The Great Work
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux
Surprise! Just a few weeks after Knytt Underground made its appearance, Nifflas has released a brand new game! The Great Work is a platform adventure deeply inspired by the Knytt series that follows the metroidvania outline of interconnected passageways strewn with items that grant new abilities and access to new areas. Featuring an alchemy-infused story, The Great Work was made to help promote Bautafilm's latest film that follows the story of Christer Böke, a man who took a year off from his job to become a full-time alchemist.
You are the apprentice to Fulcanelli, an alchemist who thinks he has just produced a philosopher's stone. Your job is to transmute the stone to gold. How you do that is anybody's guess. Not wanting to disappoint, you head out into the dusk-drenched world and encounter other alchemists, items both useful and mysterious, transmutation furnaces, and hosts of natural barriers to block your progress. Pretty much a normal day for a platform adventurer.
Use the [arrows] keys to move and [S] to jump. The [A] and [D] keys allow you to open your inventory, swap objects, and equip certain items. Trading is a big part of The Great Work, and just about everyone you meet in this minimalist game wants something, has something to give you, or both! All you have to do to make these trades is move objects from your inventory box to the other person's. Some items can even be equipped, supplying you with new abilities like wall climbs, higher jumps, faster feet, or even overhead ceiling grabs!
Analysis: The Great Work was a surprise release from Nifflas, but who doesn't love a good surprise? It has the general atmosphere of a Knytt release with a lot of the platforming mechanics to match. The alchemy storyline is handled well, never overwhelming you with details, and the emphasis on item collection/transmutation makes it feel just a bit like an RPG. Best of all, The Great Work is an open source, meaning you can grab a copy of Multimedia Fusion 2 and tinker around with the code to your heart's content.
For a free multiplatform release made by a well-known indie game developer, it's hard to find fault with The Great Work. It's a textbook Nifflas adventure, complete with soothing visuals, beautiful ambient music, and plenty of opportunities to get lost in passageways as you attempt to circle your way back. It's not an overly difficult or complex game, just perfect for an afternoon or two of exploration.
Windows:
Get the free full version
Mac OS X:
Get the free full version
Note: A few users with Mac OS 10.6.8 have reported issues running the game.
Linux:
Get the free full version
Walkthrough Guide
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The Great Work walkthrough, with map
General Information
At the beginning of the game, you will only be able move left and right with the arrow keys and jump with the S key.
You can open your inventory with the Spacebar and navigate it with the arrow keys. To equip an item, select it and press A. To give an item to someone else, open your inventory next to them, select the item you want to move, and press S.
Some items will grant you new abilities when they are equipped, such as the ability to climb walls by holding A.
When you bring a person an item they want, they will reward you with an item in their inventory. Sometimes, they will have two items available as a reward, and you can choose either one. Your choice will effect how you can proceed from there, but the routes for both choices will be described.
Zone Map
Right-click the map link above to view a larger version of the map. Locations on the map are referred to in this walkthrough in BOLD.
Sticky Gloves
Open Fulcanelli's (I) inventory and take the Red Powder.
Go down once, open your Home, (H) and take the Tract 1. There is also a map of the Dew Mines, if needed.
Continue down one more screen, one screen to the right, down, left, and down once more.
Open up the chest and take the Bottle of Honey and the Stibnite.
Go back up and to the left once. Drop down to the lower level and equip the Bottle of Honey.
When you get to the bottom level with the Bottle of Honey equipped, the spiked beast will chase after you. Run to the right and jump up on the ledge. Unequip the Bottle of Honey, jump over the beast, and drop down the tunnel on the other side. Continue to the left.
Jump up to the coffin and take the Bone, Cupel, Iron, and Sticky Glove (Right).
Equip the Sticky Glove (Right). You will now be able to grab onto vertical walls by holding A.
Go up and over to go to the right. Continue three screens to the right.
Give the Bone to Eddie the dog (E) and take the Sticky Glove (Left).
Equip the Sticky Glove (Left). With both Sticky Gloves equipped, you will be able to climb up and down vertical walls while holding A.
Regulus of Antimony
From Eddie, go left, up, and left again.
Climb to the upper level and go to the right three screens.
Drop down and speak to Kybele Freiherre. (K) Give him the Tract 1 for a few seconds and he will make some notes on it.
Go up and left twice. Climb up to the middle path on the right that leads to the furnace. (F)
Place the Cupel, Iron, and Stibnite in the furnace, wait a few seconds, and take the Regulus of Antimony. You may leave the Cupel in the furnace.
Return to the screen where you spoke to Kybele Freiherre and speak to Basilius Valentine (B) on the lower level.
Give him the Regulus of Antimony and he will reward you with either Hand Claws or Flippers. You can choose either one, and he will give you the second item later.
With the Hand Claws equipped, you can grab on to horizontal and diagonal ceilings, and move left and right along them. With the Flippers equipped, you will swim faster and be able to jump higher out of the water.
Bowling Ball and Flask
Return to your Home, (H) go left two screens, climb to the upper level, and continue to the left once more.
If you chose the Hand Claws as the reward from Valentine, make sure they are equipped and climb along the ceiling to get to the left side. If you chose the Flippers, swim down and use them to quickly swim up and grab onto the wall to the left, and climb over.
Make your way to the Metal Box on the left and take the Mineral G. There are also two maps in the box, for the Moon Cave and the Mountains.
Go left, down, and left again. There is a tunnel leading to the right from the left side of the screen, follow it to the Sun Cave.
Go one screen to the right, speak to the fish, and take Tract 2. You may also take the map of the Desert, if desired.
Go left twice, up once, right once, and take the Bowling Ball from the Sun Altar. (SA)
When holding the Bowling Ball, your movement will be limited. You will not be able to move as quickly or jump as high, you will be unable to climb walls or ceilings, and you will sink in water.
From the Sun Altar, go left and down, being careful to jump over the spikes.
Drop down to the lower level and go left. Place the Bowling Ball in the Teleportation Box. (T)
Swim back to the right twice and go left through the tunnel to the Moon Cave. (*)
Swim to the right two screens and take the Bowling Ball out of the Teleportation Box. (T)
Go three screens to the left and give the Bowling Ball to Edigio (O) in exchange for the Flask.
Go right and back through the tunnel to the Sun Cave. (*)
Go left once, up once, and then left four times.
Drop down to the water, go right two screens and down one.
Speak to Freiherre (K) and have him explain Tract 2. Go down to Valentine (V) and exchange the Flask for either the Hand Claws or the Flippers, whichever you did not get last time.
Regulus of G and the Weight
From the screen with Freiherre and Valentine, go down three screens and let the current carry you to the left.
Swim up through the tunnel on the right and grab on to the bottom of the platform in the next screen. Climb up to the Dew Altar and take the Iron.
Return to the Furnace (F) and place the Iron and Mineral G in with the Cupel. Take the Regulus of G and the Caput Mortuum.
Go left from the Furnace (F) and make sure you have both the Flippers and the Hand Claws equipped. Swim to the bottom of the chamber, then up and grab onto the ceiling where it hangs low. Climb to the left and go up one screen.
Go two screens to the right, speak to Isaac Newton, (N) and exchange the Regulus of G for either the Runners or the Spring Extension.
With the Runners equipped, you will run faster. With the Spring Extension equipped, you will jump higher.
Go to the left once and equip the item you received from Newton. If you chose the Runners, you can run from the left and jump to grab on to the wall. If you chose the Spring Extension, all you need to do is jump up to it.
Climb up two screens and speak to Una. (U) Open her inventory and take the Weight.
When holding the Weight, you will be encumbered similarly to when you had the Bowling Ball.
Drop down two screens, go left once, and down again.
Go two screens to the right and then down three screens.
Holding the Weight will make you immune to the currents. Drop down to the lower level and go eight screens to the left, as far as you can go.
Climb up to the upper level and give Eleni (E) the Weight in exchange for the Booster.
With the Booster equipped, you can hold S to move faster while swimming, and allow you to swim against the currents.
The Bottle and the Arsenic (with the Runners)
If you chose the Runners as your first reward from Newton, go right from Eleni, (E) up two screens, left once, and up once more.
Climb up on the right and across the ceiling to go up on the left.
Go up again and once to the right. Drop down to the lower level, make a running jump to get across the spikes and grab the wall on the right.
Continue to the right and down once.
Speak to Spintheros (S) and trade your Caput Mortuum for his Bottle.
Go to the right, speak to Mary, (M) and accept the Arsenic.
When holding the Arsenic, creatures will pop out of the walls to shoot spikes at you or block your path, so be on your guard.
Return the way you came, to the left, up, left twice, and down twice.
Go three screens to the right, drop down to the lower level, go to the left once and down.
Go four screens to the right, down once, left once, and down again.
Go to the left against the current three screens then go up two screens.
Place the Arsenic in the Teleportation Box. (T)
The Bottle and the Arsenic (with the Spring Extension)
If you chose the Spring Extension as your first reward from Newton, return to your Home. (H)
Grab on to the ceiling above your home and climb up one screen through the opening on the left.
Continue left once, up once, and then left twice.
Go down, speak to Spintheros, (S) and trade your Caput Mortuum for his Bottle.
Go to the right, speak to Mary, (M) and accept the Arsenic.
When holding the Arsenic, creatures will pop out of the walls to shoot spikes at you or block your path, so be on your guard.
Return to the left and up, then three screens to the right, and down three screens.
Go right, down, left, and down again.
Go to the left against the current three screens then go up two screens.
Place the Arsenic in the Teleportation Box.
Ammonium Nitrate and Absinthe
Go to the Teleportation Box (T) on the right side of the map, in Sun Cave, and retrieve the Arsenic.
Go right once, up twice, and left twice. Give Newton (N) the Arsenic in exchange for either the Runners or the Spring Extenders, whichever you did not get last time.
Return to your Home, (H) then go five screens to the left.
Continue to the left one more screen and take Tract 3 from the Moon Altar. (MA)
Go right, down, right, and down twice. Let the current carry you to the room with the chest.
Go down two screens and take Tract 4 from the Hidden Containter (C) at the bottom.
Go to Freiherre (K) to interpret the tracts if desired, then go back to the Dew Altar (DA) and place the Bottle on the altar.
Wait a few seconds and take the Bottle of Dew.
Return to the Sun Altar (SA), place the Bottle of Dew on the altar, and take the completed Ammonium Nitrate.
From the Sun Altar, go left, up, and right.
Make sure you have both the Runners and the Spring Extension equipped so you can make a running jump across the spikes, then go down to Gallasteros.
Give Gallasteros the Ammonium Nitrate and he will reward you with a Book.
Take the Book to Freiherre and put it in his inventory so he can translate it for you.
Take the Book (translated), go down twice, and two screens to the right.
Speak to Julien Champagne, (J) give him the Book (translated) and he will give you Absinthe.
From Lead to Gold
Return to your Home (H) and go three screens to the left on the lower level.
Speak to August Strindberg, (R) give him the Absinthe, and he will give you the Lead.
Go to the Furnace (F) and place the Lead and Red Powder in with the Cupel.
If you do not have the Red Powder, go get it from Fulcanelli, (I) one screen above your Home.
Pick up the Gold.
From the Furnace, go left once, jump out of the water in the middle of the screen, and grab on to the ceiling where it hangs low.
Climb up one screen and go one screen to the left.
Speak to Fulcanelli, (I) give him the Gold, and go left into his house.
Thanks to cheeko for the walkthrough!
Posted by: Mike
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February 4, 2013 9:31 PM