Ever been led into unexpected events because you listened to your gut instinct? Helped others even though you had somewhere else you needed to be? Got lost in someone else's twisted adventure? Well, this is what happened to Brian Basco…

Our story begins with Brian Basco sitting comfortably in a chair, explaining how he became involved in an unforgettable adventure. He is on his way to California to study for his PhD, but on the way he takes a fateful detour to collect a book that leads him into a world of trouble. He accidentally runs over a woman named Gina Timmins, who he immediately whisks off to hospital, and Brian soon discovers that the Mafia are trying to kill Gina because she witnessed them murder her father. Before he died, he managed to give her a crucifix that she wants information on. Impulse and instinct leads Brian to help her stay alive and discover what the crucifix symbolises, unravelling the truth behind Gina's father's death while staying one step ahead of the Mafia.

You solely play Brian Basco in this third person point-and-click adventure and controlling him is very easy; you simply left-click wherever you want him to move to and off he goes. Sticking with a traditional control scheme, as you move the mouse pointer around the screen, when you come to an object that can be examined, the pointer turns into a magnifying glass. Left-clicking the object then gives you a short description in the text bar located at the bottom of the screen. If you want to pick up the object then you just right-click it and it's put in your inventory. If the object isn't going to be of any use the Brian refuses to pick it up, making some sarcastic remark on why he doesn't need it. He is also sarcastic if you try and combine an object with an unlikely match, a fun touch that adds humour and charm to the proceedings.

There are six chapters to play through, which take you to around one hundred settings, including the New York hospital, a museum in Chicago and even the middle of a desert. To progress through the chapters you need to use common sense to work out how to solve certain puzzles. At the beginning of the game for example, you need to devise a plan to keep Gina safe from the Mafia while she's in hospital. You do this by looking around the room for as many objects as you can get your hands on and thinking about what each object you pick up can do to help you. Some puzzles are easy to solve while others might require you to apply a bit more brainpower. You might need to hop into your inventory and combine two objects together, like a battery and a radio for example. There are thirty characters to meet throughout the game, some of which give you clues about the next steps you need to take to complete a puzzle. Due to Brian refusing to pick up anything useless, everything that's added to your inventory will be needed at some point to complete one of the puzzles.

As this is a point-and-click adventure, the storyline needs to keep you hooked and that's exactly what it does. Road Adventure is extremely enjoyable and you'll be keen to follow the story through to its conclusion. It starts off straightforward enough, but soon the twists and turns start coming and they keep you invested to the end. At points you cannot skip past the script, which some might fine a little tedious, but because the story is light and entertaining you are surely going to want to read it. Point-and-click games might be a niche genre at the moment, but they're starting to make a comeback and remain a true favourite of mine.

A slight problem is that you do frequently have to go back to previous areas that you have visited, as you will no doubt have missed something. Also, Brian likes to do things in a certain order, so you might need to solve on puzzle before you can crack another. At one point you need to wait for this professor to go from one side of the room to the other, which is a bit of a timewaster, especially when she does this every time you enter the room.

The characters bring a great sense of off-the-wall humour into the game. Brian is the first character you are introduced to and he's got a real talent for sarcasm, especially if you try to add a ridiculous item into your inventory, like a huge rock. Obviously this would be impossible to lug round with you! Another one of the lead characters is the sassy stripper, Gina Timmins, the woman who got Brian into this adventure and who he falls for big time! The characters are really varied, from huge mobsters to a drag queen pop band. A great achievement is how each character has a real sense of individuality, with their own unique look, feel and voice.

The graphics are of a very high standard, with excellently drawn backdrops and environments and great 3D animation on the characters that interact with them. The characters and environment blend together very well, creating a visually appealing and atmospheric setting throughout the game's varied locations. The lip synching isn't always spot on, but it doesn't detract too much from the high level of immersion of the adventure. Sound is a particularly crucial element in an adventure game and there are over twenty tunes that are always well suited to the current situation and location. The script is really sharp too, with great voice actors that match up to the look and personality of characters. At times the voices can be slightly overacted, but this is part of what gives them their character.

Appealing, entertaining and with high production values, Runaway: A Road Adventure is a successful game that you will not be able to resist. I highly recommend it to everyone, whether you're a casual gamer or a fan of point-and-click adventures, as it delivers everything you could ask for; superb graphics, great voice acting, an engaging story, fun puzzles and even a surprising ending. This is one of the best point-and-click games I've played in a long time and with this being the first part of an ongoing adventure, surely you wouldn't want to miss out in knowing the whole story! So just as soon as you're done with Road Adventure, your next stop should be The Dream of the Turtle.

Reviewed by Gina Harrison for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).