If Steven Spielberg were to make a video game, then that game would be Bloomtown: A Different Story. Lazy Bear Game’s latest has the same easy charm, thrilling adventure, engaging mystery, and audience-pleasing action that mark the great auteur’s best films. Bloomtown plays like a likeable combo of E.T and The Goonies, or, for those who like their pop-culture reference a little more of the moment, like a combo of Stranger Things and Wednesday. But despite these heavy-weight cultural influences, Bloomtown is still very much its own, utterly brilliant thing.
Played from a top-down perspective, Bloomtown: A Different Story has the old-school retro RPG aesthetic and turn-based combat that gamers of a certain age will absolutely adore. The game wastes no time getting into the adventure, as Emily and her brother Chester have come to spend their summer holidays with their grandpa in the cosy and welcoming 1960’s Americana inspired Bloomtown. Yet, all is not as it appears, this is a community cram-packed with mysteries and conspiracies, hidden just beneath the surface. Including, but not limited to, a host of demons seeking to take over the place and do lots of nasty demony things.
Bloomtown absolutely nails its style from the get-go. Everywhere you go, everyone you meet, you are offered the tantalising tease of secrets to uncover. It’s to the game’s credit that it mostly lets you off the lead and encourages you to go and play in the world.
A big part of the enjoyment comes from messing about with the life-simulation aspects, working out at the gym, watering plants in your garden, reading a book, phoning a friend – it really is up to you what you do with your day. Sure, there’s an overarching narrative and series of main quests that you can always return too, but for the most part you can discover an awful lot just by going for a wander. I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises, but suffice to say, this is a story that you will relish, with mysteries that are well worth the discovery.
Proceedings are further enlivened by time playing a factor. Emily can only do so much each day before she must meet her curfew and be back in bed. As such, you’ll need to be in locations at certain times, be it to access a particularly interesting shop (yes, unlike most videogames, the shopkeepers in Bloomtown keep reasonable opening hours) or to explore the museum or library. The map that accompanies you might be less than useful, but that really doesn’t matter as you are encouraged to explore, to find your own paths, and to map out your own layout of the town in your mind.
The script is generally spot on, though due to the open-ended nature of the game, characters will sometimes mention things they shouldn’t know or be bemused about information they have already been told. It doesn’t hamper the gameplay at all, it just occasionally breaks the illusion.
Those same characters are packed with personality and Emily can get up to a delightful amount of mischief in her interactions with them. Convincing a hapless museum employee that you have discovered a dinosaur is one early highlight, but there are many more to be enjoyed. In a manner akin to the early Fallout games – though without the gore – there is no punishment for being naughty. Rather Emily is free to lurch between performing good deeds and bad, being honest or deceitful, brave or cowardly; ultimately choosing the reaction that best suits the situation.
Combat, when it arrives, is played out in the classic Final Fantasy turn-based style. The fluid and detailed animation during these bouts is absolutely gorgeous and reminds me of Fire Emblem during its 2D best. The idea behind the battles is to gather demons who can help your party out with their special attacks.
One particularly addictive addition is how you can force weakened enemies to join your team – Pokémon style – and to turn their mighty attacks to your advantage. The moment where you have managed to wear down a particularly powerful demon and win them over to your side is one to savour. Occasionally the combat can feel a little on the easy side, a little lightweight and like it’s playing itself, but when the special attacks are this explosive, it’s hard to care that much.