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Review – Little Briar Rose

prince dialogue
Review – Little Briar Rose
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Platforms: Windows PC, Mac, Linux, Steam

Game Name: Little Briar Rose

Publisher: Mangatar Games

Developer: Elf Games Works

Genre: Adventure

Release Date: December 2nd, 2016

Little Briar Rose from Elf Games Works

In the most adorable point-and-click fantasy world, Little Briar Rose, developed by Elf Games Works, presents an innovative adventure of a series of lovestruck princes. One by one, they must journey into a forest and solve puzzles to reach the sleeping princess Aurora. If a prince happens to be unsuccessful, another will come forth and leave off where the former suitor failed to prosper. It is quite the charming little escapade, enveloped with riddles that will drive you mad. Nonetheless, I’d say it’s an adventure worth taking.

Pretty Little Briars

For starters, the stained glass art style had me swooning from start to finish. Even if the game was absolutely horrible, the visuals would make it at least five times better. The astonishing details and colors embedded in each scene create a fun gameplay environment, not to mention the amusing words exchanged between the prince and fairy tale creatures he happens upon. They truly are something special and are super diverse.

The first prince that decides to take on the grueling forest is Stephen I. His first quest is to help the gnomes build a library based on each of their personal tastes. If he chooses wrong and even one gnome disagrees on his craftsmanship, his escapade will end and another prince will step up to the plate, and so on and so forth. I have to be honest here – after many princes and their failures, I stopped paying attention to their names, because why get attached to someone who is bound to be a disappointment anyway? It just doesn’t make sense.

prince puzzle

Though Little Briar Rose is delightful, its riddles can be very tedious, but most aren’t too difficult. At one point I wondered if I was going to run out of princes because I wasn’t paying close enough attention to what had to be done. Attention to detail is very important if a prince is to succeed, and at least ten of mine learned that the hard way. Seriously, there has got to be some special award for undergoing the first prince’s journey in its entirety without faltering. Granted, at times the riddles might as well be guessing games. Some clues aren’t very straightforward, so it all boils down to the luck of the trade.

Stained Glass

Not everything about Little Briar Rose is appealing, though. Early on there is a moment where the prince must do some fishing, which is very dreary work, but there is no way to bypass the madness. Specific items need to be caught in the stream, which requires multiple casting of the fishing rod accompanied by multiple failures. Consistent clicking in a patterned manner becomes relevant, and though your poor finger will pay the price, it is the only way to flourish. Ah, and all for the Mermen to accept the gnomes’ help, only because they were wearing the bodies of large fish.

Yeah, it’s kind of complicated.

prince fishing

Elf-Sized Bites

Little Briar Rose is fairly short in length, but only if the player has a firm grasp on what the prince ought to accomplish. Otherwise, if you’re me, the game could take hours to muster through. The endearing adventure isn’t one to rush, though. Love is patient, love is kind. Many unique mini-games are scrambled within the game to throw the princes off guard.

In one case, the prince must banish the bad thoughts of seamstresses so they merely focus on creating the perfect dress for the First Dancer, who happens to be very picky. If the final score of the dress isn’t up to par, he will transform into one of many fairy tale creatures and a new prince will appear. It truly is a hard knock life for these guys, let me tell you.

prince dialogue

With a variety of pros and cons, Little Briar Rose is a game worth taking a stroll through. The visuals enough are spectacular, not to mention the uplifting and happy-go-lucky atmosphere. At times, pulling out your hair might seem like the only option once you’ve ruined the lives of seven princes in the first ten minutes, but success is achievable, folks.

Plus, even if a breather needs to be taken, at least the comical dialogue puts less of a damper on rescuing a princess and living happily ever after.

Little Briar Rose is available via Steam.

[xrr rating=”3/5″]

Watch the official trailer for Little Briar Rose below:

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