At a glance...

Previewer	Platform	Publisher	Developer	Players	Release Date	Screenshots
Matt Bailey	PC/Mac	10tacle	Deck13	1	Late 2007	Here

Jack Keane preview

Adventure games are few and far between these days. LucasArts, once one the stalwarts of the genre, have since moved on to making even more Star Wars games, as well as things like Thrillville: Off the Rails, leaving companies like Telltale Games to fill in the gaps with their Sam & Max series, which oddly enough was once a LucasArts staple. 10tacle have sensed an opportunity, and thus are bringing us Deck 13's Jack Keane, an original adventure game from the German developer.

Deck 13 are taking the adventure part literally with the game's main character (called Jack Keane, in case you haven't guessed) travelling across the world to carry out a mission for Queen Victoria. Yes, this means the game is set in the late nineteenth century, though its historical accuracy is somewhat questionable. The gameplay is of the classic 'point-and-click' variety, with a style - and in parts, a setting - familiar to fans (such as myself) of the Monkey Island series. Indeed, this adventure game shares the comedic values, with Jack batting off witty remarks and jokes through the various pieces of dialogue. Unfortunately it doesn't seem as sharp as the LucasArts masterpieces, but it's certainly some of the best I've seen in a while. Unfortunately there's no battle of insults here, but there are a whole range of speech options to choose from during conversations, that allow you to choose how you want to proceed.

So far the game has proved to be enjoyable. I admit my ability with solving adventure game puzzles is somewhat limited, but the test then becomes whether I get bored and give up. This was certainly not the case in Jack Keane, with my attention often focused on trying to solve the puzzles, rather than being concerned or overly annoyed by the fact I was struggling to solve them! The point-and-click nature of the game means you have a pointer through which the actions are controlled, with the option available depending upon what object your cursor is over. Your inventory is displayed in one corner of the screen allowing you to both view what items you have and actually use them without breaking the flow of the game.

Lastly, the visuals. Something which often receives the least attention in the genre, but not so in Jack Keane. There's a rather nice 3D engine in place, full of various visual effects, which make the game pleasing to the eye. It also helps to provide a sense of location, with the different styles from around the world catered for. However, it's certainly not going for accuracy here, with a more cartoon-like approach that deliberately exaggerates characters and places, with Big Ben being an early example in the game.

Altogether it seems to be working well in this unfinished version, and we can see a competent and enjoyable game ahead. We hope to bring you a review in the near future.

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