80 Days

A playthrough of 80 Days will probably take two hours. You could have spent those two hours reading Beryl Markham’s memoir, catching up on episodes of Fargo, or finally watching Under the Skin. When a game is this good, this well written, with observations this relevant, memorable, and poignant, there are no wrong choices.

Do yourselves a favour folks; spend three quid on this game and immerse yourself in it, or merely dip into it whenever you have five minutes, and make your merry way around the world. You’ll either thank me the introduction or hate me for getting you addicted.

80 Days is a unique experience that does pretty much everything the right way. The story is well written, as well as the dialoges, and you never now what to expect in the next city that you visit. The game isn't for everyone, but for those that looking for something new it is a must buy.

A fantastic and fascinating re-envisioning of the classic novel by Jules Verne, 80 Days is a delightful piece of interactive fiction.

This shows what old and new media can do for one another when they get along. [Oct 2014, p.73]

80 Days successfully condenses a journey of epic scale into a simple interface. [Issue#253, p.80]

80 Days proves that the iPad is a great gaming device. It mixes adventure and micromanagement with a great script, but only if you can read English fluently.

I first heard about this game while I was lazily browsing the APP Store, looking for something to buy because I was getting tired of getting beaten by Kal'Thuzad in Hearthstone. I enjoy interactive adventures and classic lit, so I decided to give it a whirl fully expecting to hate everything about it (as I am one to do) but, oh my stars and garters, this game is amazing! First of all, let's look at what it is: It's a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book on the iOS. It's a game in abstract only. You read lengthy paragraphs, you choose what to say and where to go, you see magnificent sights in one of THE best visualized steam-punk Universes I've ever read. The music moves and changes with whatever country you decide to take your adventure, and upon finishing your first around the world trip, you feel an enormous sense of wanderlust. This is an interactive adaption of Around The World in 80 Days. You play Monsieur Fogg's valet and are responsible for planning the trip. You have access to the World (literally, the whole world) and as you explore towns and cities, hear rumors and witness extraordinary events, you gain access to more and more locations. The goal is ALWAYS the same: make it around the world in 80 days. As you move throughout the game, you're ability as a Valet never ceases and you must make sure your master is taken care of. The "health" gauge is his comfort level and there are various ways in which you can do that. Tend to his needs or prove your character in various chats. You also have the ability to get skills that will aid you on your adventure. Things like well-heeled, acrobatics, strength (of character) that come into play in various ways. For example, I knew I was a bit more acrobatic than I was when I started the journey, so when I was in Yokohama I joined the circus and made headlines as a circus performer for extra pounds! This game is amazing. When I finished the first game I was ready to be content and all of a sudden, I started another one, this time heading North from Amsterdam, instead of South to Nice. It's as if I'm playing a completely different game and what's best is, when I get to cities where I've done a lot, it doesn't send me through the same story lines but I COMMENT on whether I enjoyed it the last time! Add to this many random encounters while you travel and you'll be coming back to it. But, do NOT approach this as a typical game. It's not a game, per se, but a lovely Choose-Your-Own-Adventure for the Digital Age! DO NOT MISS THIS!!!!! So good!!!!!!! Like, not to even go on further, but there's even romances you can strike up. It happened randomly with me! And it meant a lot to me since this particular one was a gay romance, and as a gay guy whose over mainstream video game representation of gay guys, it was SUPER refreshing with the way it panned out!! SO GOOD! BUY IT!

This is a mastermind game. Despite that, the game is not for all tastes. It is, above all, a book. In this book we can choose the hero actions, and in the end, the victory or defeat. The graphics are beautiful and make us "live" the story. The sound is good enough for the game standard. And the story... well... simply fantastic. I believe that the most obvious route is too easy, but when we explore the world, the collateral stories are amazing. In a word, Superb!

The story is rich, filled with branching paths. It’s a thrill to chart your journey, making you wanna be through all cities just to see what secrets and adventures they hold. Even after completing it, the game remains fun to replayable thanks to its countless choices and different routes.

Its ok for a game, barely. Compared to Sorcery, its far inferior in entertainment value. Its too easy. The writing is ok, but it barely feels like a coherent story. More like a series of events, then at the end the events are recollected, kind of like the not so exciting ending in Fallout 3.

80 Days' gameplay isn't fun because it's more about immersing you in the storytelling, which is inconsistent in quality and frequently lacks any long term payoff.