Help Lassie is an Android adventure game that puts you in the shows of a young girl that was out at night looking for her beloved cat, Lassie, it’s a classic haunted house story as you end up coming across an abandoned house. This house is the one that our feline friend has blindly ran into, and it’s one that we need to investigate if we’re going to find Lassie ever again. This is the general premise of the game, and as a point and click adventure game, Help Lassie puts players through a number of different challenges and environments. Players will need to use different items together in order to get from one area to another, and it should offer some spooky action along the way, too.
As with most games on Android, interested players can go ahead and download Help Lassie from the Play Store. The game is completely free to download and play, and the only caveat is that it has ads included throughout the gameplay.
The first thing players will need to do is to choose a language, it’s only available in two languages right now – that’s Russian and English – but more languages could be on the way. From there, players will need to start a new game, and they can also choose to check out other, similar adventure games from the same developer.
Help Lassie starts off well, and gives players an introduction to the game by first introducing players to Lassie, the beloved cat that sets the rest of the game in motion.
Lassie ends up running off, probably scared as it’s now night time and not knowing where she is. Whatever the reason, she ends up running off into the near abandoned house, which looks pretty spooky in the great artwork that Help Lassie has on offer for players.
This house is where a lot of the game takes place, and players will end up heading from on environment to another. The aim of the game is to clear each room, stay alive, and of course find our beloved Lassie.
One of the gameplay mechanics here in Help Lassie is of course the need to use items, and while the game doesn’t do much hand-holding, it does let players know the general gist of how and what items can be used for.
Items are often combined together, and used in order to open doors, chests and unlock other such secrets. A good example of this is the use of a crowbar to open a door into the next room.
Behind some of these doors will be nasty surprises such as ghosts or this skeleton that you need to react quickly to, and if you don’t then you’ll have to start all over again.
While I didn’t like the fact that the game sends you all the way back to the beginning, this will encourage players to stay on alert, and that suspense is often what’s missing in spooky games like this, they always need a sense of danger, no matter how trivial that might be.
While this isn’t the sort of game that will appeal much to those that want a hardcore game or something that has a lot of action going on in it, Help Lassie shouldn’t totally be dismissed. It’s a great game for casual gamers, and it’s the sort of thing that will appeal to those that miss the classic point and click games of old, and while the overall gameplay won’t have a pace that will please modern or younger gamers, it will offer them a change of pace that’s for sure. It has good artwork, simple controls and a spooky, classic story that anyone can follow along with.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – The game runs well, and the pace of the game will appeal to those looking for something a little slower and more methodical than something that might be a little chaotic.
- Theme (4/5) – The artwork here is good, there are some good graphics and everything looks good and sounds nice as well, but the constant ads on screen do ruin things. Although these can be turned off for a small fee, of course.
- Features (4/5) – While it could be considered a little short, there’s not much in the way of things to complain about here, as the overall game has a classic point and click feel to it, while coming across as modern enough for younger players to get used to as well.
- Overall (4/5) – It’s not the sort of game that will appeal to everyone, but Help Lassie is something that I can see a lot of casual gamers enjoying, as well as those looking to try out something new. It’s classic while at the same time feeling modern and fresh.
Pros
- Gives casual gamers something to get excited about thanks to a simple and easily-understood storyline.
- Good game for players that miss the old point and click games that used to be all of the rage back in the day.
- Doesn’t ask too much of the player as the controls are simple and while the puzzles are challenging, they’re fairly straightforward.
- Fun, spooky setting allows the great artwork to be shown off, and makes it fun for those looking for something spooky without too much creepiness going on.
Cons
- Might be considered a little short for an adventure game, especially those that are looking for something with a little more substance to it.
- Constant ads on the display will put some players off, but if they want to, they can pay to remove them.
All-in-all, this is the sort of game that will find an audience, and one that will please users who are fans of the classic point and click games of old as well as adventure games. It has good artwork, some fun music and sound effects, as well as puzzles that a lot of people will enjoy solving over time. While free to download, the game has ads, which shouldn’t be much of a problem for the majority of users, as these can be turned off by choosing a simple in-app purchase.