‘Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3’ Review

Developer: Strange Scaffold | Platform: PC | Playtime: 6:20 (+ 0:50)

Strange Scaffold have found themselves in a very exclusive group of developers who I will buy a game from, day 1 no matter what. The other being FromSoftware. Strange Scaffold make a range of games both serious and silly. Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 definitely falls under the latter category and it’s all the better for it.

Before I go any further, I do need to clarify this is a Match 3. For all the Steam page’s description of it being a comedy RPG ‘Matchroidvania’, the gameplay is primarily Match3. If you’re not a fan of that kind of game then none of the other elements will be enough to appeal to you. While I never really play Match 3 games, I apparently quite like them. Each Match 3 round the player gets into alters the rules and objective to keep things fresh.

So the main thing that makes CRDM3 unique is the Visual novel sections that connect each of the Match3 games. These VN sections tie into the Metroidvania nature of the game - different choices lead to different areas of the mansion which unlock special traits for your poor protagonist. These traits can be used to access new areas, skip certain Match 3 games and act as powers to use in the Match 3’s, alongside the items that can be purchased in the games shops.

I’m trying to not mention the story as while it’s not anything mind blowing like The Stanley Parable or similar video game literary greats but does deal with some interesting and fascinating in game and real world problems. The fact that this is the third game when one and two don’t exist is just the start of the kind of narrative here.

Strange Scaffold are to be commended for their ability to create such fun, radically different experiences. CRDM3 is one of their bigger titles and maybe the best of the ones I’ve played. Even if you don’t like Match3, I’d still give this one a go purely for the experience.