Goodbye Deponia Review (PC)

There’s certainly no shortage of point & click adventure games these days, some great, others less so, but one thing’s for sure: Daedalic’s Deponia series belongs with the first group and it has managed to stand out thanks to its unique style, wacky characters, and charming setting.

Goodbye Deponia is, as the title so obviously suggests, the final episode of the trilogy, starring the darling Goal and the goofy Rufus.

The game starts where its predecessor left off, re-introducing us to the same fun characters, most importantly to Rufus.

Just as before, things will take a turn for the worse when our main character has one of his “great ideas” and puts everyone, especially the sarcastic Goal, into some life-threatening situations.

The game presents our main character with the same objective in mind – escaping the junk world of Deponia and finally reaching the floating Elysium Utopia. The only difference is that now he has a new girlfriend, Goal.

Unfortunately, she brings trouble, as Rufus must face the wrath of her former fiancé, Cletus, the one that intends to destroy Deponia. What is interesting is that Cletus looks very much like Rufus. Well, a much cleaner version actually.

This thing will spark some “smart” ideas into Rufus' head and will lead him, as well as the rest of the characters, into some funny and dangerous situations.

From this moment on, the player will be able to see that our “hero” has not changed at all. He is still the same egotistical person and he will certainly make you feel ashamed as well as amused by his pranks.

But Rufus and his “extraordinary” personality do not make the whole game. The other characters have also been well crafted, each having its own personality: Bozo – always the pacifist, Doc – the constant thinker, Goal – prettier than ever, to say the least, and even the stiff “twin” Cletus leaves his mark on the game.

Being a point-and-click adventure game, Goodbye Deponia introduces the gamer to the typical gameplay of roaming through different areas and finding items that will be of help in solving the numerous puzzles.

In case you might be new to the world of Deponia, you'll find everything you need to know about interacting with objects and even how to customize your inventory, in the tutorial at the beginning of the game.

You ought to know that it isn't your typical tutorial, though. You will receive all the information you need from Rufus and his ex-girlfriend. Yes, his ex-girlfriend.

And as all relationships don’t end well, you will witness some snappy comments between the two, each having their own opinion on how to do things.

Speaking of puzzles, they are quite average when it comes to the difficulty level; newcomers, as well as Deponia fans, will be able to solve them. The idea is that you need to think outside the box since the action does take place on a planet made of trash.

Rufus can pick up any object, no matter the size. Whether it is a knife or a living creature, it doesn't matter, everything that can be obtained can surely fit into his pockets.

Of course, as you may already know from previous experience with adventure games, items can be combined. You might be amazed at the strange combinations that are possible.

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If, by any chance, you do not know what objects to combine, you'll get all the materials from Rufus himself as he always has to make a bad joke or a “wise” comment. You’d better pay attention, because underneath all that sarcasm there might be potential clues.

Talking to other characters also helps with solving puzzles. Players will get a lot of hints from conversations, as well as a good laugh. Still, Goodbye Deponia is quite a text-heavy game and there’s a lot of chatting on subjects that don't really have any connection with the puzzles.

Some might find it annoying and prefer to get on with the game. But, considering the amount of humor and its quality, you'll be able to live with it.

From a visual point of view, the game delivers the same gorgeous artwork, without too much difference from previews ones. Rufus, Goal, and Cletus, as well as the others are very well designed, their features being quite expressive.

Players will also be able to see some incredible details that depict the garbage world. Between scenes, there are some animations that show how characters actually travel.

Unfortunately, these animations ruin a bit of the game's charm as they sometimes feel out of place. It looks as if they are not correctly linked to the particular scenes in the game.

The good thing is that they portray each character perfectly, showing their reactions to different situations, their attitudes, as well as their facial expressions. You'll definitely find them amusing, at least.

Sound-wise, everything feels quite genuine. The game brings forth an environment where there are numerous machines and gadgets that are poorly constructed and maintained. Therefore, they rattle, chug, and fizzle.

Developers have managed to incorporate everything perfectly, the ambient music merging with the sound effects.

Also, let's not forget our banjo singing narrator that appears between chapters. He will surely be an enchantment to your ears.

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion