Unforeseen Incidents
A handyman investigates a viral outbreak in Yelltown.
Unforeseen Incidents is a point-and-click adventure game from 2018, created by the German studio Backwoods Entertainment. The story follows a handyman named Harper Pendrell, who looks into a strange viral outbreak plaguing his town of Yelltown. With help from a local academic and a reporter, he tries to find out who released the virus and why.
In terms of gameplay, players guide Pendrell through his investigation. According to Rock, Paper, Shotgun, the puzzles are very traditional for the genre, but they stand out because the protagonist doesn't manipulate his friends to solve them. Instead, solutions might involve helping a friend with a personal issue rather than taking advantage of it. Since Pendrell is a handyman, some puzzles require using his tools. Players can pick up and combine items for inventory-based puzzles, though some objects are red herrings with no actual purpose.
The English version of the game doesn't simply translate the German script. British comedian Alasdair Beckett-King wrote original dialogue for it. Unforeseen Incidents came out on May 24, 2018, with a Nintendo Switch version planned for January 27, 2022.
Critics gave the game generally favorable reviews, earning a Metacritic score of 80 out of 100 from 13 critics. Karla Munger of Just Adventure awarded it an A−, praising its balance of serious and funny moments, though she found some puzzles too frustrating. John Walker of Rock, Paper, Shotgun called it sharp, smart, witty, and well-constructed, highlighting the voice acting, music, and art. He noted that its socially progressive themes felt natural, not like virtue signaling. Fergus Halliday of PC World described it as predictable and familiar but charming enough to win players over. Richard Hoover of Adventure Gamers concluded that with a great voice cast, distinctive visuals, and intricate puzzles, the game delivers a solid if familiar story about an ordinary person saving the world.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Unforeseen Incidents
- Developer
- Backwoods Entertainment
- Publisher
- Application Systems Heidelberg
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch
- Released
- Windows, macOS, LinuxNA · 24 May 2018Nintendo SwitchWW · 27 January 2022
- Genre
- Point-and-click adventure game
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game follows Harper Pendrell, a handyman who learns that a mysterious virus is killing citizens in Yelltown. Aided by a local academic and a reporter, Pendrell attempts to uncover who unleashed the virus and why. Players control Pendrell as he performs his investigation, solving puzzles that Rock, Paper, Shotgun described as 'extremely traditional' for an adventure game but differing from the usual implementation by having solutions in which the protagonist is not manipulative toward people who are supposedly his friends. For example, solutions may involve helping a friend address a personal problem rather than exploiting it. As a handyman, Pendrell also solves some puzzles through the use of his tools. Items may be picked up and used to solve inventory-based puzzles, but some items are red herrings that do not have any in-game use.
Reader's Guide
Unforeseen Incidents received generally favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 80/100 from 13 critics. Karla Munger of Just Adventure rated the game A−, noting it 'achieves a skillful balance between serious and genuinely funny,' though she found some puzzles too frustrating. John Walker of Rock Paper Shotgun called it 'a sharp, smart, witty and superbly constructed adventure,' praising the voice acting, music, and art, and describing its socially progressive values as unobtrusive. Fergus Halliday of PC World wrote the game is 'predictable and familiar but has just enough charm to win you over nevertheless.' Adventure Gamers' Richard Hoover concluded: 'With a great voice cast, distinctive visual style, and intricate puzzle design, Unforeseen Incidents delivers a solid if well-worn story of a nobody from nowhere saving the world.' The game's English dialogue was not a straight translation but original work by British comedian Alasdair Beckett-King.
Did You Know?
- The English-language dialogue was written by British comedian Alasdair Beckett-King, not translated from German.
- Some inventory items in the game are red herrings with no in-game use.
- A Nintendo Switch version was set for release on 27 January 2022.
- The game's puzzles avoid manipulative solutions toward friends, instead involving helping them with personal problems.
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