Just (Free) Adventures
Larry Vales: Traffic Division

Author:
Philip J. Reed
Creation Program:
AGS (Adventure
Game Studio)
Download Size: 2.38 MB
Approximate Playing Time: 3 hours

By Audrey Wells

Everyone likes free stuff, right? Well, if you have checked out the JA Review
Index lately, you may have noticed a new section entitled “Just Free Adventures.”
There are lots of free adventures roaming around on this vast information highway
that we call the Internet. And now I present to you a brand-new column reviewing
these adventures. Enjoy! If you know of any free graphical adventure games that
are not yet reviewed by JA, then by all means, email me and perhaps I’ll review
it!

This week’s game is (drum roll please) … Larry Vales: Traffic
Division!

Click
here to visit the official site of Larry Vales: Traffic Division
Click
here to download Larry Vales: Traffic Division (2.4 MB)

Parking
enforcement technology has advanced a great deal over the past few years, and
recently a mad scientist by the name of Professor Semprini unveiled his newest
creation, the “Lovely Rita 4200 Parking Enforcement Cyborg.” However,
the robot turned out to be deranged and is on a maniacal killing spree, executing
people for minor traffic violations. In Larry Vales: Traffic Division, you
play a sideburn-adorned traffic cop by the name of Larry Vales, nominated by the
commissioner himself to rid the city of the menace. And so armed with your Traffic
Division badge and nightstick, you set out to save the world …

Larry
Vales: Traffic Division, by all estimations, is a real treat to play. Sure,
the graphics are simple, but you have to understand that I’m reviewing a free
adventure game, created by a sum total of one person (with the help of
a few invaluable testers). That taken into account, I think the graphics are quite
appreciable. Nonetheless, you can look forward to significant graphical improvement
in Larry Vales 2. The highlight of Larry Vales is in the humor.
Some of it could be classified as “toilet humor,” but it is never over
the top. It is fun to try to find all of the references in the game to pop culture,
TV, movies, books, etc. For example, the painting in your hotel room is similar
to the one found in the living room in The Simpsons. Conversations between
characters are well written and amusing. Larry’s comments about various objects
throughout the game can usually elicit some good laughs as well.

I had no
gameplay problems with Larry Vales. The Adventure Game Studio interface
is based on the tried-and-true Sierra style: icons for walking, talking, etc.,
and points for completed actions (you’ll hear, “Points! Ka-ching!” every
time Larry scores). The only minor complaint I have is that the author did not
program a response for every user action, even a repertoire of generic ones like,
“I don’t think that’s possible.” Sometimes I would try to use inventory
on things and couldn’t tell if I was hitting the hotspot since Larry said nothing.
However, this does not impact the fun factor of the game.

As far as puzzles
go, Larry Vales: Traffic Division also has a lot of good ones. Though many
of the puzzles are inventory puzzles (use inventory on hotspot), there are a handful
of puzzles that will require other actions from the player. The inventory puzzles
usually aren’t nonsensical or impossible to figure out, as there are plenty of
clues to lead you in the right direction.

Story: B
Graphics: C

Music/Sound Effects: B
Gameplay: A+

Overall, Larry Vales: Traffic
Division has a good length, a fun story, and a lot of laughs, and it is well
worth the small download. Quite simply, it’s fun! If you like the old Sierra and
LucasArts games, this will surely be a game you would enjoy. If you like what
you see, expect the sequel soon!

Final Grade: B