Thursday, January 29, 2009

Game of the Moment

What have I been doing this week? What everybody else seems to be doing as well--playing "Dangerous High School Girls In Trouble."


















Not only do you have to love a computer game with a name like this, but this is the most unusual game I have seen in ages. Beautifully designed to look like a board game, done in elegant watercolor, this game combines all the things a 1920s flapper can teach that girls of today need to know: How to play poker, expose secrets, successfully taunt others, and flirt with boys who will then sacrifice themselves for you.

But this isn't only about being bad--learning these skills allows your girls to outwit adults in order to solve a mystery and save the innocent, as well as successfully serve as matchmakers to at least three deserve-to-be-happy couples.

You start with selecting the girl who will be Queen of your gang--from a group of 12 possible, each of whom has different strengths.


















You then travel around the school looking to recruit other girls for your gang, occasionally attending classes as well.


















Once you have your gang complete, you begin to investigate why the school nurse is covering up accidents, while outmaneuvering the Liars, Bullies and Stoolies.

















Eventually, your investigations take you out into the tougher world of Downtown Brigiton, where the boys are harder to hook, and the adults are corrupt, venal, or pathetic, yet all are harder to outwit.

The game and the producing company Mousechief are garnering a lot of positive reviews and nominations. This is the most delightful and amusing game I've played in a very long time, and I highly recommend it. Check out a one hour free demo at Big Fish Games.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If you download the game from Mousechief.com, you don't have to worry about a one hour time limit. It let's you play through a heathy portion of the beginning and then asks for purchase. But you can replay that beginning as many times as you like.

Also, if you buy it from Mousechief, the developer gets a lot more of the money.

They have a Macintosh version as well as a Windows version.