Grim Fandango

Grim Fandango was one of the top games of 1998. It's made by LucasArts the people behind the Star Wars and Lucasfilms related games.

This game is taken place in the land of the dead. The place where people go to when they die. Only it's different from what you would expect the "Afterlife" to be.

In this universe you are first met by a Grim Reeper who'll be introducing you to your new living style in the land of the Dead. Grim Reepers are more like Travel agents who'll give you a good profit.

If you lived a good life you'll receive the good profits like a car, be on a boat cruise line and if you lived a great life you'll get a ticket for the 009 Express which leads to the 9th Underworld where you can live peacefully for eternity. And if you lived a bad life you don't get either of these opportunities.

Mandy Calavara is a Grim Reeper working for the D.O.D.(Department of Dead). He's been a great salesman and getting great clients right until he's been getting lousy clients who aren't worthy of getting a 009 ticket. Mandy's been on the bottom list of achievements for awhile. And he's wondering why other Salesmen get good clients while he doesn't.

Through out the game you control Mandy who'll be solving the mystery and finding out the secret of who's really behind the scheme of taking all the 009 tickets.

You get to collect items and figure out puzzles and solutions. And interact with several mysterious and random characters.

The have nice 3-D background and great voice acting. CGI is a little old but it's still well done.

I recommend this game to those who like to play a game that does rule.

Ah, the golden days of yore, when you could find adventure games of this quality often. Unfortunately this is no longer the case. The golden age is over, but every once in a while a game appears out of the dusk that blast through to the mainstream. This game blew my mind (and that of many others), it was voted game of the year by many sites (totally unheard of for an adventure game). The graphics are very impressive, I am not usually a fan of 3D-graphics, but the jagged, iconographic style suits the theme (which is a curious mix of film noir and a south American folklore). Of course, the greatest thing about this game is the story; it is an epic tale of a man's redemption after his death, delightfully free of usual American sentimentality and with numerous references to film noir. The narrative style is highly cinematic and the excellent voice action, along with great music, helps convey the atmosphere beautifully. This is as close to an interactive movie as you can get. That, however, does not mean that the game is too easy, you will easily spend hours on this game. This game represents everything that makes this genre great, I can't recommend it enough. By the way, if you want more of the same, I can also recommend The Longest Journey from Norwegian developer Funcom.

Grim Fandango is one of the best games in its genre. Its almost a movie in its rich storyline and character development. You know who the heroes are and you certainly know who the villains are but somehow you are left guessing until the very end because you are in a different world then our own and nothing is quite the same. I'd say that this would make a great movie, as long as its not bogged down with trying to be aimed at kids because its not.

Introducing Manny Calavera to you all, salesman and dead. With a risk of sounding necromantic I must say that I'm in love with Grim Fandango. This is highly enjoyable for everyone but I think we moviebuffs get even more out of it. This game is shockful of references to movies, from the "Glengarry Glen Ross" style opening were Manny doesn't get access to the best clients to the Casablancaesque police officer and the film noir feeling of it all. This is just a game you need to own. The cut scenes are beautiful, the voiceovers are the best of this world, the puzzles are also ace, it's all so good that it's really hard to describe. The only bad thing was the ending, not because it was a bad ending but because this game ends and because it doesn't open up for a sequel. Go buy this now instead of reading this review.

10/10

This game is smokin! I loved the witty dialogue and jazzy music. The scenery makes the sometimes impossible puzzles worth solving to see. I have to admit I cheated and went to online walkthroughs for help, but this game was really fun for the most part. It's a little odd that I found Manny almost attractive. I mean, the guy is a cartoon, he has no skin, but he's such a snappy dresser! And he's really cool and funny. Thanks again to those guys at LucasArts for making a wonderful game. I also loved Jedi Knight, and of course I'm a major Star Wars fan.