Here on JIG Street, we live by a different set of rules. Even so, the Weekday Escape house is the kind of place that the neighbors whisper about: "Did you know they made me solve a riddle before they'd let me use their bathroom?" "Seriously? Like, who does that?" Our kids play with Russian nesting dolls and regularly hide the TV remote behind wobbly pictures just for laughs. Here, our family pets are Nyan and Wan, the mischievous feline-canine duo in Cogito Ergo Sum's winsome escape adventures in which Nyan always manages to get locked outside. But where did it all begin? To find out, let's go back a bit to Balcony Escape.
In characteristic Cogito Ergo Sum style, Balcony Escape begins with a short movie of Nyan sneaking out for a bite of cat grass, all too oblivious to our warnings (we already know the outcome, after all). Now trapped outside, she needs to contact Wan who, despite no opposable thumbs, will attempt to unlock and open the door. Just like in Balcony Escape 3, you'll need to search about for useful objects and clues to codes: click to grab, double-click to examine. Likewise, each has to relearn their special abilities, only once you find their respective skill books.
Even without a changing cursor, pixel hunts are rare because of a well-designed interface and clean graphics. Additionally, for such a light-hearted and whimsical game, Balcony Escape is great at scaffolding a plethora of puzzles—you'll employ logic, math, spatial reasoning and anagram rearrangement to get that door open. It's just enough to tickle your brain without outright baffling your senses. There's Japanese characters in a few instances, but they have no bearing on puzzle solving and the rest of the story is aptly translated to English. Since it's a short game, you'll be more likely to use the "save" function to test out both endings than to take a needed breather.
The puzzle solving is fun, but the best reason to play a Nyan and Wan game is to take in the cheerful story and fill up on good humor. Nyan and Wan's expressive personalities bubble out of the game and into our hearts, leaving us all warm and full of "Awww," feeling like a happy community family. You need to borrow a cup of sugar? Of course! Just let me decipher this color code to open the cupboard and....
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
Balcony Escape Walkthrough
Nyan (Cat)
Examine between the planters.
Collect the handkerchief behind the left planter.
Examine it and notice that it's dirty. You'll need to clean it.
Back up and turn left.
Move the potted plant and make note of the clue.
Turn right twice, then use the handkerchief on the watering can.
Make note of the letters that pop up.
Examine the pink box, then apply the clue to the revealed letters on the handkerchief.
Enter the code you get.
7138
Collect the skill book and open it.
Back up and turn right to face the glass door.
Use the skill (Nyan face) on the glass door and click 'yes'.
Wan (Dog)
Opening the Blue Box
Examine the pinboard and make note of the order of events for the left poster.
Now examine the right poster, which has a picture of a clock on the front, by clicking the lower right corner.
Make note of the fact that some of the letters within the sentences are uppercase.
Back up and examine the blue box on the right.
Make note of the numbers (and letter) on the bottom, especially the spacing.
Now click the lid to solve the puzzle.
Notice the phrase above the code. Where have you seen a similar set of symbols?
Also note the letters below each number on the code.
The phrase above corresponds directly to the numbers on the front of the box, so match them up, then find the numbers that go with the letters below the code.
5624
Collect the clicker, then back up.
Turning on the TV
Turn right and examine the green clock.
Click the right edge to view the back. Where have you seen a clue about a clock?
If you need, go back to the pinboard and turn over the right poster.
Now do the odd capitol letters make sense?
Count the capitol letters (including at the beginning of the sentences) that correspond to Hour, Minute and Second.
Now click each of the buttons the correct number of times to get the bottom to open.
H-4, M-2, S-3, Set
Collect the batteries.
Examine the clicker (from the blue box under the pinboard) and click the bottom to flip it.
Remove the cover, then use the batteries on it and replace the cover.
Use the clicker on the tv and make note of the clue.
Opening the TV Cabinet
Examine the lower left cabinet and enter the correct code (from the tv).
Empty circle, empty circle, empty triangle, empty square
Hit the upper right button to open the door and collect the skill from the skill book.
Make note of the new clue on the tv by unscrambling the letters.
Opening the Blue Toolbox
Use the skill on the red ring above (from the TV cabinet).
Collect the question card and click the arrow to flip it over.
Make note of the clue by unscrambling the letters and finding the corresponding object on the other side.
Turn back left and examine the toolbox.
Examine the question card.
Make note of the clue by finding the letters that correspond to the set of colors.
Enter the color code from the three clues given to you.
Color:# of clicks - white:1, green:4, blue:6
Hit OK and collect the screwdriver.
Back up, then turn right.
Solving the Metal Panel
Make note of the new clue on the tv.
Turn right again, then examine the lower metal panel and use the screwdriver (from the blue toolbox).
Enter the color code from the tv.
Color:Position - red:lefthand middle row, yellow:lefthand bottom row, blue:middle of bottom row, black:lefthand top row
Click Set and collect the smartcard.
Flip the card over and make note of the word.
Back up and turn right to face the couch and table, then examine the laptop.
Getting into the Laptop
Hover your mouse over the orange question mark to receive a clue for the password.
Notice that it's (mostly) a grid of the alphabet.
Some of the letters have been replaced by numbers.
Turn the numbers into letters in the correct order.
Enter the ID from the smartcard and the PASS from the question mark clue.
ID:dad, PASS:family
Hit enter, then click the film to receive a clue to the alarm code.
The shapes should look familiar.
Maybe they're oriented differently?
Tilt your head left and read the words to receive the code.
Click the house and enter the alarm code from the film clue.
7965
Hit enter, then back up.
End Game
Turn right and examine the card reader in the middle of the sliding glass doors.
Use the smartcard (from the metal panel) to unlock the door.
Click open to save Nyan and enjoy the Normal Ending! Congratulations!!!
Happy Ending
Instead of opening the sliding glass door after unlocking it, turn right.
Make note of the color clue on the tv.
Turn right again and examine the metal panel.
Enter the code from the tv.
Color:Position - white:righthand top row, yellow:lefthand bottom row, cyan:righthand bottom row, green:righthand middle row, purple:middle of middle row, red:lefthand of middle row, blue:middle of bottom row
Click Set, then collect the hot pack and its case.
Examine the hot pack case and use the hot pack on it.
Back up, turn left twice and open the door to save Nyan. Congratulations, it's the Happy Ending!!!
Posted by: Kyh
|
April 25, 2012 8:30 AM