Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The core of Once Upon a Crime rests on a classic point-and-click interface that will feel instantly familiar to fans of 1990s adventure games. You have five action verbs—Walk, Look, Get, Use, Talk—mapped neatly across the bottom of the screen, alongside an inventory grid and a dialogue log. Navigation is intuitive: click to move Red Riding Hood from chamber to chamber, then switch verbs to examine suspicious footprints or pick up the all-important Juice of Truth. Occasional pixel hunts can slow the pace, but the hotspots are usually well-placed and often highlighted by subtle cursor changes.

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Puzzle design leans heavily on item-based challenges. You might combine a rusty key with a squeaky wheel to free the Tin Soldier, or present evidence to Granny Smith to unlock new testimony. There’s enough variety to keep things fresh—one sequence has you tailing Captain Hook through a carnival, while another traps you in King Neptune’s undersea palace—but none of the solutions ever feel unfairly obscure. A built-in hint system (triggered by prolonged inaction) nudges you in the right direction without spoiling key plot twists.

Dialogue trees play a significant role in uncovering leads. Conversations with suspects like Mr. Geppetto or Tinker Bell branch into multiple topics, and your choice of questions can open new locations or reveal hidden items. While some exchanges repeat if you backtrack too often, most characters have unique banter and witty one-liners that reward thorough exploration. The pacing strikes a good balance between investigation and light comedy, ensuring you seldom feel stuck in one spot for long.

Graphics

Once Upon a Crime employs a lovingly crafted pixel-art style reminiscent of early AGS hits. Backgrounds are richly detailed: dark, curling vines in the Wolf’s lair; the regal coral arches of Atlantis; and the warm, homely clutter of Granny Smith’s kitchen. Character sprites are expressive, with subtle animations—Red’s cloak swishes as she walks, the Fire Ghost flickers menacingly—that bring this fairy-tale mash-up to life.

The color palette is vibrant without being garish. Each location has its own dominant tones (burnt oranges in the pigsty, icy blues beneath the waves), helping you quickly orient yourself as you bounce between scenes. UI elements remain crisp and readable, even at low resolutions, and the inventory icons are distinct enough to avoid confusion in the heat of puzzle-solving. Loading times between areas are minimal, maintaining an immersive flow.

While the game doesn’t boast 3D models or high-definition textures, its retro aesthetic is part of the charm. Small touches—a goose foot dangling from the ceiling here, a mischievous wink from Tinker Bell there—add personality without taxing the system. Occasional screen transitions are accompanied by simple but effective fade-in/fade-out effects, and the overall presentation evokes nostalgia without feeling dated.

Story

Once Upon a Crime weaves a clever whodunnit around a mash-up of beloved fairy-tale icons. You play a grown-up Little Red Riding Hood freshly minted as a private investigator. Her first case? The mysterious demise of the Big Bad Wolf, who may have been slaughtered—or perhaps merely smeared in strawberry jam. From the moment you arrive at the crime scene, the game balances sly humor with classic detective tropes.

The suspect list is a who’s-who of childhood memories: Mr. Geppetto and his walking log, the stalwart Tin Soldier, Granny Smith (no relation to apples), the Three Pigs, even mythic figures like King Neptune. Each character brings a unique motive, and the dialogue is peppered with meta-references and puns that range from clever to groan-inducing. These lighthearted moments never derail the mystery, instead enriching the narrative tapestry and encouraging you to read every line of text for hidden clues.

Pacing is handled adeptly through chapter breaks and map markers. As you gather testimony and evidence, new destinations unlock—Tinker Bell’s acrylic-paint cottage, the eerie Bogey Man’s lair, and a final showdown with H.A.L. 3K aboard a steam-driven dirigible. The writing team knows when to crank up the tension (a midnight rendezvous in the swamp) and when to dial up the whimsy (a jam-stained sock turns out to be a crucial alibi). By the end, you’ll have unraveled multiple red herrings and forged genuine attachments to these larger-than-life fairy-tale denizens.

Overall Experience

Once Upon a Crime delivers a satisfying blend of nostalgia, humor, and intellectual challenge. The game’s moderate length—around 6–8 hours for a first playthrough—feels just right, never overstaying its welcome but offering enough side-quests to reward curious minds. Repeat visits uncover alternate dialogue paths and hidden inventory items, boosting replay value for completionists.

Performance is rock-solid on modern PCs and retro handheld emulators alike. Sound design is spare but effective, with creaking floorboards, dripping water effects, and a whimsical musical score that shifts to match each scene’s mood. Voiceovers are absent, which some players may miss, but the quality of the written script more than compensates. Menus are responsive, and a quick-save feature mitigates any fear of accidentally locking yourself out of a crucial item.

Ultimately, Once Upon a Crime is a love letter to classic adventure gaming and fairy tales alike. Its polished interface, clever puzzles, and engaging story make it a standout for anyone seeking a lighthearted mystery with a dash of retro charm. Whether you’re a seasoned detective or a newcomer to point-and-click adventures, Red Riding Hood’s debut case is well worth investigating.

Retro Replay Score

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