Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode One

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 97 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 73 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 97
  3. Negative: 6 out of 97

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  1. apokalipto
    Aug 23, 2023
    8
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  2. Rej72380
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Throughout the years of RPG history, there have been really great RPGs such as Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. And there are games such as Hotheat Games and Penny Arcade's satirical parley into the genre called "On The Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1"

    The game starts out where your user-generated character does his chores when a giant robot comes along and steps on his house, spurring him into joining a detective agency run by perennial Penny Arcade characters Gabe and Tycho that deals with the super natural.

    Using the tried and true Diablo character movement controls (using a mouse), you explore your surroundings in the fictional 1920's town of New Arcadia, fighting enemies and completing quests for the various citizens. Using a comic book-style graphics scheme, the character models convey the humor associated with the Penny Arcade webcomic and the soundtrack does it job as excepted.

    While the game is short (around 10 hours long), On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness is still a nice RPG that fans of the Penny Arcade series and role-playing game fans can enjoy.    … Expand
  3. Larux18
    Mar 25, 2013
    9
    It is made by Penny Arcade! The main characters are Gabe and Tycho! Why would this game not be good? This game is a turn-based RPG really, with an old school vibe yet modern gameplay and hilarious story and dialogue. Since the pure beginning the story was extremely sympathetic and brought a smile to my face. The two main characters, Gabe and Tycho are hilarious and have a lot ofIt is made by Penny Arcade! The main characters are Gabe and Tycho! Why would this game not be good? This game is a turn-based RPG really, with an old school vibe yet modern gameplay and hilarious story and dialogue. Since the pure beginning the story was extremely sympathetic and brought a smile to my face. The two main characters, Gabe and Tycho are hilarious and have a lot of personality both in their dialogue and their combat, giving this game a personality itself. The turn-based combat is great, and although it may get tedious after a while there are always new stuff added to it so you can be entertained while fighting, and you can see your enemies! No annoying random battles! This game is completely enjoyable, especially for the low price it has, the downsides being a few tedious parts and annoying tasks with a few weird spikes in the difficulty curve. However that can be ignored, but this game if you want to have fun and have a good time.… Expand
  4. Kazduin
    Feb 11, 2013
    8
    After playing through both episodes, I've got to say that these two games have to be one of my most favorite pair of Indie Games ever. I never thought I'd hear myself give such high praise to a turn-based RPG(of which, I'm not too fond with turn based combat systems.) The writing alone makes these two games worth playing. It brings the humor of the Penny Arcade comics and the fun of an RPGAfter playing through both episodes, I've got to say that these two games have to be one of my most favorite pair of Indie Games ever. I never thought I'd hear myself give such high praise to a turn-based RPG(of which, I'm not too fond with turn based combat systems.) The writing alone makes these two games worth playing. It brings the humor of the Penny Arcade comics and the fun of an RPG and mashes them together, upgrades feel rewarding, the character customization feature is a really nice touch.(No matter what, your character looks like someone out of a Penny Arcade comic) and the enemies range from strange to down right bizarre. I was never a huge fan of the Penny Arcade comics, but these games are really fun. I've found myself laughing pretty hard at the comedic vulgarity which has a quite prominent existence throughout both of these games. There is a consistent atmosphere spanning each episode with each location being unique and fresh.… Expand
  5. vahn
    Dec 25, 2012
    7
    I was curious about this game and I didn't expect to be anything special, considering the moltitude of Rpgs made by other small companies and such. However, I wasn't expecting to get a pretty funny game and...well, funny, but nothing else really, mostly because it had a lot of potential, but in the end has a lot of limits and tends to become rather repetitive (but not boring, which is aI was curious about this game and I didn't expect to be anything special, considering the moltitude of Rpgs made by other small companies and such. However, I wasn't expecting to get a pretty funny game and...well, funny, but nothing else really, mostly because it had a lot of potential, but in the end has a lot of limits and tends to become rather repetitive (but not boring, which is a plus). First of all, I did like the comic book graphics and the fact that it's both bizarre and grotesque (overkills literally destroys enemies in a rain of blood) and I liked the simple leveling system and the turn based combat, which always works and it's rather simple to play with. I also liked the fact that your created character (which can be saved for the next episode) isn't just an addition to the story but a real true character that fits in and actually DOES something (it even talks and has its own personality, just to say!). But with all this I just found this game far from being perfect and the reasons aren't few. Both the exploration and the combat are controlled ENTIRELY with your mouse and ,whenever you're supposed to choose attacks, you have to press the attack button...AND press the enemy afterwards! It wouldn't be a big issue but there's no wait mode and the game won't stop while you choose, which means you need to be extremely quickly. You do use the keyboard actually but for special skills and for defense/counterattacks, and while this second idea is very nice, the special skills are bland and...sometimes not easy to do (mostly because Gabriel's attack is the only one requiring to bash the spacebar, while the others are about timing). It's not totally bad but after using the same identical skill for 8 hours of gaming, you might get tired quickly...without mentioning that you're also supposed to use them in order to get the Overkill bonuses, which aren't hard to come by but you DO need to be careful on doing them whenever you can, because the enemies are counted (about 200 enemies in total) and, after the upgrades for your weapons, you need to do those overkills 15 times for each character. It's not a big deal but requires unnecessary attention. The game isn't very big either (only 4 areas, 3 if you don't count the only area that has no enemies at all) but it's gonna take a good amount of time to reach the end (finished in about 8 hours), especially considering that the quests are enjoyable to do (reminding more puzzles than actually fetching quests), and the story "is" enjoyable but sometimes the occasional swearings and dirty words don't fit in exactly well: either exagerate, or use them wisely, but in here they tend to use them randomly, which isn't that funny (to me, at least). There is also the occasional bugs but they were extremely rare (the controls wouldn't work), and the difficulty tends to get a little too high when you switch areas, forcing you to learn the counter/defense askills faster or else you'll die often. All in all, it's a good game to enjoy, just...misses something in order to become great, but it's a game that once you play, you might forget it quick for how repetitive and bland it is, despite the good points and the funny moments. Worth a good try, especially if cheap, and especially if you want to follow the saga.… Expand
  6. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    7
    A fantastic, focused, potential-filled first episode. Precipice of Darkness plays out like a western made JRPG centered around Super Mario RPG style combat with some light (classic) adventure game elements. The story stays on track for the most part and has enough side quests to flesh out characters and keep you interested in the few areas available for exploration. Inventory and equipmentA fantastic, focused, potential-filled first episode. Precipice of Darkness plays out like a western made JRPG centered around Super Mario RPG style combat with some light (classic) adventure game elements. The story stays on track for the most part and has enough side quests to flesh out characters and keep you interested in the few areas available for exploration. Inventory and equipment management are kept to a minimum with weapons being upgraded through point-and-click adventure mechanics. Just don't expect much of the comic's humor; I guess 4 pane webcomic humor doesn't translate well to a game so the devs just make everything wacky and so randumb. Clocking in at around 7 hours this is a healthy "episode" and worth picking up if you like JRPGs. Just don't expect much humor from the PA characters.… Expand
  7. kuehnau
    May 26, 2012
    4
    I have always been a rather big fan of Penny Arcade the the views they have on the gaming industry, they have never been afraid to tell the industry and their fans how they felt about a certain game or events that were happening at the time. It has always been very refreshing to see this in a market clogged with fakers, idiots and sellouts.

    From the way they talk about games and their    I have always been a rather big fan of Penny Arcade the the views they have on the gaming industry, they have never been afraid to tell the industry and their fans how they felt about a certain game or events that were happening at the time. It has always been very refreshing to see this in a market clogged with fakers, idiots and sellouts.

    From the way they talk about games and their views and thoughts on the industry and how games are designed, I have always thought I'd see a much different game title then what they actually produced and I think that is why my disappointment is so much more here, then it would have been with any other title, simply because my expectations were so much higher.

    Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness really boils down to a J-RPG style of role playing game, which actually isn't very unique, nor is it very ambitious. It's very mediocre at best.

    The most difficult part of the entire game is learning to use it's system in order to be able to beat swarms of enemies. Like other rpgs in the past, the combat systems a level of interaction with the player in order to successfully win battles.

    By timing to win battles, you can decrease the amount of damage taken, but the game gives no indication wither or not timed keystrokes on attacks actually increase damage. It is integral that you take advantage of this system or you will never survive the game. The game features almost no currency to speak of, barely any character crafting or building and almost no equipment upgrading what so ever, in the end, it revolves around collecting parts to upgrade a single weapon for each playable character and leveling up. That's it.

    What's even more annoying is the sudden spike in difficulty. In the "normal" setting of the game, one moment you can be playing a nice, smooth RPG, in the next moment a area the game directly sends you to, the enemies can (and will) 1-HKO you, this sudden and unhelpful spike in enemy difficulty is not welcome in my opinion. In the end, it's one of the most basic, simple and some times annoying J-RPG style games I have played for the computer, all lacking the actual humor of Penny Arcade. I am glad I picked this up on sale, because had I paid full price for this title when it first came out, I would have been quite upset.    … Expand
  8. Billick
    Apr 6, 2012
    7
    This game is essentially a point and click adventure game mashed up with a Final Fantasy style RPG. The combat is fun, the dialog is funny, and the music fits with the tone of the game really well. The narrator is good, but his appearances start to get sparse after the early portion of the game. Clicking on things produces some funny descriptions, but there aren't a lot of puzzles youThis game is essentially a point and click adventure game mashed up with a Final Fantasy style RPG. The combat is fun, the dialog is funny, and the music fits with the tone of the game really well. The narrator is good, but his appearances start to get sparse after the early portion of the game. Clicking on things produces some funny descriptions, but there aren't a lot of puzzles you typically see in P&C adventure games. The RPG elements are pretty light. The story and upgrades are both fairly linear, and there isn't a lot of customization for your characters. The game is also fairly short. If you like Penny Arcade, this game will probably give you several hours of solid entertainment.… Expand
  9. JonesR
    Aug 19, 2011
    5
    It's like an interactive RPG comic book. The strong point is in the story which is on the wild and crazy side containing lots of fun and originality, but there is a little too much reading for my taste creating lots of dull moments. It's certainly something worth experiencing for the $1 sale price, but it's not something that is going to impress. Good time filler if you are looking forIt's like an interactive RPG comic book. The strong point is in the story which is on the wild and crazy side containing lots of fun and originality, but there is a little too much reading for my taste creating lots of dull moments. It's certainly something worth experiencing for the $1 sale price, but it's not something that is going to impress. Good time filler if you are looking for something different to play in between your regular games.… Expand
  10. GolovA
    Aug 7, 2011
    7
    It's hard to stop once you start this game. But the fun factor soon withers away after you understand how limited this supposedly "RPG" really is - you cannot trade, you cannot develop your character (Role Playing Genre?! Hello?), and you do not really have any freedom in progressing. Nonetheless, this is a funny and humorous game that offers light submersion and time passing.
  11. jlm264
    Feb 3, 2011
    9
    The game is amazing and would have gladly paid the $14 for it. Its a short game and is not to be enjoyed by all. It has a perverted humor and is sometimes disturbing to. I loved it and am just finishing the first one. I am getting ready to play the second chapter(got em both for $4 on steam!). I hope the 2nd game is even better and has a longer story.
  12. TimB
    May 25, 2009
    9
    Hilarious dark dialog and a brilliant take on adventure gaming. The cell shading is bright and suits the mood perfectly and I would recommend this to any one who can appreciate the Penny Arcade sense of humor. Not for everyone, but this game is for sure in my Top Ten ever.
  13. mehmeh
    Sep 14, 2008
    7
    For the cheap price tag, Penny arcade delivers a funny and refreshing RPG. I use the term RPG loosely as there isn't that much depth to character creation, but the game is simply fun.
  14. RyanD
    Sep 5, 2008
    8
    This game was better than I expected. It looks exactly like the comic, especially when it comes to characters. Voice acting would have been appreciated but it is still a fun but short game.
  15. DavidF
    Sep 5, 2008
    10
    I liked the demo so far. I'm going to unlock the full version today. The game play has elements not found in other adventure games.
  16. JamesC
    Aug 24, 2008
    9
    This is easily the best game I have played in a long time. The story is entertaining and humorous; the characters are detailed and likable; and the combat is simple, yet challenging. Though it was somewhat short for $20, every minute was enjoyable, making it the best 8 hours I've ever had for $20. My only complaints are that the controls weren't always intuitive (it took me This is easily the best game I have played in a long time. The story is entertaining and humorous; the characters are detailed and likable; and the combat is simple, yet challenging. Though it was somewhat short for $20, every minute was enjoyable, making it the best 8 hours I've ever had for $20. My only complaints are that the controls weren't always intuitive (it took me until half way through the game to realize when I should block) and the story-based nature doesn't lend itself to replay or exploration. I absolutely loved playing this game and can't wait for the next episode.… Expand
  17. RobertT
    Jul 26, 2008
    9
    I enjoy PA, and I enjoyed this game. It's somewhat old-school rpg, in that you wait until you can preform an action (item, attack, or special attack) and you get to watch as each ability "recharges" The story is funny, the gameplay takes a little while to get used to, and the achievements they have are a fun diversion (though a couple of them are quite hard to achieve...no healing I enjoy PA, and I enjoyed this game. It's somewhat old-school rpg, in that you wait until you can preform an action (item, attack, or special attack) and you get to watch as each ability "recharges" The story is funny, the gameplay takes a little while to get used to, and the achievements they have are a fun diversion (though a couple of them are quite hard to achieve...no healing items on the last fight, or never letting anyone in the party die...those are pesky little tasks) I like it, it looks nice, plays well, and is a fun story.… Expand
  18. KevinZ
    Jul 16, 2008
    9
    A truly delightful and addicting game! I bought this not expecting much, but I was drawn in after only 15 minutes. There is a great deal of humor, and you don't really need to be familiar with the comic to get it. Combat, while simple, is very fun and I didn't get bored of it. Unfortunately, there are relatively few puzzles that require only brain power. However, great game and A truly delightful and addicting game! I bought this not expecting much, but I was drawn in after only 15 minutes. There is a great deal of humor, and you don't really need to be familiar with the comic to get it. Combat, while simple, is very fun and I didn't get bored of it. Unfortunately, there are relatively few puzzles that require only brain power. However, great game and well worth the 20 dollars and 6 hours required to play it!… Expand
  19. EricE
    Jul 15, 2008
    8
    Not a bad little adventure game. I enjoyed it, only lasted about 5 hours though. The only thing I didn't like is the unnecessary swearing throughout. No real purpose for it other then to swear. Probably could have created a edited version with no problem. Anyway... Still a good short game.
  20. PaulO
    Jul 12, 2008
    1
    If you are one of those annoying nerds who thinks Penny Arcade is a quality comic, you may enjoy this game. Otherwise, go play Sam&Max instead.
  21. LutExIV
    Jul 8, 2008
    8
    Before commenting, I will preface my review with this little caveat; I had never read a Penny Arcade strip in my life. I downloaded the OTRSPOD demo because I like the premise, and thought I might enjoy the game. I enjoyed the demo so much, I bought the full game. The art style fits perfectly to the games comic strip feel. The writing is witty and fun, and made me literally laugh out loud Before commenting, I will preface my review with this little caveat; I had never read a Penny Arcade strip in my life. I downloaded the OTRSPOD demo because I like the premise, and thought I might enjoy the game. I enjoyed the demo so much, I bought the full game. The art style fits perfectly to the games comic strip feel. The writing is witty and fun, and made me literally laugh out loud at times. The combat is refreshingly shallow; it doesn… Expand
  22. Bobbananas
    Jun 28, 2008
    1
    Piecee of crap, horrible game should not play even if you get it for free.
  23. JamesS.
    Jun 15, 2008
    8
    Was a fun game took me 8 hours to beat the game with every secret found so if your looking for a solid 7-8 hours of gameplay I would buy this.
  24. BrandonD.
    Jun 14, 2008
    10
    Never has such a minimalistic game delivered so much pure joy. The writing was fast, witty, and as slick as the aforementioned precipice of darkness. After finally figuring out the block aspect of the game, around 10-20 min in, I was in awe of the storyline that's depth mirrors an iceberg. You think, clowns, have to punch them all, and then you get engrossed in a conflict versus the Never has such a minimalistic game delivered so much pure joy. The writing was fast, witty, and as slick as the aforementioned precipice of darkness. After finally figuring out the block aspect of the game, around 10-20 min in, I was in awe of the storyline that's depth mirrors an iceberg. You think, clowns, have to punch them all, and then you get engrossed in a conflict versus the Gods themselves. Flashy comic book style graphics, simple yet satisfying controls, and hilarious writing give this game all you need, even for a beginner. The only downfall is that its in episodic format so you only get about 6 hours worth of millage out of it. I for one will be spamming F5 to refresh their page so as not to miss episode 2.… Expand
  25. Matt
    Jun 12, 2008
    9
    A well thought out game that truly touched the core of "what used to be" in the gaming industry. The experience is entertaining, challenging, and humorous. The fighting is well balanced and isn't the lame one button clicking that more recent games have become. The episodic approach is nice, but I know some will not like this approach. The benefit for the creators is a more open time A well thought out game that truly touched the core of "what used to be" in the gaming industry. The experience is entertaining, challenging, and humorous. The fighting is well balanced and isn't the lame one button clicking that more recent games have become. The episodic approach is nice, but I know some will not like this approach. The benefit for the creators is a more open time table and the ability to put more thought and detail into the experience. The downside is you are not buying a "whole game" in the classic sense. The fighting is good, and there is a range of enemies with both specific strengths and weaknesses. There's a lot of classic Final Fantasy feel. It might not be as dynamic as some folks would like, but it's GOOOOD, more so than I was even expecting. The boss battles are tough and require everything you've got. About the only thing I'd like more of is adventuring. The game play is rather linear and straight forward. Part of the classic adventure architecture is the open ended game play, roaming, just adventuring. The game is more exact and straight forward. You are always told what to do next, if not directly, in hints. There was little guess work. This is my only real gripe with the game.… Expand
  26. Master
    Jun 11, 2008
    8
    It' not a serious game, but its worth playing! As a break ,when playing serious game, its great!
  27. JacobB.
    May 30, 2008
    8
    Combat seems impossible at first but gets playable and fun....definitely addicting.
  28. JesseS.
    May 28, 2008
    10
    Excellent gameplay, hilarious writing, crisp and colorful 2D/3D artwork. Everything a fan of Penny Arcade or Adventure RPGs could ask for.
  29. TheCheezwhiz
    May 27, 2008
    10
    Awesome Game. Funny enough the PC Format and Edge magazine reviews were done by the same individual and managed to magically differ by 28 points - go figure.
  30. JonathonH.
    May 27, 2008
    9
    Episodic games tend to do poorly in the traditional review system - 'too short' tends to be a common complaint, regardless of the fact that the games often contain four/five hours of content, which constitutes great value considering the price point they're sold at. On The Rain Slick looks great, plays well - including a combat system that's deeper than the demo would Episodic games tend to do poorly in the traditional review system - 'too short' tends to be a common complaint, regardless of the fact that the games often contain four/five hours of content, which constitutes great value considering the price point they're sold at. On The Rain Slick looks great, plays well - including a combat system that's deeper than the demo would have you believe - and contains the funniest writing in an adventure game this side of the millennium. I can't say how the game's setting and humor will stand up for players who haven't read the comic, but I suspect the appeal will be fairly universal, the M rating notwithstanding. I enjoyed Sam and Max, but On The Rain Slick was another level for me entirely. It's twenty dollars; avoid it at your peril.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Best PC Game of 2008
37
#37 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
64
#64 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 1 out of 23
  1. Edge Magazine
    40
    With the episodic development cycle all but demanding that structure and form be locked down in the first instalment, with content added thereafter, the series' future looks precarious at best. [June 2008, p.90]
  2. GamesRadar+
    80
    Of course, the real star of PAA isn’t the gameplay, but the humor. It’s a lot like playing a comic strip, and should be approached as such.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer UK
    78
    An excellent piece of fan-service, but the actual game part doesn't stand up to much dispassionate scrutiny. And now, if you're not a Penny Arcade fan, you can't criticize it for that. It's not for you. [June 2008, p.74]
    Read full review
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