Below I will be looking at two critically acclaimed games that are getting a physical release in a compilation. These games are 80 Days and Overboard! that will be available from certain retailers to purchase in limited quantities and that list can be found here. Both games were released a few years ago as digital releases but I am going to revisit them to give new gamers or people who never heard of them a quick review.
Publisher: ININ Games
Developer: Inkles
Thanks to PR Hound for the review code.
80 Days
I would imagine that you have heard of Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. It is about the adventures of an eccentric gentleman named Phileas Fogg who makes a wager that he can travel from London all around the world and arrive back in London all in 80 days. This Steampunk retelling of the classic novel that sees you playing as Passepartout, Fogg’s loyal servant and it is your aim to plan everything and look after your master as he travels the globe hoping to win his wager.
The steampunk atmosphere is very advanced as the year is 1872 and there are a lot of steam-powered machines and transportation available. You plan the journey by using the intuitive map interface that allows you to navigate the globe and plan your next destination based upon what you think is best. There is no set route and often there are multiple routes to choose from and each one will give you a different outcome during the game progression.
Even though he maybe a rich gentleman money is still needed and this is where visiting the marketplaces at each destination can be helpful. You can buy items to help navigate the globe and you can buy items that you can sell later for a profit and help keep the bank balance healthy. With so many choices to choose when selecting destination routes every gameplay experience offers different outcomes and this can provide a lot of replayability to see what you can change. You won’t complete the game on first playthrough, but this is where the fun comes from trying again until you do.
Overboard!
This is a game that was originally released as a digital download back in 2021 and the story is that your husband has been murdered! The kicker is that you killed him and playing the character Veronica Villensey you must cover up your crime and this can be achieved in a few ways, including framing passengers on board the ship. You might think this sounds simple, but the in-game clock of eight hours will have you feeling a little rushed.
From planting clues to flirting and even using distraction techniques like telling people “Look a dolphin” you must come up with the perfect plan to hide your crime and fool everyone on board. The funny part is that she fails as a little detail wil come back to bite her on the butt and throws the whole plan overboard. This is a game that will keep you coming back for more. At the end of the eight hours everyone assembles in a room and then things will be revealed and your actions will also be revealed to see if you succeeded or failed.
The visuals on both games are nice and the art-style really works with the games to give a nice feel and atmosphere. The soundtrack was recorded is on a wax cylinder for Overboard! to give it an old fashion feel with a 20th century crackle on the music. They were good games back when they were released a few years ago and they still play well and if you like your physical releases then this is great. There is a special limited edition available from games rocket and is a lovely edition for the collector out there.
Final Thoughts
80 Days and Overboard! are fun games. They were good back when both came out and they are both fun still to play. The physical editions are a great addition to a collections and should be bought if it is your thing.
