nerd alert : big fish sampler 3

So I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Big Fish Game Club. Basically you get games at a discounted price, and for every few games you buy you get "punches" in your card - punches equal free games.... its kind of a lot to think about, but I am going to give it a shot so I have an excuse to buy the games instead of just playing an hour of them...

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


01/
Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek Collector's Edition

flash light // sink knobs // rope bracelet

You, an FBI agent, wake up and vaguely remember you are looking for a missing person, a girl, in a town called Maple Creek. Though your memory only returns to you in little bits at a time, you begin to piece your case back together again. There are strange connections to a case from years earlier.

This game reeks of mystery. After the hour I was so sucked in, i needed to know what it all meant. The character you play has a real voice, instead of a subtitled inner voice, so its really easy to forget the game costs less than $15. This game also slightly reminds me of silent hill, or at least its church goers do... but not nearly as spooky. The inventory items are really great, and the wall where you put your case together is a nice home base i feel a lot of games are missing these days.

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
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 5/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6


 02/
Phantasmat

hotel sign // teacup // piranha

Your car crashes (come on big fish this happens to me in EVERY game! have some more faith in my driving ability) and you are stranded in an isolated area. After running into a girl who you find nearby, you try to call for help from the spooky neighborhood hotel. Well what kind of game would it be f the phone worked, am I right? You get a room and start unraveling the mystery of a town devastated by flood... but there's more tragedy and mystery afoot to uncover!

This is one of those games that you just want to fly through in order to get to the bottom of things. Who are the people in the hotel? Why can't you leave? What exactly happened with the flood and the town that's now mostly out of water. Also the hidden object sections of the game can be subbed out for a bejeweled inspired mini game! such a great idea! also props for the character monologs.

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


03/
Grim Tales: the Bride

silver sun // engagement ring // white gloves

Your sister dies on her wedding day, and you think something sinister is afoot (again, I feel like this storyline is overdone) Convinced her death was no accident you head to her isolated mansion to search for answers.

Very bride oriented, as you may have guessed from the title. but the scenes are nicely done and the puzzles are heavely based on inventory, which i love. overall not much to write home about - but a quality title none the less.

Overall strength of the games story line 3/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 4/6
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 2/6


So.. which one would I buy? I actually bought 2! Phantasmat and Enigmatis. (not surprising i know). I'll be sure to update when I finish them.

nerd alert : warnings at waverly academy

The Nancy kick continues!

Nancy Drew # 21 : Warnings at Waverly Academy. 

There's something magnetic about this time of the year. Pair it with private school, a century old mystery, and some threatening notes from someone calling herself the Black Cat - and you've got Nancy Drew's 21st mystery from HerInteractive.

The valedictorian candidates at Waverly are all competing for a full ride to the college of her choice. But it seems that someone wants to get them out of the picture. Threatening notes, followed by some dangerous accidents have sent a few of the girls home. Now its Nancy's turn to try to solve the case. Undercover (with a fake name and everything) she gets to spend mid-winter break at Waverly Academy - the upscale New England girls boarding school. Help Nancy figure out who the culprit is before the black cat strikes again.

01/ brass apple bell $6.00  //  02/ white squirrel $120.00  //  03/ star necklace $15.00  //  04/ plaid skirt $44.50  //  05/ edgar allen poe collected works $13.59  //  06/ cello $585.21  //  07/ vintage book laptop case $79.99  //  08/ trunk $?  //  09/ cat nap duvet cover $135.00  //  10/ dart board necklace $26.00  //  11/ school ring $66.00

I really enjoyed this game, its got enough characters with secrets to keep you guessing to the end. Also, the whole bording school in a new england setting is somewhat romantic to someone like me who always loved the preppy, old building, uniform, school history thing. maybe I watched too much Gilmore Girls, but I always wanted to go to a school steeped in history and tradition.

HerInteractive also created a website for the campus in the game - talk about going the extra mile for the players. see it here

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics
The environment in this game is what made it really cool. An exclusive New England private school for girls. The details of the building were great. wood paneling, a cozy library, and dorm rooms to boot. The changing weather also gets extra points. 

1 // Storyline and Characters 

Nancy is undercover as Becca Sawyer, a transfer student from way of France. The gossip between the girls is really driven home with the constant texting of rumors and happenings. Each girl is unique, and its great getting to talk to all of them throughout the game.

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects 

Appropriate for the game, nothing too special. Did like the cello music through the walls (very realistic) and the piano was pretty fun.

1 // Length of Game and Price 
This game is pretty long, takes me a few evenings (Instead of a few hours) to play through. probably around 8-10 total. Available as a direct download at $19.99! 

1 // Replay Value 
This is at least the 5th time I've played this game. Its more about the general story, like i said before the whole private school thing is pretty untouchable in my biased perspective.

1 // Puzzle Difficulty  

Not overly hard, but all the puzzles interlock to a larger riddle. keep a pen handy, this game always has me taking lots of notes!

happy halloween

Boo! Its halloween!

// Haunted by the 80's print $17.00

nerd alert : scott pilgrim vs. the world

Yes, this weeks review is a movie not a game.

One man. Seven evil exes. Infinite quarters.

So this past weekend I watched a movie on HBO... it was one of those moments of flipping through the channels in a blank stupor... BAM! POW! the animated elements in the early minutes of Scott Pilgram vs. The World jumped off the screen and instantly intrigued me. (animated GIF from here)

After about 20 minutes of wtf - i really started getting into the extremely game inspired worlds of Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers. Turns out Ramona has 7 evil exes, and in order to date her Scott has to defeat them all.

Knives: Hi. What do you play? (referring to music)
Young Neil: Wow, uhm… Zelda, Tetris… that’s kind of a big question.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World [2010]

01/ red bass $169.99  //  02/ POW! necklace $30.00  //  03/ Ramona's bag $120.00  //  04/ love you pin $1.14  //  05/ scott poster $15.00  //  06/ ramona poster $15.00  //  07/ ramona portrait tee $19.99  //  08/ sex bob-ombs tee $19.99  //  09/ scott and ramona soap $5.00  //  10/ x-men patch $7.00  //  11/ WHAM! headband $23.00  //  12/ knives scarf $40.00  //  13/ roller blades $19.95  //  14/ the movie $13.49  //  15/ sweat band $2.95  //  16/ ramonas goggles $23.49  //  17/ pink hair dye $12.99  //  18/ Scott Pilgrims heart decal $5.00

After a little research, I discovered the huge fan base behind the Scott Pilgrim story. Initially a 6 volume graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley and now also sports a Movie starring Michael Cera and (appropriately) a video game.

The game has jumped to the top of my 'need to buy' list, and the fact that it is 8bit inspired, i am stoked.

Sooooo since this isn't a game i have changed the toe definitions a bit....

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics 

The integration of comic book and game art makes this movie awesome. You almost forget that you are watching a move, and not watching someone play a game.

1 // Storyline

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  

What would this game inspired world be without all the midi chip inspired sound bites. $ka-ching$ you will be reliving all your atari, sega and nintendo memories. Also the song 'Black Sheep' by metric from this soundtrack is my new favorite song.

1 // Characters 

Not only did I kind of love all of Ramona's Exes, I also loved all Scotts friends; Kim, knives, and especially Wallace.

1 // Replay (rewatch) Value  

I think there were several things I missed. hints to meanings that I may understand better after reading the books, or playing the game.

1 // Environments and Costumes  

Ramona's hair was awesome. her corresponding outfits were even better. love sweat bands? hats? villains in costumes? check, check, check. Also they really kept the illustrated novel alive throughout filming - if you couldn't tell from the above animated gif.

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 : 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

nerd alert : coma / loondon

01/ Coma

There are some great flash games out there, though they err more on the side of artistic statements than real games. I prefer to think of them as small interactive journeys that teach you lessons, one of these games is called Coma

01/ jump rope $18.00  //  02/ caged light $59.00  //  03/ thaumatrope illusion necklace $34.00

It takes place in a dream - a very short dream. in fact you can play the entire game in about 11 minutes. But take your time and enjoy the soundtrack, graphics, and character interaction. it is really lovely.

02/ Loondon

The second game, and my favorite of the two, is called loondon, where your character leaves home to explore the world... the world however has different plans.

 01/ apple brooch $16.00  //  02/ big top picture $6.00  //  03/ city pillow $36.00

This game has more of a defined plot, and a very sad ending. All in 9 minutes I might add.

Whichever one you choose, please appreciate the stylized environments and storytelling in these flash games - It's really wonderful people take the time to share their talents through these games.

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 : Alice for DS

Alice has fallen down the rabbit hole again! but this time, its into a highly stylized illustrated environment. Meet characters, each with a special ability. The rabbit controls time, the caterpillar stretches across gaps, and the cat claws his way clear of confusion as they steer Alice down the right path.

 01/ Alice In Wonderland for DS $11.64  //  02/ Alice $7.80  //  03/ Cheshire Cat $9.48  //  04/ Mailbox $17.97  //  05/ White Rabbit $8.03  //  06/ black hair ribbon $3.75  //  07/ White Gloves $3.08  //  08/ Bicycle Clear Playing Cards$6.48  //  09/Nintendo DSi XL $169.99  //  10/ Mad Hatter$9.50

Thats right - you don't control Alice, in this game your objective is to protect her using the whole Wonderland gang.

The illustrated style of this game is great - I was additionally thankful for my Nintendo DSi xl - the extra large screen made it easy to see the graphics in all of their intended glory.

The red queens army is not to be taken lightly as they try to steal Alice away from the band of Wonderland characters. As the game progresses, your crew gains not one, but 2 abilities (ex. the cat can not only claw, but now also makes things appear and disappear) creating new puzzles in each environment.

Switch between characters at will throughout the game while protecting Alice, finding keys, tracking down treasure chests, and putting together pieces of the jigsaw puzzle as you search for the Red Queen and Jabberwocky

This wasn't just a great movie adaptation - it was a great game! Personally loved the little quips of humor and the games method of layering abilities and characters over the course of the story.

5/6 polly toes - not going to beat around the bush - LOVED this little game. In fact, I couldn't put it down... its as if little Alice belonged in her digital wonderland all along.

nerd alert : resorting to danger

Well, hurricanes and inclimate weather don't really do much for my stress levels... and while gaming is the ultimate way to unwind, a game that takes place at a spa is kind of perfect stress relief.

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger

Nancy is at it again! She has been invited to the Redondo, an exclusively elite spa for the rich and famous. There have been a rash of bombing incidents, that are more bad for business than dangerous - and Nancy is on the case.

01/ paul mitchell lavender mint shampoo & conditioner $43.47  //  02/ desk zen garden $11.30  //  03/ cucumber bath bomb $2.50  //  04/ fluffy robe $43.99  //  05/ face mask $31.71  //  06/ coconut soap 4 for $10.00  //  07/ pedicure kit $14.36



The second in the HerInteractive 'Dossier' series - these are more casual than the traditional Nancy Drew Mysteries. each scene has 'hot' items that need to be combined and used together to accomplish each scenes mini objective. Pay attention though, because you score points answering questions about what clues you have uncovered.

There is a garden maze, mud bath, zen garden & salon to keep you out and about. there is also a Pomeranian to keep you on your toes. Give guests facials and solve the mystery! Not a bad way to spend a rainy day.

5/6 polly toes

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.