Over the years, many titles offering strange odd jobs have released. You’ve got your typical one-off quests in major RPGs at one end and titles like Untitled Goose Game, where the entire game is based on that principle, at the other. In Thank Goodness You’re Here!, you assume the role of a salesman in a strange English town, where dozens of residents will ask you to complete some extremely wacky errands.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! takes you to the town of Barnsworth, where you’re aiming to meet with the local mayor. When you’re asked to wait a few hours for the mayor’s meetings to finish, it seems like almost everyone in the town decides they have a task for you. You’re the most helpful person in town, and you have no say on whether or not you want to help.
Immediately once launching into the game, you’ll notice the unique art style. This visual design is bold, incorporating fun designs with vivid colors. I was very impressed with the way the game is animated, with an extensive amount of detail brought out through the hand-drawn images. There is a large variety of environments and buildings that you will encounter throughout the game, yet each has a unique style that complements the town while still standing out. Additionally, character design is also great. The cartoonish look of each character is especially humorous when combined with the voice acting of some of the cast.
The game only has two commands: a jump and a punch. This simplicity goes a long way, with the latter acting more as an interaction button in some cases. You can walk up to any resident or object and town to punch them, which can lead to all kinds of surprises and funny bits of dialogue. Speaking of, the dialogue and voice acting in Thank Goodness You’re Here! is spectacular. Each resident pokes fun at the title, with plenty of jokes and references to Yorkshire folklore included.
As you gradually complete more tasks, new areas of town begin to open. This keeps the environment fresh, and I loved waltzing around to discover new secrets or hilarious lines of dialogue. New residents appear with new problems, and old residents return with more tasks to complete. You might find yourself cutting potatoes for one shop owner or searching for seagulls on behalf of a man on the toilet. The surprises don’t stop until the credits roll, and I’m confident there is even more to be seen, considering the various secrets I uncovered during my playthrough.
One of the things I appreciate the most about Thank Goodness You’re Here! is the lack of tutorials and assistance. The game throws you into Barnsworth, and you’re on your own! It keeps things unpredictable, paving the way for you to discover each secret as you naturally explore. While opting to not include tutorials and any sense of handholding might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I think this decision greatly benefits the game overall. The simple controls allow for each of the minigames and tasks to be completed without much thought, but each new area of town is a joy to blindly explore. However, it is worth noting that this design could be frustrating to some since there is a decent amount of backtracking and walking around aimlessly to get to the next person in need.
And, of course, the ties to English culture are great. From the specific shops chosen to the random vocabulary, it’s easy to get lost in discovering what hints and details the devs have included. Each section of the town offers something new, with new NPCs who have plenty of things to say. Sometimes, you might even be talking to a mole, rat, or even a cow.
When I think back on my time with the game, I just wish there was more. The game was certainly fulfilling; each task was so much fun to complete. It’s a great problem to have – this title offered a complete front-to-back experience that kept me engaged. I would have loved to see more areas of town to discover or new jobs to complete, but Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a complete and worthwhile experience. I highly recommend going in blind to this title. The jokes, puzzles, and environments will all offer hours of surprises for you to continuously discover. This one’s worth your time.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! is an incredibly fun time with all kinds of scenarios to uncover. A vivid art style compliments the humor and wackiness that ensues throughout Barnsworth, offering a unique experience like nothing you’ve ever played before. The game makes the most out of its short runtime, leaving a fulfilling and humorous experience that I’m looking forward to playing through again.
Most importantly, I’m thrilled to see what’s next for Coal Supper. I’ve already downloaded the studio’s previous title, The Good Time Garden, to experience the studio’s first project. This team has an incredibly bright future ahead of them, and I look forward to watching players jump into the wild, vibrant, and whimsical world of Barnsworth.
Panic provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 5 copy of Thank Goodness You’re Here! for review purposes.
