I loved all the previous games of the Awakenings Series and after a long wait, Princess Sopie is back on her journey to find her missing people and battle wits with her evil foe, the Dreadmyre. As a CE version, this game comes with all the Bells and Whistles; terrific Graphics , stunning artwork, voice-overs and a list of achievements to complete. Unfortunately as I have only played the demo, I am not able to access the CG nor gain entrance to the bonus sections. However based on my gaming experience with the previous installments, I have no doubt that this game will offer me hours of endless pleasures. Game options include three game modes and Game features include a journal and list of goals, a trusty owl companion who acts as hint and guide, a pocket dragon who gives you the power to burn and a interactive map for fast-travel. There is a question mark on the bottom left that when clicked on, will give you directions as where to go and what to do. This is an addition help system other than the hint button so with this, who really needs a Strategy Guide. The game is a very good HOPA, lots of adventure elements and HO scenes that differ. There are scenes where you find listed objects that are interactive, or pair off items as well. There are mini-games which were so far relatively easy to play but they do seem to get more complex as you move on. Awakenings is a beautiful game to watch and play, I love the story, the characters and the visuals. A game well worth the price and time. Kudos to the developers for bringing Sophie back to us.
An old woman tricks Melissa into wearing a cursed ring that makes her go into an everlasting sleep. Use magical potions and spells to save her from the curse!
The Strawsbrough Town is where you and your lovely wife live. One the day of your anniversary, an old woman appears at your door. As a reward for your hospitality, she presents your wife, Melissa, with a ring. Upon wearing it, your wife falls into a deep sleep and the old woman dissapears. It is up to you to unravel the curse and discover the dark secret that only the townsfolks know. Actually, the story is a bit reminiscent of Snow White meets Sleeping Beautiful and you will meet some very colorful characters on your journey through the town of Strawsbrough.This is a very HOPA with surprisingly crisp graphics. There are live like characters supported by brilliant voice overs. The art work is at times stunning and I really did like the overall look of the game. Unfortuately I cannot say the same for the music, a bit daunting and does get on your nerve after a while. There are two game mode options to choose from. Game features an inventory list, a objective list and a map that is NOT interactive; so be prepared to walk around alot. There are a lot of venues to visit, alot of people to talk to and many HO scenes to work out. The HO scenes are relatively easy and are not interactive which is disapointing. The mini-games are relatively easy to do but were fun at times. There is a unique hint system which everyone will appreciate, a walkthrough is supplied everytime you hit the hint button. The game is looks to be fairly long according to the map, however I do have to say, I did find the game mechanics a bit cluncky and slow. The dialogues are a bit slow, movement is slow and there is an overall slowness to the game. By the end of the demo trial, my patience began to wane. It is a nice game to look at and gameplay is relatively easy so newcomers will enjoy the adventure part as well as the HO scenes. The game did not throw me over but it does seem to be a relaxing game to play on a lazy Sunday afternoon and I have to admit, my curiososity is piqued at discovering the secret behind the town of Strawsbrough.
I am a fan of Twisted Lands and this game is the prequel that takes me back to where it all began. As Detective, I have been hired by my old friend to investigate the disapearance of his daughter Yeresa. My ship lands on the docks of the infamous Island of Tormente where I am about to enter a world of twisted horrors and discover the cause behind the disapearance of it's inhabitants. Once again a super game from one of my favorite developers, and even better, a SE game at that. As always, the graphics are crisp and the artwork stunning. I love the waterpaint look in games which may seem nostalgic, but still looks beautiful. Game menu offers custom cursor and two game modes, Regular and Expert. Game features include great voice overs, sound effects, a journal with a task list, a map along with a compass to show you possible routes. There is also a mysterious box that relates the entire mystery, where you need to collect items to place in it. The only disapointment was that the map was not interactive so be sure to bring your extra pair of boots, there is alot of backtracking involved. Game play is standard HOPA with beautiful cut scenes, interactive HO scenes, mini games and puzzles to solve. The challenge is really involved with getting to each scene and using your inventory items. There are alot of places to go and much to do as you slowly begin to discover the horrors that lay before you. Some people may not enjoy all the travelling, but in expert mode, I do love the fact that there are no sparkles and no hand holding, so a walkthrough will be needed in some cases. Mini games are relatively easy and HO scenes are junk-piled and only slightly interactive. I know that many will not find this an outstanding game but for those who have played Twisted Lands, they will definitely appreciate the many hours of fun gameplay as well as going back to the begining of was once a very spooky story. Great game and a great time to be had.
I bought the CE version of The Revenge of the Witch and although I did enjoythe gameplay, it did fall short of being a great game that I expected, mainly because it unfortunately presented us with a rather weak plot that did not end with a bang but rather a dismal finish to what I hope will be the last that we see of this Witch. Isn't that the same with many sequels at the movies, some get better with each installment and then there are those that just should not have been made, ie: Speed 2 comes to mind. Not that this game was bad but still I was disapointed with the storyline and the lack of challenge in the overall gameplay. Once again the Witch is back and this time we need to save the city from her powers. Visually the game was up to par, supported by sharp graphics, good artwork and good voice-overs. Despite the weak story, it was a relatively good HOPA with three modes of gameplay that unfortuantely you cannot change during midplay. I really like to switch sometimes when things get hairy. Game features no map but a notebook. The inventory is ontop and that too was a bit of a distrction, I guess old habits die hard but I do love my inventory on the bottom. You have 5 chapters that do offer you a rather long gameplay. If you are a lover of puzzles then you are in luck, there are plenty of them, all fairly good and very well designed; I especially thought the acquarium puzzles were fun to play and somewhat frustrating. There were three types of HO scenes that were a mixture of finding objects, reverse objects and finding 20 of similar objects. I really enjoyed the game and despite the story, if you missed out on the CE version, then this is an ideal game for the price of a SE. I do congradulate the developers for the overall series and do look forward to a new storyline with great gameplay. I think we need to put this witch to rest now please and now need a new villian.
Based on the demo I got a strong case of deja vu playing this game. The storyline begins with a young girl's quest to find the Witch who has stolen her beauty and basically we are immersed into a HOPA game with 3 modes of gameplay, interactive HO s to play, mini-games to solve and 12 keys to collect. What we lack are voice overs, journal (although we do find pages of the diary), a map and what I like to call the extra bells and whistles like achievments or awards. Without all of the above, I cannot see this game qualify as a Collector's Edition. Although the Graphics are very good along with the artwork, gameplay was too simple and unfortunatley by the end of the very shor demo, I really had lost interest. This game is ideal for beginners and fans of HOgs; hardcore games will most likely feel let down. My recommendation is to wait for the SE and get a decent interactive game worth the price.
The only reason I would buy a game like this would be if I found the story compelling and there are crime games that are easy to play but nevertheless, the story compels you to move on. They remind me of pulp fiction, short and easy to read. However this game just did not make the cut. The storyline begins with a murder and before you know it, you are investigating it with a fellow worker who you dont know, because no background was given in the beginning. I really will not continue with the game to find out and so I really am basing this review on the demo trial version; which incidently gives you an idea what I thought about this game. In the opening menu you have no game options and are thrown into the game. I later learned that there are supposedly two game modes; timed and relax. Maybe I missed soething here but it really doesnt matter. FOr those who like HOGs with interaction and crime stories, be prepared for mediocre graphics, sometimes crisp and sometimes blurry. There are cartoon animated characters with dialogues to read. Game mechanics include icons on the left side for zooms, objects and menu. You have 6 hints to begin with and can get more by finding the green stars in each scene. There is also option to scroll the screen and you have your forensic kit in the upper right corner as well. This is mostly a HOG with some HO scenes that include finding a list of objects that appear on the bottom of your screen. Most objects were easy to find and some were very miniscule but then you can zoom your screen. Minigames were simple and not very entertaining. I have played many crime games far superior thatn this one. I found gameplay very tedious and mechanical and the story far from interesting to pursue.
More and more game developers are using live video images in games which I quite enjoy and the opening scenes on this game did really capture my attention. Unfortunately they go on to mix in cartoon graphics with real animation, causing the creepy effect to diminish with each scene. Note to developers: Live video feeds and cartoons generally do not work unless you are shooting a Quentin Tarantino movie. Nevertheless, the storyline does merit points and there is a high degree of creepiness factor which is created by somewhat dark but sharp graphics, ambient sound effects as well as voice-overs. Be prepared for a lot of rain and thunder which does set the mood. The story begins with Sara who discovers that her brother has been kidnapped by a madman. Somehow his disappearance is linked to her Father’s work at an insane asylum and she must uncover the secret as well as save her brother. Suburban Mysteries is a HOPA, heavy on adventure. Game feature three game modes; casual, normal and advanced. Be prepared to see alot of sparkles and handholding in the first two modes which I found a bit annoying at first. However as you play on, the sparkles will be of great help as not to get lost as you track throughout the scenes searching for objects that will eventually need later. Hard-core players will enjoy the third mode where there are absolutely no sparkles and no hint as well making for a very challenging and somewhat frustrating game play. I am sure a Walkthrough will be much appreciated for some. Game mechanics include a diary and a hint system and a lot of seek and find. HO scenes are interactive and be prepared to look for an object that is not on the list. You will only find it by clicking away and thank God there are no penalties for that. Puzzels are few and some were complex but fun to play. There are a lot of twists and turns and a lot of tracking around clicking at things. Grey cells will be at work here which I quite enjoy. Don’t be misled by the momentum of game play, it starts off slow and can be a bit tedious at first, but does pick up along with the story. Adventure lovers will appreciate this feature but it may put off some HO fans out there. Overall I quite enjoyed playing the game and found myself immersed into the storyline. The Cartoon graphics were a slight put-off but nevertheless, a good game to play on a rainy evening with lights turned off and headphones on. It was not spectacular but definitely a must try if you do enjoy a scary story and adventure.
Perhaps I have outgrown the basic HOPA games that still feature outdated graphics, alot of back tracking and a story that has been used over and over again. Mystery Heritage is just that, absolutly not worth the CE price tag. The story is old, Family curse (or is it?), a mysterious suicide and a detective out to find the truth. Game features three modes of gameplay, a journal, voice-overs and music that is on a loop. The graphics are crisp, art-work consists of old style animation, voice-overs are decent but no sound effects which all put together, pervented me from immersing myself into the story. As a result, I just put myself on auto mode and whizzed through the entire demo trial well within the hour. Visually the entire game looks out of style, perhaps because lately graphics have reached a new level with so many games we have been seeing lately. Game mechanics is very rudimentary, seek and find objects, HO scenes that are have no interaction and no map so expect alot of back-tracking. The mini- games are uniquely designed, most we have seen over and over. There are no bells and whistle that we have expect from a CE like collectables, achievements or awards. Unfortunately this game is really your basic Standard Edition Game that sadly lacks a challenging gaming experience. Hard-core players will be disappointed whereas, new-commers may find it interesting. I do not recommend this game and do recommend that you save your pennies, and spend a credit on the SE version when it becomes available.
I initially gave four stars for the CE version because it fell short of being a great game, lacking in some of the game features that a CE should offer like collectables, achievments or awards. However, Grim Tales: The Wishes does definitely merit 5 stars as a Standard Edition game and will offer you hours of entertaining and challenging gameplay. As the third installment of the Grim Tales series, the story continues with your sister who once again needs your help to save her son from a mysterious illness. Her son has been inflicted by a mysterious spell that ages him and you must find out who is responisble and save him. The game offers three play modes and hardcore players will enjoy the challenge. The graphics are crisp and sharp with somewhat blurriness during the cut scenes. Sound effects are far superior than I have seen in many games, especially environmental sounds which realy adds to the gaming experience. This is an excellent HOPA, heavy on the adventure where there are locks to open, objects to find and HO scenes to play. HO scenes were spread out throughout the game, mostly junk-piled with some interactive objects in the mix. Graphics. Mingames were fun and as you played on, some got quite challenging. My favorite feature in the game was the puppet who comes to life and accompanies me throughout the game. He not only supplies me with hints and clues, but also with an interactive map that transports me to locations and also outlines tasks and progress. With this feature, there really was no need for a SG, ergo, no need to spend extras on a CE game. The SE version is above standard and took me well over 6 hours to complete the main game. Definitely falls into the must buy catagory.
Elu is your name and you are the Hunter of Darkness. A young woman has called out your name and immediately your magic ring has brought you to the Theater of Shadows where her Husband has been possessed by a mysterious dark force. Your mission is to fight the evil and set him free. Theater of Shadows is a very good HOPA, heavy on the adventure with interactive HO scenes, puzzles and unique mini-games that are beautifully designed. There are three game modes to choose, a task list along with a map that will transport you to locations. The hint system is very helpful and will provide you with info as what needs to be done. There are no voice overs which was a major disappointment and I found the music almost too quiet. Gameplay is quite challenging and depending what mode play mode you choose, I think everyone will be pleased, especially hard-core players. For the downside, I am a fan of the developers and to be honest, I was terribly disappointed with the graphics. They are below their usual standards and the cut scenes were beyond blurriness. I did however love the artwork and the colors. The entire look is like an old grimm fairy tale story which took me back to my childhoods. I especially thought the puppets were very well done; alot of creepiness there. What was lacking were special sound effects and the low keyed music which did damper the atmosphere intended. Overall, this is a good HOPA which is brought to us as a SE, which fared alot better than most of the standard games we have seen of late. Had they put in a little more work on game features, this would have been a very good collector's edition. I give this a four star based on the gameplay which I found to be fun and challenging at times; definitely a keeper.