It is the year 5000. Mankind has fled to Mars after a great cataclysm and developed into an advanced society there. But the destroyed Earth holds irresistible secrets about the human past - and curiosity is high. That's why archaeology professor Totel and his team travel to Earth to explore the human history, uncover hidden treasures and find the fabled "Mutropolis." Along for the ride is Henry Dijon, a young archaeologist with detective instincts. And this will be very useful to him because suddenly the events overturn and Professor Totel disappears without a trace.
Completely without a trace? No, of course not for an ambitious detective like Henry! He immediately searches the research center for clues. In good old Point&Click tradition, he collects everything that is not nailed down. And so a note from the professor quickly falls into his hands: "By the holy octopus, is he in Mutropolis?
The puzzles and tasks Henry has to face during his adventure mostly fit harmoniously and logically into his field of work as an archaeologist and would-be detective. For example, to get a vial, he has to open the mouth of a mummy by acquiring the appropriate expertise - and then take fingerprints from this vial. Some of the puzzles turn out to be quite tricky - sometimes only because the corresponding hints and assistance are missing in the game. For example, when in doubt, you can't use the space bar to display all the objects you can interact with. So you can spend your evening looking for a pen or staring at some photographs to find out the right combination to open a safe. Particularly annoying was a puzzle where you have to open a lock with a lockpick and where a stubborn graphic glitch only allowed blunt trial and error.
Nevertheless, you'll enjoy puzzling your way through the tougher puzzles because the exciting story keeps you enthralled. At the same time, the story and the puzzles remain well-balanced, varied, and above all humorous. The ignorance about historical objects and personalities of Henry and the rest of the team are great staged.
Conclusion
Mutropolis is a very classic, hand-drawn point-and-click adventure game with great characters and an exciting story. It combines a detective narrative about a missing professor with historical details and ancient mythology. It's fun to see our history from the perspective of people who have to re-explore this past. The puzzles fit harmoniously into the story and are sometimes quite tricky. The flat, detailed graphic style may take a bit of getting used to, but the pleasant dubbing alone brings the characters to life. In the end, the 14 hours of gameplay flew by.
