Hector: Badge of Carnage

I always liked the idea of point and click adventure games more than I actually liked playing them. Usually, they feel too long, too difficult, or just plain wacky with some puzzles. Regardless, I decided to give Hector: Badge of Carnage a try as my last game of May 2023. I figured I would play it for a while before calling it quits. It was a surprise to me that I actually felt motivated to see it through to the conclusion.

You assume the role of British Detective Inspector Hector, a member of the Clappers Wreake police force. Hector is involved in solving a hostage situation that turns into a terrorist threat. The story is divided into three parts—Episode 1: We Negotiate with Terrorists, Episode 2: Senseless Acts of Justice, and Episode 3: Beyond Reasonable Doom. This isn't a serious police drama, however; it is essentially a comedy. The humor is often crude so it will not appeal to all players. For the most part, I found the length and difficulty level pretty decent. In episodes 2 and 3, you get to switch between Hector and his sidekick Lambert. That added some nice variety to the puzzle-solving. I must admit to running out of steam in episode 3. As it dragged on, I was definitely ready for it to be over. Thankfully, the game includes a nice built-in hint system. You can consult with Lambert for gentle tips or use "get hints" for more detailed suggestions or even step by step solutions. Without the hint system to speed things along, I doubt I would have stuck with it to the end.