nerd alert : big fish sampler 4

Another BigFish sampler post! I might be addicted... Let me tell you a little about the three I played this past week... 

01/
Voodoo Whisperer: Curse of a Legend

Voodoo Doll  //  ruby paperweight  //  dried lavender

Lillian, is from a long line of women gifted in the art of Voodoo. New Orleans has been put under a spell and she is the only one left to help. Save the town from evil and unravel the mystery behind the curse as you hear the stories from the people you encounter in the game.

The spell aspect of the game really takes it to the next level. There are different spells that you acquire as you progress in the game - and there are Voodoo recipes to make for each person you meet. This obviously makes the inventory items key - and since you know what to be on the lookout for, it makes the seek and find element of the game more relevant to the story.

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 6/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6

***** UPDATE : DO NOT BUY. I played and finished this game and it was.... to be continued!!! which is fine if I hadn't bought this game - felt like a total cop-out. not really that interesting to merit a sequel, and definitely not happy that there was literally no ending, it just stopped in the middle of the story.

 02/
Haunted Manor : Queen of Death

skull amulet  //  carriage jewelry box  //  raven chandelier

Your astranged sister writes to tell you that your parents have died and that you are both now orphans - you head home, sad and bewildered to find your family manor surrounded by evil. It soon becomes clear that you must do what you can to save yourself from the evil. Is you sister Stella behind this? or is she in danger too?

This is the first BigFish game that I have played from a child's perspective - your character is probably around 12 or 13 years old. The graphics are superb, the dying people are creepy, and you are kind of left guessing whats going to happen next. I feel like after the hour I was almost done with the game - but I could be wrong. My biggest qualm is that there is a back story of the manor being cursed and they barely explain it to the player. If there's a curse i want to know all the spooky details!

Overall strength of the games story line 3/6
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 3/6


03/
Penny Dreadfuls : Sweeney Todd

umbrella  //  london map  //  razor

Sweeney Todd returns to London in search of revenge. Its your job to track him down and put an end to his murderous rampage before its too late. Walk around London town in search of clues and solve puzzles with items you find along the way.

This is a beautiful game - hands down one of the most nicely animated BigFish games I have played thus far. The details are outstanding - even the exit game pop up is designed to please. I also love the fact they honored the musical nature of the Sweeney Todd story with a song intro to the game. There is also a somewhat helpful peeler to narrate your moves throughout the game. very awesome.

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? I didn't technically have to buy any because I used 2 of my Big Fish Game Card Punches to buy BOTH Sweeney Todd and Voodoo Whisperer!! psyched!

** read the update for the voodoo whisper above. I wouldn't recommend buying this game.

nerd alert : syberia 2

// from here

Lets pick up where we left off shall we? I will try not to give too much of the story away, but in case you haven't played the first one (and don't know how it ends) here is the mandatory...

 *spoiler alert*

Syberia 2 starts up right where the first one ends - Kate abandons her entire life in New York and joins Hans on his quest to find the Mammoths. Oscar, as always, is right there to (kind of) help out. Youki is the cutest addition to the team, part dog part seal, he is almost like an inventory item at points in the game. and Kate's outfit gets way more weather appropriate (can you believe she traipsed around northern Europe in a white bomber jacket?)

01/ bear pillow $22.00  //  02/ shearling aviator jacket $699.99  //  03/ dream catcher top $34.00  //  04/ white owl mittens $28.94  //  05/ bronze tusk $75.00  //  06/ owl pendant $20.00  //  07/ Youki! from the game  //  08/ gear heart $220.00  //  09/ ice crampons $20.00 


You guessed it, just like Syberia 1, I loved this game. This may shock you - but its actually my favorite of the two games! Sequels are always coupled with a bit of apprehension, but this is more of a continuation than a sequel.

It's more like the second installment of a really good book series, the charters grow, Kate is determined and confident throughout the game (instead of one foot in like Syberia 1), the story gets more complex - it's great. Hans is also a huge addition to the game, one of my favorite details is how he has taken over the train and made it into a traveling workshop - its now covered in gears and things he is tinkering with.

There are also general improvements to the navigation (hotspots include directions instead of just a general highlighted circle) - and the train got a little makeover too (you can make fun of me all you want - but I love that the bathroom is assessable in this game).


6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics

The quality of the second game is the same, if not slightly better than Syberia 1 - I especially love the constant wandering of Kate's fuzzy companion Yuki - so lifelike and doesn't cause any lag or delay during gameplay. Also, since you are in a winter wonderland in this game, they have taken the liberty of animating falling snow in a lot of the scenes - gorgeous, and very realistic.

1 // Storyline and Characters

When you finish Syberia 1, the game feels complete - but you know there is going to be a sequel. After you play the second one, theres no way to imagine the story being even a fraction of the way over after the first game. The journey is just beginning and you need to help Hans make it to the Mammoths in Syberia, before its too late. The relationships are great, there are a lot more people in this game compared to the first one, the towns you travel to and from are full of people, you even visit a (drop dead gorgeous) monastery. Its great to see the imagined life on the edges of civilization - almost like going back in time. I wont lie to you, this game made me cry. I won't spoil it, but if you don't cry at a specific part (you'll know when you play it. And no, its not at the very end) then you might be sans one heart. On top of that, Hans is adorable - his age paired with his small size and child-like personality melt your heart (despite all of the snow). Even though it seems somewhat complete, I cant wait to see what the (much anticipated) Syberia 3 has in store! Its currently on hold - but we can only hope it comes out sometime in 2012. 

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

Sound in Syberia2 is great. more sound effects for the ice and snow, more music for the new environments and cultures you encounter.  Also there is a huge attention to detail on which sound effects are used - example, if Kate walks in water there is a "splash", if she walks on metal there is a "tink" and if she is on snow "crunch", etc... such attention to elements like that makes games so much more fun to lose yourself in! Also when the wind blows through the trees you can hear the clinking of icicles and blowing of snow. Two thumbs up! 

1 // Length of Game and Price

Buy both games together (they are even available on BigFish Games for $9.99 each!), and spend days exploring the gorgeous environments and solving every challenge Hans throws in Kate's path. 

1 // Replay Value
Like I said, this is pretty much a seamless continuation of the first game, so they should ideally be played together. And then played again, and again - yearly at the very least. (I recommend January - the weather is perfect lol). 

1 // Puzzle Difficulty

The puzzles are vast, and very inventory/sequence based like the first game. You come to a location - you encounter a problem (train needs wound again) you talk to the people you meet, do some favors, find some items, and you are on your way! To make matters a but worse, the train is getting stopped by weather and snow. There is also a lot of other travel including boats and sleds. And don't forget the Automatons! The addition of Yuki to help you out is a great game addition, and there are also some pesky villains to outwit.

Nerd Alert : Syberia

Kate Walker is visiting Valadilene on a business trip. The small French town is home to a very large toy company that her New York law firm has been asked to purchase. As Kate walks into town she passes by a rather odd funeral procession for none other than Laura Voralberg, the late owner of the toy company.

To make matters worse, it seems that there is an heir. Laura had a brother Hans who was rumored to be dead. The mysterious lives of Hans & Laura lead Kate on a journey in Hans luxury train across northern Europe. As she passes through each station she uncovers more about Hans' life and his genius. 

 
01/ mammoth necklace $15.00  //  02/ boots $130.00  //  03/ paris print $30.00  //  04/ automaton hand $1250.00  //  05/ gear train $72.00  //  06/ nouveau decal $65.00  //  07/ honey $3.40  //  08/ rocket bank $92.00  //  09/ white bomber $59.50  //  10/ gears $7.95  //  11/ goggles $16.00  //  12/ deco earrings $24.50  //  13/ cell phone case $20.00  //  14/ opera glasses $435.00  //  15/ mammoth doll $45.00

Syberia is a classic point and click adventure game and the puzzles are inventory/sequence based. That said, sit back and enjoy the story - which is what point and click games are all about. And take my word on this one, the story of Syberia is worth hearing at least once.

This is one of my all time favorite series of games. There are currently two (Syberia & Syberia II) and the third is hopefully going to be out soon *crosses fingers*. White Birds Productions and Benoît Sokal, the man behind the game, are responsible for so many gorgeous environments (Paradise and Sinking Island) and they don't disappoint here. It is hands down the most beautiful game I have ever played. I do also own this game for Nintedo DS - but all i have to say is DON'T - there isn't enough screen to do the graphics an ounce justice.
 

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics
The cut scenes are dreamy, and the in game graphics are really great. the attention to detail is what really takes it to the next level. As you travel through the stages of Hans life, you progress through eras of design. starting with art nouveau then going to deco to constructivism etc - it is absolutely gorgeous.

1 // Storyline and Characters
At first it seems as if Kate is on this journey alone - but there are tons of relationships in this game. Kate's phone calls from the US illustrate her life in New York,  Oscar, her automaton companion takes AI to a whole new level, the people she meets and helps along the way - and not to mention the train almost has a mind of its own as it takes you to each mysterious destination. 

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

There is a definite theme song - and it will get stuck in your head. You also encounter an opera singer and some very interesting contraptions - all with very interesting sound effects.

1 // Length of Game and Price

The game is long, (you will spend evenings, not hours, playing this game start to finish) and you can buy both games together for $15.95

1 // Replay Value
The game is great - even the second and third time through. I find myself replaying it to return to some of the locations in the game. (ex. I love the conservatory at the university, i could walk around a place like that all day)

1 // Puzzle Difficulty

Since automatons are the big element in this game there are lots of gears and components to play with. Each station you stop at begins the journey of finding a way to wind up the train to get it going again (yes the train is a giant wind up toy - how awesomely steampunk is that?)

nerd alert : sherlock holmes mystery of the mummy

Let's just say I am a pretty big mystery fan, and Sherlock Holmes is at the top of sleuthing stardom. Needless to say I an absolutely stoked to see the new Sherlock movie that comes out the 16th - so much in fact that I have decided to replay all of the Sherlock Holmes computer games. Starting with the first: Sherlock Holmes the Mystery of the Mummy

Sherlock has been asked to solve a mystery! A man disappeared 6 months ago and his daughter needs your help. Scour his beautiful mansion, full of Egyptian artifacts and puzzles to try and discover what happened to him. Explore the house, solve the puzzles to travel deep and deeper into the mystery.

01/ pith helmet $19.99 // 02/ bastet art $14.00 // 03/ faux zebra rug $66.00 // 04/ Cleopatra pendant $32.00 // 05/ vintage book print $27.00 // 06/ pipe $20.00 // 07/ torch pendant $37.00 // 08/ hieroglyphics $1.00 // 09/ pyramid talisman $25.00

This is an older game - circa 2002 and quite honestly if it didnt have both Sherlock and Mummies in the title I would say i didnt like it... but since I love both sherlock and mummies I am trying to see the brighter side of things..

Its puzzles are mainly inventory and the items are hard to find in some cases. Also there is little method to the madness (and you will go a little mad trying to figure out where items are, and which items to use where). But for a late 90's early 00's game the graphics are pretty good, but the music is pretty hokie.

3/6 Toes // Overall

1// Graphics
for 2002 the graphics are pretty good. The 360 view of the rooms is also helpful for finding things. There isn't an option for gamma correction and the scenes are a bit dark.

0.5 // Storyline and Characters
Holmes is pretty much all you get the entire game, a few letters keep you company. There are some gaps in the back story of you cousin (or soon to be cousin? I never got that straight) and you feel rather aimless wandering through the house... convinced that this is where all the clues must be based on absolutely nothing.

0 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

The music is classic 90's gaming. Its low budget and you don't really understand how jazz got paired with a British library from 1899.

1 // Length of Game and Price

This game has length going for it, and you can download it online for $6.99 from BigFish! so I have to give it a full point there.

0 // Replay Value
The only reason I thought to replay this game was because of the new Sherlock game coming out! But I don't think i will be playing it again anytime soon.... however if i did come across the DS version (on sale) I would pick it up

0.5 // Puzzle Difficulty

Half a point because the puzzles are 50/50 - half of them you fly through without thinking, the other half are infuriatingly vague and based on items you cant find. oh and they are timed too.

nerd alert : shadow at the waters edge

I have been on a nancy kick for the past few weeks... replaying all the games from herinteractive. They are really good. you can tell each is treated individually - they vary so much form each other. Some are short and sweet, others are long and detailed. Some make you jump, others well i digress..

// from here

well, this game is very original. It's the longest game in the series, the navigation is pretty standard, but the story is the spookiest nancy drew so far.

The Ryokan, or traditional Japanese Inn, that Nancy is staying at is rumored to be haunted. but is it real? Explore Japan, get some help from Bess and George - and make new friends who know more than they re willing to share.

nancy drew #23 : shadow at the waters edge

01/ japan subway map ipad case $52.90  //  02/ mini zen garden $18.00  //  03/ owl origami lamp $53.00  //  04/ cell phone charm $5.00  //  05/ origami book $3.95  //  06/ sushi iphone case $20.00  //  07/ zen desk organizer $171.32  //  08/ puzzle box $49.00  //  09/ crane cushion $270.00

Lots of puzzles, silly little puzzles, sudokus and renograms. i love silly puzzles. i loved this game.


6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics 
The graphics in this game are on par with all the other HerInteractive games. The game environment was very large, lots to discover, fun to traverse. 

1 // Storyline and Characters 

Nancy is trying to do a little R & R in Japan, but of course she is plunged head first into a guarded mystery that revolves around the family that runs the ryokan she is staying at. 


1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects 

This games sounds made me jump more than once, the pond in the garden has a nice ambiance, and there is no lack of fun sound effects. 

1 // Length of Game and Price 
Its the longest nancy drew game out so far. If you take advantage of the mini games within the story there are days of gameplay to be had. at $19.99 that's a good deal. 

1 // Replay Value 
high, i have played this game 4 or 5 times since it came out. the mini games are fun - and the plot is involved. 

1 // Puzzle Difficulty 
I'll never look at bento the same. The puzzles we know from Japanese culture are a huge part of this game. the mystery itself is a great puzzle. you wont be disappointed

Bonus // Claws
This game gets the claws for its spooky goodness - the entire game takes place at night, and there are ghost sitings to boot! play it in the dark.

nerd alert : nancy drew alibi in ashes

So a few weekends ago - the newest Nancy Drew games hit the shelves... or rather the directly downloadable shelves and I spent an enjoyable Sunday playing Nancy Drew # 25 : Alibi in Ashes (for mac!).

Nancy Drew is being accused of burning down city hall in River Heights and it's up to George, Bess & Ned to help her find out who is responsible. Switch between characters to get the whole story from all the witnesses, stake out the local ice cream parlor, and try not to break anything at the antique shop.

01/ Magnifying Glass $79.00  //  02/ Matches $3.50  //  03/ Nancy Drew Handbook $17.95  //  04/ Nancy Books $30.50  //  

05/ Mic Magnet $8.00  //  06/ city hall (and togo?!) $4.00  //  07/ Fingerprint Kit $9.99  //  08/ Cell Phone Case $23.00  //  

09/ Fingerprint table $300.00  //  09/ handcuff necklace $44.00

Nancy is behind bars in river heights - but there are a lot of people willing to help her clear her name as the town arsonist. As Nancy, plug away at the case from inside the police station while Bess, George & Ned help your cause on the outside by questioning suspects and gathering clues. Most of this game was time spent switching between characters, it wasn't too terrible (but it would've been nice if you could go between all the characters instead of always having to return to Nancy)

 

Overall, this game was middle of the road for me. It wasnt great, but it wasn't bad. I really enjoyed the story, scenes and the town of River Heights - but it didn't 'wow' me the way some of the Herinteractive games do.

3/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics 

The graphics in this game are on par with all the other Her interactive games. The illustrated pictures on the cellphone weren't my favorite (put I recognize some are a reference to 'Shadow at the Waters Edge, so I will let it go) Also Nancy's house was gorgeous.

0.5 // Storyline and Characters

Though you have been able to control Nancy's friends in previous games (Like George in Ransom of the Seven Ships, and Frank and Joe Hardy in Creature of Kapu Cave) This was fun since each character had a different relationship with the people you were questioning, so you got less (or more) information depending on who was doing the questioning.

0.5 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects  

The sound was good, the voices were realistic. There wasn't anything spectacular about the music - but I do appreciate consistency in voice actors.

0.5 // Length of Game and Price  

The game was $19.99 for the direct download (yay no shipping!), and I took approximately 6 hours to finish the game. all in all, not the longest game out there, but not terrible for the price.

0 // Replay Value  

This Nancy game didn't have mini games, which i secretly love. The mini games are the main reason I replay Nancy games, and was sad there were so few here. Now that I know how the mystery unfolds, there isnt' much to go back and discover. And I don't think special attention to detain on the second play-through would reveal anything new.

0.5 // Puzzle Difficulty   

the puzzles were more time consuming than difficult. the hardest section was the maze at the end, but even that had dictated rules. 

Am I glad i didn't have to drive the car like 'Secret of the Old Clock'? Yes. Am I sad I didn't have to play a card game with a mysterious man like in 'The Phantom of Venice'? Yes.

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 : polly toes

This week I am excited to roll out my new game rating system. if you read the wednesday game posts, you probably know i rate the games out of 6. I chose 6 because that's the number of toes miss polly has on each of her paws. (she's a polydactyl cat - pictures here)

As I reviewed more and more games, it became clear that I needed a rating system, not just a gut feeling of how many points a game should get.

Now the games will be evaluated based on the following 6 elements of game play:

1// Graphics 

game play vs cut scenes / compared to other games of the same genre

2// Storyline and Characters 

originality of story and complexity of plot / character relationships and depth

3// Soundtrack and Sound Effects 

in game soundtrack originality / sound effects and timing during play

4// Length of Game and Price 

overall time to complete game / how much game is available for retail

5// Replay Value 

multiple endings or complex plot merits a replay / genuinely enjoyable game that is easy to play again

6// Puzzle Difficulty
how much the puzzles impacted play / time to complete puzzles

each element will be worth a point toward the overall game rating. black claws indicate that a game is scary, psychologically or otherwise.

From now on I will be using this rating system for all game reviews, additionally I will be going through the games I have already reviewed and re-rate them based on the new system.


Check out my Gray Matter post HERE for the first review using the new Toe System! 

nerd alert : oddworld

You are Abe, a blue skinned alien, and you used to be employee of the year. Now however, you are enemy no. 1... After discovering the companys secret plot to start making tasty treats out of its employees your saga for salvation begins, one mudokon at a time. Its not an easy task though, enemies are at every turn to gun you down, or blow you up.

// images from here

The concept art for oddworld is smashing, gorgeous, brilliant. It was my first introduction to concept art and I dont think I have been the same since. The cut-scenes were amazing for '97, and the game play, though 2D, was gorgeously rendered in extreme detail. I'm not going to discuss it in depth now, but the fact that some don't view video games as true art is muffled with each game that takes its concepting to this level; syberia, half life, and final fantasy XIII just to name a few.



01/ pie $28.00  //  02/ barrel $42.00  //  03/ concept art  //  04/ pulley $195.00  //  05/ box-o-bones $25.00
06/ concept art  //  07/ mask $85.00  //  08/ cigar $4.50


The game itself is smart. There is a bit of a learning curve as you learn the Mudokon 'speak' and how to move your co-workers about. I will admit to a few accidental deaths... its very hard not to kill them... If you haven played this game think of it as Lemmings on steroids. The puzzles get a bit intense, and the game itself is very long and progressively more difficult.

You can buy this game in all its vintage glory over at gog.com for $5.99

5/6 Polly toes