British humor is defined by a combination of self-awareness, dry and dark humor. Whether through the delivery or actions of the characters, there is something quintessential about Brits examining their own “shite” through the lens of laughter. While most foreigners will think of major modern cities like London, Newcastle or Manchester when talking about the UK, the working class tends to be the vast majority of the country but often overlooked. It makes the punchlines in Thank Goodness You’re Here! hit all the harder, because it captures this side of the UK so incredibly well. The latest comedic game from Coal Supper, at times feels like a long lost animated series that may have had only three episodes, but a cult following will always remember it fondly. Consider me to be part of its fanbase, because from the absurdity to the performances and its visual design, Thank Goodness You’re Here! had me smiling from ear to ear from beginning till end.
As an unnamed, small, reporter you’re sent off to the town of Barnsworth to interview the mayor. Unfortunately he’s not in the office right now, so you’re free to explore Barnsworth and its eclectic citizens at your own pace. The game is a rare outlier as it can only really be described as a comedy game. The main methods of interactivity are only jumping and slapping, which boils down to you slapping your way across town to interact with the townsfolk. Each citizen in Barnsworth has his or her own problems and is all the happier to see you come in and solve their predicament. From a boy who needs lubricant to get his hand out of a vent, to the local farmer growing his biggest tomato yet. As you’re sent across town, you’ll interact with nearly everyone you meet and are guaranteed to either be shaking with laughter or shocked in amazement at the unfolding situation.
Without a doubt the gorgeous visual style is the first thing you’ll notice. Clean, thick, hard outlines make Thank Goodness You’re Here! look like an interactive cartoon. From the ways the characters move around, to the wobbly interiors and spaces you’ll come across, at every moment the style compliments the abundance of absurdity. Jumping out windows simply makes you bounce back into a drainpipe and going down the well drops you into a tunnel that leads back into a shed. The game seizes every moment to play with your expectations and much like an episode of Ren & Stimpy or even Gravity Falls, the randomness provides much of the conclusion to many jokes. Whether it is guiding the arm and hand of bedridden fellow from one end of town to the shop so he can pick up his groceries, or jumping in a deep fryer after helping out cutting the chips. All accompanied by some great and varied British voice work. Sure, Matt Berry headlines the cast and steals the show whenever he’s on screen, but every character feels completely distinct with the energy the voice actors bring to it.
I think the biggest fault can be the gameplay and the backtracking. As you wander about the town, you’ll often need to use particular roads and connections to reach whatever it is that someone asks of you. At certain times you’re tackling multiple tasks at once, but there isn’t really a map or a checklist of your progress. I’m fairly certain that few will really struggle with where to go next. Honestly, it is very impressive how the designers have made navigating the town almost feel like second nature. But on my third time going through the well to reach the other side of a wall of garbage, there did sink in a bit of a feeling of repetition. The jokes keep on coming, but in the short time you’re spending with the game you will be walking, jumping and slapping back and forth across the same backgrounds quite a bit. And really, when my biggest gripe is that the game is too short and there is so much more I wanted out of this town and game, it just goes to show how expertly crafted the pacing is most of the time.
But what I especially like about “Thank Goodness You’re Here” is its world and town. Barnsworth isn’t presented like a clean “village of the year” type place. We’re so used to places in games looking either like a gorgeous sprawling metropolis, or an abandoned crumbling city. This game really feels like the grimey labor-intensive town that had its heyday about forty years ago. That place where you might have grown up and where it was either finding your way out by going to uni, or following your parents trade and probably end up working in the coalmine. Trash is strewn everywhere, government workers are absent or barely interested in performing their jobs and the bustling center of town is the fish and chips shop. You would not want to live or be stuck in a town like this and yet people make a living here. Everyone knows everyone, and sure the locksmith may be a flat out drunk, but at the end of the day he and the lads all meet up back at the pub for a pint. It’s a characterization that balances its fantastic comedic writing with the setting, to make a very clear point about these communities and your role in them. The final set piece and punchline is definitely something I’ll be thinking about for a long while after.
Overall Thank Goodness You’re Here is short, sweet but above all deeply funny. The vibe of being an interactive British cartoon works incredibly well in making you understand and want to explore Barnsworth. From its innuendos when milking cows, to the way the citizens interact with one another, it makes it a truly enjoyable and memorable experience. While at times the repetition of walking back and forth can set in, the game rarely drops the ball of making a joke. Give this game to your dad, neighbor or friend and watch them carefully explore what the town has to offer. I can guarantee their puzzlement will surely turn to laughter before they exclaim Thank Goodness for this Game.
