Review of the Fun Point-and-click Simon The Sorcerer PC

The arrival of Simon the Sorcerer Origins stands as a welcome revival of the classic point-and-click adventure genre—a genre that, for many of us, evokes evenings of cursor-clicking, inventory-puzzling and dry British humour. Here, the team at Smallthing Studios and publisher ININ Games attempt something bold: a prequel to the beloved Simon the Sorcerer series (1993-onwards), breathing fresh life into its sarcastic narrator, whimsical fantasy world and sneaky puzzles.

Visuals & Presentation

From the first moment the game opens, you’re greeted with a hand-drawn aesthetic that leans into cartoonish charm. According to preview reports, Origins boasts over 15 000 hand-drawn frames and deliberately evokes the feel of ’90s animation with modern polish. The art style gives characters rich expressiveness—something older pixel-based adventures often lacked.

On the technical side, the transition from cinematic sequences to in-game visuals is smooth—a nice touch that maintains immersion. The bright, whimsical world design suits the series’ tone, offering plenty of visual delight. That being said, one minor gripe: the camera occasionally draws in too close to Simon, reducing the visibility of surrounding detail and somewhat limiting the sense of space.

Story & Humour

Narratively, Origins takes place just weeks before the first game in the series, offering both fans and newcomers an entry point. You play Simon in his “pre-wizard” days – a teenager dealing with his move to a new home, discovering mystical powers, and being hurled into a fantastical world by prophecy. The script wisely leans into the franchise’s trademark irreverence, absurdity and fourth-wall winks.

The voice acting is a particular highlight. Original voice-actor Chris Barrie returns as Simon, lending an instantly familiar tone and gravitas to the banter. The rest of the cast keeps pace. What’s more interesting is how the developers have woven a somewhat deeper emotional vein beneath the comedy: Simon’s relationship with his mother, his sense of displacement, and that teenage rebelliousness.This layering means it’s not just silly jokes—it has heart too.

Gameplay & Puzzles

At its core, Origins remains faithful to the adventure-game mechanics: explore scenes, interact with the environment, combine items, talk to quirky characters. The control scheme is intentionally streamlined: you can use a mouse/keyboard or controller, there’s a “run” button, and interactive hotspots can be highlighted. Puzzles have that signature “adventure game logic” that may range from clever to sideways: one early example is fishing a key out of a kitchen sink using a magnet tied to a pull-string toy.

For genre fans, that kind of goofy chain-of-logic is a delight; for others less accustomed it might feel slightly opaque. The developer interview suggests the game strikes a balance: the early part is tutorial-like and fluid, and later sections invite more open-ended exploration with a notebook of objectives and map-style navigation aids. So you get nostalgic charm, but with modest modern accessibility.

Final Thoughts

Simon the Sorcerer Origins is a triumphant return to form for the franchise, a well-crafted point-and-click adventure that brings together nostalgia, charm, and modern execution. For those who cut their teeth on adventures like this, it’s a happy homecoming. For newer players with an open mind and sense of whimsy, it’s a bright, fun ride through a magical world full of oddball jokes and wizardly shenanigans.