The Whispered World

12 cert, Deep Silver PC ***

Now this is old school, a genteel point-and-click Tolkien-esque yarn closer in tone to The Hobbitthan Lord of the Rings.Expect a stately pace, expository dialogue and a winsome tone.

The hero, Sadwick, is a sad clown, a member of a tiny, pathetic travelling circus. But like Frodo the Hobbit, Sadwick knows he’s destined for greater things. Together with his pet, a shape-changing caterpillar, he sets off on an adventure, one that proves much more dangerous than he anticipated.

The Whispered Worldis lovingly put together: the story is engaging, the puzzles intricate and the illustrations beautiful, clearly influenced by the likes of Spirited Away. Whether the little conundrums prove delightful or frustrating depends on your yen for puzzles. But fans of this understated genre will almost certainly warm to it.