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Casual Games Thread
It’s actually been closer to four years. Prior to the current format we used to do a monthly casual games thread. And prior to that, casual games were regularly reviewed by Adventure Gamers staff. That changed when AG decided it would only review casual games without HO scenes. But then the forum format changed, and all the old monthly threads were archived. (You can still find them if you are interested.) Under the new format it was decided that this was the way to go. Party on!
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I just finished playing both Grim Tales - The Final Suspect and Grim Facade - Hidden Sins.
Short and sweet…there is nothing in the game content that would justify a recommendation to purchase either game. And that disturbs me.
In a thread, long, long ago I commented on the possibility that casual game designers would start producing games that appealed to the lowest common denominator. I think that has started to happen. With ERS games, it’s expected. They have a “tradition” of boiler-plating games. There hasn’t been one new game concept coming out of ERS in years.
The second game, coming from Elephant games, is following the same trend. The first four games in the Grim Tales franchise were good games, and followed a fairly consistent timeline with consistent characters. The games that followed threw that timeline out the window. Absurd scenarios…how did your niece that was supposed to be killed by her brother, but he was acquitted due to your stellar investigative powers, end up living in your house where her soul would become inhabited by a 16th century demon who was brought to life by one of your students, who also was killed by your niece. REALLY?????
I try to play at least six demos/month. And I try to offer a review if one is warranted. Lately the demos I’m playing, (pardon the language,) just suck!
I have the Casual Friday AGSotD list planned out for the full 52 weeks. Not one of the screenshots comes, (yet,) from a game that was released in 2015. Although other uploaders post screenshots of games they hate, I think that is counterproductive when trying to promote casual games.
And if you look at the CCPT voting history, almost all nominated games are older games. If we want to get the regular Adventure player to dip his or her toe into the casual water, we want them to experience the best that the genre has to offer. And that often means older games.
I don’t know if the casual game developers look at the comments on this thread. There is a similar thread on GameBoomers, but I don’t think it holds a candle to what we are doing here. But if they, the developers, are relying on reviews from BFG to hone their game development skills, they are missing something. A REALLY BIG something.
I would like to know what the rest of you think. I would like to compile your thoughts along with this message and send it to most of the developers listed in my tag.
I want better games from developers who know better.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I put casuals on hold when Roon Sehv came out, and just got back to them this weekend. I downloaded 4 demos and disregarded about 6 due to BF reviews that rate the puzzles as too easy.
Maze 360 was different enough to be an SE buy for me. I liked the spookiness and the weird ways to die.
Mystery Trackers Winterpoint Tragedy was one I beta tested and liked. It will be another SE purchase.
Invasion Lost in Time was boring and the puzzles were repetitive.
Sea of Lies Tide of Treachery was ok. I’ll buy the SE if there is a 2 for 1 sale.
I went back to my demo notes and found Grim Facade Hidden Sins and Grim Tales Final Suspect. I rated both as too easy.
Of the last 25 games I demo ‘d , there were only a few I’d consider buying. The 3 mentioned above, and these 4:
Surface Alone in the Myst
Contract with the Devil
Hidden Expedition Dawn of Prosperity (beta)
Midnight Calling Anabel (beta)
As a dabbler in casual games I look to this thread’s reviews and comments to point me toward good games. You all are such skilled reviewers and now with the Friday Casuals (nice job, Tim) I’m looking forward to choosing the best of the older games I’ve missed.
While it’s distressing that you find the newest crop of games so dumbed-down and I can’t judge because I’ve not played the current demos, I would hope you wouldn’t penalize them unduly for fanciful plots or non-brainteaser puzzles. We all have different tastes, and while I don’t consider myself in the lowest common denominator group I’m not phased by those things as long as the game is otherwise coherent, good to look at and fun to play.
Of course I would hate a game that would just give you the answers or who’s plot was so convoluted by so many plot twists and complications that you were lost half the time, but I find most game plots silly anyway and after having solved so many puzzles it becomes a dawdle and I just go with the flow. As for Hos, inventive ones are great and even mundane ones are ok as long as there aren’t too many and clear enough to make out the objects.
I’m a great Myst series fan but I don’t look for anything like that complexity in Casual games, just a pleasant divertisement in my busy day.
I don’t mean to mislead anyone with my comments. I can only review Casual games based on their level of challenge because that is all I’m interested in. I’ve always played games for the puzzles. Casuals have had to fill in the void left by the lack of the type of adventures I like to play. When I play casuals, I don’t pay attention to the story and skip all dialogue and cut scenes unless I’m participating in a playthrough or a beta test. Because of this, I tend not to post much about a game, even though I play about 30 BigFish games a year. If I’m moved enough to post a review, it is usually because I find it to be an exceptional puzzler game, and I hope that other members who share my tastes will take notice of a game they may like.
I don’t mean to mislead anyone with my comments. I can only review Casual games based on their level of challenge because that is all I’m interested in. I’ve always played games for the puzzles. Casuals have had to fill in the void left by the lack of the type of adventures I like to play. When I play casuals, I don’t pay attention to the story and skip all dialogue and cut scenes unless I’m participating in a playthrough or a beta test. Because of this, I tend not to post much about a game, even though I play about 30 BigFish games a year. If I’m moved enough to post a review, it is usually because I find it to be an exceptional puzzler game, and I hope that other members who share my tastes will take notice of a game they may like.
Please continue doing so, Colpet. I enjoyed working through the last list you posted. Most of them were quite enjoyable and even had story and atmosphere in addition to the puzzles!
I am hoping that, somewhere down the line, some designers will split from the pack and start designing games that have a niche market. The two companies that seem to do best at producing games I like to play are Mad Head and EIPIX. They are certainly not the only two, but they seem to be the only two that are producing games at a respectable rate. Although I thought EIPIX’s two attempts to resurrect the Phantasmat franchise came up woefully short.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Colpet—I know you like challenging games! I’ve enjoyed many of your recommendations, even though extremely challenging puzzles are not the first thing I look for in a casual game. I play as much for the exploration and story as for the puzzles.
I suspect the reason that Hidden Object games are trending toward easier puzzles is that, with a few exceptions, games with very difficult puzzles don’t sell as well to the typical casual gamer.
Some of these casual game companies are quite large—Eipix, for instance, has 250 employees. A company that size can’t afford to make flops. Both Eipix and Mad Head do seem to be trying to innovate within the genre, though, which is good to see. I also think that Artifex Mundi and Lesta (among others) are creating games that are refreshingly different, though they don’t release games as often as the previous two developers. If a developer innovates and the game(s) don’t sell, that may be end of the company.
With HO games, part of the current problem (from my standpoint anyway) is that many seem alike, but also there are just so many games releasing all the time, it’s hard to keep up. At this stage, having played HO games for several years, I still buy the games from a few series that have kept my attention, but otherwise I’m looking for anything different.
More specifically, I want a different location than Nostalgic Europa. (I enjoy fantasy worlds, but I have a large backlog of that type of game, making new ones a harder sell.) I want to see a different story other than a kidnapping. I’m looking for more than a cardboard heroine and a standard villain. I’m very tired of old-fashioned list-based HO screens. If the HOs aren’t varied or interactive, I’m not interested anymore. I like to see puzzle innovations too, but that seems even more difficult to come by than innovative stories and locations.
Will other casual gamers start to want a bit more ambition and variety in their games? It’s going to be entertaining to watch how this all develops over the next couple of years.
Becky, I agree with you about seeing more more ambitious Casual Games in regard to locations and plots. I’d like to see more science fiction based settings, outer space, underwater, time travel, etc. I’m tired of fairies, devils and trolls and want something different. Also, more inventive HOs that require multiple steps.
Colpet, I too have used your lists and will certainly check out your current choices. I do remember that you like challenging puzzles though, so I will definitely play them on easy, 
.
I should make a note of the developers of the games that I like. Most of the games I disregard are very formulaic. I find that games are giving the player more to do and see, but the end result are multiple steps like use A to get B for C, etc. There’s more to do, but little thought required to get it done. It seems that the games I like - most recently The Emptiness and Nameriel Iron Lord - have fewer bells and whistles in terms of environments and movement compared to the big productions.
Some of these casual game companies are quite large—Eipix, for instance, has 250 employees. A company that size can’t afford to make flops. Both Eipix and Mad Head do seem to be trying to innovate within the genre, though, which is good to see. I also think that Artifex Mundi and Lesta (among others) are creating games that are refreshingly different, though they don’t release games as often as the previous two developers. If a developer innovates and the game(s) don’t sell, that may be end of the company.
I think we might disagree here. The larger the company, the better they are able to absorb the loss from a game that doesn’t sell well. Whereas the smaller, under 5-10 employee, shop would probably go under if a game doesn’t sell well.
Which is why I’m hoping that some of the larger companies continue to reap the rewards from their “damsel in distress” games, but set aside some of their budget for games for people who want something a bit more cutting edge.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom CE
This game was recommended to me by cluelass. The story begins as you (a young hunter named Alan) rescue a maiden fleeing from an occult knight with bizarre powers. When pierced by an arrow, the knight disintegrates into a white mist. The young maiden—whose name is Adele—is (of course) hiding a secret, and danger soon reappears in the form of a gift that should never have been opened. You find yourself pursuing Adele back to her home village where you skirmish with a ruthless warlock. This cold-hearted bad guy threatens to glaciate the entire kingdom unless someone brings him a powerful, death-wielding fruit currently ripening in the palace garden.
As you can probably tell by now, the game has a lot of fairy tale elements, and reminded me of the Dark Parables series (though it doesn’t contain that series’ trademark fragmented Hidden Object screens). Legend of the Snow Kingdom has its own “take” on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and The Snow Queen. For instance, a conversation with a cheeky magic mirror is wryly amusing. Frequent backstory elements beef up the plot via slides accessed through an enchanted lantern device.
The locales are gorgeously illustrated and detailed, illuminated by contrasting pools of warm and cool light. Frequent animations enliven the scenery—snow falling, fire crackling, clouds drifting. In an unusual touch, several different types of hot air balloons and air ships sail through the sky, and certain items in the environment briefly animate if you click on them. One downside – the music consists of short loops that become extremely repetitive, especially if you like to explore at length or take your time with the HOs and puzzles.
The game contains lots of inventory challenges, and for these it tends to hold your hand – when you click on a close-up screen it immediately tells you what type of item you will need. Some complexity is added, though, because you often have to combine items in inventory. So you usually know what you need to address a damaged/locked/incomplete element, though you often don’t know (yet) how to find or acquire it (or its parts). The minigames are pretty challenging; a few involve mild timing, including a fun seagull challenge. HOs are varied in type – my favorites involved assembling devices or putting objects into the proper places in story-like scenarios.
The interactive map and journal are both very helpful.
In the Bonus Chapter you assume the role of Adele on a personal mission after the story in the SE has ended. This extends the experience somewhat and provides an intriguing revelation from the past. However, the gameplay isn’t as balanced or polished as in the SE – there are too many HO screens in the Bonus Chapter, and a couple of the puzzles are retreads from the SE game. Unless you hanker after every bit of backstory in these casual games, I would recommend the SE over the CE.
I played and reviewed this game quite some time ago. However, even though I thought the game was very good, I took considerable humorous exceptions to the game’s absurdities. E.g., having a government whose currency will kill people if they touch it.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I agree that it contains some absurdities, but I took those in the spirit of fantasies/fairy-tale-isms. As for the currency: the golden leaves only kill when they are touched for the first time. After that, anyone can touch them. Had the queen remained alive, she could have handled all the leaves first, and then they wouldn’t have been deadly anymore. Since Adele had the same talent as the queen, as soon as this was discovered, Adele touched all the golden leaves/currency first, and then anyone else would be safe touching it.
EDIT: I just re-read your earlier review. The bit at the end that you thought indicated a sequel actually led into the Bonus Chapter story. After the Bonus Chapter ends, there’s still room for a sequel, but no definitely indication that the story will need one.
If that makes sense.
I agree that it contains some absurdities, but I took those in the spirit of fantasies/fairy-tale-isms. As for the currency: the golden leaves only kill when they are touched for the first time. After that, anyone can touch them. Had the queen remained alive, she could have handled all the leaves first, and then they wouldn’t have been deadly anymore. Since Adele had the same talent as the queen, as soon as this was discovered, Adele touched all the golden leaves/currency first, and then anyone else would be safe touching it.
You know, I’ve played the game at least three times. I never got the impression that anything about the golden apple, the tree or its leaves was save to handle by anyone but the queen and Adele. Ever. Rather, because of the danger it looked to me like everything was done on a barter system. In the tailor shop the tailor says he will do this for you if you find that for him. A much healthier way of doing business. Nothing is actually bought or sold in the game.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
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