XBOX REVIEW | Amanda The Adventurer

“You should never be afraid to try something new!” – Amanda

On the face of it, you could very well look at the name and cover art for Amanda the Adventurer and think this is a game aimed at kids. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. While it may not be a horror game, it’s definitely something in between. You play as Riley Park, who has just received a letter from his late Aunt Kate. In the letter, Aunt Kate tells Riley about a VHS tape in the attic that she wishes to pass on, with a warning that once Riley watches it, there’s no going back.

When Riley watches the first VHS tape, he is introduced to Amanda and her friend Wooly the sheep. It’s like watching a cartoon show from the late 80s that really does not have the biggest budget. While it shows this girl called Amanda and her friend Wooly, I immediately felt this unnerving feeling, as the tape plays and often stutters and distorts, which really does add to the tension. Then, when the tape ends, you have to solve a series of puzzles with clues coming from the last videotape you just watched. You can rewatch the videotape if needed, as some clues are much more obvious than others.

Things I liked!

• Puzzles | The puzzles, while they may start off pretty simple, get more and more creative the further you get in the game. It’s easy to see that the developer had lots of fun implementing their ideas into Amanda the Adventurer. I had a piece of paper and was jotting down notes while watching the VHS tapes, which could help save time later. Amanda the Adventurer has five endings, so multiple playthroughs will be required to find all the endings and beat all the puzzles. When you are watching a VHS tape again on a new playthrough, you are able to fast forward parts that you have seen before, which is very handy.

• Very Creepy Atmosphere | Amanda the Adventurer gets the tone of the tension and atmosphere spot on. As you explore the attic with all its surprises, like items moving while you are busy watching the VHS tapes play on this very old-fashioned-looking television, the actual videos you watch come across as very eerie.
  
  
• Sound | I was really impressed with the voice actors. The main two characters both do a tremendous job, along with some of the other voice actors whose characters you will see on the VHS tapes as you progress through Amanda the Adventurer. The music is also another great achievement, featuring an original soundtrack designed especially for Amanda the Adventurer. It adds to the atmosphere and creepy setting in the attic. The music also sounds like something out of an 80’s kids’ TV show.

Mixed & disliked!

• Playthrough Length | Each playthrough is completed in under an hour, and multiple playthroughs are required to see all the different endings. While the puzzles are definitely a plus, having to repeat them over and over on a new playthrough can start to feel repetitive.

• Story | While you have Riley, who receives a letter from his late auntie who has passed away, telling him about the VHS tape in the attic, I felt that the story could have been so much better. Instead, you are just curious to complete each puzzle to see what’s on the next VHS tape.

How long did I play the review before publishing? 5 Hours
How long to beat the story? 1 Hour
How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 11/19 or 400/1000G
How long to achieve 1000G | 5 Hours +
You’ll love this game if you like these | Poppy Playtime: Chapters 1-3 & Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

CONCLUSION

Score: 78/100 – I enjoyed Amanda the Adventurer much more than I expected after my initial impression when I started playing. The pure eeriness you experience when watching the first VHS tape sets the mood for the rest of the game perfectly. You can instantly suspect that something isn’t quite right and are intrigued to carry on playing to find out more about Amanda and her petrified friend Wooly. While it’s not really a scary game, it does have its moments of hidden horror. Amanda the Adventurer 2 has just released on Steam, so hopefully we also get the chance to play the sequel on Xbox soon too.