Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode One Image

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critics What's this?

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Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

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  • Summary: [Xbox Live Arcade] This first installment of the episodic role-playing adventure game series is set in the highly stylized 1920s universe of New Arcadia filled with bizarre characters, outrageous combat, and adult humor. Create and develop your very own character to participate in the adventure. Penny Arcade Adventures keeps the fun going with new material released regularly, with pick up and play capabilities from any episode, and the ability to carry over your character's appearance, stats, and inventory from episode to episode. The turn-based combat system features over-the-top animations and team-up moves during enemy battles. The classic adventure-style gameplay combines with RPG elements for a mysterious and puzzling good time. The crazed geniuses behind Penny Arcade promise a thrilling and wild ride, with story and dialogue written by written by Jerry "Tycho" Holkins and art by Mike "Gabe" Krahulik. Working with Gabe and Tycho of the Startling Developments Detective Agency, it will be your job to resolve the chaos and solve the mysteries of New Arcadia. [Hothead Games] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 44
  2. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Fantastic story, genuinely funny, great comic feel.
  2. If you don't mind shelling out about twice as much as most other XBLA games for a fairly short tale, you'll likely find the game to be well worth the price of admission.
  3. All in all, the first episode of Penny Arcade Adventures does its best to satisfy a variety of gamers, though hardcore fans of either genre may be left wanting more.
  4. 78
    It's a smart, fun game that would have been truly great with a wider range of enemies and environments and a touch more depth to the gameplay.
  5. Even if you’re not familiar with the comic, as long as you don’t mind a little vulgarity, and one or two urine soaked weapons, the game offers a fun, light-hearted romp filled with breezy combat controls, dozens of filthy hobos to beat up on and one positively useless cat.
  6. Nevertheless, like any good ride, Precipice of Darkness is fun while it lasts.
  7. Those gamers who check out Penny Arcade daily will be playing to see the reappearance of iconic characters and to laugh at the in-jokes dotted throughout the game. But even they would have a hard time swallowing the 1,600 MP price tag (around £15) for five hours of gameplay - gameplay that isn't heavy on replayability.

See all 44 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Travis
    Jul 3, 2008
    Five hours? Does anyone take their time and play video games for fun anymore? This isn't a long game by any means, but I would have had to skip through a lot of funny dialog to beat this game in five hours. Don't trust reviewers to take their time and enjoy everything; it's their job to finish it quickly to get the review out. Take your time and have some fun. Also, I've read probably 10 Penny Arcade comics in my life, and I still found this to be highly entertaining. I'm sure a joke or two went over my head, but overall, I highly recommend this game. It's an RPG for people like me who either don't like wizards and goblins or don't have 100 hours to pour into a game. $20 well spent. Enjoy! Expand