The Bizarre Adventures of Woodruff and the Schnibble
Encyclopedia
The Bizarre Adventures of Woodruff and the Schnibble (European title Woodruff and the Schnibble of Azimuth) is a 1994 French adventure game
developed by Coktel Vision
. The game was created and written by artist Pierre Gilhodes, the creator of the Gobliiins
series, of which Woodruff shares its visual style, gameplay and offbeat humor, though is not an official part of the Gobliiins series or canon.
Woodruff was distributed in North America in 1995 by Sierra Entertainment
.
, where the last traces of life-sustaining warmth remained. Waiting out the surface radiation, centuries passed before the humans finally ventured back into the world above, discovering that, in their absence, their planet had sprouted a lush, overgrown jungle
.
In the humans' place, the planet had also managed to sprout a race of peaceful mutants known as the Bouzouk (spelled "Boozook" in the US release), who, were it not for their tails, pointed ears, and extraordinarily long noses would be virtually indistinguishable from man. In the societal structure of the Bouzouk there was a King and a Council of Wisemen, seven mystics who had successfully maintained harmony by guarding the Chprotznog, a sacred containment unit used to channel and subsequently trap evil spirits.
Having failed to learn their lesson from last time, the humans immediately waged war on the tranquil Bouzouk tribe in what became known as "The Great Battle". In a mere day, the humans destroyed their civilization, massacring many innocent Bouzouks and looting their holy artifacts, including the Chprotznog. The surviving Bouzouks were enslaved and forced to construct a new society for the humans, the great vertical city of Vlurxtrznbnaxl. An economically self-sufficient city run on wind power
and surrounded by farmland, the citizens live in different parts of the city according to their socio-economic status: the poor live on the lower levels, the rich and powerful live on the higher levels. The remaining Bouzouk peoples became exploited and oppressed; their once great society in shambles, they're left to work menial jobs and manual labor and live uneasily alongside the humans, while their deposed King now spends his days drinking beer and watching TV.
, ruled by a bureaucratic and totalitarian
government. Heading the government is The President, accompanied by his corrupt and maniacal advisor
the BigWig, who enacts excessive taxation (including taxes on breathing and walking) and fear-based propaganda
upon the city citizens, including a peculiar warning about a nocturnal beast who feeds upon those who oppose their government's regulations. In the lower levels of the city, relations between humans and Bouzouks have grown to their most tense, giving rise to a group known as the Bouzouk Freedom Party, a terrorist organization who, being natural pacifists, have yet to commit any actual acts of terrorism.
Professor Azimuth, an eminent political and scientific human personality known for his work on manipulating the aging process of cells, sympathizes with the plight of the Bouzouks and becomes determined to help end their oppression. In his research, he discovers the legend of the Schnibble, a mystical entity that is believed to have the ability to cause peace and prosperity to flourish, and begins work on finding a way to unleash it. Word spreads about his work, and Azimuth is hailed as a hero by the Bouzouk community. Unfortunately, word of the Schnibble also reaches the ears of the BigWig. To stave off any chance of a revolution, the BigWig and his thugs storm the home of Azimuth and his young, adopted half-human, half-Bouzouk son, Woodruff.
Professor Azimuth barely has time to hide Woodruff before the BigWig breaks into their house, kidnapping the professor and ruthlessly gunning down Woodruff's beloved teddy bear
in the process, but not before befitting him with a Viblefrotzer, an invention of his own design that can speed up the aging process (and looks eerily similar to a Sony Walkman). Within seconds, Woodruff ages about fifteen years, finding himself now prepared for an epic quest: rescue his adopted father, avenge the death of his teddy bear by extracting revenge on the evil BigWig and find a way to unleash the Schnibble and bring peace back to the city.
interface is nearly identical to the same one featured in Sierra’s King’s Quest VII
: by moving your cursor over certain objects, they’ll become highlighted, indicating that it’s an item or person Woodruff can interact with. Woodruff’s inventory is accessed by clicking the right mouse button; clicking and dragging an inventory item onto a highlighted object will combine the two. However, if the items do not connect, Woodruff will openly mock you, a feature which some reviewers described as ‘annoying’.
(now Computer Games Magazine) gave it its most notable review, claiming it was "so addictive, you may lose your job", which ended up being printed on the box's front cover and used in most of its advertisements. The review further elaborated with "…features splendid high-resolution graphics that provide further evidence that Sierra is on a roll". PC Gamer
also praised the game for its "exceptional graphics and sound", comparing it to other offbeat adventure games such as Day of the Tentacle
and Sam & Max Hit the Road
. French magazine Joystick called it "truly wonderful" and "a real cartoon". MobyGames
currently gives it a ranking of 85 out of 100.
Of the negative aspects of the game, Gamer’s Zone, although having given it a positive review, complained about the often ludicrously hard puzzles, the lack of original music, and the repetitive background sound effects , complaints that were often echoed in other reviews.
Despite critical acclaim, however, Woodruff failed to find a mass audience and turned out to be a financial disappointment for Sierra, eventually slipping into obscurity behind most of the company's better-known titles. Although Woodruff has been more or less largely forgotten within the adventure game genre (so little information is there that the game's English voice actors have never been identified; the French version, however, features the voices of Edgar Givry as Woodruff and Claude Piéplu
as the narrator), there still remains a small, yet devoted cult
fanbase.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
developed by Coktel Vision
Coktel Vision
Coktel Vision is a French computer game developer.The company developed adventure and action games in the mid-1980s. It was especially known as a computer game publisher of its subsidiary Tomahawk. None of Tomahawk's games were sold outside Europe...
. The game was created and written by artist Pierre Gilhodes, the creator of the Gobliiins
Gobliiins
The Gobliiins series consists of four puzzle adventure games developed and released by Coktel Vision in the early 1990s for the Amiga, Atari ST, PC and Mac platforms. The fourth title was released in 2009...
series, of which Woodruff shares its visual style, gameplay and offbeat humor, though is not an official part of the Gobliiins series or canon.
Woodruff was distributed in North America in 1995 by Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
.
The Back Story
Following the near-annihilation of the planet during the last atomic war, the surviving human population had retreated to the center of the EarthInner core
The inner core of the Earth, its innermost hottest part as detected by seismological studies, is a primarily solid ball about in radius, or about 70% that of the Moon...
, where the last traces of life-sustaining warmth remained. Waiting out the surface radiation, centuries passed before the humans finally ventured back into the world above, discovering that, in their absence, their planet had sprouted a lush, overgrown jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
.
In the humans' place, the planet had also managed to sprout a race of peaceful mutants known as the Bouzouk (spelled "Boozook" in the US release), who, were it not for their tails, pointed ears, and extraordinarily long noses would be virtually indistinguishable from man. In the societal structure of the Bouzouk there was a King and a Council of Wisemen, seven mystics who had successfully maintained harmony by guarding the Chprotznog, a sacred containment unit used to channel and subsequently trap evil spirits.
Having failed to learn their lesson from last time, the humans immediately waged war on the tranquil Bouzouk tribe in what became known as "The Great Battle". In a mere day, the humans destroyed their civilization, massacring many innocent Bouzouks and looting their holy artifacts, including the Chprotznog. The surviving Bouzouks were enslaved and forced to construct a new society for the humans, the great vertical city of Vlurxtrznbnaxl. An economically self-sufficient city run on wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
and surrounded by farmland, the citizens live in different parts of the city according to their socio-economic status: the poor live on the lower levels, the rich and powerful live on the higher levels. The remaining Bouzouk peoples became exploited and oppressed; their once great society in shambles, they're left to work menial jobs and manual labor and live uneasily alongside the humans, while their deposed King now spends his days drinking beer and watching TV.
The Present
The game begins about a century later, where the great city has since devolved into a nightmarish dystopiaDystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
, ruled by a bureaucratic and totalitarian
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
government. Heading the government is The President, accompanied by his corrupt and maniacal advisor
Senior Advisor
In some countries, a Senior Advisor is an appointed position by the Head of State to advise on the highest levels of national and government policy. Sometimes a junior position to this is called a National Policy Advisor...
the BigWig, who enacts excessive taxation (including taxes on breathing and walking) and fear-based propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
upon the city citizens, including a peculiar warning about a nocturnal beast who feeds upon those who oppose their government's regulations. In the lower levels of the city, relations between humans and Bouzouks have grown to their most tense, giving rise to a group known as the Bouzouk Freedom Party, a terrorist organization who, being natural pacifists, have yet to commit any actual acts of terrorism.
Professor Azimuth, an eminent political and scientific human personality known for his work on manipulating the aging process of cells, sympathizes with the plight of the Bouzouks and becomes determined to help end their oppression. In his research, he discovers the legend of the Schnibble, a mystical entity that is believed to have the ability to cause peace and prosperity to flourish, and begins work on finding a way to unleash it. Word spreads about his work, and Azimuth is hailed as a hero by the Bouzouk community. Unfortunately, word of the Schnibble also reaches the ears of the BigWig. To stave off any chance of a revolution, the BigWig and his thugs storm the home of Azimuth and his young, adopted half-human, half-Bouzouk son, Woodruff.
Professor Azimuth barely has time to hide Woodruff before the BigWig breaks into their house, kidnapping the professor and ruthlessly gunning down Woodruff's beloved teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
in the process, but not before befitting him with a Viblefrotzer, an invention of his own design that can speed up the aging process (and looks eerily similar to a Sony Walkman). Within seconds, Woodruff ages about fifteen years, finding himself now prepared for an epic quest: rescue his adopted father, avenge the death of his teddy bear by extracting revenge on the evil BigWig and find a way to unleash the Schnibble and bring peace back to the city.
Gameplay
Woodruff‘s relatively simple point-and-clickPoint-and-click
Point-and-click is the action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen and then pressing a mouse button, usually the left button , or other pointing device...
interface is nearly identical to the same one featured in Sierra’s King’s Quest VII
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride
King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride is an adventure game released in 1994 by Sierra On-Line. It featured high-resolution graphics in a style reminiscent of Disney animated films...
: by moving your cursor over certain objects, they’ll become highlighted, indicating that it’s an item or person Woodruff can interact with. Woodruff’s inventory is accessed by clicking the right mouse button; clicking and dragging an inventory item onto a highlighted object will combine the two. However, if the items do not connect, Woodruff will openly mock you, a feature which some reviewers described as ‘annoying’.
Reception
Despite a less-than-heralded release in America, Woodruff was released to primarily positive reviews, with most praise being given to its visual style and sense of humor. Strategy PlusComputer Games Magazine
Computer Games Magazine was a computer gaming print magazine. It was formerly Computer Games Strategy Plus, and before that, Strategy Plus, which had been founded as Games International in the UK in 1988. While its initial focus was on strategy games, it covered a wide range of game genres...
(now Computer Games Magazine) gave it its most notable review, claiming it was "so addictive, you may lose your job", which ended up being printed on the box's front cover and used in most of its advertisements. The review further elaborated with "…features splendid high-resolution graphics that provide further evidence that Sierra is on a roll". PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
also praised the game for its "exceptional graphics and sound", comparing it to other offbeat adventure games such as Day of the Tentacle
Day of the Tentacle
Day of the Tentacle, also known as Maniac Mansion II: Day of the Tentacle, is a 1993 graphic adventure game developed and published by LucasArts. It is the sequel to the 1987 game Maniac Mansion...
and Sam & Max Hit the Road
Sam & Max Hit the Road
Sam & Max Hit the Road is a graphic adventure computer game released by LucasArts during the company's adventure games era. The game was originally released for DOS in 1993 and for Mac OS in 1995. A 2002 re-release included compatibility with Windows and Amiga...
. French magazine Joystick called it "truly wonderful" and "a real cartoon". MobyGames
MobyGames
-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
currently gives it a ranking of 85 out of 100.
Of the negative aspects of the game, Gamer’s Zone, although having given it a positive review, complained about the often ludicrously hard puzzles, the lack of original music, and the repetitive background sound effects , complaints that were often echoed in other reviews.
Despite critical acclaim, however, Woodruff failed to find a mass audience and turned out to be a financial disappointment for Sierra, eventually slipping into obscurity behind most of the company's better-known titles. Although Woodruff has been more or less largely forgotten within the adventure game genre (so little information is there that the game's English voice actors have never been identified; the French version, however, features the voices of Edgar Givry as Woodruff and Claude Piéplu
Claude Piéplu
Claude Léon Auguste Piéplu was a French film and television actor.-Filmography:*Shadoks et le Big Blank, Les *Astérix et Obélix contre César *Chapeau bas...
as the narrator), there still remains a small, yet devoted cult
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
fanbase.