

The first episode of the Adventures of Bertram Fiddle has finally landed on Steam, so all you iOS-less folks like myself can finally stop being just average Victorian Explorators and start working your way up to Leading Victorian Explorators. I’m not sure what that entails, exactly, but it seems to involve solving mysteries, following the trail of the dangerous Geoff the Murderer, and enduring puns. So, so many puns. And play-on-words. And other silliness. But you do get to use words like ‘Dastardly’ and ‘puffery’ in regular conversation and not have people wonder about you. That’s a nice bonus, isn’t it?





Rumpus Animation has created a delightful cartoon world for players to explore while cracking the point-and-click case. The small studio has a strong background in animation, and it shows through the butter-smooth animations and vibrant world of the game. Even though this is only the first episode, it already has over thirty locations to poke around in, providing many awkward situations and opportunity for more wordplay. The game also features some action-based sequences to break up the point and click gameplay, providing a few high-speed chases and other moments to keep Bertram in tip-top shape. An Explorator requires good cardio, you see.



While also excelling at animation, Rumpus also seems quite good at picking out voice actors, as the charming crew that takes on the characters of Bertram Fiddle give it a cheery, funny life. Don’t worry if you’re feeling too lazy to read, as Bertram will happily speak all of his dialogue about his grandfather’s enormous clock aloud. Lovers of puns and silly point and click games should look in on the game today, though, as it’s on sale until this time tomorrow. Dare you miss out on the cheap puns of Adventures of Bertram Fiddle: Episode 1: A Dreadly Business? Belay that tomfoolery and acquire it posthaste!



Adventures of Bertram Fiddle: Episode 1: A Dreadly Business is available for $7.99 on Steam. For more information on Rumpus Animation and the game, you can head to the game’s site, the developer’s site or follow them on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Joel Couture http://www.indiegamesplus.com Joel has been covering indie games for various sites including IndieGames.com, Siliconera, Gamasutra, Warp Door, CG Magazine, and more over the past seven years, and has written book-length studies on Undertale and P.T.. Joel is constantly on the lookout for digital experiences that push the boundaries of what games can be, and seeks to delve into the creative process, meanings, and emotion labor that goes into the work of artists worldwide. See author's posts