Zack and Wiki: The Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

If modern media hype is to be believed, the games industry these days is nothing more than a gabble of bloodthirsty loons set on perverting the minds of pre-teens by crafting games based around evisceration, running over old ladies, and drowning kittens. Zack and Wiki is different though and was never going to be censored, indeed it actually falls into the brackets of both cutesy and family friendly. Fear not however, for this is no bad thing, and so long as bright colours and adorable characters don't send you into a diabetic coma, then there's certainly a great deal of wealth to be enjoyed in this unique title. Zack and Wiki is basically a puzzle game masquerading as an adventure which tasks you with a number of well-thought out puzzles resulting in that great blend of initial confusion before later simplicity. These are usually confined within small areas packed with interactive items and switches – all of which are essential to solving the present puzzle. These items all use the Wii remote in as many different ways as possible which helps to stop the game stagnating, although a few will still have you aggressively flailing your arms around as the console fails to pick up your subtle movements. These pretty much make up the entirety of the game, yet a nice learning curve and rewarding stages keep you going. The characters themselves are endearing in a way similar to Banjo-Kazooie, cute, both occasionally funny and irritating, and not quite as memorable as they want to be. The dialogue can be quite humorous and the minimalist story is still guaranteed to gain the odd chuckle, especially with regards to the game's more surreal elements. In many ways it also reminds me of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, especially due to its stylish visuals and sharp animations. Yet after playing this for a while, you might end up yearning for a game with more variety, such as the green-capped hero’s cell-shaded Gamecube outing. Despite modern controls, the game still feels restrained in its outlook. Unless it's really your favourite genre of game, then there are only so many puzzles you can play through before your begin to tire of the game's structure and Wiki's disturbing high-pitched squeals. Yet the game still deserves to be commended. If you need to unwind with something easy on the eye and with minimal effort then Zack and Wiki will fit the bill. Although the feeling of being outthought by some of the trickier puzzles in what appears to be a kid's game could leave you questioning the value of his many years of education (it is very good at what it does). Moreover there's not an axe-wielding maniac or drive-by in sight. 6/10