Following on from previous deduction style games like Papers Please and Out of the Box, Lil Guardsman comes packing some new ideas, a beautiful cartoon art style, superb voice acting and an ample dose of humour.
You play as Lil. A 12-year-old girl who just wants to enjoy her youth but oftentimes ends up having to keep tabs on her loveable, but not so responsible father. He works as a Guardsman for The Sprawl, where his job is to vet those wanting access to the gated community and verify their intentions. Without spoiling any of the plot, events see Lil placed in her fathers position.
With each person, or group that approaches looking for entry to The Sprawl, you have to decide whether to admit or deny, with a jail option being added in later levels. Each day you are given instructions on what to watch out for, with the criteria changing as the story evolves. This provides vital clues on how to be more successful at your job.
This isn’t the only assistance you have though. You are given a truth spray, metal detector, x-ray machine, decoder ring and whip to help aid your interrogation… I mean job. At first these can only be used once per day though, with you normally having to grill between 5-8 different individuals. Also, you only have three action points per person. So deciding on the right course of action for each person can be tricky.
At times wearing them down with three questions will be enough. However, sometimes for example you may need to use the metal detector to find a hidden item on their person to reveal their true intentions. Each interaction is scored at the end, along with a helpful note giving you advice on what could have yielded better results. You do get a certain amount of retries each day, so if you feel you can do better you do have the option to try again. Breathing down your neck are Councilwoman Ash, Lieutenant Stryker and Royal Jester Malcolm. They sometimes have conflicting ideas of how to proceed, and so you have to decide who to keep happy and when.
What really makes Lil Guardsman stand out is the level of detail Hilltop Studios has gone to with each character you encounter. Throughout your playthrough you will meet over 100 different characters, each with excellent voice acting and their own backstory. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously and the next bit of comedy is never far away. Like the man who arrives looking for a spectacular hat near the beginning of the game and will pop up daily, each time in a different hat, bemoaning that it isn’t as spectacular as his previous hat. There are also pop culture nods throughout, which I don’t want to ruin, but always bring a smile when they pop up.
The story isn’t going to win any awards for best narrative, but it does a good job of facilitating the gameplay and the characters that constantly delight during your 8-10 hour run time. It navigates war, discrimination and more, but does so with wit and clever writing. With each passing day, more responsibility is added to 12-year-old Lil through increasingly outlandish circumstances. From a blind date styled game show to see what warrior is fit to save a princess, to being seconded as a wedding planner, there is never a dull moment in Lil Guardsman.
The game has two endings depending on how you handle certain situations, so between wanting to see everything the game has to offer and wanting to complete the really well thought out trophy list, I can’t wait to dive back in for a second run.
Lil Guardsman is a point-and-click adventure where you interview people, almost always resulting in funny situations and dialogue. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you may not enjoy the game. But if you have ever enjoyed a game in a similar vein to this I highly recommend checking it out. Hilltop Studios has created a fun, endearing and funny adventure that I won’t soon forget.
-Craig
