<ahem>[Bob Washburne
will now attempt the shortest review of his career.
He lines up with the keyboard. He swings…]

Two of a Kind is David Gilbert’s loving tribute to the old LucasArts
games. If you liked Monkey Island, then you will love this game.
If you didn’t, then you won’t. Thank you.

[Yes! He did it! A
new personal best. Editors and fans alike will be analyzing every
word to savor the depth of meaning he has given
with such masterful brevity. It is truly inspiring to be in the presence
of such greatness.]

Introduction

There is actually little I can add to the above review other than
to explain it and justify it.

Two of a Kind is
the latest game from Dave Gilbert. You can find the others at his website.
It is freeware and can be downloaded for free from its website.

About fifteen years ago
LucasArts was one of the big names in adventure gaming. They created
such classics as Sam & Max Hit the Road,
Full Throttle, Day of the Tentacle and, of course, the Monkey
Island series.

PC technology back then was severely limited, competing with the
Commodore C-64 and being blown away by the Amiga. But LucasArts made
the most with what they had. They used the limited graphics to make
cartoons which had flair and attitude. They compensated for the low
sound quality by using a biting and edgy humor throughout.

The result was a style uniquely their own which continues to have
a fan base to this day. This is the style Dave Gilbert attempted
to achieve.

Story

LucasArts did not attempt
high art. They took their stories straight from American “B” movies.
They were not intended to be analyzed or meditated upon. They were
meant to be enjoyed as pure
amusement.

Gilbert follows this tradition quite well by taking a low budget
detective story and combining it with cheesy Sci-Fi elements. It
is ridiculous, unbelievable and totally enjoyable.

For achieving exactly
what he wanted, I give the story a “B.”

Puzzles

LucasArts was not going after the cerebral crowd. Their games were
strictly for the Saturday morning cartoon gang (note: this was before
Cartoon Network and cartoon shows tended to be aired just after school
or on Saturday mornings.)

So do not expect any logic
puzzles which require great skills of deduction. These are all
inventory based puzzles, usually of the
type “I’ll give you this if you get me that.”

The challenge, and comedy, comes from using your inventory is unusual
ways. For example, you might have to combine the squirrel with the
bicycle pump and then use that on the cheerleader in order to get
the desired results.

Gilbert fully captured
the lunacy, and frustration, of LucasArts puzzles. That gets a
solid “B.”

Navigation

Gilbert again uses the
Classic style. Look at the screen shots. All of the actions are
represented as icons. Just click on the desired
action – Walk To, Get, Talk To, Use, Open/Close – and
then click on the screen where you want to do it. Simple and effective.

You can play the game
as either the brother or the sister. Sometimes you will need to
be the sister as she can talk to animals. Sometimes
you need to be the brother as he can float about a foot off the ground.
Both useful skills. And if you need your sibling to join you, just
click on “Follow” and they instantly appear. Very handy.

There were only a couple of rough spots. At one point on the second
floor of the mansion I was not able to move the brother because the
sister was in the way. Also, it is sometimes impossible to leave
a screen if you start right next to the exit. You have to back up
and get a running go in order to leave. But neither of these were
show stoppers.

All in all it was obvious
where you were and it was easy to get where you wanted. A solid “B.”

Graphics

The graphics are low resolution,
solid colors with no shading, and cartoony. Exactly was is needed
for this type of game. I give them
the “B” they deserve.

Sound

The background music is
thin and cheesey – just what you would
expect from someone who has upgraded their PC speaker to a primitive
sound card. It is perfect, endearing and nostalgic. Sound effects?
I can remember two, but I’m sure there were more. Games back then
didn’t use many because the system they were run on might have only
had the PC speakers. Gilbert faithfully follows in the traditions
of his fathers.

Again, sound was exactly
as intended and gets a “B.”

Playability

Ah, now we are getting
personal. It all boils down to whether you like this style of game
or not. Personally, I do not. I could not
bring myself to finish Monkey Island. But I loved Sam & Max.
So go figure.

Conclusion

The old LucasArts games
are true classics and I would encourage anyone to try Sam & Max
Hit the Road. They still have a large following and Two
of a Kind is a worthy addition to their ranks.

I give the game a “B” and encourage you to download
it. Hey, the price is right and you just might get hooked, become
a pirate and sit around all day drinking grog <Ar, Ar, Ar, Ar,
Ar!>.

Final Grade: B
(find out more about our
grading system)