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Casual Games Thread
I’ve almost finished Lost Lands: The Four Horsemen. Colpet liked it and I agree. It is a very well-done game and quite long. I’m enjoying it except for one thing: I’ve had two crashes with the one from BFG. One made it impossible to continue the game because an animation that took you to another place would not work when I restarted. I tried it on another comp and the same thing happened. It was caused by clicking on a certain spot dynamite was to be placed in before you had collected it.. It seemed to be trying to activate the cutscene prematurely.
Undaunted, I replayed it three times avoiding that place as long as I could. Fortunately it was fairly early on in the game. The second crash using a glowing key on a gate was not as disastrous since the location was already on the map.
I do recommend it and give it a 4/5. The puzzles were inventive and there were not too many HOGs.
I liked it as well. Fortunately I didn’t crash during the game. The interactive map, with its multiple layers, took some getting used to. And the game certainly had one of the most abrupt endings I’ve ever experienced in a game.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I’ve just finished the “Nightmare Realm: The End” (the second part of the series).
Good things:
-It’s a cool game.
-It’s very well done. Stunning graphics.
-Terrific story.
No good things:
-Short & few localizations.
-Some lapses in the main story, it starts surreptitiously and it isn’t much explained.
-Not at the same level as “Fright”.
My grade: 9.5/10
I finished 13th Skull. Certainly one of the best, if not the best of the series.
You can tell when a FMV game is designed/produced in the US. The actors mouths match the dialog. Unlike another great game, Fright, where the dialog is obviously being spoken in a language other than English.
I did find the last four or five puzzles to be not only repetitive, but tedious. If I was doing that in real life, I would have hired a crane to raise the cannons.
I do agree that the game had a very adventure-like feel to it. There was some real exploration taking place. Although I do wish either the map or the hint system had been more useful. I often found myself revisiting locations with no goal in mind other than to see if anything had changed.
I rate the SE version 4/5 stars.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Looking for a good new game to play. Everything on the top of the BFG page seems to be extensions and/or sequels to games I’ve played before. Many of which I’ve stopped playing because they offered nothing new.
I’ve not see a really NEW game, as in the first of its kind in a long time.
Any suggestions????
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I’m playing Nameriel Iron Lord. It has a steampunk feel and I’m enjoying the puzzles. I think it is different from the usual offerings.
I’ve played that. I’m not sure why I didn’t like it. I think it was because it was so bright and cheerful. I prefer my steampunk games to be a bit darker.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Speaking of steampunk… I played Fantastic Creations: House of Brass CE not long ago. The Big Fish description: “Escape an underground vault of clockwork wonders with the help of its mysterious and eccentric inventor in Fantastic Creations: House of Brass! Manipulate the steam-driven contraptions expertly, and listen to Edwin Q. Cogglethorpe’s helpful advice. Reactivate the house floor by floor until you reach the top. Will you survive the treacherous malfunctioning devices and make it back to the world above?”
Although this was released in 2011, I found it very enjoyable. Not the latest gimmicks, but thoughtful HOs and puzzles that actually relate to the game. HOS especially good with e.g. “12 things that spin and turn“ instead of a specified list. All HOS are hand drawn, unusual for an older game, I think. (Dire Grove, released about the same time, merely piled up cheap stock art.) HOS are re-used. Puzzles are the usual types, but plentiful, decent variety and some quite challenging. Music fairly good (12 loops), but one or two of the loops get awfully repetitive.
Backstory is provided mostly by pages from Cogglethorpe’s journal that you retrieve here and there, and a bit by a sort of mechanical puppet theatre that is installed in one of the rooms. Not particularly dark or creepy, except for that scary robot housekeeper that rolls in and rants at you from time to time. Rather abrupt ending. CE chapter is an interesting prologue, but no collectibles or achievements, so SE may be a better investment.
Played on a Mac; also available on PC, iPad, iPhone. Developer: GI Games, who also did Break the Curse: The Crimson Gems. No choice of difficulty levels, so you can’t opt out of twinkles. No teleporting map, some running around. Definitely female protagonist, if that bothers you guys. No widescreen, uses black bars rather than a stretched picture. Very little NPC interaction, unless you count Edwin giving you hints.
Allowing for the age of the game, I would give this 3.5 out of 4. Even within the universe of modern casual games, the SE is still a solid 3 for steampunk fans.
These days I go everywhere with a carpetbag containing a crowbar, a flashlight, a screwdriver, an oilcan, a ladder, a zipper tab, and a chihuahua.
I’ll have to give that one a try.
Also, there is a new Phantasmat game out. CE only at this time. I have downloaded the demo, but haven’t had a chance to open it yet. I loved the first game. And really disliked the next two. The second was done by ERS and the second, was done, I think, by EiPix. I don’t know who the developer is on this one…yet! The blurb on BFG make the game sound interesting. But then that’s the objective. 
I’ll report back when I’ve had a chance to play the demo.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
This game, Phantasmat - The Dread of Oakville, is another EIPIX game. They also designed the last game. I had great hopes for it. All I can say is that it was marginally better than the ERS-designed version that preceded it. But not by much.
Based on the opening cut-scene I’m not sure this one will fare any better. But I guess I have to give it a try.
I’m not sure I know what the problem is. The original Phantasmat was a self-contained environment. The hotel, town, underground and cemetery. There were four characters. You, the girl, the hotel owner and the dowager. Very simple. Very creepy.
Subsequent games tried to expand the environment, and added unneeded characters. Thereby ignoring the “less is more” requirement for horror. Particularly in a game. Unfortunately, this game seems to be travelling that same path.
Well, maybe I do know what the problem is after all. Designers are trying to improve on a game concept that doesn’t need improvement.
EIPIX seems to think that “If less is more, then even more must be better.” And they are wrong.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
EIPIX seems to think that “If less is more, then even more must be better.” And they are wrong.
My husband’s philosophy: “If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.” 
(Did I use the pan correctly? I’m not sure what it means, but I’d like to hit my husband with it when he says that.)
These days I go everywhere with a carpetbag containing a crowbar, a flashlight, a screwdriver, an oilcan, a ladder, a zipper tab, and a chihuahua.
Pan, in context, used quite correctly.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I finished the demo of Phantasmat - The Dread of Oakville. It’s another disappointment.
Six characters so far and still counting. Six locations, and according to the map, there are many more.
I do not intend to buy this game. I like EIPIX. I just don’t understand why they can’t get this right.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I finished the demo of Phantasmat - The Dread of Oakville. It’s another disappointment.
There were some jump scares in this one, and I liked the music, but it just doesn’t have the creepy atmosphere of the first Phantasmat game. The story was also a bit disjointed.
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” -Bill Watterson
Cluelass and Colpet….You haven’t voted for the next casual playthrough. Make sure you get your votes in. Of course you will be able to play even if you don’t vote. But it’s nice to have some ownership of the game that’s selected.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
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