Another disappointing element of Act two is its lacklustre story which didn’t rise up to the occasion nor live up to expectations. Act two had the chance to expand, a great foundation to build upon, but unfortunately it stayed far too close to home and embraced the safe and familiar route, a shameful decision. However, regardless of act two’s achievements, it doesn’t change the fact that act one did nearly the exact same thing and was far more original as it had no template to rely on. It’s a beautiful art style that will undoubtedly hold its own for many years to come. Broken Age has this phenomenal pastel-esque art style that is drop dead gorgeous and vibrantly unique in its own right. Dialogue is genuinely funny, and though it’s not as original as the first, act two thankfully manages to inhabit the same humorous charm. The great cast of characters are accompanied by the expected well-written script crafted by Tim Schafer. Characters such as the hilarious Chip, a hipster lumberjack who’s afraid of commentating trees, and Harmn’y Lightbeard, a peculiar leader fixated on lightness, add substantial depth to the wonderfully crafted world of Broken Age. Characters are, however, as charming as ever and even though they’re extremely familiar, it’s still great to interact with them once again and dive deeper into their story and personality. That initial, raw excitement of uncertainty is unfortunately tamed and never fully fleshed out in the same capacity as the first act.

For starters, Act two primarily takes place in the exact same locales as act one that means you’ll be traversing familiar landscapes and interacting with familiar faces. The exact same characters in the exact same places…Īct one was so wonderfully realized and its world so immaculately built that it’s fairly difficult to not be underwhelmed by act two’s execution as it doesn’t bring anything new to the table nor does it expand on the grand foundation of its initial counterpart. So does Act two live up to the insurmountable expectations that were gloriously left by its predecessor? Unfortunately, Act two can’t even hold a candle to its older brother. It was one of my favourite games of 2014 and its successor crawled its way onto my anticipated games of 2015 list. The cliffhanger was brilliantly written and inserted at such a riveting moment that I couldn’t help but want more. To sum it all up, I absolutely loved act one of Broken Age as it was clever, refreshing, and most importantly, it revitalized a dying genre. On top of the well written story, act one is wrapped up in one of the most tantalizing and brilliant cliffhangers that I have ever experienced regardless of its medium of entertainment. They require a delicate slice of patience and will incept a rewarding “ah ha” feeling of discovery. The puzzles are most definitely challenging at times, but never too unapproachable and/or unachievable. It’s extremely well-written and its respectful, never forceful, approach to comedy is a welcomed touch. The story is a well-rounded coming-of-age adventure, learning about independence, responsibility, and one’s ultimate place in the overarching world. The writing and characters were done wonderfully thanks to director Tim Schafer’s immaculate work and the fantastic performances given by Elijah Wood and Masasa Moyo. Broken Age has one of the most vibrantly beautiful art styles I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing, something ripped straight from a children’s storybook, catering to an underused pastel design. Broken Age: Act 1 is a phenomenal work of art that is endearing, clever, humorous, challenging, and absolutely gorgeous. Since I never wrote a review for the first act of Broken Age, let me share my thoughts on act one before diving head first into act two.

Broken age elijah wood