For starters, there is the completely nonsensical plot. In short, you are an American holidaying in England only to discover your lodgings are abandoned, populated by ghosts and harbouring a portal to the western-inspired world of Strange, Texas.
And that's pretty much it, at least to start. The Real Texas is an obtuse game with very little in the way of hand-holding. You are given two key quests the minute you land within Strange, but beyond some vague direction as to location, you're left on your own to make your way.
The game describes itself as a mix between The Legend of Zelda and Ultima VI, and it is a worthwhile comparison. Like Zelda, you explore a large overworld filled with characters to interact with, enemies to fight and dungeons to explore. The Ultima VI comparison arrives by way of the conversation system which joyfully apes the 'name, job, bye conventions of Origin's popular series.
This means of interaction is one of the game's most delightful elements. Conversations can be progressed simply by clicking on topics as they come up in conversation, but a text parser also allows for non-signposted actions, often to great comic effect. It is entirely possible to kick someone mid-conversation if you so choose.
Combat fares a little less favourably thanks to an archaic 'move, shoot, but not both' approach to the game's more violent interactions. It is not terrible, but having to stop, draw your weapon and then start shooting feels unintuitive. More upsetting are stun attacks that many enemies unleash which can get you locked in seemingly endless juggle states until you die.
But it's in the exploration of the environment, and the uncovering the game's strange plot, that The Real Texas finds its appeal. The game is delightfully, and irreverently, wacky. But the odd humour never feels forced, and the narrative quickly grows on you. Even the puzzles peppered throughout the landscape provide ample opportunity for the game to flex its weird muscles.
And ultimately it is this taste for the strange that will determine what you get out of this game. Thanks to some ambiguous progression tracking, and a plot that wastes no time in bringing the odd, your first few hours are likely to bemuse more than delight. But stick with it. There is the sense you are playing a deeply personal title when you play The Real Texas. This is a game with definite heart and talent behind it. It's got its fair share of mechanical, interface and even pacing issues, but excellent writing and a flair for the unusual will undoubtedly muster a significant fan following amongst those who stick with it. A flawed and somewhat unusual gem.
Developer: Kitty Lambda Games
Publisher: Kitty Lambda Games
Price: $14.65
Web: therealtexasgame.com
