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Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Release Date: Aug. 11, 2008
Systems: Wii (reviewed), PC
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site
0:00 I'm a cool, attractive person, and a somewhat lapsed fan of Strong Bad and
Homestar Runner, so this game seems right up my alley! I warn you now that a lot of this review won't make sense if you aren't a fan of the site. I just don't have the inclination to explain every character and in-joke.
0:01 "No time for the e-mails right now. I've got OTHER plans for the lappy today." So says Strong Bad on the preview screen as he types in the command to launch the game.
0:02 Old-school synth-y chiptune music over the logos and title. A 3-D Strong Bad walks out in front of the title screen: "Check me out! ... I'm ready for my close-up!" The 3-D model looks generally authentic, but a little off, somehow.
0:04 The options include an interesting "Give hints" option. Let's keep that at "Medium" for now. Also, the main menu is set up like the HR home page, complete with audio commentary when I hover over options. My favorites: Strong Bad saying "Sah-vay low-ad" when I hover over "save/load." and Homestar declaring "Quitters never win" when I consider quitting.
0:05 I think I figured out the problem with the character models: The animation is too stiff and the mouth movement doesn't quite match the audio. Also, the faces look too pixilated. It's not awful, just noticeable.
0:06 The tutorial says I will "learn to become cool and attractive." How can I pass that up?
0:07 "Time to check the e-mail. The e-mail, the e-mail, the e-mail," Strong Bad sings a jaunty tune. Oh no, his laptop is missing! He addresses the player: "Welcome to the required-by-videogame-law tutorial portion of my awesome game." Click stuff with the A button and Strong Bad will walk over and make a wry comment.
0:09 Strong Bad keeps old, nonworking computer disks around "so people know how cool I am for keeping them around." Ha!
0:10 Quote of the moment: "What were you, raised in a click-on-stuff-while-cool-people-are-talking barn?" Um, yes?
0:11 A recently-acquired magnifying glass shows a large grape jelly thumbprint. It belongs to "Dun dun dun... Strong Sad!" as Strong Bad puts it (he actually says "dun dun dun!" Awesome!) "Let's go across the hall to his room and unethically interrogate him."
0:12 Conversation time. I can choose between angel/devil Strong Bad icons to choose between "saying something nice or saying something I would say." Heh.
0:13 SB accuses SS of stealing the laptop! "I already told you I don't want to be a part of your stupid tutorial!" Take that, fourth wall!
0:14 When a new location gets mentioned, I can add it to the map by having SB pencil it in. Actual physical location doesn't seem to matter much in Strongbadia.
0:16 Quote of the moment: "Cheer up, Bubs. At least you're not on fire." I am going to use this line every chance I get. Even with people not named Bubs!
0:17 Got the lappy back from Bubs, and thus ends the tutorial. "Now go out there and have some fun at the expense of others!"