The story line is good and tingly. There's nothing like being stuck in an insane asylum to set the hair on end. There is a map which tells you where you are and indicates when there are goals to complete. The puzzles are fairly standard. But my main objective is to find games with good HOSs. The objects in this game tended to be distorted and blury, and unsatisfying. So, depending on your focus, HO, P or A, for this game, I would recommend only the P and A.
I was all set to like this game. A cub journalist investigating a murder in an art gallery in 1920's Paris? Sounds aw-some. For me, it was aw-ful. The first scene involved finding multiples of objects. The objects were tiny and dark, and just about impossible to find. The couple of puzzles I played were ok but thirty five minutes into the game I was done. The play stayed slow, as in the first scene and, while I enjoyed the "choose your direction" conversation with the art gallery owner, the difficulty moving along in the game just made it tedious, not fun.
All I can say is, "Wow!" This is a splendid game! The elements are top notch: depicted locals, HOSs - not the usual, graphics, music. The story line is ok - an adopted kid trying to outdo his mentor. There was nothing about this game I didn't like. An added treat are the pictures of Houdini that are scattered throughout the different locals. The items in the HOSs also keep to the period. Very nice.
I recommend this game!
+11points
20of29voted this as helpful.
Heaven & Hell
Journey with Angelo to retrieve the stolen artifacts
I love this game! It's Dante's Inferno meets Grimm Adventures of Billy and Mandy! The story line is funny: a lazy angel, Angelo, is sent to Hades to retrieve stolen artifacts. The dialog between Angelo and the little devil is great. Watch for puns and hidden meanings, like Angelo and his 'faithbook' account. The only down side for me was the slowness of the game. The boards load and clear slowly, and you have to wait for the cascades to end before the tiles will slide. Otherwise, great music - very Twin Peaks, funny story line, great cartoon characters.
Critique is based on only 30 minutes of play: This is an enjoyable game. The graphics are wonderful. The story line is a Celtic/Scottish fairytale - what's not to like there. The HOSs are clear and crisp. The mini-games are fun and engaging. There is a map and attached strategy guide. The only drawback for me was the voice-over of the main character - they used a high-pitched, squeeky, whiny voice that had me exiting the game after only 30 minutes. I still recommend the game (not everybody has pitch-sensitive ears!).
I enjoyed this trial very much. Playing casual and leisurely, I completed the trial in 50 minutes. The look of the game is very rich. The graphics are crisp and well done, especially textures. There is a lot of running back and forth - there's no map. There is a nice mix of HOS and puzzles. The HOSs are lovely and fun to do. The puzzles are not so easy as to be boring. And the graphics of the puzzles, so crisp and beautiful, made the puzzles a pleasure to do. There was also a hologram of a guy who looked like Nosferatu! Very cool!
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
SandScript
(4)
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
This game is a lot of fun. There are lots of ways to adjust the game, size of board, length of words, etc. The graphics, while simple, are engaging. The owl frowns if you don't perform! If you have a few minutes and want to exercise your word skills, or if you want to zone out and work on your vocabulary, this is the game.
The look of this game is really nice, very rich and colorful. Very easy to play with the tiles sliding quickly. You can make matches while prior matches are exploding. There are also critters, like bats, turtles and spiders, that show up and undo your work. There are Hidden Object screens, one on each level I believe. I found the objects very hard to find. They are not the predominent play, so I don't consider them a big negative.
I recommend this game!
+208points
233of258voted this as helpful.
Mystic Legacy: The Great Ring
Uncover the dark legacy hidden within a Romanian castle to save your friend from an evil spirit!
This is a quiet game. There was music but no voices and I liked that. The HO scenes are painterly but not too difficult. And they are interactive. The hint button is very informative when you need it and there is a map. You can use the map to move between scenes. It also shows if actions are pending. In the trial, you get just enough story to let you know that things may not be as you first thought. You may have put the "bad" label on the wrong guy! Very cool.
I enjoy Match3 very much but not so much this Match3. My hand/wrist got fatigued much quicker than with a sliding tile match3 game. And while i did enjoy the Renaissance Faire flute music at first, the same tune playing over and over put me to sleep. I think this would be a great game for little kids or for folks who are lactose-intolerant (need warm milk to fall asleep).