Review for Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing
An amusing mélange of science fiction and fantasy, Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing by One Of Us Studios presents a unique “take” on the classic point-and-click interface. The world the interface controls is constructed through brilliantly detailed, hand-drawn graphics and catchy music. Though at the time of this writing, there is no English voice acting, the Spanish voice-overs are appropriately engaging and make the characters plausible. Players will interact with many different characters in varied locations, guiding them through fetch quests and inventory object puzzles. Aside from a difficulty meter that is confusing to use – plus a tricky, timed mini-game – gamers will experience a thrilling adventure as they try to answer Ramas’ call.
The engaging story immediately captures players (and they may not want to escape). Mic, a lovable delivery boy and fantasy role-playing hobbyist, is sucked into the gaping maw of a wormhole and lands in the Middle Ages. He needs to survive and adapt to his surroundings while his friend Sarah and her boss, Professor Manny, work to return him to modern times.
Mic is a particularly compelling character because he has three distinct personalities, which the player controls by clicking on icons on the right side of the screen. If you select the fedora, Mic is tough and brave like Indiana Jones. Clicking on the monocle means he becomes more intelligent with an eye for detail. Choosing the feather makes him more diplomatic and able to speak freely with other characters. Clicking on the twenty-sided dice returns him to his original persona. This mechanic dovetails nicely with Mic’s role-playing interest, providing him with more depth and reinforcing his backstory.
The narrative brims with many challenges to befuddle players. The fetch quests include spending lots of time bringing items to an idol and delivering objects to Karl the alchemist, one of the characters Mic befriends. The most memorable challenge uses fruit to reveal a thief’s trail; it was quite ingenious! There was one mini-game where Mic had to toss buckets of water to extinguish a fire. If it’s not accomplished rapidly, the fire will spread to other trees. Players with slow reflexes may need outside help to complete the task. Mic’s friend Sarah is also a playable character. Sarah's puzzles pave the way for Mic to attempt to return to the present, and she acts as his guardian angel. It's important to read Sarah’s notes on Mic’s situation to point her in the right direction, which suits her detail-oriented personality. My favorite challenge that Sarah encounters involves a magical item; I enjoyed watching her scientific mind adapt to using magic.
Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing boasts great graphics reminiscent of imaginative comic panels. The visuals inject this story with colorful details, charm and beauty. My favorite locations: the alchemy lab cluttered with tubes, bottles and devices; the bandit camp with its weathered tents and ancient weaponry; and the mysterious idol area. The locations are stylized yet genuine and believable. Mic and the characters he meets move smoothly and with purpose.
The wonderful artwork combines with lively music to strengthen players’ interest in the narrative. I liked the mysterious and enticing tune at Sarah’s camp and the eerie, compelling track on the menu screen. Listening to them made me eager to be part of this world. Aside from music, this game showcases skillful voice acting. Although I couldn’t understand the words delivered in Spanish, I could recognize their tone, which gave context to the English subtitles.
For the most part, the point-and-click interface ably controls settings, load and save functions, and gameplay. However, clicking on the picture of junk at the bottom of the menu screen reveals a meter that somewhat obscures the difficulty level, because it uses pictures instead of descriptions. I suspect that I played on the easy level. Saving the game involves clicking on a button on the map screen, then on an empty spot, which displays an image of your saved game. There is no task list or hotspot indicator. Their absence didn’t negatively impact my experience, but their inclusion would have been helpful.
Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing handles interaction in a unique way. Holding down the left mouse button reveals a close-up of the character’s face and hand. Click on the eyes to get a description of the hotspot, on the mouth to start a conversation, and on the hand to grab items. It’s also possible to interact using the space bar. Players access the inventory at the top of the screen, select the item they want to apply, and then left-click or use the space bar on the targeted location. The game informs players if they are successful.
Though clearly an homage to the classics, Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing brings new aspects that embellish adventure gaming traditions. Its creative use of the point-and-click interface -- plus innovative access to the protagonist’s character traits and abilities -- adds to the fun factor. The intriguing tale adroitly bridges medieval and contemporary time zones while contrasting themes of science vs. magic; its cliffhanger ending sparks interest in and desire for future developments in the Ramas’ Call saga.
WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing
Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing is available at:
We get a small commission from any game you buy through these links (except Steam).Our Verdict:
Ramas’ Call: Twisted timing features stylized environments with vivid, colorful details, energetic sound design, and clever inventory and fetch quests. Players will enjoy its entertaining story and quirky, memorable characters.
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