Tintin and Snowy Are Back

The resurgence of Tintin harks back to a time gone by when boys were heroes in search of adventure .  Herge's original comic book hero is brought to life in this sleek adventure game thanks to Ubisoft's "The Adventures of Tintin-The Secret of The Unicorn.  We were sent a copy to try out.

With graphics that are as impressive as the film and silky smooth motion, you are literally immersed in the universe of Tintin.  I'm not the best gamer in the world, but I really enjoyed playing as the intrepid reporter TinTin who is on the search for a sunken treasure, going up against crooked art dealers and their henchmen.  With puzzles, platforming, fighting and piloting, there is a variety of gameplay to experience.  The game mixes 2D and 3D action keeping it fresh. You develop skills as the game progresses.  You collect treasures, unlock maps and solve mysteries, while on the trail of the treasure.  The storyline is fun and based on the film and driven forwards by the cutscenes.  The game includes the characters including Snowy and Captain Haddock.

The challenges are not too taxing and are quite straightforward, making it perfect for younger players and novices like myself.  I imagine that a pro-gamer would whizz through it without too much effort.  The game challenges are compatible with the Kinect, but this is a very minor part of the gameplay.  Do not buy it thinking it is all playable on the Kinect.

The game can be played solo or 2 player co-op.  The younger children really enjoyed this game which surprised me as they have not heard of Tintin before this game arrived.  The throwing of beachballs and banana skins to disable enemies was met with much hilarity everytime.  

Image coutesy of IGN Images

This game is an exciting adventure on land and at sea and on location.  Although there is some violence as you fight your enemies, it is not at all brutal.  The stars around the baddies' heads after you hit them gives a very cartoonised and comical approach to the fighting.  When you lose a life, Tintin sees stars rather than actually being rendered lifeless which keeps it family friendly.

For those of us old enough, Tintin is a nostalgic foray into Herge's comic books.  For youngsters it is a fun game which twists and turns through a variety of gameplay genres which keeps the game interesting and entertaining.

Available on Nintendo 3DS, Wii, PS3, PC and XBox.  This is definitely one for all the family and a surprise hit with my children!