I don't understand the strategy of calling this a "remaster" if the levels have been 'redesigned from scratch' (their claim, not mine). It's important to note that this is a 'gatherer' TM game which was nicely done when it came out. This time around, the graphics are more contemporary, but it's released as a CE in spite of the fact that the original was an SE. If you own the original, you're paying double! The first 3 games in the Adelanto series were NOT time management games... they were strategy games. I'm happy to see those have been upgraded for FREE for those who own them; but for those of you where that trio is not in your library, try them before taking advantage of the promotion because they're totally different from 4 Aztec Skulls. As the owner of the original, I'm not paying double for an improved version; I would have considered upgrading for an SE price tag, but not now. If you don't own the original, it was a well-done TM game, with interesting missions featuring the characters of the Adelanto trilogy. I would even suggest buying that one instead... you'll get hours of fun if you like nicely made TM games.
Not sure why anyone wants a Strategy Guide in a Hidden Object game. Also not sure how a review after playing a game for 2 minutes represents the diversity presented in the game. ("Based on two minutes of demo. There was nothing about this game I liked") This is a multi-faceted game, which relies on HO scenes, but also has a story, a series of combat-like M3 minigames. Try the demo, but play it long enough to at least get a sense of the game... Yes, it's a HO game, and it's more creative than all those Casual Arts games (the 15 "Christmas Wonderland" and the 26 "Vacation Adventures") that keep repeating themselves over and over again. Kudos to IKI for trying to give a facelift to an old-fashioned genre. It's not groundbreaking, but it's certainly a few bars above the frequently released "me too" from many devs.
Nice variant from the "typical" HOPAs. Uses diversity of methods for things that need to be found, and mini games are quite original.
Was considering buying it on its BOGO, but this game is priced between a CE and an SE; so the free 2nd has to be an SE because of this. NOT cool.
Will wait to buy the game on a "normal" sale. I think HOPA lovers should download it and try it. Not too much hand holding and quite original (which will make some people complain.)
I'm looking forward to playing the whole game as I only played the trial.
I tried this game elsewhere more than a year ago... it's got bright colors and easy to understand mechanics. Originating as a game for mobile phones, the tiles are big and the elements easy to differentiate. Usual obstacles: multi-layered crates, chains/vines, and having to drop the "gift boxt" (their words, not mine) to the bottom of the board. On-board boosters (e.g. dynamite) and tools (e.g. hammer). The best about the game, from my perspective, is that you can choose the play mode of this swap-styled match 3: relaxed, limited moves or timed. It has a story, for those that enjoy that in a M3. Reminds me a bit of the "Queen's Garden" series, but WITHOUT the nice feature of restoring a garden. Final verdict: meh (perhaps good for beginners?)
Release number 27 is pretty much the same as the earlier ones... and will continue that way (believe it or not, the latest release is number 64!) Bright colors make up those imaginary pictures; these are games to relax and are best enjoyed in small time slices. I really dislike it when people write reviews that include lies; it's OK to voice an honest opinion... but get the facts straight; we don't all have to agree on our enjoyment of a particular game. Some people are grumpier than others and have a "glass half-empty" attitude. Oh well. For those interested, the images shown in the carousel preview are actually in this game: they are number 39, 53 and 72 respectively. If you've ever tried one of these AWIGOR games, you'll know exactly what you'll be getting: 72 unrealistic brightly colored images that will use up a dozen hours of your free time. It serves a purpose, and I'm OK with that.
Those don't stop coming... they're relaxing, can be played in small doses... and I prefer playing the pictures in sequence so I don't "forget" any. For those interested in this series, #47 was released elsewhere recently... so lots more playtime on the radar for BFG. Try it out to see if it's your cup of tea: the number of pieces keeps going up, but nothing a bit of zooming in can't facilitate.
It all started with not being able to see the main display when launching the game... a black window while my other apps were changed to a lower resolution. After closing and re-launching the game (a problem I often experience with T1 GAMES), I realized there are no difficulty settings... so I earn stars by beating the timer. That removed 2 stars (I play these to relax, no stress out.) Then, I was able to play a few levels and realized that the shapes in the background represent what items will appear during the next "spawn"; well, make sure you make matches in a location that will spawn an item you need for an upcoming match, or you'll be left with a bunch of items that do NOT contain 3-of-a-kind. So 2 more stars taken out because the single screen "Help page" is not really explaining how the game works. The "Hint" button doesn't facilitate understanding the strategy needed to succeed. It's a "massive fail" for me. PS: Hope my review wasn't too long LOL.
Well, here's a surprise: T1 Games must be selling these as there are actually 80 in the series... they're just not all available on BFG yet.
The gameplay hasn't changed; neither has the music.
Pictures not really connected by a theme, so it's hit-and-miss on the appeal side. These are the perfect games to place in the "fun-sized" section; certainly not original enough to warrant a purchase unless they're significantly discounted.
Download the trial, but as you can't see all the pictures, unlike a jigsaw game, it's quite a gamble.
The pictures are of various appeal, but of course that's the subjective part. The playing features are the same as usual (and many are fundamental), so the best way to make up your mind is: 1) download the trial; 2) don't worry about the playability: spend your time looking at the pictures in each "catalog"; 3) evaluate if there are enough that catch your eye to decide whether or not to make the purchase.
My exploration wasn't spectacular; I found that some are not really linked to the theme (if they are, the evidence just didn't jump at me.)
... and then a lot more (30) DLCs were added to the game... so expect perhaps 5 more bundles here on BFG.
Unfortunately, the game hasn't been adjusted so that I can see the entire (intended) screen, and the fullscreen/windowed button in the options isn't working.
I'm usually a fan of these puzzles, but I won't encourage a dev that doesn't fix a "simple" issue like mine and remains unresponsive.
For those who enjoy this genre, try it first: the boards come in various sizes, making the difficulty progressive in each of the 6 "topics"... and the images are creative. Because I'm "on the fence" about recommending, I've awarded only 2 stars. It's good value for the content if you get it on sale.