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Anyone with a witty brain will instantly link the title “Out from Boneville” with something similar to coming out of the closet, which isn’t helped by the ‘Bone’ references. With that low-brow toilet humor discarded we can focus entirely on the video game from a critical perspective. Bone: Out from Boneville is basically an attempted homage to ‘old-school’ point and click adventure games, while at the same time attempts to bring in some twentieth first century gaming comforts. If you’re not a fan of the adventure genre then quite frankly you should put your time to better use by reading something else on the site. If you’re a gamer (PC-specific) who believes that the godly adventure genre should never die then you’re at the perfect location. The important question is whether Bone: Out from Boneville helps the ‘adventure’ phoenix rise from the ashes or does it disintegrate into the fire?

Before we tackle the above question, a bit of background is necessary. Bone: Out from Boneville is developed by Telltale Games, an adventure gaming veteran. Their repertoire boasts some of the biggest franchises in the genre, from the iconic Monkey Island series to the classic Grim Fandango to the more recent, but just as popular Sam & Max. Their staff list is plucked heavily from Lucas Arts who slowly abandoned adventure games. Refusing to let adventure games die, Telltale Games have been hard at work with both Sam & Max and Bone.  The Bone Series may lack the mass appeal that Sam & Max has but it’s definitely nice to have some new characters and setting. Bone: Out from Boneville is based on the Jeff Smith comic books by the same name. Like Sam & Max, Bone is published in an episodic format, and Out from Boneville focuses on the first two books in the series. Fone Bone and his two cousins, Phoniclible P. “Phoney” Bone and Smiley Bone have been kicked out from Boneville as a result of a mishap. Apart from laughing at the characters for having the most ridiculously complicated names ever seen in a video game, it’s your job to reunite them all following their separation.

To do so you’ll have to grasp the simple, staple controls which are commonplace across the genre’s games. Navigating areas is very simple and interacting with objects is usually limited to one puzzle at a time. Most of the time, every puzzle can be solved in the same screen in which it is found which means that you won’t need to make a mental note as to where you need to return to at a later date. The puzzles are involving but it is unlikely that you’ll be winning Nobel prizes. After all, adventure games are always about the story. Bone: Out from Boneville is a decent example of ‘adventure gaming’ and firmly stays linear. The game presents any needed background so you’re fully aware as to why something is actually happening. The voice acting and presentation is clear cut and is very well constructed. There’s no muffled speaking and expression is neither over the top or lacking in enthusiasm. It’s involving, interesting and fairly humorous.

Last but not least are the graphics. They’re competent but unlikely to challenge Crysis for the top spot any time soon. The style is cartoon like and it suits the story and characters. It may look slightly aged but at least you don’t need a bank-breaking rig to run the game. It’s great for the casual gamer and even better for young children. It appeals to the casual gamer even more so because of its length, but that also raises the biggest gripe concerning the game. Just when you’re getting involved in the game is ends and you’re crying out to sink your teeth into more. You’ll be able to run through it in under two hours. Gameplay consists of solving puzzles and then partaking in ‘chase sequences.’ Annoyingly the chase sequences slow down the pace of the game, break it up and have an effect of where it seems they were only added to pad out its length.

The game allows all ages to play as most of the puzzles aren’t exactly taxing, and even if you get stuck there is a build in hint system that will tell you word for word what you need to do.  While most of these negatives can be overlooked it just a shame that on this DVD version we only get the one episode and not two bundled together to carry on the story (like Sam & Max). Bone makes an example that adventure games are still needed and are worth playing. As I said before,  this game won’t change the mass opinion, but every developer that makes a new adventure game takes me back to my youth and stimulates my brain, which can’t exactly be said about the sea of FPS’s. It’s a good start and we hope it continues.

Score: 7/10

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