Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
I bought this game after playing the trial. While I'm not kicking myself entirely over that I have to say that I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
The game is slow at the start and continues on that way. While other games of this type ramp up in difficulty and variety of gameplay this one does not. It got very tedious playing one level after another when all the levels are essentially the same.
I bought it expecting that, like other games of this type, there would be added features and challenge as I advanced but that wasn't the case. I couldn't even finish it because it became so boring.
If you really, really love playing the first levels you get in the trial it's worth purchasing. If, like me, you expect a game to develop into something more challenging and have added features on higher levels then save your money. That won't happen and it just gets kind of boring.
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
2/ 5
Level of Challenge
2/ 5
The worst thing about this game is the sounds. They were so bad that based on that alone I would never buy this game. On top of that the game is far too repetitive and way too easy. Simply awful.
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
2/ 5
Storyline
2/ 5
This is another game claiming to be a hidden object game that doesn't have enough hidden object scenes. Instead you get to click around looking for the gloves that let you take on the dreaded rose bush and do other stupid, typical, HOPA tasks.
It's stuff like this, that you see in every game of this kind, that just makes this genre of game a miserable exercise in repetitive tedium. I tried this game because of the chronometer thing but nope...even with this gimmick the game is just like all the others...rusted stuff that needs oil and all.
If just one developer could make a hidden object game without all this stupid stuff in it that would be great. If just one developer could make something innovative for the HOPA genre that would be good. Until someone does one or the other I'm not wasting my money on this junk.
I highly suggest you try before you buy. If you've played a HOPA before you've already played this one.
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Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
The game is well designed except for the "clues" you need to know how to plant the flowers in order to get a bonus. If you want to have to look up what each "clue" means on every level so you can get the bonus this is the game for you. I found it extremely annoying and very not fun to have to look up each "clue". The developer needs to seriously rethink these "clues". They aren't "clues" and it's really unfun and angering to have to look up every single "clue" in order to get the bonus and move on. Just say how to plant the darn flowers and be done with it. Give us all a break from these ridiculous "clues" that don't mean anything. They reduce the fun factor to really poor which is a shame because otherwise the game is nicely done. These "clues" just ruined the fun for me completely and made me sorry I bought this stupid game full of "clues".
I received an invitation to try this game as a survey and loved it so much that when it came out I immediately bought it. It's the first time management game I ever played and, although I've since played many others, it stands well ahead of almost all others in this genre.
I like that you don't have to click, click, click to get things done, you have to think about how to get tasks completed but everything is do-able, and the power ups vary from level to level. The developer clearly put a lot of time into creating challenging levels that allow you to plan your strategy without needing to perform tasks one certain way in order to get three stars.
The story line is a little silly but when a game is this good who needs Shakespeare? With the exception of Northern Tales 4 I have yet to find a TM game that's as good as this one and the others in the Gardens series. I really hope the wedding isn't going to be the end of the story because I would love another TM game of this high quality.
There is absolutely nothing about this game which sets it apart from others in the HOPA genre except that the graphics are sub-par. Absolutely no imagination or innovation went into the creation and it is b o r I n g. I really wish someone would come along and make a HOPA that had something new or even remotely interesting. This one isn't it. Don't waste your time.
I really enjoy standard HOP games so I gave this one, by all accounts a standard HOP game, a try. Unfortunately, it really isn't a standard HOP game. The puzzles parts are dismal and the HOS are divided weirdly into sections within sections that aren't very intuitive. The graphics are lacking as is the story line. Overall, this was a no buy for me. I did like the dog...he's cute.
The graphics are clear and colorful. The music fits the theme and is pleasant enough to not become annoying even though it has a fairly short loop.
The storyline is thin and it's often delivered in a disjointed way when you "discover" documents that give you more information. I found myself skipping most of the parts where there was story information being delivered.
Gameplay consists of building gardens and other resource producing structures while deforesting large areas of the South America-like terrain. Your character also smashes clay pots and steals loot everywhere he goes. Some of this may upset the more politically correct among us but it's all done in a sort of joking way.
As the resources pour in you can build watch towers that open up new areas for you to despoil. The ultimate goal is to open up one final territory, rip off a huge cache of gold to send back to the home country, and free some captives so they can work your buildings for you. That achieved you're on to the next level.
Overall, the game is surprisingly fun once you get past the initial confusion of wondering how the whole thing works. The levels are fairly long and, if you play the timed mode, can be something of a challenge. I bought it and played it to the end and it was enjoyable all the way through.
This game has bugs which cause your character to run to the objective and then stand there doing nothing. Once this happens he won't do any other task you direct him to.
It also has a level that is impossible to win with three stars. If you don't get all levels with three stars you cannot play the bonus levels.
This game is frustrating and annoying. The developer that made it seems to have learned from the disastrous mess this thing is in their third and fourth games from this series. Those are great. Give those a try and, even if you like them, don't waste your money on this horrible game. I'm regretting having wasted money on it.
I bought this game after having purchased and played Northern Tales 4 and 3 both of which I loved.
This one has a lot of problems which you aren't going to see in the demo.
It is impossible to play most of the levels and get three stars or even 2...or even 1. It isn't that they're tough. It's that they're impossible. Maybe I'm missing the one single way you can play these levels to win...but honestly who wants to play a game like that. I don't want to play a game like that. This game is just plain annoying. There is no strategy...no matter what you try it isn't going to work. You just play and lose over and over and over. Pretty unfun.
It doesn't take a lot of skill to make a computer game that isn't win-able...it takes skill to make a game that is challenging but still can be won. This game is a very good example of lack of skill. It feels like a beginner's attempt at making a game in this genre.
Northern Tales 3 and 4 are great. I think this one was a learning experience for the people making this series that is really bad. Do yourself a favor and give it a miss.