‘Dropsy’ appeals to variety of gamers

When we think of modern games, we think of soldiers getting into epic gunfights, warriors holding mighty swords, and heroes that stand the test of time to thwart evil. We don’t think of scary clowns running around hugging random people. We then see a game like “Dropsy” and wonder, “Who does this appeal to?”

“Dropsy” is a game where you play the part of an overweight clown with an interesting past. Immediately starting with a tragic scene, the game starts with a lit cigar igniting a fire that burns the clown’s circus tent to the ground. The tragedy comes when it is found that his mother did not survive the event, creating a tragic opening for what ends up being a sad, heartwarming experience.

With that in mind, this is a “point-and-click” adventure game. People who don’t find this game style appealing will not find this game enjoyable. But for people who can get immersed in a world where you run around solving puzzle, this game has a lot to offer for a $10 price tag. Dropsy the clown tries his best to improve the lives of those around him by doing them favors.

He replants a crying girls flower, feeds the hungry, helps a rock band reach its concert location, and does a number of different things to help the townsfolk. In order to do this, you have to solve puzzles that allow you to get the items that these individuals need. Some of those puzzles involve animal companions that you acquire as you advance through the game.

Before drawing childlike pictures of the individuals on the back wall, Dropsy is rewarded by giving hugs after solving the puzzles. This wall serves as your achievement list in the game, allowing you to keep track of everything you have done as you progress.

You can even hug random objects along the way to get the rewards for those, giving the literal definition of a “tree hugger” in one instance. With that in mind, the puzzle solving in this game is pretty simplistic. It isn’t overly satisfying to get another drawing on the wall when you can reach that award by simply doing stuff in the game.

Going back to the story, Dropsy sets the scene in another way through the dreams that you experience in the game. I say “experience” because the dreams put you in a strange, distorted world where you walk along a preset path until a face in the floor eventually eats you.

The dreams make you wonder what Dropsy is truly going on as he faces these mental battles throughout the game. They are a strange combination of interesting and weird and add to the strangeness of the game in a charming way.

“Dropsy” appeals to those who love the “point-and-click” style adventure games that have died out after games like “Monkey Island.” People who play “Dropsy” will get that feeling of nostalgia to some affect, but not to a great deal. It lacks the incredible world-building that comes with a game like “Monkey Island,” but it still manages to be a charming experience that is well worth the price. If you are looking for something a little weird and charming, “Dropsy” might be the game.