Overall, the story works quite well, as does the rest of the game. Continuously tapping the touch screen to advance the text sometimes gets monotonous, and some conversations drag on way too long, but the developers always throw players something new and restrict them to certain areas of the hotel, keeping them from getting lost. In addition, gamers may scribble notes in their pad, which the game automatically saves. Furthermore, they may save almost any time (except during conversations), allowing them to take a much-needed break after talking to several people.
Enjoyable game play notwithstanding, Hotel Dusk's graphics overshadow the item fetching and puzzle cracking. While the game features plenty of color, all of the characters sport a sketched, black and white appearance, very similar to A-ha's music video, Take on Me but without the big 80s hair. To add more impact, the developers often set them in front of colorful backdrops, creating a stark contrast that looks wonderful splashed across both DS screens. The sparse looking 3-D objects look bad, but not enough to ruin the overall presentation.
Unfortunately, the game's lack of advertising will keep Hotel Dusk away from the masses, but those who manage to locate it amongst the more popular DS games will find a unique and intriguing mystery novel full of dramatic twists and kooky characters. Be sure to stop by Hotel Dusk and check in soon.
Final Score: 8 (out of 10)
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