STONE Review
Title: STONE
Developer: Convict Games
Publisher: Convict Games
Website: https://www.convictgames.com/stone
Genre: Adventure, Hip-Hop Stoner Noir
Platform: Steam PC and Mac
Audience: Mature, R-Rated
Release Date: 21/09/18
Price: £7.99 – I was very kindly provided with a review code for this game.
A unique experience
When you play a game, and you’re continually and audibly shouting “WTF?!”, you know that it has made an impression on you. This was the case with me when playing Convict Games’ debut title, STONE.
You wake up, fully dressed, curtains open, beer cans on the floor (sound familiar? We’ve all been there, right?). In a panic, STONE calls out for his chookie, Australian slang for a cute, irresistible, affectionate individual, Alex. He’s nowhere to be found, and then your phone rings. This is where the story begins.
STONE is a gay, koala bear who is a Private Investigator. He must work through his hangover to unpick the events of the night before.
As you retrace your steps, you are required to visit different locations, each one as colourful as STONE’s shirt. While at these locations you need to speak to various characters, all of whom have played a part in STONE’s life.
During your conversations, you can choose to go for a hard-ass approach or the soft-touch approach. I used a combination of both, and I don’t believe that it had an impact on the storyline. What I will say is that the hard-ass approach did produce some fantastic humour!
The controls are straightforward to pick up. You can play with the keyboard or a game controller. I played with my Hyperkin Duke controller, and it made for an enjoyable experience. The only addition I would have liked is a run button. However, STONE is an overweight Koala, so this is probably why there wasn’t one!
There are many eccentric characters who you meet throughout the game, including your lawn bowls loving mate Les who is a wombat and Smiles who is a crocodile, and nightclub owner. One of the strengths of STONE is its story, and each character you meet has something relevant, and interesting to tell you. These conversations give you a real sense of the chaos in STONE’s life.
Another aspect of STONE which is excellent is the soundtrack. There’s a good mixture of songs to listen to, including STONE’s favourite – hip-hop. The game looks great, like being in a live-action episode of Family Guy or South Park. I was able to play mine on the “sick” graphics setting, and the game does cater to less powerful machines with a low-fi option included.
There is a lot of Aussie humour in the game, most of which I got.
The game moves along at a fast pace, and the story develops swiftly. I was able to complete the game in around two hours. Don’t let that put you off the game though. I’m not going to spoil the story for you. However, what I will say is that you certainly won’t be bored playing this game.
In conclusion…
We’ve all got a friend like STONE, the one who is always the most drink at the party, and the one who gets into the most bizarre trouble, a loveable rogue.
STONE is a unique, adventure game. It will have you laughing out loud at times, and you’ll quickly become invested in STONE’s story. While it will only take around 2 hours to complete, it’s a hell of a trip, and one worth taking.
Rapid Reviews Rating:
You can purchase STONE from the Steam Store using the link below.
A big thank you to Karen at Agent42_UK and Acer UK for providing me with the power of the Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop. Without your support, I wouldn’t have been able to review this game.
