Thimbleweed Park story trailer spotlights murder in a strange town

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A new trailer for Thimbleweed Park, the deliciously Lucasarts-like retro-adventure being developed by Maniac Mansion creators Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, has made its way to the 'tubes. And I am here to tell you that it is good.

Gilbert criticized modern adventures last year for putting too much emphasis on their stories, and said Thimbleweed Park will focus on puzzles instead. I'd expect no less from a game so thoroughly steeped in the SCUMM tradition, but even so I'm intrigued by the mystery that this trailer teases. I also like the promise that the game will have “all the charm of the golden age and none of the stupidity,” as the release that accompanied the trailer put it. “Dead ends? Ha! Ridiculous puzzles? Not in this town. Leave those rose-colored glasses at home, because you sure as hell won't need them in Thimbleweed Park.”

The obvious X-Files vibe, leavened with a hint of Naked Gun, is right up my alley too. Thimbleweed Park is slated for release late this year. Find out more at thimbleweedpark.com.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.