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65 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not to be left in the Dusk, January 27, 2007
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
The great thing about the Nintendo DS is that there is so much innovation to it. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is a game that has been done time and time again, but on the DS they can take it to a new level, and strangely it works really well. For any gamer looking for a sophisticated, engaging story, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is right up your alley. It's engaging, simple, but still manages to be a complex game full of heart. Those who really enjoy Film Noir will also really get a kick out of this.
Kyle Hyde is a former NYPD detective. His partner was Brian Bradley. Under circumstances unknown Kyle ended up having to shoot Brian and his body fell into the Hudson River. The body was never recovered, but Kyle still believes that Brian is alive. Three years later, in 1979, Kyle is working as a Private Investigator for those unwilling to go to the police for help. A client has asked him to locate certain items left at the Hotel Dusk. Kyle, of course, accepts. As the mystery unfolds, Kyle begins to learn what really happened to his former partner.
Part of makes Hotel Dusk work is that it is very stylistic. Kyle is a likeable guy, despite that he's stereotyped into being the alcoholic ex-cop. His character really comes alive. And it isn't just his character that comes to life, it's all the characters that you talk to throughout the game. Each and every one of them is unique and distinct. Along those lines the dialog is really crafty and humanistic, to a point where you feel less like you're playing a game, and more like you're reading an engrossing detective novel.
To compliment the game even more, the visual art style is nothing short of fantastic. The character designs are hand-drawn, but they're uniquely done. Each character is drawn in a way that it says something about them. You'll be captivated by it. The environments themselves also look pretty good. The 3D models are pretty good looking. There aren't that many DS games out there that actually have a lot of 3D animation, so any time you get to see some it's a good thing.
The most interesting aspect about the game is the style which it is played in. You hold the DS sideways, as if it were a book. The primary control of the game comes from the stylus. You'll use it to navigate Kyle through the Hotel Dusk, and you'll use it to observe items and talk to people. It's simple, and it feels very much like some PC games of the past where you used the mouse to point and click. You'll find items you need to use all over the place. Of course this brings about one of the games few shortcomings. It's fairly linear, and you'll often find items well before you need to use them. At least most of the puzzles aren't hard, and they're not presented in a "Resident Evil" style fashion. So you won't be asking yourself questions like, "Why do I have to do THIS to get THAT?" The puzzles are completely logical and grounded in reality.
The good news is Hotel Dusk isn't about the puzzle solving and item collecting nearly as much as it's about the characters that play into the overall storyline. This is a very heavily story driven game, much more so than even most mainstream RPGs. You'll meet characters who will lie to you, and those who don't want to tell you things or give you little snippets. When you engage in conversation you'll often be given the chance to ask questions. You are, after all, a PI. Be careful, though. As a PI you need to ask the RIGHT questions. Asking the wrong questions can cause the game to end. So ask the right questions and get the right information.
This brings about another of the games few shortcomings, except this is a rather big one. The game is EXTREMELY dialog heavy. When I say that I'm not kidding. Some conversations can last for very long stretches of time. Not all of them are necessary, and it's even worse when you figure out what's going on, yet you've still got to sit through all the dialog anyway. To put it more simple it's like when a novel drags on for pages upon pages and a lot of what you read is irrelevant to the plot. Hotel Dusk doesn't veer away from the plot often, but it does ramble on and on about basic plot elements quite often. It can be frustrating, especially when you just want to play the game. Likewise, there's not a snippet of voice acting. I'm not saying the entire game has to have it, but it seems like at some points they should have had some.
Another thing that may turn a few people away. The story, while fantastic, is also pretty slow, and as much as I love games like this, you have to admit that those who love fast paced action adventure games will have a hard time getting into this, especially because the "point and click" formula is pretty dated. To a point, those used to fast paced action might be bored through this. If, however, you enjoy reading (as I do) then this is quite a relaxing experience.
Hotel Dusk is a fascinating game. Showing that some old school elements will never die. It's engaging, captivating, and is a well told story, complete with all the elements of a good story. It's a little slow at times, and it can also ramble, but if you're patient and stick with it, you'll be well rewarded in the end.
On the Positive Side:
+Unique storyline that's well told and engaging
+Fantastic character development throughout the entire game
+Simple to play, yet hard to master
+A good soundtrack to get the mood straight
+The Puzzles are not over the top, but instead are pretty simple to grasp
+Crafty dialog makes the game perfect for those who love to read
On the Negative Side:
-It gets off to a slow start
-No voice acting to speak of
-Some of the games moments are very dialog heavy, which can be very frustrating if you figure things out faster than Kyle does, and can be especially frustrating when it rambles
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51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another stylish and unique title exclusively for the DS, January 23, 2007
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
I'll be honest, I didn't really have high hopes for Hotel Dusk: Room 215 from the time I had heard about the game making it's way over here, but thankfully I was pleasently surprised with the results. Taking the point and click genre to different levels on the DS, Hotel Dusk makes you turn your DS sideways to play it, making it look like you're playing an open book instead of a video game. And book is the word to describe this unique game, as Hotel Dusk pays numerous odes to the crime-noir fiction of yesteryear with it's engaging story, colorful characters, and dark and mysterious atmosphere. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 puts you in the shoes of Kyle: a disgraced and grizzled former detective trying to piece together a puzzle surrounding the people staying at Hotel Dusk. There is more to the story, but revealing any more would ruin the surprises that are abound throughout this game, and the intricacy of the game's story is probably the most surprising thing of all. The character designs are wonderfully drawn and utilized, almost looking like an interactive comic book. Also, Hotel Dusk is easy to pick up and play, even for gamers who have never played a point and click type game before. If there's any drawbacks to Hotel Dusk, it's that it's slow pace will be a major turn off for many gamers. While the game is easy to pick up and play, not everyone will stick with it due to it's pacing. Also, on occasion, the game's story does suffer from some typical puzzle and adventure trappings, and does feel linear to a point. Despite all that though, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is yet another unique and exclusive title for Nintendo's wonderous, dual screened handheld, and if you own a DS, you should definitely check this game out; you'll be pleasently surprised.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hotel Dusk...Im sure the answers are here somewhere, March 23, 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
This game was one of the most engaging, enthralling games to come out in recent history. After making Trace Memory, and hearing the fans response that the game was too easy; this company went all-out. Deep and complex storyline, interesting and ever-changing cast of characters, and overall sense of being pulled into the game. The mysteies in the story go deeper and deeper.
Dont fool yourself. The game is long....and difficult. You wont be able to beat this right away. However, you will think about this game constantly until you beat it. Some parts are easy (talking to different people for long sets of time, mini-games and puzzles). Others are very tough (You must do specific things at specific set times to achieve complete success) and may require multiple tries.
Overall this game is a GREAT detective story that relies heavily on the gamer's ability to read people and situations.
Everything about this game worked. 5 Stars.
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