Mar 03, 4:03 pm
My Nintendo DS never ceases to amaze me. It’s been a part of my gaming diet for almost a year and a half now, and still gets regular use. This might not sound particuarly impressive, but I’ve never been a big handheld gamer. A few rounds of GameBoy Tetris was as far as I’d ventured before I picked up my lovely red DS on import back in 2005. Thanks to a wide range of quality titles, coupled with the ingenious touch sensitive controls, the DS continues to provide gamers with original, impressive content. Animal Crossing: Wild World, Nintendogs, Elite Beat Agents, Advanced Wars: Dual Strike, Lost Magic, Children of Mana, Phoenix Wright 1 & 2… I could go on. And now we hear that the lovely Sim City will also be arriving on our dual screens soon.
But for now, my handheld gaming is dominated by Hotel Dusk: Room 215. Playing as jaded, grumpy ex-detective Kyle Hyde, Hotel Dusk is a mystery thriller set at the end of the 1970s designed as a kind-of virtual book (the DS is even held sideways, Brain Age style). But the quirkyness doesn’t end there. The thing that really stands out from Hotel Dusk is its visual style. Drawn in sketchy greys with only the occasional splatter of colour, Hotel Dusk’s drawing style reminds me of many manga comics, such as Blade of the Immortal. Cute and colourful it is not, and yet it is utterly beautiful to behold.
But it’s not a case of style over content. Though Hotel dusk is hardly a whirlwind of action and suspense, it is skilled at providing you with a curious tale of well-crafted characters. As Kyle Hyde, you are constantly trying to unlock the secrets of the story’s setting - Hotel Dusk - as well as all of the characters residing within it. What happened to Hyde’s ex-partner, the mysterious Bradley? Who is the little girl in room 219, and where is her mother? What is the secret of famous writer Martin Summer? And does room 215 really grant wishes? These are just some of the questions posed within the game. There’s also the occasional mini-game to test your skills and patience. However, Hotel Dusk is predominantly about people and the secrets they share. I think we can all relate to that.
It’s out in the UK in April, but you can get your hands on the US import copy right now. Go buy it!
