by Martin Webb

Created on: May 20, 2008   Last Updated: June 17, 2008

Like many of the games on the Addictive 247 site, Skin and Bones is fun and somewhat challenging. Unfortunately the fun didn't last.

The story line goes like this. An evil wizard (unnamed in the demo) is holding Skin (a boy in a red baseball cap) as his hostage. The wizard is forcing Skin and the other character Bones (an unexplained walking skeleton) to work together in order to find the "magical Gems". In return, the wizard will give them whatever they desire. Skin just wants to go home. For Bones, it's not so simple -(I have no idea what this is supposed to mean.)

Okay, the story stinks and all of it was told on the opening screen of the first level. After that, no more story. At least, not in the demo version. I would have liked to know why an animated skeleton is in the game at all, but Bones is important to the game even if he is an odd choice of character.

Basically, Skin collects gems, and Bones kills monsters. Bones is dead, and so can not be harmed. You have to use bones to clear the way for Skin to get the goods. Skin is easily harmed maybe to much so. I found myself looking at the "GAME OVER" screen after i jumped onto a spike a couple of times. It would have been cool, if I had been taken back to the beginning of the level. Instead I had to start all over. That was not cool.

I was reminded of the old 16 bit game systems. The graphics and music as well as the 2D side scroll style made the game feel retro, but not completely dated. The controls are simple: left, right, and jump also a toggle button to switch between characters.

Toggling between the characters made the game frustrating, because ONLY Skin can collect gems. Trying to figure a way to maneuver the two guys in the level can be challenging, but tiresome after about level three.

Maybe I'm just cheap, but $19.95 is, in my opinion, an excessive price for a game like this. There are games similar to this one, and better, available in stores and on the Internet for half the price.

I would suggest getting the demo and trying it out. I think you will like it, but I'm not sure you would be willing to pay 20 bucks for this game. I give it a 3/5.

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