Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle

Tuesday 2 May 2006
Despite the original Runaway selling over 600,000 copies in Europe, chances are that you've never even heard of - let alone played - this award winning point 'n' click adventure, as it was never released in the UK. Thankfully, publisher Ascaron is making sure that we don't miss out on the sequel, Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle, which is shaping up to be an absolute treat.

While Runaway's developer, Pendulo Studios, is keeping schtum about the game's plot, it's pretty evident that Runaway 2 should be an irresistibly smile-inducing affair played out with bags of personality by a colourful cast of characters. Locations range from Alaska to Hawaii and every screen we've seen - in its sumptuous cartoon style - looks lovingly crafted and a treat to scrutinize.

Of course, a graphic adventure is rightly judged largely by the calibre of its puzzles and Runaway 2 promises to offer an abundance of well constructed - but, we're assured, entirely logical - brain-strainers throughout its six chapters of roving screen exploration. However, we'll have to reserve judgement on this crucial element until we've played Runaway 2 for ourselves.

There's absolutely no way that point 'n' click fans should be anything other than over-the-moon excited about Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle. After all, when a virtual oasis as beautifully styled as this appears in the graphical adventure wastelands it's impossible not to instinctively run towards it with arms open wide.