1112 is an enigmatically named graphic adventure series by Agharta Studio for the iOS platform that proves that graphics are every bit as pivotal to the genre as the adventure itself.
For a long time, if I wanted a good graphic adventure, I was better off trolling through PC game shelves than the App Store. That’s not to say there weren’t any good ones to be found, just that there were far too many titles that looked as though they were drawn with MS Paint. Quality was not something I came to expect from games of that type.
Rather than follow the “good enough” standard going around, 1112 shows that a quality piece of art can be made out of the experience. Characters are beautifully drawn, the interface has a nice steampunk flair to it, the story is engaging, and the choice of music stands out and quickly grows on the ear: everything you’d expect from a classic of the genre.
The story
With the start of Episode 01, you meet Louis, an art dealer who still finds the time to appraise various pieces of fine art and furniture he comes across even while his life begins to take unexpected turns. In this way, the game does a good job of presenting the world through the eyes of its protagonist.
From the start, there is indication that something may not be right. Louis’s been having bad dreams lately, and his headaches are not going away. He takes pills for it, which everyone is convinced is a bad idea.
The government has set tight controls over medication, forbidding anyone to know where it comes from or what it’s made of.
Smoking and religion are banned, yet, considering Louis’s various remarks, the story can’t be set more than a hundred years in the future. So how much of it can be believed? Is any of it even real?
But all of these questions take a backseat to the more pressing concerns in his life. Louis’s got a shop to run, and there’s a very important client on the way.
Episodic releases
The series is broken up into episodes, and with the release of Episode 02, Agharta Studio proved the strength of the iOS release platform by not only improving upon the UI, but also updating the previous episode to match, strengthening the quality of the overall product.
Each episode is a good chunk of gameplay with its own flavor, chock full with challenging puzzles that so far have not disappointed. Several of which make good use of the multi-touch interface available.
On a side note, if Sudoku is a skill you’ve never quite been able to tackle, let alone understand why it’s earned a place alongside tabloids in grocery store check-out lines, Episode 02 will give a good try at getting you there.
1112 Episode 03 recently released for the iPhone and iPad for $4.99. If you’d like to give it a test-drive, go ahead and pick up Episode 01 LITE and try it out. Most importantly: if you like it, don’t forget to give them a stellar rating!
And for those who really like the art, there are iPhone and iPad cases available as well.
