Video games don’t have the best writing in the world, it’s true. The standard for triple-A titles in particular is pretty darn low, but slowly improving. So when you play a video game that actually has good writing – writing that isn’t just “slightly above par”, but writing that actually is capable of making the player chuckle or even do that thing where you lightly exhale with wry delight, it is worth taking notice.

Joe Richardson’s Four Last Things is a satire of Catholicism, as well as many of the tropes of adventure games themselves, coming off as a love letter to the classics of the genre, such as Monkey Island & Grim Fandango. Named for the four last things in Catholic belief (Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell), you play out the story of a man who has committed sin all across Europe, and comes to a church to be forgiven for his sins. But, as it turns out, he can’t yet be forgiven – sins can only be forgiven if they’re committed within the parish. So, your basic objective is simple – commit every sin in the book.

The game is short and sweet, never overstaying its welcome. The playspace is small, meaning you don’t get lost searching for what is where and missing important characters. There are a few guides kicking around the internet if you get stuck, and I think that’s where the game does run into a few problems. I’m not much of a puzzle gamer, though I try my best. There is a riddle posed to you when you are trying to commit one of the sins that is pretty obscure and tricky to figure out unless you know what you are looking for. As such, if you detest puzzles and such in your games, it would be best to have a guide open.

Aside from the marvelous writing, the animation is fun and really quite silly, using the marvelous idea of animating Medieval paintings, stitching characters and scenes together from countless classic paintings (the influences of which you can actually see in an in-game art gallery that your character can poke around). Your character himself is a collage of Medieval influences, making him a really odd (and fun looking) character to just move around. Seeing an evil looking minstrel strumming on the side of the street as his eyes shift back and forth simply amuses me – if you’re the kind of person who’d enjoy that kind of fun animation as well as enjoy the use of these historical paintings, the game should be an instant purchase.

Above all though, the game is sharp and satirical. The writing is top-notch – both funny and well thought out. Four Last Things is a game capable of making you smile or even laugh out loud. A rare feat in the realm of video games.

You can buy Four Last Things from Steam.