What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time

Posted by Matt Barton.
First posted on 26 June 2011. Last updated on 06 September 2011.
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What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time
The fishing mini-game actually has a role in solving a puzzle.
What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time
The guard on watch appears to be sleeping.
What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time
The poor young man is pining for his sweetheart.
What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time
The castle security is ruthlessly exploiting the fishermen and others in the village.
What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time
The distinctive art style is impressive.

What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time from Lassie Games is a charming point-and-click adventure inspired by the LucasArts games of yesteryear but with a lot more dark humor reminiscent of Terry Gilliam. It is a unique game with a lot of appeal for fans of classic adventure games and features a great story, fun characters, a distinctive art style, and good music.

This game is actually the sequel to Lassie Games' earlier freeware game What Makes You Tick (which shares the same leading title). While it is not necessary to play that game first, it helps to establish the story and many of the characters in this sequel. A summary of the first game is included as a preface in the manual for players who have not been initiated with the series. The story begins when Nigel Trelawny arrives at Ravenhallow, a quaint European styled fishing village, to settle his late father's estate. Naturally, this seemingly trivial legal matter turns out to be a more complicated affair, as Nigel finds himself in a hopelessly corrupt and oppressive police state, dominated by a mysterious baron who never comes out of his castle. Nigel must also learn more about his father, an enigmatic scientist who once worked for the Smith Institute, a fantastic scientific research station. Eventually, Nigel learns that he must collect 9 signet rings from the formers members of the Smith Institute in order to receive the Baron's official stamp of approval. Along the way, Nigel learns more about the fate of his father as well as Nathan, the main character from the first game, and meets plenty of off-the-wall characters who promise to help him in exchange for certain favors.

The game's best features are undoubtedly its setting, story, and characters. Ravenhallow is a small but intriguing island, with plenty of interesting locations such as the lighthouse and the castle. It is fun to explore the village and to meet the many odd and eccentric citizens who live on it, such as the vile Lowell Cain (head of police), Uncle Slappy (a zeppelin pilot), and Mr. Mandelbaum (a mask maker). These characters really work well with the setting to provide a truly mesmerizing atmosphere reminiscent of a theme park.

The graphics are very well done, with lovely backgrounds and a drawing art style akin to classic animated movies like Walt Disney's The Sword in the Stone. The animations, unfortunately, do not look as polished, with stiff walking and robotic movements. Indeed, the weak animation greatly reduces the impact of the otherwise gorgeous scenery and backdrops. The music, on the other hand, is splendid, effectively setting a relaxed and pleasant mood. The interface is intuitive, relying entirely on the mouse and the left button for input.

Of course, no adventure game is complete without puzzles, and this game does not at all disappoint. There are plenty of clever puzzles. Most of them involve talking to people, collecting objects, and combining them to overcome obstacles. Among my favorites involves the lovebirds Cecily and Stig. Cecily will only marry Stig if she receives a sign from the heavens. The solution involves an old telescope, live fireflies, and a map from an ancient globe. The developer has been careful to avoid red herrings and includes enough hints and clues in the descriptions of each object or dialog so that most observant players can be expected to complete all of the puzzles on their own without getting stuck. It is important to note that Nigel can sleep to change the time from day to night; often, certain characters or objects are only available at night.

All in all, I really enjoy What Makes You Tick: A Stitch in Time and can recommend it heartily to fans of classic graphic adventure games. Ravenhallow is an enchanting place to explore, and the characters from there are memorable and endearing. Finally, the story is well written and certainly worth experiencing. The game is also quite lengthy. Expect to spend days or possibly weeks solving it!

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