Fragmented Almanac: Unique Dreamcast Puzzle Collection goes up for Pre-order!

One of my favourite memories from when I first got involved with The Dreamcast Junkyard happened towards the end of February 2020, when I played the demo for "Reaperi Cycle" in preparation for an episode of our podcast, the DreamPod. Interesting extra tidbit: I'd got engaged to my now-wife just the day before! 

Upon booting up the Reaperi Cycle demo, I was met with a point-and-click game in an isometric style, with really compelling pre-rendered graphics indicative of 90s PC titles, such as Sanitarium. This was not a style of game I ever expected to hit the Dreamcast, but something that I'm so glad I played. The mission of the demo was to solve puzzles in an alchemist's study to try and unlock a strange floating cube in the middle of the room. Not being that smart a puzzle game aficionado, I found some of the puzzles quite tricky to solve, which had me turning to fellow Junkyarders Tom, Mike and James for help, as they were also playing the game in prep for the podcast. 

Reaperi Cycle

In this age of instant information, even if we'd tried to look for a walkthrough to this demo, we would've come back empty handed, so what followed was something I'd not experienced in a long time: we started exchanging hints and tips with one another about what we'd each managed to figure out. With everybody's help (particularly Mike's, if I recall correctly), I eventually managed to get that cube open and complete the demo, and it felt awesome. It took me back to my playground days of yore, when my friend who was a year older than me would effectively function as a walking walkthrough guide, helping me out with advice whenever I got stuck on Pokémon Red. Reaperi Cycle reminded me of that, and it was amazing to feel that same buzz once again of utilising the advice of friends to finally beat a game. 

So then... why did I share this sentimental little tale? Because developer of Reaperi Cycle, ANTIRUINS, is finally releasing definitive versions of not only Reaperi Cycle (now known as The Hideout), but also Summoning Signals, another excellent demo that they also showcased back in 2020. And what's more, they're both combined into one release, called the Fragmented Almanac, with enhanced visuals and audio. That's two really unique games for the price of one, and you can pre-order them today, for an expected release date of March 2024.

Fragmented Almanac will be available digitally for $14.99 (for play on emulator, ODE, etc), with disc copies costing $29.99. The physical game comes in two editions with different cover art, and they both look absolutely sick. You'd be forgiven for mistaking them for some underground band's short-run release on some boutique indie label's Bandcamp. "Dude, I really hope they release Fragmented Almanac on vinyl next!"

On ANTIRUINS' store page for this release, the collection is described as follows:

"The Fragmented Almanac is a strange document, an oddity even amongst Dreamcast games.  At the junction of video games, art and alchemy, this project is the culmination of 7 years of Dreamcast development, spread over 5 different games. The Fragmented Almanac re-unites two of these experimentations under a multifaceted and complex timeline."

And the games contained within:

"THE HIDEOUT : This place is filled with alchemical knowledge, old tales and mystical symbols. It's the hidden path in the forest, seen by very few. Can you unlock its secret?

"SUMMONING SIGNALS : Sprinter-2 crashed on an Unknown Planet. Help the Pilot and figure out a way to leave the labyrinth. Discover this strange world where new technology and old ruins coexist."

The games also boasts such features as a "new Almanac system [which] guides you through the complex world", an "eerie soundtrack composed by Gabriel Ledoux" and the useful extra of "hints [being] displayed on the VMU". Nice.

The developers of Fragmented Alamanac are Canada-based, but did confirm in our Discord that they are currently working to try and get a distributor arranged for Europe, although $11 to get one of these sent to the UK (where I'm based) isn't too bad a delivery cost. Once again, you can pre-order the game here.

Are you going to check out The Hideout and Summoning Signals as part of the Fragmented Almanac? Let us know in the comments below, or on our socials.

Mortadelo y Filemón: Spanish Point & Click Kickstarter for Dreamcast

Appearing on Kickstarter recently out of nowhere, Mortadelo y Filemón is the Dreamcast game coming in 2021 that you never knew you wanted until now! The game is a point and click adventure which is based on a popular Spanish comic series. 

From the project overview:

"Mortadelo y Filemón: El Sulfato Atómico is a point and click style adventure game, available in Steam, which has players trying to steal back a spray that turns insects into giants.

In this game our characters must rescue the atomic sulphate created by professor Bacterio of the claws of Bruteztrausen, general of an enemy state. This sulphate is a spray that increases the size of the insects, making them reach measures of meters! They will have to enter the State slyly to arrive at the governmental palace and take the sulphate.

A Quick Look At Stupid Invaders

While it is true that the Dreamcast's library is heavily weighted towards arcade conversions and quick fix experiences, the system does play host to a fairly large number of PC ports across a range of genres. Star Lancer, Railroad Tycoon 2 and The Nomad Soul are all games that have their roots on the PC and all made the jump to the Dreamcast effortlessly, but there is one genre that's oddly under represented: the point and click adventure.

Sure, ScummVM (now at version 1.8) allows you to play a whole wheelbarrow full of old PC adventure titles - many of which are amongst the best games ever created - but when it comes to official releases, they're somewhat thin on the ground. This is particularly odd when you consider just how similar the Dreamcast is in terms of hardware to a mid-range PC from the late 2000s (and it has the added bonus of the Windows CE compatibility), and even more so when you glance at the keyboard and mouse peripherals gathering dust on your shelf/down the back of the sofa. The Dreamcast looks, for all intents and purposes like a console that should be literally bursting with point and click adventure games, but in the PAL territories at least there is only one such officially released title filling that role: Stupid Invaders.