Simon the Sorcerer: Origins – Hands-On Review of a Vintage Point-and-Click Classic Reborn

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The world of point-and-click adventure gaming is experiencing a vibrant resurgence, and leading the charge for nostalgic fans is the highly anticipated prequel, Simon the Sorcerer: Origins. Developed by Smallthing Studios and set to launch on October 28, 2025, this title promises to transport players back to the sarcastic, spell-laden fantasy realm of the ’90s cult classic. Our recent hands-on time confirms that this is not just a loving homage, but a genuinely fresh and polished experience.

A Prequel That Answers Thirty Years of Questions

Simon the Sorcerer: Origins is an official prequel, taking place just weeks before the events of the original 1993 game. It aims to reveal the untold story of how the grumpy, sarcastic teenager Simon first stumbled into the Magical World and acquired his iconic purple robes. The narrative begins with Simon’s family moving into a new house, an event immediately complicated by a school expulsion and an ancient, world-altering prophecy. This setup provides an intense, emotional, and humorous journey that simultaneously grounds the character in his teenage angst while propelling him into a destiny he would rather avoid.

• Setting the Stage: The game masterfully blends the mundane challenges of a forced move with the immediate onset of magical chaos.
• The Tutorial Masterpiece: The initial puzzles are cleverly disguised as typical teenage chores, punctuated by hilarious, nagging instructions shouted from Simon’s off-screen mother—a running gag that serves as a modern, meta-aware tutorial.
• Core Mystery: The adventure swiftly transitions from domestic absurdity to a full-blown fantasy plot involving an eerie marsh, dark forest, and the subtle machinations of the series’ legendary antagonist, Sordid.

Visual Sorcery: Hand-Drawn Animation Meets Modern Fidelity

The first and most striking aspect of Simon the Sorcerer: Origins is its utterly gorgeous visual style. Gone is the classic pixel art, replaced by a new hand-drawn art style explicitly inspired by late ’90s and early 2000s Disney animation. The artistic talent is undeniable, with animators who worked on the Oscar-nominated film Klaus contributing to over 15,000 hand-drawn frames and cinematic sequences.

This commitment to traditional 2D art ensures that the game’s aesthetic feels both nostalgic and utterly modern. The fully animated cast of 15 unique characters and 50 meticulously crafted backgrounds pop with color and expression, making the fantasy world more vibrant and alive than ever before.

Key Visual and Audio Highlights:

• High-Fidelity 2D: The transition from high-quality cutscenes to in-game graphics is seamless, maintaining a stunning, cartoon-like consistency.
• Iconic Voice Acting: Fans will be thrilled by the return of Chris Barrie (known for Red Dwarf) as the voice of Simon. His signature, sardonic wit and perfect comic timing are completely intact, breathing authentic life back into the world’s most sarcastic wizard.
• Original Soundtrack: Composer Mason Fisher delivers a whimsical and emotionally rich score, perfectly blending jaunty fantasy tunes with moodier pieces. The surprising inclusion of Rick Astley’s “Together Forever” in the opening cutscene further cements the game’s wonderfully anachronistic ’90s charm.

Refining the Point-and-Click: Gameplay for a New Generation

Developer Smallthing Studios has thoughtfully refined the classic point-and-click mechanics to appeal to both veterans and newcomers. While the spirit of old-school, logical (but often absurd) inventory puzzles remains, the clunky multi-verb interface of the 90s has been replaced by a streamlined, contextual smart cursor.

The core gameplay features that make this a truly modern adventure game include:

• Contextual Clicks: Hovering the cursor over an item auto-selects the appropriate action: a magnifying glass for ‘Look At,’ a hand for ‘Use/Pick Up,’ and a speech bubble for ‘Talk To.’
• Direct Character Control: Unlike older titles, players have direct control over Simon’s movement, adding to the immersive feel, complete with a handy run function and an amusingly bouncy walking gait.
• Quality-of-Life Features: The inclusion of a hotspot highlighter (scan button) and a “map of displacement” for quick travel ensures that players who get stuck can find their footing without resorting to constant trial-and-error.
• Puzzles and Dialogue: The challenges are clever and satisfying, from combining an unlikely assortment of inventory items in Simon’s much-bigger-on-the-inside wizard’s hat to an unexpected dialogue-based puzzle that requires quick wit and persuasive charm.

Strong Puzzle Design and Humor:

The game doesn’t shy away from being challenging but assures players that the solutions are always logical, even if they’re delightfully off-the-wall. One early puzzle involves using a fridge magnet, a pull-string toy, and scissors to retrieve a key from a sink’s plug hole—a perfect example of the brilliant, circuitous logic the series is famous for.

The humor, the lifeblood of the Simon franchise, is razor-sharp. It mixes Simon’s sarcastic inner monologue with absurd encounters, funny book titles on optional hotspots, and pop-culture nods like a barbershop named “Sweetey Todd.” The dialogue remains the most entertaining feature, ensuring every interaction is laced with the eponymous wizard’s legendary sharp wit.

A Promising Return for a Beloved Franchise

Simon the Sorcerer: Origins, set for release on PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, is shaping up to be far more than just a nostalgic cash-in. It successfully modernizes the mechanics and visual presentation of the classic adventure genre while remaining completely faithful to the sarcastic, whimsical spirit that made the original a beloved hit. Smallthing Studios has delivered a truly gorgeous, well-written, and intuitive point-and-click experience that both rewards long-time fans and serves as an ideal entry point for a new generation of gamers. If you are looking for a top-tier interactive storytelling experience filled with clever puzzles and laugh-out-loud humor, mark your calendars for October 28, 2025. This is the fantasy game revival we’ve been waiting for.

Pre-order the Deluxe Edition now to secure a copy and dive back into the Magical World. This title is a strong contender for the best adventure game of the year, delivering on its promise of a glorious return for a truly vintage classic.

Game Details at a Glance:

• Title: Simon the Sorcerer: Origins
• Developer: Smallthing Studios
• Publisher: ININ Games
• Release Date: October 28, 2025
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
• Genre: Point-and-Click Adventure, Puzzle

Hands-On: Honor of Kings World is an impressive looking online action RPG from the world’s biggest mobile franchise

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A New Reign: Hands-On Impressions of Honor of Kings: World Open-World RPG

The global gaming landscape is set for a seismic shift. Tencent’s TiMi Studio Group, the powerhouse behind the world’s most-played mobile MOBA, Honor of Kings, is taking its universally successful franchise in a bold new direction. Our exclusive hands-on review confirms that Honor of Kings: World is not just another spin-off; it is a visually stunning, deeply engaging open-world action RPG poised to become a AAA contender in the highly competitive online multiplayer space.

The transition from a fast-paced 5v5 MOBA to an expansive, narrative-driven Action RPG (ARPG) is an ambitious undertaking, but TiMi has executed this with remarkable technical proficiency and creative vision. Built on the powerful Unreal Engine 5, the game transports players to the vast and mystical world of Primaera, a realm steeped in Eastern fantasy and mythology. Our preview of the early-game content showcased a game that respects its MOBA origins while forging a unique and compelling identity.

Unrivaled Flow Style Combat System: Dynamic and High-Octane Action

The cornerstone of Honor of Kings: World is its combat system, which the developers have dubbed the ‘Flow Style.’ This real-time, hack-and-slash mechanic is a clear departure from the MOBA’s top-down perspective, embracing a dynamic, over-the-shoulder view that puts players right in the middle of the action. This system is designed for maximum player agency and provides a genuinely skill-based gameplay experience.

Key Combat Highlights:

• Weapon Switching: Players can fluidly switch between melee and ranged weapon sets mid-combo, creating long, complex, and visually spectacular attack chains. This dual-role capacity adds significant strategic depth.
• Signature Hero Skills: While players control a primary character, the combat is heavily inspired by the movesets of the legendary heroes from the original Honor of Kings. Mastering these hero-inspired techniques is crucial for dominating battles.
• Real-Time Dodging and Parrying: Precision movement and defensive maneuvers like timed dodges and parries are essential to surviving the punishing enemy encounters, especially against World Bosses. This mechanic elevates the ‘Action RPG‘ title beyond simple button-mashing.
• Team Synergy in Co-op: The combat system truly shines in its optional 4-player co-op mode. Coordinated attacks, interrupt skills, and tactical positioning are necessary for overcoming the most formidable adversaries.

This commitment to fluid, high-fidelity combat immediately positions the game as a major rival in the open-world ARPG market, offering a fresh, Eastern-inspired alternative to Western fantasy norms.

A World of Grandeur: Primaera’s Expansive and Interactive Open Map

The shift to an open-world format allows the rich lore of Honor of Kings to finally breathe. The continent of Primaera is rendered with astonishing detail, feeling less like a collection of zones and more like a cohesive, living ecosystem. Regions like the scholarly Jixia Academy, the expansive Springbrook Plains, and the ancient, ruin-filled Dragon Valley each possess a distinct aesthetic and atmosphere.

The sheer scale of the explorable world is vast. From snowy cliffs to dense forests and bustling towns, the environment is not merely a backdrop but an integral part of the experience. Dynamic environments, changing weather systems, and intricate puzzles scattered across the map encourage deep exploration and reward curious players. The open-world philosophy is clearly built around discovery, making the process of traversing the map as rewarding as the combat encounters themselves.

Multiplayer and Solo Adventure: A Non-Invasive Online Experience

The ‘online’ aspect of the Action RPG is handled with a modern and player-friendly approach. While the game is fundamentally a Multiplayer Action RPG designed for co-operative play, especially in tackling challenging content like World Bosses and dungeons, the Lead Designer confirms a robust and complete single-player experience is also available.

• Optional Co-op: Multiplayer is presented as a ‘non-invasive’ feature. Players can choose to go it alone through the main storyline and exploration.
• 4-Player Co-op Boss Fights: For high-level content and massive boss battles, up to four players can team up. This is where strategic hero composition and coordination—a nod to the MOBA’s team-based DNA—will be paramount.
• AI Companions: For solo players struggling with difficulty spikes, the game will feature AI companion assistance, ensuring that no content is locked behind mandatory co-op play.

This flexible design choice is crucial for broad audience appeal, catering both to players who prefer solitary exploration and those seeking a collaborative live-service experience. The ability to seamlessly jump between solo story progression and co-op challenges offers a superior user experience.

Monetization and The Business of AAA Gaming

A key focus for an online Free-to-Play title is its monetization model. Given the lineage of Honor of Kings, which primarily monetizes through premium cosmetic skins and direct hero purchases in the MOBA, expectations for a fair system in the ARPG are high. Early indicators suggest a monetization strategy that focuses on cosmetic items and battle passes, which is a desirable model for the core ARPG audience.

The central gameplay loop revolves around RPG-style upgrades and character builds, with a strong emphasis on progression and exploration rather than solely on random character acquisition. The developers appear keen on maintaining a fair competitive environment, similar to the original MOBA’s ethos of ‘Skill is Everything,’ which would be a massive competitive advantage in the global market.

The Verdict: A Must-Watch Title for 2025

Honor of Kings: World is officially slated for a 2025 Release Date across PC, Mobile (iOS and Android), and Console platforms, starting with a mobile-first launch. This massive cross-platform ambition, coupled with the impressive technical showcase, establishes it as one of the most highly anticipated action RPGs of the next development cycle. The game successfully leverages the immense lore and character recognition of the world’s top MOBA while introducing revolutionary combat and a truly next-generation open-world environment.

From the deep, stylish combat of the Flow Style system to the sheer scale of the Primaera continent, every aspect of the game screams high-value production. This is more than a simple brand extension; it is a full-fledged, high-end online RPG experience that promises to engage millions of players globally. For fans of open-world exploration, dynamic combat, and co-operative boss hunting, Honor of Kings: World is a game you should be adding to your most anticipated list right now. The King is ready for a new world, and it looks spectacular.

Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to the global launch in 2025.