TONY TOUGH AND THE NIGHT OF THE ROASTED MOTHS

Review by Lasanidine*

Genre: Adventure
Developer: David D’Aversa Nama Software
Publisher: Got Game Entertainment
Released: 2002
PC Requirement (Minimum): 100% Microsoft Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XPcompatiblility
Pentium 200
32 MB RAM
300 Kb of Hard Disk free space
CD-ROM 8x
DirectX 6 or higher (included) installed
Audio device with DirectX driver
Mouse, Keyboard

Recommended requirements:
Pentium 200
64 Mb RAM
150 Mb Hard Disk free space
CD-ROM 16x
AGP Graphic Card

Walkthrough: At GameBoomers by MaGtRo

Quick list of game characteristics: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

• Classic point-and-click with a twist
• Third person perspective, exploration with puzzles
• Minimal plot
• No dying
• Unlimited saves
• No timed sequences or action-based puzzles
• Interaction with other characters in the game


Installation: Single CD, usual install, disk must be in drive to play.

The Story of Tony Tough and the night of the Roasted Moths: At the very beginning there is a choice between easy and hard game play.

After a traumatic childhood that includes a neighborhood bully Tony grows up to be a vertically challenged P.I. with questionable personal hygiene and gradious ideas. He is under paid and is the butt of all jokes; this could make him bitter but does not. He is like a little terrier, intrepid, industrious and tireless in the pursuit of his mission (to thwart alien invasion via the candy rout). He has a soft heart (as we see when he comforts the bearded lady), he loves his dog even though it is a purple tapir (so what, nobody is perfect). When his dog is kidnapped he does not hesitate but gets on with the rescue mission.

This takes him to the fair ground where he meets with the usual (?) motley band of fair employees, runs into all sorts of difficulties, he never lags once and is ready to improvise when the need arises (his idea of coffee gave me the willies), solves the puzzles (if you are lucky) one after another while sprouting wisdom and talking a blue streak. His wisdom consist mostly of clichés, you cannot blame him after all he is only a cartoon character.

There is a bad guy whose influence is felt all through the game as a faint but noxious odor; he is a sticky handed thief with a swollen head. Of course Tony rescues his dog and the rest is history.

Graphics: The graphics are sharp and are in primary colors, very well suited to the character of the game.

Sound Effects and voice acting: Voice acting is good, the sound effects are suitable.

Interface: It is a point and click game, anything you can interact with will show its name, you left click a medallion appears with choices to talk, examine or take. The cursor is a hand that turns into a birdie and points to the direction you have to go. Sometimes it is hard to position the cursor to the right direction. The fair is a maze but Tony is supplied with a map and can use that to go places after the first trip. The inventory is easy to manage (it has its own look, use, ? medallion), you have to combine things in it but they are no problem.

My unsolicited opinion: The game will not get the best of the genre award and will not teach you how to be a P.I., on the other hand it will not bore you to death either. Some of the puzzles are quite far fetched. For example there are only so many things you can do to a sheep, I run out of ideas and had to consult the walkthrough, on the other hand I knew right away what to expect form pigeons. However I never found any trace of moths roasted or otherwise, weather it was because of negligence on my part or just my inability to experience the finer things in a game I cannot say. There were no bugs or glitches as far as I can tell.

Recommendations: The game definitely has entertainment value and if you have children you can play the easy version together and listen to Tony telling you about the evils of smoking. Play it and have (mindless) fun.

Note: I played this game on a XP with plenty of memory and a first rate graphics card (ATI Radeon 9500/9700) and have no idea how it works on slower computers.

*Format suggested by Jenny 100

copyright © 2003 GameBoomers

Interesting approach. I like the points about the game at the beginning - but I also think your regular style and approach to game discussion is awesome as it is.

Tony Tough is a hard game to review. I liked it - but wasn't blown away. The style and graphics were quite nice. I like your assessment of it having entertainment value.

Hey that's two reviews written fairly close to one another. You been busy at the writing this week.

Laura

Lansanidine -- great review. I liked Tony a lot at first. It has some terrific one-liners and is really good at making you laugh. I played it on Easy mode and it was still difficult. The Monkey Island games spring to mind as its inspiration.

I got bogged down in the middle because it seemed to be following a fixed pattern -- find new booth, converse with odd occupants, solve puzzles, find new booth, etc. It's the kind of game that you can play for awhile, then go to another game, then return to Tony for more laughs. But I found it hard to swallow all in one long drink.

Fine review Lasanidine I felt the same way about it too. Well done game, but no problems putting it down for a while and coming back to it. All in all I'm glad I played it.