Fester's Quest

"What is everyone's problem?"

Seriously, people. Is innovation a bad thing? If a game presents a real hellish challenge, does that qualify it as lame or crappy?

I'm here to prove that weird old games have just as much charm as newer ones, with less flying blood, less skintight or minimally-clothed females, and alot less realism. Fester's Quest is a game that defies the odds (read "nasty reviews") and stands up to those who have actually played it all the way through as something they will always remember. And that's meant in a good way.

Story:
The opening scene shows the old man relaxing in a lawn chair at night, enjoying some tropical drink. Suddenly, a weird humming sound can be heard. A large spacecraft appears in the sky, and casts yellow beams down to the city. Fester turns his head, raises his glasses, and turns back to the gamer, mouth agape. Yes, the Addams Family has been abducted by aliens (or maybe long-lost cousins. You never know with those weirdos), and it's up to good old Fester to bring them back.
3/10
Yes, anyone could have come up with that. It's old news. But if it weren't for that lame story, Fester's Quest wouldn't be what it is, so we'll forgive it.

Concept:
Well, you know you have control over Fester. But how exactly does he go about rescuing people? What's the innovation I was talking about? From a three-quarters down perspective, Fester walks around town, armed with a gun. Killing the various "things" (no pun intended) that walk (or in some cases sit) around town, he gains items and powerups, like keys, money, and better guns. Eventually he will acquire better weaponry, like TNT, a Whip, and Invisible Potions. At several points, you will come across a large white building, in which is contained a first-person perspective maze (in the vein of Wizardry) and a nasty alien boss. As can be expected, beating a boss will bring Fester one step closer to the end of his mission. It's the getting there that's so fun, though. Watching in horror as the little demons eat through the walls and charge at you faster than you can move, and give unending chases as you try to blast them is a timeless activity that still isn't old to this day. Not to mention the giant spiders that are alot like that...............
9/10

Graphics:
Probably the most overrated part of any review for any game. However, no matter which side you look at it from, Fester's Quest is really a nice game to look at. Fester himself is represented quite nicely, and many of the little creatures, like the weird, two-legged flylike things are nicely animated based on the way they would actually move. These in particular sort of wiggle from side to side as they slowly move forward, and make ridiculously high jumps as you try to shoot them. It's really something to be appreciated considering the other games for the system at the time. And the bosses look really cool, and are complete with (for the most part) smooth animations. Hey, as far as animations go, Fester even jerks his upper body back when he cracks the whip, something not commonplace in games of this era. A very deserving score.
8/10

Sound:
Now comes my favorite part. I love video game music, especially the NES tunes. And in all the six years between the last time I played Fester's Quest and the day I found an emulator for it (a total of six years), I could still recall the music at will. No, I never owned this game, only played it at friends' houses or when I rented it (back when they did that!). The overworld music is rules. The sewer theme is an eerie theme that thumps loudly every other beat. The first-person maze thing presents a tune that represents thinking hard about which way you're going, and the frustration of coming to a dead end or turnaround. And then there's the boss theme, the traditional "exciting/awesome" music. As far as video game music goes, this just may even be at eye level with Megaman themes.
10/10

Playability:
Totally solid. This goes for probably all NES games, due to only having five buttons, but it's still a part of the score.
10/10

Challenge:
Yup, there's a hellish challenge here. There were few dull moments, but you'll almost always be taken off guard by a sudden encounter with a fireball-throwing frog or you'll accidentally piss off a giant spider, then suddenly you will utter that Strong Bad-staple phrase "HOLY CRAP!!". You may feel cheated on several occasions, but you must bear in mind that you're dealing with an NES game. The MASTER of cheap deaths.
9/10

Overall: 8/10
What have we learned? Well, we know for certain that those who continually naysay about this game are most likely the impatient types, or can't handle the fact that they're playing a game about an old, creepy guy who shoots stuff. The only thing that can be said is the real game is all in the eye of the beholder. I beheld a really fun game that has hooked me to this day. Yes, I just played it the day I wrote this review. And many times before. So, either I'm a freak myself, or this game is actually worth more than the majority gives it credit for.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/29/04