Vince Twelve is an independent developer known for his previous freeware adventures "Anna" and "What Linus Bruckman Sees When His Eyes Are Closed". In 2007, 5 years ago, he announced "Resonance", his first commercial title. Hadn't he partnered up with Dave Gilbert last year this review probably would've been written a few months or even years later. Developing a full-blown adventure takes a lot of time when you also have a full-time job to keep the chimney smoking. Dave Gilbert brought much needed experience and full-time devotion to the table. A year later Resonance was released.
Resonance is a sci-fi thriller about a group of 4 random people who meet each other through a serious accident at a laboratory. They have to work together to keep a new and dangerous scientific discovery out of the wrong hands. This new discovery is called "Resonance", a set of laws tied to a newly discovered subatomic particle.
The danger of this scientific breakthrough is clear from the beginning. An impressively crafted introduction scene shows a world in turmoil, as buildings are on fire and big gaping holes have appeared in densely populated areas. The mayhem started 3 days ago in "Aventine City". Resonance manages to keep me hooked for the first few minutes of the game, and we all know how important a first impression is.
You take control of Ed Eddings, a mathematician working for Dr. Javier Morales who discovered the Resonance Effect. The game starts with a tutorial mode where you learn how to control the game. It's pretty basic: Left-click to perform an action, right-click to observe. The tutorial is part of the game's first section (out of three), in which you're introduced to the 4 playable characters one by one. The order in which you'll meet these people is up to you: After the tutorial you're presented with the option to select a random time slot in which something happens to each character as you take control.
You already met Eddings. You'll also meet Anna, a medical doctor and a niece of Dr. Morales. She has had a difficult childhood. Then there's detective Bennet, who doesn't like playing things by the book. Ray Abbot is a shifty reporter for a social-critical blog. Characters in Resonance, even the protagonists, are depicted in an archetypical manner, especially Bennet and Abbot. The amount of backstory and depth isn't evenly distributed amongst the quartet either, as Anna's story is much deeper explored than the others throughout the game. That's understandable to a certain degree, but it does seem the detective and reporter are not much more than glorified henchmen to support the multi-character puzzles in the game.
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