As far as clowns go, I’m not afraid of them, but they’re a little creepy. Unless they’re serial killers living in Derry, Maine, or they like Big Macs, it’s rare to be intrigued by clowns these days. ‘s annoying theme song stuck in my head for days, and that’s about as bad as this game is. Dropsy is a friendly neighborhood clown who is only trying to clear his name and prove to everyone that he will never kill his mother in an accidental circus tent fire.
yeah you read that right. The game begins with a short cutscene showing a vibrant circus filled with happy patrons. Suddenly someone throws a lit cigar and the whole place goes up in flames. Dropsey’s mother is one of the victims of the fire, and for some reason he is involved in the crime. He’s sort of an Edward Scissorhands-type character who lives where his caregivers died. A desolate, half-burnt, abandoned circus tent. It’s a dark beginning to a very strange game with lots of ups and downs.
Dropsy reminds me of Bunny (4th Powerpuff Girl, highly recommended if you haven’t seen that episode). Dropsy is an innocent and slightly brainless adult male in a ragged clown costume. He is very sloppy and his social skills are not the best. But with the help of his trusty canine buddy, Dropsy is ready to go out into the world and bring joy to people again. Absorbed by
Dropsy is a strange and engaging point and click adventure. To move Dropsy, you need to continuously click the left or right side of the screen with your cursor. If the rest of the world doesn’t respond to my clicks (items, NPCs, doors, etc.) this shouldn’t be a problem. As soon as I started my adventure, I was frustrated. Going back and forth between Dropsy and the dog to solve puzzles was fine at first, but quickly became a chore. Dropsy doesn’t move very fast and the game is very vague in direction and goals. The conversations between you and the NPCs you interact with are all small illustrations. It’s not difficult, it takes time.
To be honest, I liked that the characters were talking only through pictures. It’s fun trying to figure out what they’re saying and I’ve never come across this in any other game I’ve played. It’s worth doing everything you can just to see the results.
Helping people along the way earns Dorothy hugs. Hugs in this game are like Power Stars in Super Mario 64. Hugs can be obtained by befriending them or helping them on quests. Yes, hugs are a big part of this game. Dropsy gets likable and charming as you play, but doesn’t change her clothes or take a shower. So… yeah, a hug from Dropsy!
My favorite character is a dog. It can follow you back and forth between Dropsy and his dog, solve different puzzles, and venture into areas where the big clown can’t fit. Just like Dropsy can use almost any bathroom you come across, he also pees on things. He’s a bit of an odd feature, but I thought it was interesting because it reminded me of the game Boogerman.
The city you explore is pretty realistic and can be quite ominous at times, so if you thought this was a game for kids, you’d be wrong. or Certain his NPCs and items appear at different times which makes it interesting. The streets are rough and dirty. I loved walking around (controls aside) and checking out the scenery and characters in the game. It reminded me of the SNES/Genesis era. The music is pretty great too. What Dropsy lacks in dialogue, it makes up for in other fun sound effects and music.
My main gripe is having to use point-and-click controls. I wish there was an option to turn it off. Having to keep clicking on the screen to walk was annoying and robbed the experience. I would have loved this game more if I could use the joystick to move. Otherwise, Dropsy is a pretty interesting game story-wise. I thought this grumpy clown was pretty grotesque at first, but now that I’ve gotten to know him, he’s pretty cute.
Dropsy is a game that tries to show humanity that it doesn’t have to be a piece of trash. A little bit of kindness goes a long way in this world. Even if you’re a stinky, toothless, creepy clown, it’s the little things that count.
