Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle

A funny, challenging and very creative adventure title that should have any fan of this classic genre enthralled. The storyline is odd but filled with great characters and twists, the voice acting is second to none, and the design and makeup of the game itself leaves little to be desired.

I prefer more puzzles (as opposed to inventory conundrums) in my games as a rule but didn't miss them here. It's bright, it's breezy, it's a great bit of fun — what more can you ask for!

Runaway 2 improves on its predecessor in every way. It's bigger, more colorful, even more wacky. Locations and characters are outlandish, as is the storyline. Obscure puzzles and hot spots, as well as occasional repetitiveness, still plague this release. But I would still give The Dream of the Turtle a hearty recommendation, especially if you enjoyed "Runaway 1."

Upbeat, well-developed, clever, taxing and enjoyable, Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle should evoke one of those little impulses you won't be able to resist until you've played it to completion.

It does some things well and some things badly, and overall it lands somewhere around average. Fans of the first game will no doubt like the sequel, but for everybody else it’s likely to be an iffy proposition.

In the end, the prettiness of Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle does not entirely make up for its average sound and gameplay, but despite some of its flaws, it is still an entertaining game, and fans of the original, or those seeking a nice looking and light-hearted adventure game, will more than likely appreciate this sequel.

As point-and-click adventures go, Runaway 2 is a decent effort with good art direction and relatively high production values.

The Dream of the Turtle has the basic point-and-click formula down to a science. It does have a style all its own and it's different enough to make it an interesting alternative for those looking for something different.

With its cheeky sense of humor and immense visual appeal, Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle can be a good time for adventure gamers with a taste for the wacky, enough so that it could renew interest in the original title. Unfortunately, the more esoteric puzzles will leave you scratching your head, and the linearity of the gameplay will sometimes require that you take missteps before the correct solution will be accepted.

Runaway doesn't get everything right, in fact, there are some very frustrating aspects to the gameplay, but the story is wacky enough and art style fun enough that adventure gamers may way to give this one a shot.

The absence of any truly teeth-gnashing puzzles means that experienced players will rattle through this tropical romp in short order, but the experience will at least be an overwhelmingly enjoyable one.

If you loved or hated the first Runaway, you'll love or hate the sequel for all the same reasons. For newcomers, The Dream of the Turtle is a solid adventure, but one that falls short of its abundant potential.

Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle never really lives up to the likes of long-established adventure franchises from LucasArts. Quite simply, they don't make 'em like they used to.

The Dream of the Turtle is not quite a nightmare, but it’s not a good dream either.

Occasionally amusing and sometimes bewildering, the latest "Runaway" is an odd mixture of flaws and fun. [May 2007, p.65]

The visual calisthenics in Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle are a sheer triumph. But the dialogue-tree hula hoops will simply leave you out of breath.

You’re essentially playing an endurance test in videogame form. It’s not terrible, but it is horribly annoying. If you’re aware of that before going in you may just love it. [May 2007, p.121]

A bit more attention to the puzzles, the pace and the script, and this old-school adventure might have been more of a turtle's dream than a turtle's head. [June 2007, p.77]

If you’re into quirky stories, environments worth exploring, memorable characters, and a gameplay experience that doesn’t feel like a jumbled bag of puzzles, this is your game.

The ending is abysmal, although it is nice to see that the crew decide to have a party to ensure that they feel that enough has been accomplished for one day.

Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle starts off as a great adventure game, with plenty of potential, but basically throws it all away. [June 2007, p.58]

Perhaps the biggest disappointment about Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle, though, is that there is probably a solid adventure buried under all the teen-girl posturing and awful dialogue.

Someone obviously told the voice actors that the script was dreadfully witty as they proceed to deliver e-ve-ry li-ne slo-oo-w-ly just so you can get the full effect. It makes every conversation impossible to listen to without wanting to cut your ears off. [May 2007, p.67]

Runaway gets halfway there, but just doesn't have any soul. [June 2007, p.91]