Zhang Yi and Wang Han continued their game journey happily, marveling at the intricate and creative designs.
The scene in Rose's room stood out as the most captivating they had encountered so far. It even surpassed the thrill of their earlier space adventure. The hopscotch scene, filled with various entertaining mini-games, left them amazed and delighted.
Upon reaching the train station, the Book of Love, personified by the doctor, made a reappearance. The duo was drawn into a kaleidoscope-like world, each scene brimming with whimsical toys and captivating puzzles.
One of the challenges at the train station involved finding four matching dolls to unlock the next chapter: Dinosaur Paradise. There, the journey became even more dynamic. Their progress was halted when a trolley collided with a sleeping dinosaur. To continue, they had to wake the dinosaur and coax it to open its mouth.
Here, Zhang Yi took control of a large dinosaur to bite a handle, while Wang Han rode a little red dragon forward. They maneuvered through various toy dinosaurs in the park to solve increasingly complex puzzles. This level presented one of the most challenging decryption sequences they had faced.
After successfully conquering Dinosaur Paradise, the pace picked up with an exhilarating naval battle. The highlight of this section was an intense showdown with a giant octopus, a thrilling boss fight teased in earlier promotional trailers.
With the octopus defeated, the duo entered a circus-themed scene. Zhang Yi rode a bicycle, while Wang Han balanced on a beam. Their cooperation had evolved beyond the simple switches seen earlier, demanding a tighter, more synchronized collaboration.
Once they exited the circus, the journey became less puzzle-heavy, allowing them to relax as they worked together to reach a castle. However, upon their arrival, the castle guards spotted them. In an attempt to evade suspicion, Zhang Yi and Wang Han devised a clever lie. Unfortunately, the book appeared and accused them of plotting to assassinate the queen. This led to their imprisonment in a castle cell.
The escape sequence introduced new abilities for both characters. Zhang Yi gained ice magic, which allowed teleportation through iron fences and freezing magma. Wang Han obtained fire magic, enabling dashes over long distances. The game perspective shifted to a bird's-eye view, transitioning from an action-adventure style to an RPG format.
As they progressed through this RPG-like level, they battled mobs, elite monsters, and ultimately confronted the chess-inspired king and queen. The battles adhered to typical RPG mechanics but were engaging nonetheless.
Both Zhang Yi and Wang Han found immense enjoyment in every moment of this dynamic and imaginative journey.
The main reason for their excitement was that neither Zhang Yi nor Wang Han had expected to experience this level of diverse gameplay in the game.
Gunfights, naval battles, racing, fighting, and even RPGs were now part of the experience. Coupled with numerous mini-games, the game offered only one feeling: pure amazement.
However, after a brief period of exhilaration, the subsequent plot left Zhang Yi and Wang Han feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
After escaping from the castle, Cody and Mei encountered the little elephant queen, Cutie.
"I'm Rose's best friend. Do you want cookies?" Cutie asked kindly. She expressed forgiveness toward Cody and Mei and even invited them to enjoy some cookies with her.
Noticing their troubled expressions, Cutie warmly embraced them. However, what Cutie didn't expect was Cody and Mei's real intention—to destroy her.
"Oh my God! Why are you hurting me?" Cutie cried.
"I'm just a Cutie, a cute elephant!" she pleaded. "I love Rose, and Rose loves me too! I don't want to be broken!"
As Cutie tried to escape on a rocket, a stone smashed her down. Despite her cries, Cody and Mei continued their actions, believing that making their daughter sad would allow them to regain their human forms. They destroyed Cutie, despite the emotional toll.
In comparison to the original version from a previous era, Chen Xu toned down some of the cruel elements of this scene. This adjustment was made because this part of the plot was essential for conveying the theme: Adults see toys as dispensable objects, but for children, they are precious playmates.
Chen Xu believed that the original version's approach of forcing players to act as executioners went too far, overshadowing the game's purpose. Hence, significant changes were made to this part of the narrative.
Even so, the scene still left many players feeling uncomfortable. In the game, the damaged Cutie was discovered after falling from the cabinet.
Rose, devastated, couldn't help but cry. At this moment, Cody and Mei ran to their daughter with expressions of joy, even dancing in her tears. Yet, to their surprise, they did not return to their human forms as expected. They remained dolls.
Beside the bed, they discovered a letter containing clues about how they could transform back. But before they could act on it, the book appeared once again and tore the letter to shreds.
At this moment, Zhang Yi and Wang Han couldn't help but applaud the depth of the game's narrative.
The doctor has clearly served as a guide in the game for a long time. However, due to various past misdeeds and the way Cody and Mei previously handled situations, tensions have been brewing. This led Wang Han and Zhang Yi to develop a dislike for this role.
Now, however, this particular scene has brought a shift in perspective, leaving both Wang Han and Zhang Yi feeling quite satisfied. After all, the previous scenes had a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.
Up to this point, the game primarily focused on joy and humor. Cody and Mei have been sabotaging and antagonizing each other throughout the journey, with The doctor occasionally caught in the chaos. The entire narrative played out like a hilarious comedy, so much so that players often overlooked the deeper relationship dynamics between Cody and Mei.
This scene with the adorable Elephant Queen, however, shifts the tone entirely, pulling players back into the emotional core of the story. While the visuals remain cartoonish and devoid of bloodshed, the moment is emotionally heavy and difficult for many players to bear.
One significant contrast is the game's earlier antagonists, such as the vacuum cleaner and the toolbox, who displayed clear hostility. In contrast, the Elephant Queen remains kind and refrains from attacking Cody and Mei. It is her loyal followers who attempt to stop the duo.
Similarly, in the tree scene, the tool bug mount Unicorn—which Cody and Mei promised to fetch honey for—was largely ignored by players. Its lack of prominence made it easy to overlook.
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Happy New Year. I emptied my reserves. LOL