a point’n’click adventure game developed for AdvJam2022

by Marco Giorgini (@marcogiorgini)
with Paco Diago’s music (@pacodiago)

https://marcogiorgini.itch.io/the-mysterious-gear-chest

Even if solving puzzles is of course the biggest part of the fun while playing adventure games, sometimes a little help is useful. If you think that too, this post may be for you. I’ve written down some basic information and then a list of question/answer covering all the topics you’ll find in the game (the main one at least).  If it’s not clear – yes – this post is FULL of spoilers. So read it only if you’re ok with that.

In this game you’ll be able to play as three different characters – Marco, Sara, and Andrea  (FYI: Andrea is a male character)- switching from one to the other when you want.

Even if there are three characters the main one is Marco, and so he’s the one you’ll be playing most of the time.

Considering that he’s the one who’ll do most of the legwork first advice – an important one – is to let him take a city center map (he’s in the used books library, and it’s free) because using it you can move jumping from a place to another without “walking” – and that saves a lot of time.

But where do we start?

Well, Marco is waiting for a photographer to attend (as a journalist) the Gear Chest event at Museums Palace.

Sara is at home, showing her house to a new guest – her distant cousin Enrica.

Andrea is in the Conference Room (at the Public Library) finishing a writing course lesson, and ready to enjoy a book presentation by one of his favorite authors.

What can go wrong?

First – Marco can’t enter the Gear Chest event because he has not the required Press Pass.

Second – Sara’s cousin seems not only rude but able to do some tricks. She locked her room using an amber rock (that now has the door handle INSIDE it).

Third – nobody seems to come to the book presentation – so Andrea would be locked there for a while. But this is not too bad after all, considering he can talk to Navarro.

** SPOILERS **

** How can Marco get a Press Pass? **

Press Pass has been sent to ‘KULT Underground’ (the web magazine Marco’s working for) without any address – nor Marco’s name – so the situation seems desperate

As Nic suggests, Marco can check his house and see if he can at least LOOK LIKE a KULT Underground journalist

Once he does that (and the operation involves finding a badge, asking someone to print a KULT logo, putting everything together) just go in the open and wait for something to happen.

That’s odd, isn’t it? Well, there’s something weird going on – indeed.

** How can he get a decent picture for his article? **

Both staff members seem lazy, but one is more serious than the other. Getting rid of the more rigorous one is a good starting point.

** What about the presence register? **

Let’s sign it – even if it’s weird that the Museum wants a list of people – after sending specific invitations. Maybe there are TWO reasons for it.

** How can Marco write his article? **

Well, not with his tablet. Marco can go to Sara – who’s better with the computer (and with writing, by the way, and with a lot of other things)

** What is Sara is not ready to let Marco in? **

She has to handle her guest, before letting Marco in. Do that (or better, make her do that)

** How can Sara unlock the ambered-door? **

She can’t – she has to wait that Enrica returns and frees the door. That won’t be soon.

** Who’s the odd Gothic girl that’s standing in front of the guard in the Museums Palace hall? **

She may be Sara’s cousin. She’s cool – but she’s also able to move people at will – using something called Medusa’s eyes (as Nic told). 

Her power seems related to eyes. Maybe that’s why she’s not so good with sunglassed guard. Marco cannot find sunglasses too – but Marco can search for something useful to not fall under her spell – something heard in legends

** What about the General Raimondi invitation? **

If Marco got it, go there. He’s shady, but he has something powerful too – and more info about what’s going on.

** What about Andrea? Can’t he do anything but wait for people not to arrive at a presentation? **

Well, he can talk to his mentor – so you can get some of his background story – and he can share with Sara his latest work

** How can Sara be helpful – while waiting for Enrica to unlock her door? **

She can check her phone. She should find Andrea’s chapters and Nic’s single picture for Marco’s article. Do they seem similar? If so, why? Better ask Andrea, in person. Better send Marco to ask Andrea, I mean

** Ok, there’s a really odd similarity between Andrea’s drawings and Gear Chest inscriptions **

And that’s even odder considering that Andrea’s drawings come from a statue that hadn’t them on it BEFORE a single unlucky hit – with a crow involved

Isn’t there anything ELSE that seems connected? No. Are you sure? Don’t you have found something from Marco’s relative? Check it. Three things CAN’T be a coincidence – and the fact that we’re talking about ancient Gods can’t be good

** How can the gang know more about a forgotten God? **

You can ask an expert about it – and find his lost book – that contains a reference to another older one – that has a whole missing chapter – exactly the one related to the God you’re looking for. Good, isn’t it?

You can follow that lead – and find a person that won’t deny knowing a lot more – even if he’s not willing at the moment to share

** How about push-away-Enrica? **

As I said Marco can do some tricks too. Ok, he can do that – with a mirror

** What can Enrica do once she’s cooperative? **

She can unlock her room – and let Sara have access to her computer, for once. And – uh – let you find her precious possessions (other than the amber rock): a scroll (in Greek) and a wand.

Sara can read the scroll – and find what Enrica still needs (a crow feather – but BLUE)

** What about crows in the game? **

Well, it will be a long story – but you can find at least one near home. Some food in a specific spot and you’ll be able to grab one. Almost. Anyway, you’ll find a feather – even if regular, and I mean black.

** How can Marco change the color of birds’ parts? **

Marco may try some new powerful color product – you’ll find it in the Public Library – in a room that’s now a small laboratory for a specific public event

** What can Marco do with a blue feather? **

Marco can activate Enrica’s wand – one that’s supposed to open the Gear Chest. A little spoiler: it doesn’t. But it’s helpful so you need it

** How can you get rid of the dumber staff member protecting the Gear Chest – considering he’s annoying and not letting Marco do experiments? **

Marco can offer him free drinks. With Nic’s help.

** How can Marco get the mold of the Gear Chest key?  **

Not in the way you expect. Keyhole is blocked – and even when you won’t be – you can’t get a mold that way. But you can check the Gear Chest. Maybe there’s another part that can be useful to make a key from the amber rock.

** Once you have an amber key – how can Marco make it golden without letting the General have it? **

With a little help from his friends. Marco can ask the social-smarter friend (Sara – if you were in doubt) to distract the General. How, without her out from her house, you may ask. Uh – we’re not in the 80s. There are mobiles!

With the General distracted you can also check another thing if you’re curious

** How can Marco use the golden key – the key Marco should use to open the Chest – if the keyhole is locked? **

Marco can’t. Marco first needs to unblock the keyhole. Yes, I mean Marco should solve the 1600 years old gears puzzle. Can Marco do that? Nope. But, again, Sara could. If you let her have a better look at the inscriptions.

** Once Marco has unblocked the keyhole and used the golden key – what next? **

Marco can see if the liquefying wand works – and yes, it does.

** What does Marco have to do now that there’s the Chest opened, and the amber layer removed? **

Marco can try to free the Chaos God (no, really, Marco can’t) or try to fix the crack and close everything again.

** How can Marco fix the crack? **

He needs a glue

** Marco doesn’t have glue **

Marco doesn’t but there’s a special glue where he found the coloring thing.

** Walt doesn’t let Marco have it! **

Marco should tell him that he needs it for a very important reason. Check him to understand what he may think his top priority

** Really? A glue to fix a crack? **

Yes. A special one. Able to stick forever or almost forever. BUT you can’t close a crack just with glue. You need some material to use to fill the crack, which then you will glue.

** What material? **

Wood. The inner chest is made of wood even if after more than a millennia it seems like a rock. And somewhere there’s some special wood.

** Marco can’t have it. It’s from Jerusalem so I’m sure it’s that. But the priest won’t let him have it **

He must give him something else in return. Something little, and precious. And not his, by the way, even if it’s in his possession.

** Ok. Crack fixed. How can Marco close the chest? **

Ask someone who knows everything. No, not Nic.

** What now? The chest is close, but the gang still has the problem of the statuette in space **

You should ask a friend – who’ll ask a friend – who’ll ask a friend – who’ll ask a friend.

Hey, it’s an ITALIAN game, after all

The enjoy the ending epilogue