Full Throttle | A Timeless Classic

In this guest editorial, Christopher Mathes, the mind behind the point-and-click murder mystery Murder On Space Station 52, now available on Steam, explores the profound influence of LucasArts' Full Throttle on his perception of game design and storytelling. Growing up, Mathes' introduction to PC gaming was limited, with his family owning an old DOS machine that was rarely used. However, everything changed with the arrival of a new Windows PC, complete with a CD-ROM drive, opening up a world of gaming possibilities. Among the numerous titles that caught his eye, Full Throttle stood out, with its captivating cover art and promise of adventure. This marked the beginning of Mathes' journey into the world of CD-ROM games, and Full Throttle, with its brilliant animations, CD-quality music, and exceptional voice acting, quickly became an obsession. The game's protagonist, Ben Throttle, is particularly noteworthy for his unique blend of wit and brute force, which not only makes him cool but also informs the way puzzles are solved in the game. This character-centric approach to puzzle design is a valuable lesson that Mathes has applied in his own game, where the protagonist's background as a mechanical engineer influences how puzzles are approached and solved. Full Throttle is characterized by its clever design, avoiding the common pitfall of overwhelming the player with numerous items and red herrings. Instead, it features a sleek interface and a chapter-like structure that feels polished and thoughtful. A prime example of this clever design is the junkyard door puzzle, where the solution involves using a padlock to lock the door shut and then climbing over the wall, a move that subverts traditional puzzle-solving expectations while leveraging Ben's unique abilities. Mathes' own game, Murder On Space Station 52, follows a similar design philosophy, embracing a chapter-based structure with layered tiers of story and puzzles designed to evolve over time without overwhelming the player. While Full Throttle's motorcycle combat section may not be the game's strongest aspect, it introduces a novel idea and serves as a change of pace, leading to one of the game's most memorable puzzles involving the Cavefish gang. This puzzle is particularly interesting because its solution is deeply rooted in the game's world and lore, highlighting the importance of worldbuilding in creating unique and engaging puzzles. The setting of Full Throttle, with its post-apocalyptic vibe and myriad of unique characters and locations, is also noteworthy for its ability to feel both alive and mysterious, inviting exploration without feeling the need to explain every detail. For Mathes, the experience of playing Full Throttle was transformative, opening his eyes to the potential of video games as a medium for storytelling in ways that films, TV, and novels cannot. It's an experience that has stayed with him and likely influenced his decision to become a game developer, a testament to the lasting impact of well-crafted games on the industry and its practitioners.