Can it really be a coincidence that Rathbone, the lab rat who stars in Sierra's The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain, bears a more than passing resemblance to a certain tall, skinny, stupid rat named Pinky who stars with another lab rat named The Brain on the Animaniacs show?
Of course it can. But if it isn't, it would explain a few things. This puzzle game has a few things in common with the popular Warner Brothers show, beyond the mere presence of rodents. Primarily, this third Dr. Brain game is clearly meant to be enjoyed every bit as much by adults as by kids, and maybe more so. Not only is the humor often surreal, like in Animaniacs (or Sesame Street, for that matter), but the puzzles become far more fiendish at the click of a mouse. Have no fear, there's enough challenge here for everybody from 5th grader to Doctoral candidate and beyond!
While there are lots of challenging puzzles, there's also lots of something usually lacking in this sort of product: variety! There are ten completely different kinds of games to be enjoyed, not just more and more complicated levels of the same thing. There's a word arranging game, a 3D construction game, a scrambled music game, and multi-level maze. For the most part, you can tackle the puzzles in any order you would like, but you have to reach a certain goal on the first nine before the final challenge (an Oxyd-like marble rolling game) is available.
Why, there's even a plot to explain all this, even though that turns out to be one of the weakest parts of the game. You see, Dr. Brain has been experimenting with transferring intelligence into dumber creatures. On a particularly bad day, he ends up putting too much of his own brain into Rathbone the Rat. Fortunately, his lovely niece, Elaina Brain is on the sain, I mean scene. With her help you need to undo every puzzle that Dr. Brain has ever solved, and thus give him back his mind. You will also have the help of the now super-intelligent Rathbone, who seems to be something of a goofball. Every puzzle, or part of the brain, Rathbone is in a different character outfit and doing another silly accent: New Yorker, Swede, German, Texan, whatever the situation calls for. These voices are actually done very well by Rodney Sherwood.
What's really odd is that the opening animation that sets this peculiar story up is badly paced and slow as glue drying. It's almost painful to watch. In my experience, computer games usually end up the other way around, with a great intro and a lousy game. I prefer it this way. At least I can skip the intro.
So you launch into the deep recesses of the Doctor's brain, and you find yourself in a land of cool puzzles. The interface is outstanding! It should be held up as a model for designers everywhere. Not only can you adjust the difficulty level, but you can do it while you play! You always start a new puzzle area on novice level. If that's too easy, hit the button that brings you to expert level. If that's a breeze, you must be a genius, and there's a button for you, too. With most games of this kind, this level selection would take place once, at the beginning of the game. You can change difficulty as much as you want to fill your percentage for a particular area. When you solve a novice puzzle, you get 5%. Expert is 10% and Genius is 15%.
When you reach 100%, that portion of the brain has been rescued and you can move on to another area. But what if you don't want to? What if you like the one you're on now? Just keep playing as long as you like! Sierra has included lots of extra puzzles for folks who grow attached to a particular game or two.
The music is lots of fun, and is as diverse as the puzzles it backs up. The visuals are not only stylish, but contain some of the sharpest animations ever seen on a PC. The lip-synching in particular is stunning.
You may have so much fun with this game that you will forget or not even realize that it's supposed to be educational. It sure doesn't feel like school. But the instruction manual (and the on-screen character of Elaina) are happy to remind you that different areas of your brain are getting a good workout, and you will even be referred to the Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner, co-director of Project Zero and Professor of Education at Harvard University.
(Okay, it's good for me. I'm glad to hear it. Can I get back to the game now?)
While I was not familiar with the Dr. Brain series before playing this game, I've been converted to a devoted follower. Don't be fooled into thinking that this is somehow a "kiddie" title. Anyone who likes puzzle games even remotely will have a blast with The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain. It's one of the very few games around that is really, honestly for the WHOLE family.
