Costume Quest
Common Sense says
- Linux, Mac, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
- $9.99
- 2010
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Costume Quest is a downloadable Halloween-centric adventure game featuring monsters and combat. The game is much like a three-dimensional platform game and is usually navigated with the keyboard. The control scheme can be tricky, especially when navigating through some maps. But it also supports a game controller, which does make things a bit easier. There's violence, but it's handled like a cartoon, without any blood shown during combat. There's one quick, entirely tongue-in-cheek reference to smoking.
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What's it about?
COSTUME QUEST is the tale of fraternal twins who are new to a neighborhood and about to go trick-or-treating in an unfamiliar place. Players take on the role of either Reynold or Wren, who dress in costumes; the non-playable sibling dons a candy-corn costume, while the other is a robot. Real monsters are out and about collecting candy, and the non-playable brother/sister is mistaken for a big piece of wiggly, talking candy (a real find!). It's up to the other sibling to rescue the kidnapped family member, make friends and allies, and be home before curfew.
Is it any good?
Costume Quest is a clever, cartoon-like title that's part platformer, part role-playing game and complete adventure wrapped in a sweet package. The game looks terrific and is easy to get into and play. There are some elements, mostly in combat, that require timing to deliver the maximum damage. Where the game stumbles is in movement, especially through keyboard keys. It feels predicated on movement in eight directions and less than fluid in this regard. A controller makes this far easier. Plus, the camera is static and can't be moved, which can sometimes be problematic when scenery obscures the view of the controlled characters.
But Costume Quest sports a fair amount of humor, and challenges and quests aren't hard to grasp or follow. This is very much a niche game that elicits a smile from the beginning and lasts through each element. The controls could be friendlier, but this is a fun, Halloween-themed game that both kids and adults will enjoy.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about violence in games such as Costume Quest. Is the violence OK because of the game's cartoonish nature and the kid protagonists using imaginative weapons, or does that not justify it?
Discuss Halloween costumes and involve children in creating their own costumes. What costumes are appropriate for kids to wear, which aren't, and why? Would you wear a "tame" costume if it could do the things that the costumes in this game can do?
Game details
- Platforms: Linux, Mac, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
- Price: $9.99
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online? Not available online
- Developer: THQ
- Release date: October 20, 2010
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Holidays, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference
- Last updated: June 20, 2019
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