MacLife UK – August 2019

All image rights: BTF.

Described by its developers as “Twin

Peaks meets the X–Files”, Truberbrook is

a stylish adventure game that casts you in

the role of Hans Tannhauser, a student

visiting the German town of Truberbrook

during the Cold War era of the 1960s.

After checking in to his hotel, Hans

discovers that some of his notes have

been stolen, so he begins to explore

Truberbrook and starts chatting to some

of the locals. Along the way he encounters

some eccentric characters, such as the

inventor Lazarus Taft, and another

student, called Gretchen, who joins Hans.

Needless to say, the crazy inventor guy

does what crazy inventors always do, and

introduces Hans to a sci–Ľ mystery

involving wormholes and inter–

dimensional travel. We won’t drop any

spoilers, but if you’re a fan of the X–Files

then you’ll feel right at home with the

dimension–hopping quantum quandaries.

That’s nothing unusual for computer

games, though, and it’s Truberbook’s

stylish presentation that makes it stand

out from the crowd. All the background

scenery in the game is actually hand–

made physical models, digitized in order

to create some really striking 3D graphics.

So, rather than simply walking sideways

across a 2D screen as you explore each

location, the scene often gently rotates to

create a sense of movement and

perspective. The control system works

well too, with a double–click allowing you

to “power–walk” when you want to pick

up the pace, while the Space bar can give

you the occasional hint if you get stuck.

There are some rough edges, though

— not least of which are the misleading

system requirements listed on the App

Store. Many of the puzzles are also fairly

routine, or simply involve random

clicking to Ľnd an item, such as a key. The

developers and voice actors are German,

and the English translations sometimes

sound a bit awkward too. It’s also a little

pricey for an adventure that only lasts six

to eight hours. Even so, Truberbrook’s

sheer style helps to draw you in, and the

short running time ensures you’ll stay

gripped right to the end.

THE BOTTOM LINE. A stylish click–and–

point adventure, with a healthy dose of

X–Files sci–Ľ mystery. CLIFF JOSEPH

Truberbrook

Atmospheric sci–fi adventure game, with slick 3D graphics

$26.99 From BTF, truberbrook.com

Needs macOS 10.11, 64–bit processor, GeForce 775M or Radeon HD 6970 or Intel Iris Pro

Hand–made models

and scenery add a

dramatic 3D effect to the

game’s graphics.

TRUBERBROOK

Stylish 3D graphics

Atmospheric

sci–fi story

Fairly short

playing time

Some puzzles aren’t

very challenging

GOOD

As soon as you walk into a disused science lab you

know there’s some sci–fi weirdness heading your way.

Tough testing, trusted ratings

maclife.comAUG 2019 49