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Casual Games Thread
For anyone interested, there is a 1/2 price sale at BFG. Sale ends at the end of the day, today, Jan 10. Although I’m sure there will be another one. 
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I downloaded two demos a few days ago. They are The Legacy - Prisoner and Witches’ Legacy - Rise of the Ancient. Both are the SE version s of the games.
They are similar games. Both have decent voice acting. Graphics and sound are above average. The hidden object scenes look similar to one another in that they have the same variety. (Both developers probably used the Artifex-Mundi Smart engine.
Both are “portal” games to a certain degree. Not in the same class as 1000 Doors games, but both use portals, either accidentally or purposefully, to travel between locations and eras.
In the first game, you are accidentally transported back to an early time. The civilization is Incan, Aztec or Mayan. Or maybe a hodge-podge of all three depending on what the designer thought something should look like. Someone, or some thing, is trying to open the portal in the opposite direction so that he/it cans use newly acquired powers to conquer current day Earth.
In the second game you are known as the “Ancient One.” You are roused form a 200-year-old sleep to battle the leader of the Dark World who, see above, is trying to conquer current day Earth.
I liked the demos of both games. And, given their similarities, you would think I would recommend both games. Not so! I can’t tell you exactly why, but I felt a little more invested in the first game. I think I will buy it. The second game? Maybe I’ll buy it if there’s a really good sale and I have nothing better to do.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I’ve mentioned that one of the few ERS game series I liked was the Dark Tales series. Because the games are all a take on Edgar Allan Poe stories. I just finished Dark Tales Edgar Allan Poe’s Morella. It’s pretty good. I had not heard of the story before, so I was totally new to it.
Of note is the fact that this is obviously an ERS game. Graphics are ERS style. Voice acting is familiar. Puzzles are, for the most part, familiar. Music and sound effects are familiar. But the credits list the game as an AMAX game. Either ERS was bought by, or merged with another company, or they simply changed their name. If the latter, it seems like a risky thing to do. ERS has a reputation, good or bad, in the casual game community. AMAX, until I played this game, has NO reputation.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Found a conversation that confirms that ERS Games has changed its name to AMAX Interactive. I’m sure that most casual gamers won’t care who’s name is on the label as long as they get their fix of bad Redemption Cemetery sequels. To me, who grew up in marketing, this is a colossally bad branding decision.
Then again, other than the EAP games, I no longer buy ERS/AMAX games. So I don’t care much.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Because I have experienced so many bad casual games from hitherto “good” developers and good games from average developers, I no longer really consider the developer when choosing a game. I go mostly by what I think of the premise, the graphics, and what the reviewers say. And, of course, what I read in this thread!
Played a new game, Labyrinths of the World - A Dangerous Game. I think there may be other games in the series, but this is the only one I’v played to date. I may play another one, if there is one, to see if the game quality is stable or erratic.
The game is from Domini Games, a company I have not heard of prior to playing this game. As the game’s title would suggest, there are a fair number of maze-like puzzles in the game. If you like that sort of thing, which I do, you might find the game enjoyable. If those types of puzzles annoy you, this game is probably not for you. The game is also a portal game of sorts. Although there are only three “worlds” to visit. So, it’s not going to be competing with the 1000 Doors games on that front.
The basic premise of the game is a little preposterous. You and your companion are doing some archaeological exploration when all of a sudden your companion sucked in/transported to another world. Your objective is to find and rescue her. The three world you will visit are inhabited by elves, dragons and trolls. Along your way through these worlds you learn that you are playing a game within a game. The search and puzzles are carefully scripted by someone back on good old terra firma. And the reason for the game within a game is quite frightening.
Graphics, music and sound effects are good. Voice acting is fair. Puzzles are fairly simple, and, for the most part, easily solvable providing you are willing to put in the time. There’s good variety in the HO scenes. And, as a plus, you can skip to a match-three game if you get stuck. Always a nice touch.
I’ll give it 3.5 stars out of 5. That might go higher, or lower depending what I experience playing another game in the series.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
It has been a while since I posted here. I am playing more casuals on my iPad, and have found them more challenging and satisfying than the BigFish PC offerings (for the most part). Some can be looked at as mini adventures, depending on your definition. For me, the difference is length of game, and the ability to play in fits and starts without worrying about losing continuity. Also, no need for notes. I may post some reviews as I play them. All are purchased at the app store.
Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise
There is a review for this game here at AG.
This game currently has 4 chapters released. When you buy the game, you get all 4 chapters, you don’t get them separately. You play as a secret agent working to thwart an enemy agent named Ruby. Chapters 1 and 2 take place in her hideout. Chapter 3 has you locked away in a devious series of traps, and chapter 4 has you trying to escape and stop Ruby carrying out her plans.
The game is in cartoon style, and has some over the top humour. There are a few cut scenes, and you play as a solitary first person explorer. There are a ton of puzzles, both inventory and not. Each Chapter is a self contained game. All you need is in the location, but there is a bit of back and forthing, especially in the bigger locations, like in Chapter 4. My favourite was Ruby’s Trap, Chapter 3. You have to check eveything to look for clues and investigate all corners of an area. The puzzles range from minigames to inventory, but quite a few had you thinking outside of the box. Apparently there is a Chapter 5 on the way.
The Secret of Chimera Lab
This was a full game. It took me about 5 or 6 hours to play. It has node based movement. You are called to investigate some unusual goings on at a laboratory. The game involves getting into the building and accessing the rooms, as well as snooping through computers and various notes to work out what was happening. This was a challenging game, but the in game notebook keeps track of everything you need. What I liked is that you get to use the knowledge and equipment as part of the puzzles. While there is some backtracking, the building is pretty compact, so it is not too bad. I was so impressed with this game, that I bought another one from the developer (Aircamp) called Adventure Beyond Time. There was some connection between the two with the story line, but there was no notebook, and you had to traipse all over an island. Interesting, but the puzzles were too spread out.
I won’t say that I am technologically naive. But I am technologically deprived to a certain degree. I have three available gaming platforms. One is my PC which is the go-to platform for almost all my game playing. The other two platforms are my Samsung S8 and my Kindle Fire tablet. Both of which I find totally unsatisfactory for gaming.
Just as I’m not going to buy a PlayStation or an X-Box just to play a game that is only available on that platform, I have no plans to purchase an IPad simply for the purpose of playing a game.
In your case, I’m pretty sure you have an IPad as part of your vet practice record keeping. Playing a game on it is a side benefit.
BTW, Sue and I are going to the Grand Opening of the new Barrington Square Animal Hospital in Hoffman Estates, IL tomorrow. In memory of all our dogs who were treated there we donated $5000 to equip one of the examining rooms. I’ve been told there is a plaque dedicated to our past pups on the wall outside examining room one. Looking forward to seeing it.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
BTW, Sue and I are going to the Grand Opening of the new Barrington Square Animal Hospital in Hoffman Estates, IL tomorrow. In memory of all our dogs who were treated there we donated $5000 to equip one of the examining rooms. I’ve been told there is a plaque dedicated to our past pups on the wall outside examining room one. Looking forward to seeing it.
What a wonderful way to remember your beloved pets, and thank those who provided their veterinary care. 
My iPad is for my personal use. We only have a PC at the clinic. My desk top PC at home is still used for traditional Adventures (I’ll get back to the Witness at some point) when I need desk space to write up notes and such.
These were played on my iPad and I purchased them at the App store.
The Secret of Raven Rock
This is an older game and plays like a typical casual adventure. At the beginning there was an unskippable tutorial and some sparkles to show you where the next spot was. But very shortly it changes into a pure puzzle delight, along the lines of the old PC game Pandora’s Box. You enter a Temple full of straight up minigames - sliders, codes and riddles, with some inventory items. Clues are kept in a journal for you. There are 25 challenges to beat, most will gain you access to new parts of the temple. There was a particularly good flip tile slider I had never seen before. You also need to use the physics of a tablet to solve a few of the puzzles.
Return to Grisly Manor 2
This is a basic adventure casual(no HOGs). You return to your grandfather’s house to help him find the original deed, so the evil developers won’t bulldoze it down. There are all kinds of seek and find quests here, but what makes it interesting for me is that there is no hand holding. There aren’t many mini games in this one, so the puzzles involve thinking about how to get what you need from what you have. Thinking outside the box is a must.
Just finished playing Mystery Case Files - The Revenant’s Hunt. The original MCF games, e.g., Ravenhurst games were produced by BFG. Since then, they’ve been produced by a variety of developers. This one was produced by EIPIX.
There are more hidden object scenes than I’m used to. But, there is a great variety to them, so my annoyance was minor. I played the SE version.
Basic story is that three of the game’s major characters were involved in an accident that resulted in a fatality. They attempted to cover up the accident by destroying the evidence of their complicity, and concocting a story about how the dead person died while trying to save them. Now the dead person, the Revenant in the title, has come back to get his vengeance. You are the detective assigned stop the killing.
It’s an interesting story. Made more so because there is very little you can do to keep the three survivors alive. All you can do is make sure the vengeance stops there, and doesn’t continue to play havoc with the rest of the population.
This style story with all the HO scenes may not be for everyone. I liked it, but I would certainly play the demo before making a buying decision.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Hi!
Just checking in. The PC is my game go-to as well. I tried an iPad and the lack of a flash drive port made it unusable for me, since a lot of my casuals are on a thumb drive, also that I resent having to buy my games from Apple. For the cost of the iPad I can build a very nice PC, too.
Then I bought a cheap Chinese brand 10” android and liked it quite a lot until it stopped being able to update to newer editions of the OS. It’s almost impossible to get a 10” inch one now and the 7” are too cramped and I like to have a number of aps open at one time.
I have a 10” laptop that I travel with but games on it are hit or miss. Usually I can’t see hidden objects very well and some games won’t play at all.
So PC it is. Right now, though, I’m playing all the games I’ve started and promised myself to finish and am working on the last Lost Lands that you’ve long since finished, and Armicrog, so I don’t have much to contribute. I do check here every day to see what’s new.
Thanks, colpet, for the iPad reviews. I take my iPad instead of a laptop when I travel, so I desperately need games to pass the time en route. (And before you ask, I have a matching keyboard.) I’m especially interested in the non-HO games, because the HOPs can be a pain depending on how they are programmed. Usually the scene can be enlarged using the same gesture as enlarging a photo, but a few developers snap the scene back to “normal” if you find something. Gah!
I took a sabbatical from games for a while but recently got back into it. I enjoyed Mystery of the Ancients: Black Dagger CE. It’s set in modern times, but there’s an ancient evil king etc etc. Lots of “Goldilocks” puzzles—not too easy, not too hard. Above average music and artwork. Decent voiceovers. Straightforward storyline, except in the last chapter you jump back in time to storm the castle. Good bonus chapter, but you won’t be missing anything with the SE. Overall, I would give it a B, maybe B+.
PS: Tim, what a great idea for a memorial to all your pets. You really got me thinking.
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.
PS: Tim, what a great idea for a memorial to all your pets. You really got me thinking.
This is what it looks like. There are two kids missing, but they weren’t treated by the current vet practice. They are there in spirit.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
It’s no secret that I pretty much stopped being a fan of ERS games years ago. The one exception is the Edgar Alan Poe series, and even that series has it’s share of clunkers.
The prime example of milking a game series to death is the Puppetshow series. I liked the first three, but then they started to go downhill. The latest game, PuppetShow - The Curse of Ophelia, is, I believe the 13th in the series. So you can imagine I had no great expectations of it.
However, my wife bought this game, and was having some problems with a puzzle, and asked me to help. (The puzzle was part of an HO scene, so there was no Skip option.) I tried it a few times, and was unable to solve it ... despite being more than familiar with ERS puzzle styles.
So I downloaded the demo and started playing. Unfortunately, the puzzle in question was way past the end of the demo. So I bought the game. And, much to my surprise, I found myself liking it. My thinking was that the solution to the puzzle might have been given in some sort of clue before you reached the puzzle, itself. That was not the case. I was able to solve the puzzle, and pass the solution on to my wife. And we were both able to complete the game. (The actual solution came as a result of brute force combined with blind luck! There is no way I can fathom how the sole clue to the puzzle could even hint at the solution.)
So, is this a good game? I think it is, and would suggest you give it a shot ... if only by playing the demo. Am I inspired to play more ERS, now AMAX games? Not really. But it does tell me that there are exceptions to my theory. I’m just not sure I want to play all the fourth games and onward to find the hidden gems.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
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