Free Point-and-Click Adventure Review: Sfinx

LK Avalon, the Polish developer that had previously created Sołtys, released another adventure game two years later.

Sfinx, also known as UFOs, is thematically the opposite of LK Avalon's previous game. While Sołtys focused on adult humor with its theme of a father chasing the groom who left his daughter at the alter during their wedding, Sfinx focuses on two school kids. Because of this, it is a game that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Two friends, a girl named Andzia and a boy named Wacek, are friends from school. The impetus of the game is an old professor, akin to Doc Brown from Back to the Future, who tells the children that an unidentified flying object had crashed nearby. Intrigued, as children are wont to do, the two school kids go looking for the UFO.

While the theme of Sfinx is vastly different, the interface remains graphically and functionally the same as that seen in Sołtys. This is a good thing, as the interface was the one saving grace of the latter game. It has a graphical user interface at the bottom of the screen where actions can be selected as well as inventory items. The main difference between the two games is that both the girl and the boy are controlled by the player. The drawback is that the two characters can carry four items each, and some items can only be picked up by a specific character. There are still stereotypes here, as the girl won't touch dirty items, but it's nowhere near the level of those in Sołtys. Honestly, that stereotype is innocent enough that it's easy to overlook in the grand scheme of things.

The puzzles are pretty zany but can be figured out pretty easily if you put your mind into the mindset of a cartoon. The zany style doesn't just go for the story and the puzzles, but it is also shown in the art style as well. The characters have a pleasing cartoon-style look and the colorful backgrounds complement them perfectly. Although there are no earworms that will remain in your head after you play, the music also fits with the various scenes of the game.

LK Avalon has improved upon Sołtys greatly with Sfinx. The story, art, and music are fun. The interface is easy to use, although the limitation of inventory slots is a bit of a drawback. The ScummVM team translated the game into English for the first time and released it for free on their website. While I didn't care for Sołtys, Sfinx is a game I recommend that adventure game fans give it a try.

Final Verdict:
3½ out of 5

Free Point-and-Click Adventure Review: Sołtys

Sołtys was a point-and-click game by LK Avalon. It was never released commercially in English, but it was later translated and released as freeware to download and play on the ScummVM adventure and role-playing game interpreter.

The playable character is the titular sołtys, the elder of his village. His daughter was arranged to be married, but due to her unattractiveness, the groom left her at the altar. Her father then goes after him to bring him back so the wedding can be completed.

It's a humourous game, but it is impossible to overlook the blatant misogyny inherent in the storyline of the game. Notwithstanding the issues with arranged marriages, the fact that the daughter is reduced to her appearance, especially as a punchline, is hard to take. The sołtys is searching for the husband-to-be, but it is not to restore his daughter's dignity but rather to complete the ceremony.

As for the game itself, the puzzles are pretty good. There's nothing memorable, but there's nothing too outlandish to require trying every inventory item on everything to advance the plot. Inventory items are selected from a bar at the bottom of the screen. The music is also fine, but not memorable. It does complement the game and works well for each scene.

The graphics are actually the high point of this game. It is presented in a pleasing cartoonish style, which works with the silliness of the dialog. Each character sprite is designed to evoke this aesthetic and the background art compliments the sprite style extremely well.

Sołtys is a problematic game with its misogynistic storyline. The fact that the ugliness of the daughter of the sołtys is the whole catalyst that sets off the game's story makes it impossible to ignore. That said, the rest of the game is decent. The puzzles are good with no clicking and searching required, the music isn't memorable but it fits the scenes well. The art is the best part of the game, as it has a cartoony aesthetic that fits the overall silliness of the game. If you want to try it, and you can stomach the misogyny, it is free to download from ScummVM.

Final Verdict:
2 out of 5

Sołtys is Now Free, Open-Source, and in English

The ScummVM downloads page now has a new playable freeware game. That game is LK Avalon's Sołtys, an adventure game where a groom runs away at the alter of his arranged wedding, and the bride's father goes off to find him.

The game was originally available only in Polish, but the freeware release is available in its original Polish language, and, for the first time, an English translation is also available. The game can be played with a ScummVM daily build.