Ever wondered what happens when diminutive grey puffs stuffed with only personality and chutzpah have a hankering for a lip-licking, tummy-rubbing breakfast to start the day? Daps, part one of a charming new point-and-click adventure from Michael van Holker, proves that three hungry Graulings will stop at no threat before their craving is satisfied. Your goal is to guide them safely through their first expedition to the fruit and vegetable planet where they will gather the perfect ingredients for their favorite meal, the special "Daps" recipe.
Your ingenuity is called upon for fashioning tools and colluding in the tiny critters' subterfuge. It's a bit of a click fest looking for just the right hotspot or item to send your protagonists forward, but a changing cursor will avoid outright bafflement. Click objects to discover their properties and make events happen; when you pick-up something useful, it will appear in the upper left corner of your game screen. Experimentation in Daps has enticing results; even fatal errors are entertaining to behold so don't hold back out of a misplaced sense of caution. There are some scenes with long loading times, occasionally finicky requirements for progression, and an abrupt ending to boot. But those minor drawbacks are nothing to get hung up on; Daps is too interesting to be tarried by imperfections.
Both in its usage of surreal atmospheres and interactive art, Daps has a Samorost-y, Haluz-ish vibe which is a welcome find for fans of the genre. Although comparisons are inevitable, Daps is unique and original by its own rights, deserving to be recognized for its particular merits including charismatic characters and creative story development—it's sure to whet the appetite and leave you looking forward to the next course.
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
Daps Walkthrough
Scene 1: At Home with an Empty Pantry
As each alarm clock rings, click it to turn it off. The graulings will climb off their bunks and sit up.
Click on the green cookbook on the floor. Here you learn that these fuzzy greys crave "Daps" -- potatoes, carrots and meat seasoned with a sprig of rosemary. (Yum! That does sound good, doesn't it?)
Now as they sit licking their lips, click on the tunnel on the left of the screen to send them toward the kitchen.
In the pantry, click on the lift and the graulings will climb on it.
Click on the arrow button to send them up to the herbs shelf.
Clicking on the jars on the left of the shelf will indicate that you are all out of rosemary.
Send the furry trio up another level by clicking the arrow button again.
At the vegetable shelf, click the onion...no carrots or potatoes here.
So, go on up to the top level (arrow).
Attempting to pick up the bone will register the "no meat" response.
Alas, it's time to go shopping. Click on the arrow once more to head up and out.
Outside, click the right end of the road gate and it will raise.
Click the tantalizingly red fridge:
Inside the refrigerator, you'll see three planets in your sights...select the green veggie planet, Hortus Viridis, to travel to it.
Scene 2: Bees in the Pea Garden
Click the bottom of the screen so the graulings will come down
off their landing pad.
Select the pea pod nearest the dark grey grauling to open it. Click it again once it's opened. A bee will fly down and land on it.
Now click the bee and he will tell the protagonists that potatoes and carrots are found by heading right.
Click the right side of the screen to move on.
Scene 3: Bluesy Onion on a Bridge
Click the guitar playing onion; a string falls off his guitar and he'll glare at the graulings for a while.
Click the bridge. Onion says no crossing without key. But you can't reach the key...so you'll need to fashion a tool:
Pick up the cluster of guitar strings.
Take the antenae from the left edge of the toll box (it's a bit hard to see as it runs up against the edge of the green, wormy squash).
Click the small mound behind the dark grey grauling. He'll find a stick there.
Now click any of the three items in your inventory--they'll be automatically transformed into a fishing pole.
Use the pole to fetch the key from the bottom of the junk heap.
With the key now in hand, the three friends automatically continue forward on their quest.
Scene 4:Danger! Colorado Potato Bugs
Click the head of lettuce so the graulings can hide.
Whenever the "walking feet" cursor is available, move ahead (to the right of the screen).
Do not click on the potato bugs (apparently potato bugs like having graulings for lunch...but not in a friendly sort of way!)
When you reach the tunnel, click it to move inside.
Scene 5: Tunneling Underground
Take the torch from the wall; follow the arrow right.
Pick up the tiny wad of paper (at dark grey's feet).
Read the map for instructions on where to go:
First go down the right hole (the one with a ladder) then just go right as far as you can, moving down when necessary. Continue until you find stairs; move up the stairs to exit.
Scene 6: Video Gamer Guarding Potato
Click the stalagmite near the middle grey grauling--he'll break it off.
Pull out the plug from the socket next to the dark grey guy--mean ol' bug mumbles expletive, investigates, gets clobbered. (Uh huh, who's big and bad now?)
Walk over to control panel; click it and middle grey will turn it on.
Now here is where you must follow a certain protocol:
First, select middle pod at top of control screen;
Next, select the "unlock" symbol;
Then click checkbox.
You'll discover that the locks are voice controlled. Apparently only potato bug voices will do. So...
Drag the snoozing potato bug closer to the control screen.
Take the little white coffee mug from edge of panel, near the pear.
Get water from the stalactite on the far right edge of the room.
Dump the water on the bug to wake him.
...and follow the protocol again to open the potato's pod.
Hit the bug over the head again (so he'll, um, pose no more threat).
Pick up the lovely fresh potato and onwards!
Scene 7:Carrot Master's Hut
Click the grassy area just under the hut's door to move to it.
Click the door to open it.
Click again to move inside.
Try to talk to the cucumber behind the counter. Unfortunately, he can't see well enough to conduct business...
Move back outside by clicking the grassy area outside the door.
Now you can pick up the glasses--they're outside the hut, just to the left of the potato.
Click the door again to go back inside.
Give the cucumber his glasses.
Now you can click on him again to ask for the carrot--He'll only give you a carrot if you give him your potato.
This is quite a dilemma yet the graulings are artfully clever:
Grab the big paint brush that's leaning against the wall.
Dip it in the bucket to the right of the merchant's counter.
Go back outside and go right:
Paint the red potato (in right corner of screen) brown.
The graulings will then roll it over to the merchant's door and he'll be satisfied.
Now that the grey fuzzy heroes have gained both their potato and a well-trained carrot, click the carrot to travel ahead...
Whew! Two ingredients down...Time to dance to good tunes!
Posted by: elle
|
November 16, 2011 5:52 PM