Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
I couldn't play the game because there was nothing offered in the way of a tutorial, instructions, or even an introduction to the setting. There were three bugs on my screen, and I clicked on them to earn one coin each. That... was it. That was all I could work out how to do. I'm just glad I downloaded the trial before buying the game. If you have some experience with this kind of game and know how they work, you'll undoubtedly enjoy it more than I did, but I suggest doing the trial before spending any money. I won't say I don't recommend the game, because I don't feel like I actually got to play it, but it is definitely not for me.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
5/ 5
I've grown quite fond of these Viking siblings, so when I saw they had a new game out for the holidays I was looking forward to getting a chance to play it. VH5 did not disappoint! The graphics are as charming as ever, the heroes got some new accessories for the holiday season, and the story is entertaining. I love the relationship between the four heroes and the addition of the Yule cat was purr-fect. Everything about it was enjoyable and satisfying, and I'll look forward to a sixth game in the future.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
I rarely play solitaire or match 3 games, but I make an exception for those crafted by Suricate Studios. Their games are gorgeously rendered and offer all kinds of additional challenges. I've played several of their games and enjoyed them all, and this might be the best of the bunch. Not only are there tons of levels to go through and work toward earning three stars, but along the way you'll unlock additional solitaire games, little quests, challenge levels, sliding levels, and even mahjong games. As I told a friend, I think you could play this game for a year and not get through everything it has to offer! Absolutely worth the purchase price and then some, and I highly recommend it for solitaire fans.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
I don't usually bother with Match 3 games because I find them kind of mindless. But I rather like the Jewel Solitaire series when I do want to play one. They're beautifully rendered, have pretty background music, and are just extremely soothing. This one is no exception, and the holiday theming is very festive. I enjoyed gathering the elements to craft a gorgeous winter village with brightly colored decorations. The challenge is quite good as well, as the levels grow increasingly difficult with multiple screens, conveyor belts, missing keys, and other little twists. Definitely recommend for a Match 3 fan or someone who wants to pass a few pleasant December hours.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
4/ 5
I'm very fond of this series and a new game is a must-buy for me. That said, I wasn't too excited by the last couple of installments; the second one is probably my favorite in the series to date. But this comes pretty close!
The story is interesting and has some refreshing elements. New to this installment is the additional challenge of finding pieces of evidence concealed in certain levels; you get a big conspiracy board (complete with red string) to connect the dots between the clues you uncover. Who is the masked man Ace? What does he really want? Who's actually behind all the trouble plaguing Jack and Jill's new friends in Oklahoma?
The game mechanics are pretty much the same as they've always been. I play on untimed mode, and I found the challenge satisfying without being distressing. The music is cheerful, the graphics colorful and enjoyable, and on the whole it's a great addition to the series. If there's to be a seventh game, I'll be sure to buy that too.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
2/ 5
Storyline
2/ 5
This was the only one of the new "mini games" that caught my interest, and after finishing the fifteen-minute trial I bought the full thing. It took me roughly another half hour to complete, but for less than three dollars I'd say I got my money's worth.
The graphics are done well and the music is appropriately creepy. The storyline is rather thin - not bad, just very bare bones. I'm not generally one for 'junk pile' types of hidden object games, but this was okay, since it made sense that there would be random objects cluttering the scenes. Mostly I just felt like it didn't have much challenge to it; it was very hand-holdy, telling you exactly where to click to find clues to solve the overarching mystery. But it's a decent little game and if you like spooky stuff and hidden objects, you'll probably enjoy it.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
2/ 5
I get the impression that this game is a bit older than it seems, judging by the lack of animation and voice acting. If that's the case, I'm sure it was very cutting edge when it was first released, but hasn't aged particularly well.
The game has no story. You're working in a place called the Antiquarium. The only non-music sounds you hear through much of the game are someone's footsteps on a wooden floor, which gets really annoying after a while. In the primary hidden object scenes, you have to find the specific item that a customer wants, and the longer it takes you to find the item, the less money you'll earn. Problem is, the items are small, the scenes are variously dim, and in some cases, I had no idea what the item being sought even *was*. The hint button refills quickly, so that's a plus at least.
I just couldn't get into it. If you enjoy an endless game that has no particular plot, you might want to give it a try, but it wasn't for me.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
Storyline
4/ 5
This was offered as a Catch a little while ago, so as a Club member I reeled it in because it sounded like fun. It turned out to be a pretty decent game on the whole; some of the voice acting is a little overdramatic (but in a fun way) and the visuals were pleasing. But I was very disappointed to get to my second stint as Mercedes only to run into a bug. I needed to place two items on a particular spot, and the game would only let me place one. I checked the strategy guide to make sure I was correct, and I was, so I can only conclude that it is indeed a bug. I was enjoying myself up to this point so I'm disappointed. Hopefully the devs create a patch soon.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
This was okay, as time management games go. The graphics were bright and pleasing, the music was enjoyable, and the challenge was decent. There is no option for a relaxed mode with the timer off, which I always enjoy, so that was a mild disappointment. I was also taken aback in places by a number of typos in the narrative, particularly the one for "Kamelot."
My only true annoyance was that there was more than one instance where my little onscreen helper was fetching a resource, but instead of bringing it back to the base, the sprite just stood in place with the resource above its head. Nothing I did seemed to fix this and it forced me to restart the level whenever it happened. I didn't mind it too much when it happened early in a level, but in one case I was very close to completing my goals when the restart was forced and I was not happy about it.
Definitely give this one a try before buying. I got my copy free (it was being offered as The Catch for Game Club members), but otherwise I probably wouldn't have gone past the demo.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
4/ 5
I wasn't familiar with the first game in this series, but this looked interesting so I decided to give it a go in the recent BOGO sale. On the whole, it's a rather delightful fun-for-all-ages time management adventure. The characters are enjoyable, the story is pretty good, the music is pleasing, and the challenge is certainly there with several achievements to unlock. There's also a bonus challenge of collecting all of the wooden animals in each level in order to reveal pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
My only complaint, which is the only thing keeping me from giving it a full five stars, is that the other side quest is a bit nerve-wracking. You have to watch for a painter's palette to appear in each scene and click on it before it disappears. It only shows up twice, and I frequently caught sight of it just before it vanished. This doesn't detract from the actual gameplay in any real way, but without all of those palettes it's really hard to earn the achievement for finishing all of the paintings, and I found it a little stressful. I play games like this on the most relaxed mode so that they *don't* stress me out - I'm blind in one eye, so sometimes it takes me a little longer than most to realize what something is. A couple extra seconds would have made all the difference.
Other than that, however, this is a really good game.