There are a number of decisions and choices that we make that determine the next few moments or indeed the next few years of our lives. You find many leading characters in games that have been thrown into a situation simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time or because they happen to meet someone who changes their life forever, which is exactly what happened to Brian Basco, the main lead in the Runaway series, found himself embroiled in a grand adventure that led him around the world after meeting the mysterious Gina Timmins.

If you haven't played Runaway: A Road Adventure on PC then you really should, because it's a thoroughly enjoyable adventure romp that's not only a polished point and click adventure game but is also backed up by decent character interaction, an involving story and a witty script. It is viewed from a side on third person viewpoint where the backgrounds are rendered in 2D but the characters have a pseudo-3D appearance. You don't need to have played the first game to get to grips with this follow up though - it just means that you missed out! Like the original game, Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle is a traditional point and click adventure but this time using the stylus to move around and investigate items of interest, in place of the mouse of the PC original, which in itself was rather good game. However, will this PC port appeal to those wannabe DS adventurers out there?

Brian Basco and Gina Timmins are relaxing in the romantic hotspot that is Hawaii and enjoying a relaxing break after the trials and tribulations of their previous adventure. Of course, adventure games wouldn't be much fun without something dramatic happening and we're not let down; Brian and Gina decide to take a sightseeing tour, boarding an old plane that's piloted by an even older man. It's probably not too tricky to guess what happens next; the pilot passes on to pastures new, the plane is in trouble and Brian has to push Gina out, parachute in hand. Next minute, Brian wakes up, the plane has crashed din the jungle, there's no sight of Gina and your adventure is underway.

The introduction is one of the better beginnings to an adventure game I have seen, which is quite astounding when you consider that you're playing it on a Nintendo DS. The adventuring part is where Runaway comes into its own and you literally travel from one extreme to the next. One moment you're lost in the jungle then the next you find yourself on an archaeological sight, then you're wandering around underwater, trying to find a way out. The fantastic and weird nature of it all keeps your interest throughout, as the game never takes itself too seriously, although this does lead into the realms of silliness on occasion, which detracts a little from the enjoyment.

The main problem is that Brian and Gina are not the most likeable of leads, which is never a good thing, whether you're reading a book or watching a film and definitely not in this medium, where you are in control of the character and their every action. Gina takes a back seat for Dream of the Turtle, so you don't get too much involvement with her, which is no bad thing, and although Brian is a lot more confident than before, he still comes up lacking with regards to charisma and wit.

The graphics are akin to the early Broken Sword and Monkey Island games, with a cartoony emphasis. The character designs are varied and it seems like a lot of time has gone into them, although many are very stereotypical. Joshua, for example, makes a return from the original and he looks like the UFO-obsessed nerd that he is, but this stereotyping doesn't detract from the experience. There are so many characters to encounter on your journey that you'll end up forgetting most of them. Just like before, you need to devote an almost CSI-level amount of attention to detail to find every item and the stylus is not the best way of doing this, as you need to use the buttons to change from a 'magnifying glass' icon to a 'pick up' icon, which is a cumbersome process. The stylus is fine for movement and watching Brian swagger along to each area isn't as repetitive as it sounds. However, the actual investigating can become quite a chore if there is a host of items to uncover, due to the slight juggling act that needs to be employed as you move the stylus in one hand and manipulate the buttons with the other.

The inventory system is fairly intuitive; it's quite easy to manipulate items and they're viewable in the top screen so you don't need to keep opening up your inventory to see what you have. Just like many adventure games, it seems that common sense isn't your lead character's strong point. Why take a bottle of whisky and a cuddly toy and find no reason to pick up the first aid kit? This is a minor complaint, although it goes with the slightly warped dry sense of humour that Runaway 2 exudes throughout. The puzzles are a varied bunch but there are some very taxing ones as you progress through - you do have to think outside the box on more than one occasion!

As well as occasional frustration from obstinate puzzles, another aspect of the game that is in danger of annoying is the dialogue. There are many facets to each conversation, which is fine to begin with, but you soon realise that the option choices don't disappear once you've exhausted them, meaning that you need to keep tabs on what you've already asked, unless you like asking the same thing over and over again. It's the same with the animations during conversation, because some "Hello, I'm Brian" dialogue starters take longer than others and you'll find yourself wasting time just meeting and greeting people.

Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle is a decent adventure game that I do recommend, even though the control system on the DS can be a little tricky during the heavier investigative phases; there is room for improvement and I'm hopeful that the developer will take this on board for future releases. It's a traditional point and click adventure that's better than average and there aren't a huge number of them available on DS; if you give it a try, it's likely that you'll enjoy it, for the most part.

Reviewed by Christopher McNally for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).