Rock, Paper, Shotgun

So here’s a bit of unexpected news. It comes out of leftfield for us to learn that Penny Arcade’s Penny Arcade Adventures episodes are to get a third and final episode – since it was abandoned by Hothead to work on Deathspank – but it’s even more surprising to learn that Zeboyd (they of lo-fi RPG treat Cthulhu Saves the World) are making it. Really? Apparently so. Zeboyd say: “Zeboyd Games is pleased to announce that we are currently working on Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rainslick Precipice of Darkness Episode 3. Yes, we’re serious.”

Expect something 16-bitlike, by the looks of it.

No, don’t panic. Calm! Calm! That’s how Chris W’s friend informed him via tweet that there won’t be a third episode of the Penny Arcade games. Wot a bast! Anyway, despite Hothead previously saying they’ll do it despite sales of Episode 2 being a third of Episode 1. Hothead plan to concentrate on DeathSpank, but finish the actual narrative on their website. More info on Shacknews and Joystiq, who broke the story. All in all, a bit of a shame.

I suspect, speaking purely personally, my problem with episodic games is going to be pretty much my problem with episodic TV. I just don’t have time to actually experience them before the next one comes along. Such is the case of Penny Arcade Adventures, whose first episode I’ve really meant to give a shot and I haven’t got around yet. And now comes the second one, complete with 300Mb demo for you to download. Man!

For those who require some manner of trailer before making such a commitment of bandwidth, you’ll find the trailer beneath the cut.
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A trio of trailers have appeared for the next instalment in the “Penny Arcade Adventures” as it’s so mercifully being abbreviated to in most circles. The first part of the episodic adventure-cum-RPG was really rather fun, so there’s good reason to have your looking aimed forward. All three videos below.

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EDIT: Now with added demo impressions!

My inane comments about the comic below the jump, let’s make this post more useful. You can get the demo of Penny Arcade Adventure: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One here.

It’s about half an hour’s tutorial, introducing the combination of point-n-click interaction and turn-based combat, as well as letting you play with the character creator. It’s fair to say the demo doesn’t give you the scope of the game – it teases you with that at the very end, in the way demos are supposed to – so the demo is mostly hitting dustbins, and robots that look like dustbins. But wow, the animation is gorgeous. They’ve done a really decent job of blurring 2D and 3D, and the art direction is pretty stunning. Plus, there’s a few nice gags in the pop-up descriptions.

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