TnT_TJ's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.9
- Helpful Votes:1,756
- Reviews Submitted:76
- First Review:May 20, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 15, 2012
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Descend into the Egyptian sands to find an oasis of puzzles, treasures, and mysteries in this Match 3 dazzler.
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 8 found this review helpful
Match 3 heaven? - A guy's review
PostedJune 15, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
If you are into match-3 and look for something challenging with a lot of variety, look no further. This, I think, should be in any Match-3 fanatic's collection. Unfortunately I am not one of them, but with games like this it sure helps getting me there.
The game plays wonderfully in a very arcade type manner. You play 7 varieties of match-3 setups in separated in 7 different temples, and you have to beat 4 levels of each one to open the next one. Still there are 24 levels in each temple with progressively difficulty throughout.
From time to time you also get to bonus rounds of spotting symbols where you level up your power-ups. You don't get to pick and choose as you have to reach a certain level to open up each one. Also, they don't carry from temple to temple. You have to level-up from scratch in each single one.
The game is timed, and there is a rating system based on both how well you do on time and how high of a score you manage to get. At times this can prove very challenging, as you not necessarily get enough points by going through the board quickly. All levels finish by coloring up the whole board.
If this isn't enough of a challenge already, there are also trophies to collect, each one with several levels (stone, bronze, silver, gold)
The graphics are gorgeous for these types of games. Everything is crisp and clear and even animations seem high level. The boards are never eye-straining and the color sets are never too bright or too dark.
The music reminds me of something I've heard through Civilization 4 and similar games. It is dramatically orchestrated African themed (with lack of explaining it any other way), and actually never got annoying. Usually, and especially in games like these I turn the music way down as they tend to get on my nerves eventually, but not this game. That is quite strange.
The mechanics is masterly refined and accurate in every way. It's a delight to move around and clicking is precise. You have the option of playing the way you like either by clicking or dragging. Going from temple to temple and through the stages is a breeze.
If I was a true Match-3 player I would probably blindly give this game a 5 star rating, but I'm not quite there yet, so it had to be 4. Even with the great variety this game offers I seem to get bored after a little while. Though, the wonderful thing with these types of games is that you don't have to play it in one sitting, and it is really nice to have them for short gaming spurts and when you need a change of pace from what one plays regularly.
I recommend this game to any Match-3 fan, and also anybody who wants to try at least one Match-3. Should not be missed.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart
Dive into an epic journey as a museum owner in pursuit of an undead pirate who has kidnapped your daughter in Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart!
Overall rating
5
/
5
213 of 245 found this review helpful
Amazing pirate adventure (SE) - A guy's review
PostedJune 15, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
*review based on completing the full CE version of the game in expert mode, re-posted here (slightly modified) in the interest of the release of the SE*
The shortest and most sensible thing I can say about this game is: "BUY IT!"
Though if that is not enough to convince you, I will give you a bit more in depth views on this game.
You play as a museum curator about to put on a pirate themed exhibition, and while reassembling the main attraction something paranormal happens and your daughter is caught in the wake. It is now up to you to save her and uncover a legend about the most fearsome pirate on the high seas.
The story is very well made, though a bit on the romantic side. But it does not fail to engage and excite. It is a highly enjoyable trip to some magical places that will burn itself to the memory of the player. I think this is one of those games you will compare future games to. It is that good.
The graphics are astounding. Vivid and colorful and dark when it needs to be. It all seems almost magical.The level of detail is beyond belief. I salute the artistic/graphical department of this developer. Job well done.
Animations and cut-scenes are also very nice. Though a tiny tiny bit grainy at times, it is better than most casual games I've come across so far. The scenes themselves are very crisp and characters you come across are very well detailed. There are no live actors, everything is animated, and that suits this game the best.
Music is also good, but a bit on the boring side. I feel it could be a bit more dramatic. Sound-effects are top notch though, and so is the voice-overs. And every character is voiced, even yourself.
The game play is brilliant for someone like me. I grew up with the old point-and-click adventures, and this game bares similarities. There is a lot of adventuring going on and tasks to solve. Next to that there are many clever puzzles/mini-games, most of witch I found very original and creatively executed.
And of course you have the HO scenes. It is the typical clutter scenes, but they are done so well that it is pure enjoyment. The graphics and level of detail in these scenes are euphoric. I caught myself just gazing at the beautiful scenes and the level of detail involved. They are also interactive with some clever twists, and even though revisiting most of them, items picked up before will not return to the scene. Also, there is a function that let you see the shape (shadow) of the item you are looking for if you struggle. Not only that, but if you really do not like HO scenes, you have an option to solve mahjong puzzles instead to retrieve the necessary item. A developer that thinks about everybody is commendable.
Also, I really appreciated the "construct something useful" mini-games. Hope that is something we see more of in the future.
There are 2 levels of difficulty that you can play:
Regular: No misclick penalty in the HO scenes, sparkles on active zones, hint/skip function recharges quickly and locations with available action are indicated on the map
Expert: Misclick penalty, hint/skip function recharges slower, only the HO scenes, Construct-something-useful scenes and I believe some puzzles sparkles, locations with available actions not indicated on the map.
I really liked the map function in this game too. It is not fast-travel able, so expect a bit running back and forth.
It wasn't the hardest game, so if you want a challenge, be sure to play in expert mode.
It wasn't the hardest game, so if you want a challenge, be sure to play in expert mode.
For the guys:
You play a mother trying to save her daughter, and the whole story was kinda romantic, but so are the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. If you liked those, you should like this.
I really hope with get sequels to this one, and am looking forward to whatever this developer puts out there.
TJ
I recommend this game!
An archeologist comes home from an expedition with an ancient medallion. The next day she goes missing and James must save her!
Overall rating
4
/
5
18 of 18 found this review helpful
Enjoyable, but short - A guy's review
PostedJune 14, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the full game*
Although short I found it quite enjoyable to play through this game with a mix of hidden object scenes and fragmented object scenes (HOG's and FROGs). There were also a few challenging puzzles. The one thing one needs to be aware of though is that the items can be quite small and fragments well hidden in similar colored background. If one has bad sight it might be tough to get through.
The graphics are ok. They are drawn which adds to the difficulty in the HO and FRO scenes as some items are hard to distinct at times. The style of the "cut scenes" is of comic book type storytelling and even though the story in itself is quite catching it fails to fully engage the player. IMO comic book style is not the way to go in games like these. I did also notice a few graphical glitches in some scenes, but not enough to make it annoying.
The music is of tribal folk type standard, and though ok at first it tends to get annoying after a short while. The sound effects are almost worse, and with the lack of voice-overs this game leaves a lot to be desired.
Game mechanics felt smooth all the way and cursor seemed perfectly on target. Items seemed to have a small aura so you didn't need to be spot on with the clicking. Hint function recharges quickly, though sometimes it wasn't helpful at all. It functioned well in the HO/FRO scenes but for inventory use it failed miserably. Wanting to know what a key did, I was told that the key probably opens something.... helpful indeed. Also, there is only one level of difficulty, but as the game is pretty straight forward going from one scene to the next, I guess there is no need for several.
The game comes to a conclusion but it leaves itself with an opening to create a sequel. I hope they do. With a little more experience and some more thought into the creation there is a chance for an improved game experience from this developer.
The game's rating would honestly be in the vicinity of 3.5, but bumped up to 4 because of the enjoyment I had while playing. I'd recommend this game to HOG and FROG fans with good eyes, especially if you catch it on a daily deal. You might want to try it out before buying it though, as it is not for everybody.
For the guys:
Strangely enough in a scene that is highly targeted towards the ladies you actually get to play a male character in this one. In the later stages you kinda play both. It should suit both genders fine to play.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Explore a haunted amusement park in Weird Park: Broken Tune! Investigate a rash of “accidental” deaths and solve the case!
Overall rating
4
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Wonderfully weird - A guy's review
PostedJune 14, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
*review based on completing the full game*
The developers have been exceptionally creative and been able to create something that stands out with this game. Even if the game was a bit on the easier side it was pure enjoyment from start to finish. There is of course a couple of small things that draws the rating down to a 4 instead of being a 5.
First of all the graphics and animations are of a really high standard, especially comparing it with similar games in the casual scene. Everything is bright and vivid and highly detailed. There seems to be a mixture of 2d and 3d drawing here, and it works well. Even the HO scenes are more crisp than most other games in this genre.
The music is entertaining too, but offers nothing special. Sound effects are as expected, but I really missed voice-overs in this game. A few talented voice-over actors to voice the colorful characters you meet would do wonders.
There is a story in this game, but has a back seat place, and could have been much much more. A little more time in writing could have made this game "THE MUST HAVE" for most casual gamers. One good thing about out it is that you will get surprised, but then the ending is rather anti-climatic.
The game play has a good mixture of adventuring, puzzles and HO scenes. It also offers some mixed challenges, but is rather easy on the most part. Especially the adventuring part was very engaging for a fan of that aspect of a game (like me). The HO scenes are crisp and clear and even though they are clutter scenes they are not overcrowded and objects are not microscopic and transparent. They are not as dark either as many games are today. One downside though, is that you revisit some of them up to 4 times, and that is simply too much. Luckily they are quickly done, and it doesn't happen to all of them. All puzzles were nicely done, but there are none that can be called revolutionary.
Game mechanics are good on the most part. The inventory is very fluid and easy to use. The cursor has the same flaws as many other games where you have to figure out where exactly the point is. Sometimes it seems you need to be very exact when clicking on objects.
There is only one difficulty setting, and it is quite helpful and with a quick hint/skip recharge. I feel there could have been a harder setting for more experienced players.
There is a small hint of maybe a follow up to this game, and I for one, really hope so. This is clearly a very creative bunch and given the chance they might create something miraculous. I can't wait to see their future projects.
I truly enjoyed this game and will recommend it to anyone. It is different and it will surprise you. Should not be overlooked.
For the guys:
You are only referred to as detective, and the story and game play should suit anyone.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Rescue a young girl from the Penumbra Motel. Solve puzzles, unravel a long standing mystery of death and disappearances in this heart-pounding adventure game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
94 of 115 found this review helpful
More adventure than anything else - A guy's review
PostedJune 13, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in hard mode*
This game plays like most of the games in this genre with one huge exception. There is not one single HO scene in the whole game. That could be off putting to some but, me being an adventure addict, I managed without them quite well. It also helped that it was quite challenging in parts. The downside though, is that there aren't that many puzzles either, so I found myself missing something from this game. Another thing I found a little annoying is at times totally lack of logic. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when the game told me that I could not take a needle from a ball of yarn with just my fingers.
Graphically the game is adequate. Most things seem crisp and clear with a few exceptions. Of course as with many of the similar games it is in places quite dark and grey, but it also had some brighter scenes too which was quite refreshing. Nothing special about the animations. The game uses live actors and they are nicely integrated into the scenes and do not stand out too much. The quality of the acting however leaves a lot to be desired.
Music and sound could be a lot better. Not that it is too annoying, but it's not that great. Especially the lip-sync is at times awful. I actually thought it was dubbed at first, but when trying to follow lip movement it actually seems that they are speaking what is said, but just being totally off target. Also, voice-overs are uninspired and does not feel believable at all.
Game mechanics and hud works well, and here the game is top notch. Also transitions between the scenes and scene-within-scenes are well made. Everything seems accurate, but at times it feels like you really have to be on target to pick something up.
The story itself seems highly unoriginal, and because of bad acting/voice-overs it doesn't really engage at all. There is a little background story that unveils throughout the course of the game, but there is really nothing to tie it all together. I didn't really find much of the story making much sense at all, and the connection to the main characters is vague at best.
In the game play itself there are really fun moments though, and that adds to the rating. Even with the lack of HO scenes, and sometimes being illogical, it does provoke some mind twisting and alternative thinking. Even though there weren't many puzzles, several of them were quite challenging. I wish there was a little more guidance a few times, but not a big problem.
There are 3 levels of difficulty to choose from:
Casual: Quick hint/skip recharge, sparkles on active zones
Hard: Slow hint/skip recharge, no sparkles on active zones
Advanced: Very slow hint/skip, no sparkles, black-bar tips disabled (whatever that means)
Playing on hard I found the hint/skip recharge to be adequately slow. No chance for hint abuse ;o)
I honestly had fun playing this game, but got a bit tired of it in the end. It should have had some more variety. I'd still recommend this game to adventure fans, who wants something to challenge their brain a little.
If it was possible I would have given the game a 3.5 rating, but will go with 4 because of the enjoyment and challenge.
For the guys:
As far as I could tell you actually play the father in this game, though there are few times where that is apparent. It should still suit both genders.
TJ
I recommend this game!
After crashing your car in the middle of nowhere, you stumble upon a mysterious town with a shady background. Solve a dark mystery!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 7 found this review helpful
Good, but not PHANTASTIC - A guy's review
PostedJune 12, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*Review based on completing the full game in "challenge" mode*
Well, this game is probably a guaranteed favorite among fans of games with a lot of hidden object scenes. There are tons of them to be found here. Luckily, for the ones who does not care for them, or get tired of the constant appearing ones in the game, there is an option to do a match-3 game instead to recover the objects. But, what this game is lacking is more puzzles and adventuring elements. There are a few, but they are all rather easily solved.
The game seems hand drawn all the way, and it feels like you are inside a grand painting or something. I quite liked the art-style, but it also offers some challenges within some of the HO scenes. As items are drawn and not always very crisp, and the scenes are rather dark and grey, it can be hard for people without perfect vision, and even eye-straining for most. It is still beautifully drawn and the level of detail is high.
The music is mostly well done, and the way I like it in games. A bit dramatic to underline the setting and atmosphere of the game. But sometimes it is a bit much. The more annoying part is some of the background sound effects. And several of those get quite repetitive, and offers little else than discomfort. There are voice-overs throughout the game, and they are all well done. I do however miss a voice-over on the main character, as the characters you meet often responds to you, yet you never actually say anything. It is in no way too confusing as you pretty much understand what is going on. Another thing, which seems to be an issue with several games in this genre, developers need to be better at leaving some pauses/breaks during the voice-overs to make it sound a bit more realistic. It does not feel natural without them. It is not an apparent flaw all the time but you will notice it clearly when it is.
The story is more or less told through visual glimpses from time to time when you progress through the game, at the same time as you get some clues through talking with the characters. It is nicely done and keeps you interested, but the story isn't very creative and feels rather short and straight forward.
Game mechanics are good for the most part, though it does seem that you need to be very precise at times. Does not pose any frustration though. There is one technical thing you should be aware of though. I played this game on a rather big screen and in Windows 7 and do not know if it applies for everyone. The original setting is set to full screen, but it didn't actually work. I got a smaller screen within the full screen. This is because of another function within the settings called "detect panoramic screen" which does not seem to work correctly. Unhooking this function will make the game play in full screen. Very easily fixed.
The game play is pretty straight forward and what you'll encounter the most is HO scenes. They are not interactive and, as mentioned earlier, are a bit dark and grey on the most part. You will be returning to the most of them, and items already picked will return as well. There are a few simple puzzles and some adventure elements, but leaves much more to be desired for the ones of us that appreciate the adventure aspect of these games. The game also felt a bit on the easy side, so to get some challenge at all one should not play on the easiest setting. A nice extra is that there are trophies to be earned which adds to the fun. It also might motivate for a second play through.
There are 3 levels of difficulty to choose from:
Casual: Frequent hints/tips and no penalties in the HO's
Challenge: Fewer and vague hints/tips and mild penalties
Extreme: No hints, no skip, timed HO scenes and severe penalties for misclicking.
All in all a good game, especially for the ones who appreciates a lot of HO scenes. If you are more into the puzzle/adventure part you might want to try out this game before buying. Also, this game is more suited for the players who feels comfortable in a beginner/intermediate level of difficulty. It is dark and gloomy but not very scary.
For the guys:
I feel this game was aimed more towards the ladies, but am not sure why. There is nothing very apparent that should give grounds for it. I think both genders would enjoy this game.
TJ
I recommend this game!
The Dark Piper unleashes infested rodents into the town of Hamelin! Defeat him before he leaves a trail of destruction all across Europe!
Overall rating
4
/
5
156 of 178 found this review helpful
P(l)ay the piper (SE) - A guy's review
PostedJune 8, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the full CE version of the game in normal mode*
(originally reviewed for the CE edition, but re-posted here in the interest of the release of the SE. It is slightly modified)
This game is really good, and I was almost about to give it a 5 star rating. But there are some small things that do push it down to 4. If I was able I would have given it 4.5.
The graphics are really well done, and so is animations. Everything is sharp and crisp even in the dark areas. Nothing seems pale or grey. Not the same story when it comes to the intro and the cut-scenes. They are noticeably blurry, and does not live up to the quality found in everything else in this game.
Music and sound effects are non-intrusive and plays well in the background. Note though, that I play with the music turned way down low. Voice-overs too are very nicely done.
Everything is animated, so no live actors. I am of the opinion that suits these types of games best, though I seldom complain about live acting either if it is integrated well in the scenes.
The story is a spin-off of the old Pied Piper story and I found it quite interesting. It is well thought through, and kept my interest through the whole game.
Game mechanics are well done, and everything feels smooth. There is a nice mixture of adventuring, HO scenes and puzzles/mini-games. Some quite original in the layout. There is a journal and a map. The map shows you where there are objectives and other things going on, but there is no fast traveling option on it, so expect a bit running back and forth. The HO scenes are clutter scenes, but never feels overcrowded. They are very crisp and clear, and they are also all interactive. Sometimes you must really pay attention and think during some of those.
There are 3 levels of difficulty you can play:
Casual: Hints/skip recharges quickly, sparkles on areas and items of interest.
Normal: Hints/skip recharges slower, sparkles on puzzles and HO scenes.
Hard: No hints or skip, no sparkles at all.
Playing through this in normal mode, I felt that the game was still rather easy, so if you want a challenge you might want to go for the hard mode.
I absolutely enjoyed this game and would recommend it to anyone. Though supposedly a dark story it never feels scary or morbid in any way and should suit most casual players. I feel it is even worth going for the Collector's Edition on this one. And I can not wait to see what this developer comes up with next.
For the guys:
After playing through this game, all I know is that I was called "inspector", though through some of the cut-scenes you can see your hands which seems womanlike LOL. That did not bother me at all, nor do I think it'll bother any guy. The story itself suits both genders.
I recommend this game!
Fairway™
Spend some time on the Fairway and take on challenging courses! Try to stay under par in this amazing Card game!
Overall rating
5
/
5
135 of 162 found this review helpful
Amazing Solitaire - A guy's review
PostedJune 6, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I was of the belief that solitaire games are of limited appeal, and are just good for killing time now and again. Not true when it comes to this game. I have NEVER played any solitaire game that has been this fun and engaging.
The concept is solitaire mixed up with the rules of golf (very lightly), and the solitaire itself is rather basic "up and down". Who would think that this mix could be a success? I did not, and used a free game code to get the SE version. Man, am I kicking myself for not getting the collector's edition on this one.
In this solitaire you'll meet creative challenges, a handful of mini-games, earn money and trophies, buy upgrades!!!, buy and use clubs, fight a mole, play through a heap of courses and solitaire layouts. All while having several LOL moments listening to the commentators that occasionally drop in with their humor as dry as the sandpits. Not to mention the clever mole that shows up doing all kinds of crazy things. Pure pleasure.
The graphics and animations are nicely done in a comic style. Nothing too fancy but easy on the eyes. Sound effects are also well implemented.
For those who think solitaire is boring, and golf even more so, this is an instance where - and - creates a +. I say if you are only going to buy one solitaire game in your life, this one should be it. You will not regret. Recommended to everyone that does not already own it.
TJ
I recommend this game!
Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles
Charles Baskerville is the latest victim of a centuries-old curse! Help Holmes break the curse before the next murder occurs!
Overall rating
4
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Enjoyable Sherlock Holmes - A guy's review
PostedJune 5, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
*review based on completing the full game in hard mode*
Well, this famous character should be a stranger to no one, and for the ones who have actually read some of the books, one knows that the stories and mysteries are well written and quite engaging. This mystery might be the most famous of them all, and the game does not cast shame on it. It to is quite engaging.
It has all the qualities of a HOPA (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure) and does so in a clever way. A fair amount of adventuring, and quite a few puzzles to solve, and of course a big handful of HO scenes. Most of the puzzles are the typical of the genre that you have seen before, but still fun. Most of them are on the easier side, but it has a few more challenging ones.
The HO scenes are clutter scenes, and with the graphic being a tiny bit blurry in places, and some items well hidden, it can be a bit challenging in a few of them if you have hard of seeing. They are not interactive and items already picked up will not return in the scene of the ones you return to.
Graphically the game is ok. The characters seem quite blurry, but the scenes and locations seem sharper on the most part. There is hardly any animation in existence, which seem a bit lazy, but not game breaking.
I had the music turned all the way down, so I can't really comment on that at all, but voice-overs were of high quality. Seemed very typical of Sherlock Holmes as portrayed before.
The mechanics of the game seem on target, though sometimes you can not miss by much to get a misclick in the HO scenes. I also found it a bit tiresome to have to click "next" on each part of a conversation, but others might find that useful. There is a map that can also be used to fast travel through the scenes, not that it is really needed, but some people like it that way. The map also shows where you have tasks to do, even in hard mode. If you stand inactive for a little while, you will also get an onscreen hint to what you need to interact with or where you need to go. They could have dropped that in the hard mode at least.
Speaking of which, there are two levels of difficulties to play:
Easy: You get a tutorial in the beginning, additional help/hints, quick hint recharge, easy puzzles and easy HO scenes (whatever that means)
Hard: No tutorial, limited help/hints, slow hint recharge, hard puzzles and hard HO scenes.
It never felt that hard in the "hard" mode (I did not use hints at all, but ended up skipping one single puzzle), so if you want a challenge I suggest playing in the hard mode. There is also a "achievements" system, and if you want to get them all you will have to play both modes. It also has a button for a strategy guide, which was a bit too closely placed to the map, so I clicked it by mistake twice. The guide is not in-game, but an online site, and does minimize your game to task bar. Highly annoying.
All in all the game was a lot of fun to play and I would recommend it to anyone who likes this genre of games. It is a mystery and is a bit dark and gloomy, but never truly scary. Will not suit younger players though.
For the guys:
Well, no need to tell anyone that you play a male character in this one, and most of you will know the story. It suits both genders without a doubt.
TJ
I recommend this game!
World of Goo
Drag and drop living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins, and giant tongues!
Overall rating
5
/
5
54 of 73 found this review helpful
Really GOO(D) - A guy's review
PostedJune 5, 2012
TnT_TJ
fromKongsvinger, Norway
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart Collector's Edition
(237)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Well, if you love solving puzzles in a strategic way (think Lemmings, Pushover) than you can't go wrong with this game. Not since already mentioned Lemmings have I played equally engaging puzzles where the goal is to "save" as many as possible.
Next to Lemmings the most comparable games would be bridge building games usually found on cell-phones. And it can be equally (if not more) challenging. Here your brain will get a proper exercise, and it might test your patience at times.
As you progress through the game you come across several new "goo's" that have their own special function, which offers new challenges and ways to solve things, and it keeps it interesting. Also, every "goo" you can save over the limit that is set gets collected to an own place where you can use them to build your own tower. There is even an online scoring system, and you can see what others have come up with in the "free build tower". If you have the game hooked up they will even show in the background of your own.
The graphics is nothing special, but perfectly fine. Everything looks smooth and moves smoothly too, but with a simple artistic style. Though, I don't see how it would play better with better graphics, the minimalistic graphics is almost necessary for this type of game.
I can't comment on the music. I can't even remember how it was LOL. So at least it can't be very intrusive.
I recommend this game to anyone who likes strategic puzzles and likes a challenge. It should suit young and old both.
TJ
I recommend this game!