Death of the Reprobate

« Comedy games are considered notoriously difficult to pull off, but ones like this demonstrate that the challenge isn’t inherent to the medium - it really just comes down to how many people making games are actually good at comedy. Death of the Reprobate, with humor that’s sharp and dumb in equally amusing measure, is some damn good comedy - and maybe more than a little damned. »

« Death of the Reprobate is a delightfully devilish narrative experience that has you gasping with laughter at every interaction. The game forgoes challenge in order to provide the player with a seamless experience which is to its merit, but could do with a little less hand holding. Despite this, you really do want to stop and smell the roses when you play this game as its artstyle is a wonder to behold, and a bit yucky in other places. Its quirky characters and its use of the renaissance is unique and accessible to any player that doesn't have a degree in art as it prizes itself in how fun of a time you’ll have with it. »

« Death of the Reprobate is genuine highbrow buffoonery. With its biting satire, intuitive gameplay, and Renaissance style, Richardson has once again proven he can make profound statements about human nature while making us laugh at our own pettiness. Though it bears the common afflictions of the point-and-click genre, it nonetheless endures as a splendid finale to the Immortal John Triptych. »

« Fun, cheeky and irreverent, Death of the Reprobate prances through art history with a wicked twinkle in its eye, and is one of this year's most memorable adventure games. »

« Quotation forthcoming. »

« While Death of the Reprobate is not a perfect experience, this brief journey doesn’t overstay its welcome. I’m a Joe Richardson fan, and I can’t wait to see what he does next, even if it’s nothing like his previous works. Clearly, he’s a talented individual who deserves success. If unique experiences are your wheelhouse and you don’t mind some potty humor to go with your high-brow language, then please support this developer. »

« Death of the Reprobate is a whirlwind of madness, showcasing a parade of characters with no logic and questionable morality. The humor is, let’s say, quite unique, but it perfectly complements the distinctive graphic style typical of all Joe Richardson’s works. Perhaps the author is a bit too imaginative in designing his puzzles, but we’re happy to overlook that if it means getting one of the most entertaining and original titles of the year. »

« Death of the Reprobate offers both artistic complexity and simple humor. It’s a journey full of laughs, jeers, and disgust — and at the end of the day, isn’t that all someone could want from a trip to an art museum? »

« Joe Richardson brings his Immortal John trilogy to a dramatic conclusion with “Death of the Reprobate”. This point-and-click adventure, a whimsical masterpiece crafted from the canvas of Renaissance paintings, exudes a distinctly British humour that would not be amiss in a Monty Python sketch. But does this audacious blend of art and comedy ascend to the heights of a magnum opus, or is it just a bottle of piss? Sticking to its iconic formula, this series masterfully blends the visual allure of Renaissance paintings with classical music, punctuated by timely sound effects that reflect in-game events. The artistry of incorporating scenes and characters from various works of art continues to astonish, even into the third instalment. The labour required to seamlessly fuse these elements to make them appear naturally part of the scene is truly overwhelming. The orchestral background music perfectly captures the period setting, and even those unfamiliar with classical music will recognize many of the tunes as they navigate through the game's diverse sections. One minor critique concerns the revamped dialogue display. While the improvement is mostly welcome, and the calligraphy-style text complements the game's aesthetic, the choice to present it in speech bubbles rather than on strips of paper feels out of place. Let us be honest, point-and-click adventures are not usually celebrated for their rich storytelling and deep character development. This is perfectly fine for the genre, as the narrative's primary role is to provide a starting point and a clear goal. It simply needs to be engaging enough to keep the player moving forward, with characters serving as puzzles to solve and move on from. "Death of the Reprobate" follows this formula to a tee, clearly outlining the player's objectives and, upon completion, rewarding them with a brief, darkly surreal ending. Along the way, you encounter bizarre and quirky characters, each with their own problems to solve, serving their purpose adequately. However, it is worth noting that the plot echoes the first game, "Four Last Things." Instead of committing the seven deadly sins, this time you must complete seven virtuous deeds. The short playtime kept the simple puzzles from becoming tedious in this entry. Interestingly, only one puzzle left me puzzled, though I found a workaround, I am still unsure if it was the intended solution or just an easy bypass. Compared to "Four Last Things" and "The Procession to Cavalry," I found the puzzles to be much easier this time, or I had simply become more attuned to Joe's unique and twisted thought process. Reflecting on my playtime of the previous two titles, it was evident that this one was slightly shorter. Those who know me well are aware that I have a knack for inadvertently uncovering bugs and glitches in video games. However, this time around, I did not encounter any game-breaking or significant issues. In fact, there was only one minor and inconsequential bug, if I clicked near a building's entrance, the protagonist would sometimes enter the building instead of moving to the desired spot. This was easily remedied by clicking a slightly different spot on the screen, so it is hardly worth addressing. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Is it a stellar example of a point-and-click adventure? Without a doubt. Would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly. Should you play all three games in The Immortal John series? Definitely. Is there a “but” coming? Yes, and here is why. I adore the idiosyncratic and playful essence that harks back to the genre's classic roots. It is a must-buy for any point-and-click fan. Although it is a stand-alone game, I recommend playing all three to fully appreciate the developer’s story that spans seven years. So, what is the “but”? At its core, the formula has not evolved much across the titles. This leads to diminishing returns, not in quality, but in the novelty and impact of each release. With each iteration, the experience feels a bit less fresh. Consequently, I cannot rate “Death of the Reprobate” as highly as I would like. »