I gave it a try. I'm a fan of either HO games or classic TM games, one for relaxation and the latter for some challenge, but this was neither for me. The story line wasn't fun enough to make it worth the characters' constant interruptions, and there was no strategy involved in the game play. It seems to be popular but I can't bring myself to recommend it.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
I might have made a mistake buying this one. I'm always relieved to find an HO that's not scary or creepy, but this was dreadfully boring. I couldn't wait for it to be over! I can see it being for the younger crowd, or something to play with your grandkids.
This game mixed some good with some very bad. The teleportation map was lovely, even if it only took you to unspecific areas instead of exact locations. The story is a fun treasure-hunter type, different than your usual HO and set in the present time, which is so nice after many many fantasy/old world games. The puzzles are nothing I'd ever seen before, very unique and appropriate to the game, and the different characters were a nice touch too.
And then the bad, the inventory was horrendous, your items don't show up by simply mousing over the area, you have to click on your suitcase or attempt to click on the inventory itself (which refused to acknowledge that I was clicking on it). If you get to a puzzle and need an inventory item, you aren't able to take the item out of the inventory for reference. You're instead forced to write down the information or click back and forth (made ever so frustrating by the difficulty in accessing the inventory to begin with). Then the HO scenes... there were a lot of HO scenes. The middle of the game dragged on forever, not only did you return to the same scenes but you will be searching for some of the same items you already found!
I would love to play a well-done treasure hunter game, but this was worth it for the storyline and the puzzles, if you can overlook all the annoyances.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Strategy, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
Storyline
3/ 5
This was a decent game, not too scary. It desperately needed a map and there was a lot of back and forth but the puzzles were different and fun and the HO scenes weren't bad. The story is your typical defeat the witch saga, it hinted at a sequel, I'd give that a try if it ever came out.
This is a TM game similar to Royal Envoy, but in this one your strategy is useless because a lot of the tasks were left to chance. The deals at the "port" were hit or miss and the mystery eggs were well, a mystery. It wasn't half as much fun as other games done in this style. The graphics while detailed, were very plain and drab-colored. Overall an odd game, if you haven't played Royal Envoy I'd give it a try instead.
I don't recommend this game.
+5points
5of5voted this as helpful.
Shaolin Mystery: Tale of the Jade Dragon Staff
Travel across ancient China and help Yu as she searches for the mythical Jade Dragon Staff. Save your wrongly imprisoned friend!
The game combined traditional HO scenes and the "click around to find parts of an object" scenes as well. The traditional HO scenes were terrible, junk upon junk of objects hung in midair, objects that made no sense being there, and each one was repeated to the point of insanity. I was happy to see something different, the asian scenery was nice, however the game seemed to drag on forever and got pretty boring towards the end.
This is a well-made TM game with impressive graphics. The game play is less clicky than Roads of Rome style road-builders and requires more logical thinking. I played through each level until I got that pesky star, although I admit by the time I "unlocked" expert mode I was done with the game!
Embark on an epic journey across the Chinese Empire and build the greatest structure known to mankind - The Great Wall of China - in this exciting time management game.
I agree with the reviewer who commented on the slow pace of the game. I only made it through the first two levels, but if the rest moved that slowly I'd be pulling my hair out. If I could pre-click or if the graphics were decent, or if there was any self-awareness or humor in the game to redeem it... but there was none.
Fun game, but mine skipped around in the story leaving me to wonder what the heck just happened. Besides that it's the typical Shadow Wolf Mystery game like the rest, enjoyable and relaxing.