Although the game is much like every other TM game where you gather resources and build, I liked it. As you advance, you will need to use a more thoughtful strategy.
Great tutorial throughout the demo. Resource menu at the top is a little on the small side for a smaller screen but still readable. Really liked the 3 game modes to choose from, especially Relaxed for those who like TM's without the pressure of a timer.
To address a misconception, you are not killing any animals but startling them so they leave of their own accord. The game character uses a gun, shot into the air, to "scare" or banish the animal that blocks your path.
As a TM fanatic, while the game wasn't anything extraordinary, I still enjoyed playing the demo and will be purchasing. Give it a try to see if you might like it too.
I recommend this game!
+6points
7of8voted this as helpful.
Mystery of Neuschwanstein
Accompany Sarah and Professor Adler through the stunning rooms, halls and cellars of the historical castle of Neuschwanstein!
It's a bit dated and rough in places but still a nice SE offering for HOPA players. I enjoyed the extra dialogue that helped develop the storyline but it can be skipped. Some items were small and easily missed but it encouraged me to slow down and take in everything. I think the voice of Sarah Hamilton was a little too monotone at times and could have showed more emotion. HO scenes were the usual seek and find in the scene and a few were small but findable. Items in your inventory might also be needed to complete an HO and it took a few scenes before I remembered to always check. I skipped several puzzles during the demo in order to have more time to get a sense of the overall feel of the game and story and while they were a bit dated, they were still fun and fit the tone of the game. Since I'll be starting a new profile after purchase, I'll be able to take the time to solve them myself. There is a transportable Map that also shows the areas where Tasks still need to be performed and the Hint system, for the most part, was very effective and helpful.
Very little hand holding, a lot of dialogue that fleshes out the story, decent puzzles, and a demo that left me wanting to play more makes this game a purchase for me. I hope others also find it enjoyable.
Beautiful one up/one down solitaire game set in England's Regency era. Nice storyline, not often seen in a solitaire game, of a once rich family, whose fortune has been lost. Bella, the daughter, is now of age and must make a suitable marriage of convenience but would rather marry for love. Very challenging with power-ups unlocked as you decorate the family's ballroom. The locks, where you must match a card more than once, are a nice twist and element to the game. You have to think ahead and use the bonus cards and power-ups strategically or you're going to be hitting Retry. It's tougher than it looks.
From an old timer of adventure games, as in the prehistoric beginning of computer games, I really liked this game; very nostalgic. In many ways it plays like the original adventure/puzzle games that first ran on Win 95, so yea, that's older than dirt old. It's a great little HOPA SE however. Very basic with no hand holding and no map. In other words, No Frills. Played in Expert mode and you could be playing for quite a while.
The storyline in a nutshell. You are part of a crew marooned on another planet after your spaceship crashed. You must find the secrets contained on this world, if you hope to find your way home.
-3 game modes: Casual, Advanced and Expert -Hint system -Usual diary replaced with a handheld computer. Check it often. It holds the keys and answers to help advance further into the game.
A twist to this game is finding multiple items, to get an item. This done by filling that item's bubbles, seen when moused over, with the multiple items. I've encountered this in past games I enjoyed and like that the devs made it a part of this one.
HO's were a mix of quasi-junk piles and some interactive. Several scenes were difficult for me to see. Terminology on a few were not what I expected the item should be. Puzzles were the standard with nothing overly difficult.
The graphics are really nicely done, although interaction with the characters was a bit bland and flat. I think it would have added to the game in immersing the player with voice overs but it's not a deal breaker for me.
IMO this is an excellent little game for adventure players looking for a simple HOPA SE without much in-game help. There were more HO's than I like but still a nice little game that I'll be adding to my adventure collection.
Game played on Win 7 64-bit without issues. Review based on 60 min demo.
Time Management reminiscent of the Sally's franchise; manage customers, upgrade shop stations, add/upgrade shop helpers, and check out as many customers as possible with full hearts.
A few differences in Bloom is you must plant, water and harvest the flowers and also beat a competitor's income at the end of each main level. Music becomes annoying and distracting but it's an option easily turned off under Settings. A strategy will be required to keep everything ready and keep the customers moving along without losing hearts.
All in all a very fun TM that is a little different from the rest and a purchase for me.
Game ran flawlessly without any issues on Win 7 64-bit.
Game play has been excellently reviewed by previous posters, so will not waste time.
Review of demo. I wasn't sure I would like it at first but it picked up and was great fun with a nice creep factor. Cut scenes are excellently done, as are the voice overs. A strategy guide or walk-through isn't needed in this SE, as an interactive jump map will always keep you on the right path. Puzzles weren't overly difficult but fun. A journal will help you keep track of notes that hold clues and a list of tasks you need to perform. The game is mostly linear. If you need to backtrack, it won't be far.
I found this to be a fun game. Try the demo and see for yourself but it's a definite purchase for me. Thanks developers for a great game!
This really is a fun Halloween themed Match 3 game with 100 levels. Purchasable decorations earned from gold coins within the game play have a dual purpose.
If you read the description of the purchasable objects, you'll see they are useful power-ups within the game, not just a cool spooky decoration for your house. The initial introduction of an item may only clear one block, while later upgrades of that object will affect larger areas of the game board. When given the choice of several objects to purchase with the gold coins, it is best to think through which object is more important, especially if you don't have enough gold coins to purchase them all. Upgrading an existing object may not be as useful as the introduction of a new object that has yet to be used. For example, upgrading the ability to break one block with a hammer with an upgrade to breaking more versus the ability to sweep a cobweb from one block for the first time.
While the timed mode appears easy to beat on the lower levels, the higher levels become more difficult but not tear your hair out, it's impossible! I found myself cutting it to the wire with literally seconds to spare on several levels and on a few having to replay the level several times because the timer ran out without my clearing the board successfully. Saving a power-up until you're absolutely stuck can be a waste of the power-up, since they do recharge as you continue to play and clear the board. It really matters what power-up you use and when on some of the more difficult levels.
The ability to play timed and untimed makes this a game playable by the whole family without children or adults wanting to play it casually becoming frustrated. Decorating your house with the power-up objects made it fun!
I recommend this game not only for Match 3 fanatics but the occasional Match 3 player.
I recommend this game!
+1point
1of1voted this as helpful.
Vampire Ventures
Join Vampire Val as she embarks on her quest through long forgotten empires to find her kidnapped father.
This is a Match 3 game about a young vampire girl looking for her family after finding the family home destroyed and her family missing.
Game Play: -Timed and Untimed Modes. -3 Additional Bonuses: Using Timed Mode, Finish before Moon Sets, Combo plays. -Powerups (Talisman in this case): After 15 levels; Hammer, Bomb, Scramble Tiles. -Variety of game play. -Ability to match tiles horizontal, vertical and diagonal. -Standard match around blocked or locked tiles to clear; some twice. -Head to head match up against a foe. -Move a key to a lock on a preset path with the ability to rotate the game play. -Replayable completed levels from the game map.
All in all it was a fairly challenging game as the levels progressed. I played timed and untimed. You can finish each level after the time runs out in Timed Mode, with only the extra bonus, before Moon Sets, being affected. It has a high cutesy factor in the storyline but you can Skip the dialogue and go to the next level. Instructions were clear and concise as to using a newly introduced Power-up or new level.
TTT is a time management game and the 3D graphics are fabulous. While it could be said, been there, done that, you could say that about every TM game ever made because all of them involve gathering resources in some manner and building from there.
This game requires gathering wood, food, and mana and building houses, towers/portals, etc. I really like the ability to accessorize my critters. I can only think of one other TM that I've played that allowed me to do that; Diner Dash: Flo on the Go. You can turn the critters in their new finery in a 360° manner to get a look at them from every angle.
One big pro IMHO is you can push the spacebar on your keyboard and see at a glance the various things you have available to do right from the beginning or need to do as you clear a path before you ever start the level.
Two cons is the inability to turn off the tips/hints and restarting a level within the level when you realize your strategy is wrong. Both ideas have already been broached to the developers as feedback and they agreed that both were good ideas to keep in mind for their future games.
I do like the story line and love this game. It's cute but it's challenging. I have several levels I'll be replaying to get the red flower so it's not an easy push over on the game play. You need a good strategy before you ever start a level.
There's a traitor among us and it's up to you Detective to ferret them out and set things right.
4 Level of Game Play: Casual - Relaxed mode with sparkles and quick hint recharge Advanced - No sparkles, hints take longer to recharge Hardcore - No sparkles, no hints, no mini-game skips Detective - No sparkles, no hints, no skips, no cursor change over active areas
-Lockable Inventory Panel -Task List -28 Secret Files -13 Mystery Tracker Pets -18 Personal Achievements -Interactive Jump Map with ability to see if a task needs to be performed in a specific area. -Pick up 3 powers
Based on the 60 minute demo. With your trusty dog, Elf, you follow the clues and paths of a traitor within Headquarters. The music was appropriate for the story with a good story line. Casual play was relaxed with plenty of help with a quickly recharging Hint system, and sparkled areas of interest. HO's were interactive on some double hidden items but not too hard. Mini-puzzles also weren't overly hard and didn't require a skip to get through them.
I would have liked to see a more innovative voice overs but it isn't a overwhelming factor not to buy the game. All in all, the 5th in the series of Mystery Trackers is a Hit, and the Bundle Sale that will allow me to pick up one of the previous games I missed earlier makes this a definite buy.