nerd alert : the manhole

// download black and white version here

 So, last week in my Steve Jobs post i referenced the first pixels in my possession... and here they are.

Though this review covers the Masterpiece edition (which i did play later) - I played the original black and white version on my dads mac when I was 3. It was a long time ago - but I remember the lines, characters, music and sound effects like it was yesterday.

01/ manhole $12.00  //  02/  animal in your teacup $21.95  //  03/ anchors away $15.95  //  04/ walrus' hat $19.95  //  05/ dragons sneakers $85.00  //  06/ sailor tank $52.00  //  07/ mister elephant $89.00  //  08/ book of manhole covers $25.22  //  09/ teacups $10.00

Should I comment on how ironic it is that the game is now available as an iphone app? It is truly amazing to me that I can literally travel through time, back to the memory my dads old office in Arlington Texas, and play a game that I haven't been able to run on a computer in over 15 years.

// download the App

So let me preface this review with one important thing - this is a kids game (and I highly recommend it for children). As an adult, while it is clever and entertaining, unless you have a highly nostalgic association with this game you will not find it very mentally demanding.

You are confronted with a manhole, and a fire hydrant... click your way through the underground world and meet an array of characters including a dragon, rabbit, alien, penguin, rhino, elephant and walrus. figure out the shortcuts through the world and make sure to check all the drawers and corners for little extras.

I think the App was great - but if you want to experience this game in all its computer screen glory - it's available for PC over at gog.com for $5.99

5/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics 

The original in 1988 was available originally in black and white, then color - and then the remastered edition. the fact this games graphics were addressed 3 times and each time they were extremely high quality for the time period i give this a high rating.

0.5 // Storyline and Characters

The characters are cute, and each have a little personality for you to enjoy. The storyline, well there really isn't any- its more exploratory than plot driven - which doesn't matter if you are a kid.

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects  

There is a definite soundtrack to this game - that changes with your location and the character personalities. There are also very nostalgic early computer sound effects such as "bonks" and "drips" that might take you back to your AfterDark years (if you remember that...)

1 // Length of Game and Price  

Since the game has no plot, you could argue it is infinitely playable. But you will probably run out of things to do after an hour or so. but for $1.99 i don't think I'll complain.

1 // Replay Value  

As the first game I ever played, this replay was priceless. If you remember this classic you won't be disappointed with another run through. I might just keep it on my phone for those moments when i need something to do, or a mood elevator.

0.5 // Puzzle Difficulty   

Um - there aren't any puzzles so I will base this purely on the little wormholes in the game - for a kid it will be challenging to figure out how to get where they want to go!

nerd alert : big fish sampler 2

This past weekend I stayed in and played a bunch of 60 minute Big Fish trials - Yes again. Not only is it free, but its a great way to get really good at telling which games are worth your hard earned dollars.

Let me tell you a little about the three I played this past weekend...


01/
Twisted Lands: Insomniac Collector's Edition

01/ fingerprint shirt $16.00  //  02/ Syringe necklace $16.94  //  03/ frog print $21.00

You wake up strapped to a hospital bed, the doctor tells you he is to perform a lobotomy the next day. Understandably shaken you decide to fidn your way out of the hospital. The vent above your bed provides you a quick escape from your room and you begin your journey, or so you think. There are toad like people at every turn, foiling your attempts at freedom.

Ever wonder what its like to be insane? well look no further! I honestly think I gained some insight into mental illness playing this game, I was just as confused as my unstable leading lady and after the hour was over I still wasnt sure what was going on.

Overall strength of the games story line 4/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 5/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 4/6


 02/
The Missing : A Search and Rescue Mystery

01/ blue crystal $10.00  //  02/ steam punk gun $30.00  //  03/ tent fire starter $12.00

A group of student researchers are in trouble and you are called in to help. what you find is an island full of mystery (and its own monster to boot). track down the students and get to the bottom of the mysterious monster before its too late.

The hour didnt have me sitting on the edge of my seat, not by a long shot. The plot didnt thicken, and the story fell flat. There is a monster, there is a power hungry team member and there are a lot of puzzles - I'm sorry but there was so much potential and no delivery.

Overall strength of the games story line 2/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 4/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 3/6


03/
Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker Collector's Edition

01/ spooky house print $7.50  //  02/ camera ring $15.50  // 03/ piano key print $25.00

A hitchhiker leaves something in your car, a teddy bear, something you remember from your childhood. Return and try to find her as you piece through the broken history of a town that holds the history of the mysterious hitchhiker.

So am I allowed to tell you this is the scariest Big Fish game I have played to date? It honestly made me jump! Thrilling to say the least. the puzzles were challenging, the environment was vast and the graphics were gorgeous.

Overall strength of the games story line 6/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 6/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6


So.. which one would I buy? Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker Collector's Edition. Between the highly developed layout of the game and the number of times I jumped, it definitely gets an A+

*** Update: Purchased and played Shivers in its entirety. The game took 2 hours and 22 minutes to finish, so I was about half way through it after the hour trial. The storyline was alright, but you never really understand why you knew the girl you were following in the first place, which is a big story gap in my opinion. The scariness kind of fizzled too, and the ending was a bit lacking - hopefully it was a build to a sequel.... all in all it was a great game - but I would advise waiting for the $2.99 coupons that Big Fish is famous for! updated ratings:

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game was I after the hour 4/6 (i was exactly half way through the game)
Odds that I would recommend the full version of this game 5/6 (with a $2.99 coupon code)

nerd alert : clue

murder mystery? check. array of probable weapons? check. characters cool enough to fight my sister for *cough*scarlet*cough*? check.

01/ lead pipe $8.43  //  02/ clue journal $20.00  //  03/ peacock hat $45.00  //  04/ rope $21.00  //  05/ floorplan napkin $5.95  //  06/ candle stick $15.00  //  07/ clue suspect glasses $126.00  //  08/  wrench $43.50

Well, board games are only brought out at holidays, and the idea of finding a place to store one in my apartment is slightly nauseating. so playing clue has sadly fallen by the wayside for the past few years.

But recently I played Hasbros newish video game version of the 50 year old gaming classic.

Its pricey - so I only played the free trial... but i will admit a strong temptation to buy. I am very happy with the art deco stylized illustration of the game, and it seems to move quickly, even while playing all the characters.

There are three difficulty levels you can set for you opponents, which i think makes the game more true to life, set a few at rookie and the rest at expert to mimic your competitive sister and 'not so into this' neighbor.

Sorry mom for never letting you play the cool characters... you're the best.

Polly gives this one 3.5/6 toes - very over priced - it is, after all, a board game

nerd alert : big fish sampler

This past weekend I stayed in and played a bunch of 60 minute Big Fish trials. Not only is it free, but its a great way to get really good at telling which games are worth your hard earned dollars.

If you are looking for a solid casual game to fill some of your evening hours, let me tell you a little about the ones I played this past weekend...


01/
Gravely Silent: House of Deadlock Collector's Edition

 01/ spider brooch $52.00  //  02/ gargoyle ring $750.00  //  03/ skull candle holder $50.00  

 You awake from a dream that your sister is dying and needs your help. The phone rings and it is her mysterious husband telling you that she is dead. Head to the castle and begin to uncover the secret of his many departed wives - can you save your sister before she becomes the next?

This was a solid game, the hidden object portions weren't annoying, and the inventory items were interactive and usable. The grounds of the house are pretty spooky, and if you aren't a big fan of spiders (like me!) you might want to sit this one out - but that doesn't mean I wasn't genuinely sad when the hour was up.

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 2/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6



 02/
Mystery Trackers: Raincliff Collector's Edition

 01/ plague mask $425.00  //  02/ pinball bottle opener $6.00  //  03/ purple rose $20.00

A University bus and five students have vanished in the mysterious, long deserted town of Raincliff. Its your job to find them and uncover the mystery of the town and the phantoms that guard it. Someone is watching your every move, and making sure you don't succeed.

It seems like the hour barely scratched the surface of this game, which is great because you'll definitely get your moneys worth with this one. The town is eerie and a bit confusing - there is a lot of back and forth between locations, as you unlock aspects of each with every visit. The graphics were high quality and the puzzles were somewhat challenging.

Overall strength of the games story line 4/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 6/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6


03/
Nightfall Mysteries: Asylum Conspiracy

 01/ apothecary bottle $7.50  //  02/ antique portrait $95.00  //  03/ door knob $10.00

Your character, Christine, visits a shutter-island-esque asylum in search of a long lost grandfather. Condemned, but still stirring with life, she searches though debris and helps other characters as she tries to unlock the mystery of the asylum.

Though i felt like I covered a lot of ground in this game, there wasn't a lot of plot progress as far as the overall story was concerned. The animation had me jump a few times, and was truly unexpected. The puzzles were good and the characters kept me guessing - but overall it was a pretty tired plot that I feel I've already played over and over again.

Overall strength of the games story line 3/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 5/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 3/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 4/6



04/
Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale Collector's Edition

 01/ perfume vial $175.00  //  02/ ballet stilettos $?  //  03/ nightingale $21.62

You have received a mysterious package from your grandfather (yes another grandfather pursuit), which includes a letter and a ticket for a ballet performance at his theater - a theater that burned down in 1960. Curious, you drive to the seemly abandoned building to find a strew of curious hauntings. Use your ticket to see the ballet performance and solve the mystery of the fire that destroyed the theater.

This was a wonderful game - very phantom of the opera inspired. Instead of finding specific objects in a scene, you are looking for items that combine to create one usable inventory item - which is a fun alternative. to how most hidden object games treat the general search for items. I could have stayed in this Victorian inspired dreamworld all afternoon.

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 4/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6



 05/
Midnight Mysteries 3: Devil on the Mississippi Collector's Edition

 01/ riverboat $21.00  //  02/ bowie knife $175.00  //  03/ on the mississippi $8.00

You are a writer, and Mark Twains ghost appears in your living room - you are on the case. The devil is after his soul and you need to find out why. Go bak to parts of his life to uncover what happened to result in this cursed afterlife.

This is very text heavy, there are a lot of characters telling you what to do, rather than trial and error. The hidden object aspect is relatively lite, and the story is manly propelled by your movement though environments and your ability to solve puzzles. I liked this game, but part of me wonders if Sam Clemens is turning over in his grave.

Overall strength of the games story line 4/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 5/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 4/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 4/6




So.. which one would I buy? Well it was honestly a tough toss up between Mystery Trackers: Raincliff Collector's Edition and Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale Collector's Edition. But in the end i am going with pure story preference and choosing Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale Collector's Edition - it was truly a great little game.