Hamlet or the Last Game without MMORPG Features, Shaders and Product Placement Review

By Andrew Nesvadba, on January 24, 2011

Publisher: Alawar Entertainment, Inc
Genre: Adventure
Released: 20 Jan, 2011
Size: 62.9 MB
Price: $2.99

PROS

Quirky & amusing visual style.
Unique interpretation of Shakespeare's work.
Clever puzzles; warms you up to its logic over time.

CONS

Fiddly tapping.
Hints range from obtuse to obvious; no middle ground or intelligent hints.

VERDICT

Grab the lite version to get a taste of Hamlet's quirky style; conquering this adventure puzzler is no easy challenge, but worth it for the smile or two you get out of it.

Full Review
App Store Info

It's safe to say that you can get a feel of the kind of humor and style you're going to get from 'Hamlet or the Last Game without MMORPG Features, Shaders and Product Placement' by Alawar Entertainment and mif2000 just from the title. I think we'll just call it Hamlet for now, OK?

In Hamlet, you play the unfortunate role of a time-traveling individual that has unwittingly managed to crush Hamlet (of the Bard's fame) and in order to prevent the future from going haywire you'll need to pretend that you are Hamlet. Things get off to a decidedly bizarre start and only get stranger as you solve screen after screen of puzzles that require some lateral thinking that (at times) doesn't always make sense, but with some experimentation you'll get in to the swing of things.

The unique cartoonish style is also as quirky as the game's sense of humor, but it's clear that the visuals were designed with a PC in mind (the platform it was released on originally) as some of the puzzles require either very precise tapping or the ability to notice minor changes on the screen. It's not entirely game breaking, but the hint system can be obtuse at times as well, providing solutions you've already worked out, but no hint to the steps in between.

Depending on your patience and cunning, Hamlet will take you anywhere from 20 minutes (super geniuses) to an hour or so to complete. This may not seem like much, but the puzzles are clever enough to feel rewarding once you succeed (and maybe a face-palm or two at your own stupidity), making this a fun and challenging adventure game to check out.