When Edna & Harvey: The Breakout first released, the Playstation 2 was still the top console, Pixar’s Wall-E wasn’t going to hit theaters for 3 weeks, and Barack Obama wouldn’t be elected for another 5 months. It seems like forever ago that any of those things happened, but it has only been 12 years since Edna & Harvey first broke of the mental hospital she was in. Edna & Harvey: The Breakout brings back all the things that made the original great and updates it beautifully for a very different world of console gaming.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Anniversary Edition could have easily been a little dark for the average player given the open setting of the game being a mental hospital, but Daedalic Games really brings a childlike curiosity and sense of adventure to this breakout. Throughout the game, you switch between the Edna and her talking, time traveling stuffed bunny side kick Harvey. The story starts with a simple escape from the mental hospital where Edna is being held, but it quickly evolves into a full-blown conspiracy that you are helping get to the bottom of.
This game is played through a point and click system where you have the option to use an item on, talk to, take, and look at everything in the game whether it’s an object or another character. Much of the game is based on unique problem solving (like using a gnawed off toenail to unscrew the grate of an air duct) and the point and click mechanics really complement this. Plus, having so many different kinds of interactions for everything in the game ensures this game’s personality is infused in every interaction.
It seems like the writers worked overtime in this game with scene after scene of witty dialogue that both contributes to the story and gives some real insight to who each of the characters are. Usually this kind of writing is reserved for the main character and maybe a villain, but Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Anniversary Edition doesn’t leave anyone out. When you add in the remastered gameplay and updated animation, Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Anniversary Edition really immerse you in the game and doubles down on what made the original release great.
My favorite feature of this game, and something that I really hope to see in other anniversary editions, is that you can switch from the updated look of the anniversary edition back to the original version. This lets people who played the game in its original release jump all the way back to the original version of the game, but it also gives first time players insight into how Edna & Harvey have evolved since the first time they broke out. Seeing the original graphics really put into perspective how far this game, and games in general, have come but I just couldn’t pass up playing with the updated graphics.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Anniversary Edition brings back the quirkiness of the original along with some beautiful 2D artwork that stands out against any other games right now. Being point and click, it’s a little slower paced than most games now but the witty dialogue and challenging objectives are more than enough to keep you engaged for hours. Definitely add this one to your Xbox collection if you’ve got the time to play through it, because it is tough to put down.
9/10
Check Out the Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Anniversary Edition Trailer:
For more information, please visit: https://www.daedalic.com/edna-anniversary-10th
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Xbox One Review
My first console was the original Playstation and I would play Twisted Metal every now and then but games didn't hook me until I played the original Halo at my friend's house. As soon as I picked up that controller, I knew I needed an Xbox and I had to have that game. Since those early Halo days, I've branched out and played any game I could find with a great story and memorable characters but Master Chief is still my favorite. @thenotoriousTGT on Twitter
More Stories
GTA Online Announces Latest Major Update, New Community Challenges, Plus More in December
Atari Reveals 2nd Expansion for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration ‘The First Console War’ Releasing Nov. 8
AWAKEN – Astral Blade Review for Steam