantic mushroom.

"Nowadays the mushroom is kept on the square in the town of Phungoria. The citizens take turns guarding and preserving the mushroom from year to year. Every summer a big mushroom-festival is being held, when the people celebrate the ancient victory. During this ceremony a new citizen is elected to take the huge responsibility of keeping the mushroom safe and in good shape until the next year's festival.

"For nearly a year now, Gilbert's grandfather has been taking care of the mushroom. But one week prior to the festival, someone steals the mushroom. Everyone blames the grandfather for not being able to do his duty properly. The king throws him in jail and prepares to have him executed during the festival The only way to save his grandfather is for Gilbert to find the stolen mushroom before the end of the week ..."

Ummm ... okay.

(Just a thought, but what does it say about cultural differences that European companies like Prelusion are producing charming games like GG, Adventuresoft has Simon 3D in production, Project 2 has Liath on the way, and here in America we pump out games like Sanitarium, Ripper and Harvester. Not to make any snap judgments, but it does seem to be a matter that deserves further thought.)

With beautiful animation and an off-the-wall fantasy plot that is reminiscent of the early King's Quest/Sierra classics, Gilbert Goodmate looks to be a surefire winner when it is released later this year. Keep an eye on JA for instructions on how to order this game when it is released.