Normality

Development and Release

Normality was developed by Gremlin Interactive; it was self-published by Gremlin in the UK and published by Interplay Productions in the US in 1996. It was re-released with support for modern systems via GOG.com in 2011, and via Steam in 2015.

Overview

Players control Kent, a fun-loving and rebellious teenager in the city of Neutropolis, a police state where fun is prohibited by law. Kent is arrested for whistling an annoying tune and being happy. After seven days in jail, Kent returns to his apartment and finds a note informing him of an underground movement to help release the city from its strict overlords. Players spend the game solving puzzles, exploring, and talking to people in the quest to find out about the resistance movement and help them with their cause.

The game features a mostly 3D engine, which was rare for adventure games of the time. The player uses a voodoo doll to interact with the environment; clicking the arms, eyes, chest, and mouth will instruct Kent to perform various actions.

Inventory is handled in a similar pop-up manner, allowing players to combine or use objects by clicking on drawings of inventory items.

There are two voices for Kent depending on regional release. In the UK release it is unknown who voices the character (the credits only have Tom Hill or Rob Rackstraw as male VAs) while in the US version, actor Corey Feldman voices Kent.