Well it took a while for me to warm up to this series, because it's not merely challenging, it can get downright HARD. But this one is so well done and of good quality, the challenge is there so how could I resist? New means of getting resources and other other elements but with the same crew in awesome 3D, same Max the 3D bulldog (good boy!). Still getting the feel of it in Normal mode--there's also Expert and Relaxed and the ability to turn off Hints in the Options section. Bunnies hop, trees sway and butterflies flutter in the magical backgrounds. You can click ahead task-wise and change your mind later with a right-click. Oh yeah, certain bad guys are back too, enough said. Have to examine the tasks and their costs and plan ahead at times; this definitely has strategy at its roots, which may not appeal to all.
A quality resource management game I snapped up almost immediately. Glad I did, too.
First: props to the developers for making a decent attempt to put a unique spin on their imitation of the 12 Labours of Hercules series. Now then, last time I checked, I had a PC, not mobile device. The backgrounds are almost static, no animations, poor detail, cartoonish, with at least the first 11 levels having the same predominately blue-green color scheme. If you want to compare, fire up a New Generation of Roads of Rome and soak up the major differences in quality, while having the same pricing structure. The earlier levels are fun but not really challenging and the bonus chests are hokey but cute. Might add it during a BIG sale cuz it's cute and a shameless imitator. Maybe
A vibrant playing field, encompassing your whole screen, lots of cute objects to look at and 2 game modes (timed and untimed) to choose. Problem is: been there, done that. The sawmill, farm, quarry, market, etc are all staples in previous timed resource management classics. The thatched huts--you've seen them before, same for the map (almost a spitting image). On the plus side, tutorial and dialogs can be diabled in-game and the gameplay itself is familiar and as fast-paced as you want it to be. In-game, a task or object to be built/picked up may have a red or green ring-like indicator to show availability. This was the deal-breaker for me, I can (and do!) check this myself, no need to spoon-feed.
Cute game and very familiar in more ways than one, though a couple of unique elements save this from total imitation. Thanks, I already have Royal Envoy, Kingdom Chronicles and Northern Tale, which is what Beyond Kingdom is a mashup of. I suggest trying the demo at least.
Wow, number 6. Luckily this appears to be just a continuation of the 5th in the series, nothing radically different. Several items to hunt and find in each level--that's one of several CE elements, like Wallpapers and Strategy Guide. Aerin is looking a touch weird in the opening scenes; in fact, the characters there in general are less well-drawn than in previous ones, but that's a minor observation. Elevator-like muzak in the background, yep I'm turning it off. You can disable the Tutorial in-game, a nice touch. A bit cartoon-y but the colors are vibrant, the playing field ample and the sly little game hitches are ready, willing and able to defy your first attempts at gold time, especially in professional mode (there's relaxed and normal, too).
I'll start by saying the Moai series is/was one of the most endearing, fun and at-times challenging timed resource management series out there thanks to the collaboration of two talented development teams. Now, here is only the main dev--not saying that's bad, but when I first got it, the game was full of bugs, sloppily programmed, and getting a fairly rapid update from the developer. A few bugs persist, mostly with sound editing. Many (not all) upper levels are ridiculously simple for an experienced player, though the game remains very cute and appealing overall., with most of the game elements and scenes present from previous installments. The new stuff: meh, can take it or leave it, it's not memorable. So, if you like the earlier ones, this one's OK but not in the same league challenge-wise.
Can't help but compare this to the earlier ones and it falls short of the mark. If this is the last of the series, the earlier Moais are well worth replaying.
When you own just about all the casual adventure games from this great team, you get a little spoiled, and hold every new game to a higher standard. With time-travel, one has to really watch it as this can become a gimmick and ruin the experience. Thankfully, not too gimmicky here. There are some quirks in the game, namely the sudden, unexpected appearance of Obian (remember him? Neither did I at first, where did he come from?) and some other really contrived story elements that took things down a notch. Love Maaron, but someone sure didn't in this game. The bonus game rocks, as usual. Things moved smoothly on my Windows 10 machine but there were some bugs, namely in the hidden objects puzzles where, if in a mini game, you clicked on the wrong spot, you would be ejected from the scene and obliged to start the mini all over again. Some character speeches did not end cleanly, making you have to click several times on a scene to keep moving. Nothing too, too major. Five-BN Games creates wondrous stories to go with the excellent, tried-and-true games formula. I find the CE to be worth it for the Strategy Guide (I disable Hints and Skips) and those fantastic collectable/morphing objects in every richly detailed main scene. There are plenty of goodies in the extras: wallpapers, more mini games and my must-have Achievement list!
Good job, good game. Looking forward to the next installment, but don't rush it. It's worth the wait.
In an era where hidden object-type games especially seem to blur together, we have a refreshingly silly themed TMR right here. At first, I thought, man this is hokey but after just a few levels, this game earned my respect and great liking, very easily. Love the interior and exterior game platforms, choice of where to go and what to pick up. Yes, there's chat-chat but a few quick clicks and you're off and running. And it does get tricky, even in Normal mode (there are Casual and Expert modes also). Gameplay is flawless and snappy on a gaming PC running the new 10 April 2018 Windows.
A minor beef: this is a modern era, even though the game is maybe in the Wizard of Oz age--the uber dev also brings us the marvelous Moai series where men and women built and cleared equally but um, not here. Still, it can be part of your strategy if you think about it.
A really cool game, I for sure recommend it for a refreshing and challenging change.
Get ready to use your brain just a little more. The Roman juggarnauts in the dark red tunics are back and the challenges are better and more complex than ever. Decisions, decisions: what to build, where to build, do I fill this altar, can I spare a worker for this now? Still can't queue tasks but you can chain them, keep this in mind! Every second counts if you're in timed modes. The richly detailed graphics tempt you to sightsee and explore--can you afford to stray off track? Yes, the modes are the same and "hard" mode had me ducking back to "normal" with a little humility. Yes, those secrets are there-- oh and don't forget that road. This game is a powerhouse. Good luck, you're going to need it.
Casual player just to pass a little time? This game might be it. Unfortunately, if you're experienced, competitive and otherwise spoiled by some of the more powerful timed-strategy gems out there (think: Rescue Team, Roads of Rome, Gardens, Inc.), well, you might be looking elsewhere for another one for your permanent games library.
The basic resources, their values and collection methods are the same as in the previous 12s; the levels are pretty routine, the goals are easy enough to discern, and there are the same three modes: Relaxed, Casual, Expert, the latter of which is worthwhile playing if you're into this genre. Graphics are cartoonish but clear and fantasy-driven, and the background audio is intriguingly new age-y considering the Hercules theme. Not enough variety and challenge for me, sorry, though some of the quirks like a door slamming when the worker goes back inside the tent and some amusing achievements made the game a bit better.
In my opinion, not ideal for experienced timed-strategy players, but it's a cute game and A-OK for a rainy day.
OK, I had to put on my thinking cap and try really hard to put Adelentado Trilogy completely out of my mind. Now, if I do the same with Roads of Rome, I end up with very attractive graphics and a competent time management game--with hidden extra resources, lots of resource collection, and that road of all roads.
I was spoiled by AT, what can I say? This is solidly based on the Roads of Rome format, with only the most superficial resemblance to AT. . My OK rating was based on expectations that were not met based on the title and a lower level of challenge to an experienced timed strategy player. But as a cute, fun TM game in its own right, you really can't go wrong here. Check it out!