[rtrooney]

We talked about trying to keep the Casual Game Review concept alive. Unfortunately, the little retinal detachment problem still exists. Another 3-4 weeks before I approach normal. So I haven't played any games.

This is the best I can do. This is my current list of my top ten casual games. I invite those of you who play same, e.g., Colpet, to contribute their own.

This is not meant to be, in any way, authorotative. Just a way to keep the casual Game concept alive.

In no particular order:

• Ravenhurst - Each one of the three have their good points. I prefer the third.
  
• Echoes of Sorrow - Some search for adult themes in a casual game. This is the game you are looking for.
  
• Drawn-The Painted Tower - The first is the best, and sets the standard for non-HOG casual games.
  
• Faces - Close to EoS in adult theme. Only problem is that it presumed a sequel. Hasn't happened.
  
• Hidden Expedition - Devils Triangle. I dare you to solve the puzzles without a walk-through
  
• Phantasmat - An eerie/creepy game I enjoyed
  
• Raincliff - By the same people who gave us Void. Liked both. This was better.
  
• Puppetshow - Souls of the Innocent was the best of the three.
  
• Sacra Terra - Easy at the start/tear your hair out at the end. Great game.

[skeeter_93]

Some of the casual games I really enjoyed:

Drawn Series
Ravenhearst Series
Mystery Trackers Series
Dying for Daylight
Maestro Series
Azada Series
Dark Tales Series
Awakening Series

[Arial Type]

I really enjoyed Emerald City Confidential. A very solid and original adventure game despite its casual nature.

[Monolith]

Check out Special Enquiry Details 2. I'm really liking this game, especially since i'm quite sick of Casual HOG's after I've played a couple of ones similar to MCF.

SED2 is unique in the fact that it demonstrates the ability to create two realistic characters with an actual personality, something vacant in most if not all Casual games.

[Interplay]

Great thread. There's such a sea of casual titles, that's it good to see the titles of games that keep popping up on everyone's top lists. This beats downloading random games from Big Fish (though you have to love that one hour trial).

[aimless]

Oh, boy, rtrooney and I disagree on almost everything.

Phantasmat was particularly horrible, IMO. Of course, if you like maggots squirming from fish eyes, look no further.

A few I did enjoy a lot were:
Revenge of the Spirit: Rite of Resurrection
Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek
Vampireville - totally screwy but a lot of fun

One to run from is Silent Evil: Kate's Secret. They really scraped the bottom of the barrel with this thing to provide 'a new game every day'.

[rtrooney]

There were two I finished before the mishap. 9: The Dark Side which I quite enjoyed, and Amazing Adventures: The Forgotten Dynasty. The latter is pure HOG. No plot, no characters, but it's from SpinTop games, and the graphics are absolutely stunning. For a mindless pleasure, I think it's worth a try.

The third game, Temple of Life: Legend of Four Elements, was recommended by Colpet. It remains in limbo. When I started it I did as I normally do, which is to skip the tutorial. I came to find out that there were some things I really ought to be doing, but wasn't. I may give it a try from scratch once I'm back in playing mode.

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by aimless

Oh, boy, rtrooney and I disagree on almost everything.

Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek

We can agree on that. It's just not in my top ten today. If I were able to replay it, things might change. It would certainly be in my top 25.

[colpet]

It's nice to have some more recommendations. I've got 2 credits to use at BigFish, and I haven't been tempted by the newer games.
The games I played recently that I liked are:
Pahelika Revelations - some really good puzzles
Grim Tales The Legacy

For those of you who like jigsaws, you can't beat Peter's Jigsaw Puzzles. I've been playing those more than traditional casuals.
http://www.mulawa.net/pj/index.html
I also loaded the Puzz3D games onto my Win 98. First you complete a 3D jigsaw, then you get to go inside what you make for a FMV adventure game. Lots of fun, there are 5 different Puzz 3D games.
http://metzomagic.com/showArticle.php?index=407

[millenia]

I haven't played many but I really liked the 3 Cards games. But will check out some of the titles here probably at some point. There's so much of this stuff it's hard to navigate through the mediocre and bad.

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by millenia

There's so much of this stuff it's hard to navigate through the mediocre and bad.

That is so true. So, Im going to add a few more to my list.

Dire Grove - Was a very good game. Saving dead kids wasn't my thing.
Maze - Also very good and challenging, but a bad ending.
Enigmatis - not top ten, but right up there.

And look at games like Void, even though it's not the better of the two, still a great game.

[Siddhi]

What about non-Big Fish casuals, like Jane Jensen's Women's Murder Club? Has anyone played them?

[chrissie]

My first love is Adventure but I do play a lot of Casuals too. Some recent ones I especially enjoyed are:
Small Town Terrors - Livingston
Brink of Consciousness - Dorian Gray
Midnight Mysteries - Haunted Houdini
Surface Mystery of Another World
Dark Strokes - Sins of the Fathers (CE)

Dying for Daylight is very good but you only get half the story as the sequel to finish it off hasn't yet been produced.

I've played a couple of the Women's Murder Club games - they were good too.

I enjoy Casuals at the time but never remember them after I've finished!

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by Siddhi

What about non-Big Fish casuals, like Jane Jensen's Women's Murder Club? Has anyone played them?

BigFish Games is primarily a distributor of games even though the Drawn Trilogy was designed and produced by them. BFG also did the Ravenhurst games and Dire Grove.

As to games such as Women's Murder Club, they are designed and produced by, I believe, Floodlight Games with some input from Jane Jensen and James Patterson. (Let us not forget him. ) BFG did distribute two of the three. I liked all three, but didn't find them particularly challenging. I think the style of the three games certainly rubbed off on Gray Matter, particularly the use of cartoon strip-style graphics.

[CoyoteAG]

I loved the Woman's Murder Club games. I like those kind of casual games way better than the HOGs. Her Interactive also has a couple of fun Nancy Drew casuals.

[Siddhi]

Originally Posted by rtrooney

BFG did distribute two of the three. I liked all three, but didn't find them particularly challenging.

Oh, I didn't know two of them were available at Big Fish. Maybe I'll try one.

Originally Posted by CoyoteAG

Her Interactive also has a couple of fun Nancy Drew casuals.

Hmm, I tried one Nancy Drew and it was a full blown adventure, and not a casual. Or is there another casual series apart from the main one?

[millenia]

I've played a few Nancy Drews and I also think they are a bit too complex to be casuals. The slide show style might make you think it's not a "real" adventure, but they are quite real.

But I have to remember to buy the sequels to WMC next BigFish sale, already forgot about them...

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by Arial Type

I really enjoyed Emerald City Confidential. A very solid and original adventure game despite its casual nature.

I am back to moderate playing and liked the demo of your recommendation, so I bought it. It is quite entertaining, totally non-HOG so far, although I do think there is a tendency for the narrative to guide you through the game. I really haven't had to think once about what I need to do next. I do like the graphic style, although I didn't think I would at the beginning. Voice acting is extraordinarily good for a casual game. Good recommendation that I second.

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by millenia

I've played a few Nancy Drews and I also think they are a bit too complex to be casuals. The slide show style might make you think it's not a "real" adventure, but they are quite real.

I think there are two Nancy Drew game series. One casual/one adventure.

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by Siddhi

Oh, I didn't know two of them were available at Big Fish. Maybe I'll try one.

Just checked and there are now four WMC games on BFG. I wasn't aware there was a fourth. I'll give the new one a try.