Category Archives: Games

Big Fish Weekend Sales Continue Until Sunday Night

Big Fish Games

All Big Fish Games are on sale!

I apologize for not letting you know sooner, but Big Fish Games has begun their Mother's Day Weekend sale event. It started a few days ago and will continue until midnight (Eastern time) Sunday.

Almost all big name games for the iPad are running $2.99 and for the iPhone 99 cents. Smaller name games and most time management/strategy games are $1.99 on the iPad and 99 cents on the iPhone.

The price holds true whether you buy the game outright or buy the game with an in-app purchase.

Following is a list of posts that will help guide you to finding the best game for you:

Little Inferno Combines Arson, Chemistry for Fun

Little Inferno

I know a lot of you like the game My Laboratory. I know because you search for it & read that review a LOT! Today, I’m going to tell you about another game that uses chemistry-like combinations to create big fun. It’s called Little Inferno (HD universal game here).

Little Inferno is a lot more complex than My Laboratory. But, deep down, the premise is very similar.

LIttle Inferno

The story of Little Inferno involves your new ownership of a Little Inferno fireplace set. You just received it. Now it’s time to set things on fire. You don’t know why. You don’t know where you really are. You don’t really know a whole lot. You really don’t know what that face in the back of your fireplace is.

Little Inferno

But soon, you’ll be lighting stuff on fire with abandon & loving it without question. As you play, you unlock videos that tell more of the story (which I’m not going to reveal here) & letters from your neighbor (& others) who also owns a Little Inferno come regularly (you can burn those, too).

Little Inferno

You start out with a certian amount of money to buy things to burn out of a catalog. Each item costs a certain amount of money, but will create even more money when you burn it. That’s how you make money. You buy things. Burn them. Money comes out of them as they burn. You collect the money. You buy more things to burn.

There are little spiders that come crawling around, too. Tap on them to earn a little extra money.

Little Inferno

You’ll get new catalogs to buy things out of as you progress.

Now, you’ll be surprised how this in & of itself is fun. I’m not kidding. I have no arsonist tendencies, but each of the things you burn do funny things & watching them burn is fun.

Little Inferno

But, that’s not where this story ends. The fun really comes (& extra money & new catalogs) when you start figuring out combinations of things to burn together to meet the Combo requirements. All you get is a title (like Seafarers COMBO) & you have to figure out which things to burn together to get that COMBO.

This is where Little Inferno is a lot like My Laboratory. You must figure out what 2 or 3 things combined together create another thing. Little Inferno just adds some destruction to the process.

If you get stuck, there’s a terrific walkthrough that give you hints or outright tells you the answers to each of the combos.

This is really a beautiful game graphically. The story is compelling. And, you get to light things on fire for fun.

So, get crackling (excuse the bad pun).

That’s it for me today. Until later, …

Sadistic To-Do List CARROT Has Anger Issues

Carrot

CARROT is always watching you.

If you're looking for a to-do list that really works to motivate you to get things done (not in that traditional GTD way, though), look no further than CARROT: The To-Do List with a Personality.

Carrot

Really. I'm being quite serious. CARROT is chock full of personality, most of it malevolent.

Part game, part to-do list, part virtual pet, CARROT is an iPhone app that's great for people who don't take their to-do lists, very seriously. As entertainment goes, though, CARROT is tops & the list of features recently just got much longer. With 3 huge updates in as many months of existence, it looks like CARROT is just going to keep getting better & better.

When you open up CARROT for the 1st time, you will be greeted as the lazy human you are with your empty to-do list.

Add & complete some things & CARROT will gleefully give you points so you can level up, plus be very happy with you. (Pull down from the top to create a new item for your to-do list. Swipe right to complete the item.)

Carrot

Poke CARROT repeatedly in the ocular lens & CARROT will turn on you with a vengeance. (See what CARROT finally had to say to me at right.)

This is really my very favorite quick way to make CARROT mad at me & to make me laugh. I know it's not the intended use of CARROT or the most productive use of my time, but I already have a to-do list that meets all of my needs (read the Priorities review here), so CARROT's place is to meet my entertainment needs.

Carrot

That's where the game elements & all the extras come in.

See, for everything you do that's good (like complete a task on time), you get points. Points add up so you can attain new levels of greatness. With each new level, fun new things are added.

Some of these Unlockables are useful, like an icon badge that tells you how many items you have left to do or the ability to edit & delete or see completed items.

Some of these Unlockables are just for fun, like the cat you are gifted at level 5 that you can't see until you get Cat-Cam (a new update to the app) at level 10.

Some are just surprises.

Carrot

You can always check to see what mood CARROT is in by swiping left.

This is also where you can find customizable options that you can purchase in the Shop N Slack, a list of the Unlockables you have to look forward to, Challenges you can meet based on CARROT's mood, a Customizer that lets you, well, customize, the Cat-Cam (once you get to level 10) & Settings & such under More.

Also under More, you can Tweet and post to Facebook funny things that CARROT forces you to say. CARROT loves when you share! This is my 2nd favorite thing to do with CARROT, so far.

Carrot

In addition to the hilarity already mentioned, there is an overarching epic tale that is told while using/playing with CARROT. I'm not yet sure what this actually means, but if it's anything as good as the rest of the writing for this app, it's sure to be a winner.

Just the app description & update lists are amusing in themselves. I'm also really interested to see how some of these Challenges play out.

Carrot

People looking for some serious kick to their to-do list abilities won't be disappointed, either.

Among the Unlockable features are things like the ability to tell Siri what you need to do & have CARROT integrate the request when you open the app. Unfortunately, that doesn't come until level 24.

The ability to add reminders comes at level 18, recurring tasks at level 28, and nag alerts at level 13. The levels do go quickly, especially if you click off several tasks in a row quickly.

Carrot

My favorite Unlockable, that I may never see, comes at level 100. CARROT writes you a symphony. It does draw you a portrait at level 14, but I want the symphony!

On top of all of this, you can customize CARROT in many ways.

The Mood Ring Theme lets CARROT show you emotions in a more colorful way. There are Task Icons you can buy to replace the boring checkmark when you complete a task. There are even outfits for your famous kitten.

Speaking of my kitten, I just received her & have no idea where she is or what she looks like.

Off I go to irritate my to-do list & try to level up so I can see what's next!

That's it for me today. Until later, …

Mad Libs Meet Digital Age

Mad Libs

Mad Libs app for kids (and big kids).

Adult Mad Libs

I'm feeling awfully silly this morning, so I decided to spread the silliness with a review of the official Mad Libs and Adult Mad Libs apps for iOS. Both apps are universal, meaning they can be played on the iPad, iPhone & iPod.

Mad Libs

Random Mad Libs facts ...

I'll go out on a limb here in thinking that most of you know what Mad Libs are. If you've been living under a rock for the past 30 years, Mad Libs is a game where you are given a story with blanks that you fill in with random words & it ends with hilarity.

The only difference between the Mad Libs app & the Adult Mad Libs app is in the maturity of content for the stories. The regular Mad Libs has your usual stories about writing book reviews, saving princesses, etc., that you probably remember from grade school. Adult Mad Libs has stories about pick-up lines & getting drunk. Personally, I like the regular Mad Libs better, but either can be fun given the right group of people.

Adult Mad Libs

The honestly ridiculously simple instructions for playing Mad Libs.

The fun of Mad Libs really comes from playing with the right people. Sure, you can play with people who when asked for a noun always answer “yarn” or “dog.” But, play with the right people & you get answers that cannot be printed here.

Mad Libs can be fun either way & with whomever you play. Even yarn & dog can make a funny sentence when placed in the right blank. You just never know. Sometimes a Mad Libs result will have you laughing for days. Sometimes it will have you rethinking your life. Sometimes it will just have you rethinking your pastimes.

Mad Libs

Hit hints for examples of words that you could use.

Now, with Mad Libs for iOS, you can actually play all by yourself, something that is impossible to do with the books you buy at the store (which are getting more & more expensive by the year). It may not be as much fun as playing with a group of friends, but it can pass the time & make you laugh all by yourself.

The reason you can play by yourself is that Mad Libs & Adult Mad Libs for iOS has you choose words without seeing the story at all. All you know is the title. You do 1st pick out the story you want to play, but then, you just see a blank like the 1 pictured above.

The checkmarks keep track of how many words you have answered & have left to answer & you can press Hints to get a list of words that meet that blank's requirement flowing below the blank. Use 1 of them or just use them to get an idea & fill in the blank on your own.

Mad Libs

The selection of books available in Mad Libs.

Adult Mad Libs

Mad Libs & Adult Mad Libs are both FREE to download & include 1 FREE book to play, with about a dozen or so stories in each book. Additional books are available for purchase & are considerably less expensive than their paper counterparts.

Adult Mad Libs

Both apps contain the same things on the main screen: Statistics about how you've been playing & sharing, Instructions to play, Quick Review of word functions & an About section.

The Quick Review can be helpful, because even the most astutue among us do sometimes forget what an adverb is & how it is used.

Mad Libs

Keep track of just about all the stats you could ever want.

Mad Libs

Of course, there has to be social side to to it since it is a game on an iDevice in this century. So, the creators of Mad Libs made the Stats section to help you keep track of how many Mad Libs you own in your library & how many you've completed, tweeted, emailed, shared, etc., plus, how much time you've wasted playing this funny game.

You can also Tweet or share on Facebook any finished story or really anything in the app.

Adult Mad Libs

Stories are displayed on coaster-like boxes that you shuffle through.

Mad Libs

The original Mad Libs has the same story choice selector.

So, just download 1 of the Mad Libs' apps, pick a story, from 1 of the books you own & pass your device over to someone so you can enjoy the hilarity that comes from throwing random words into the ether & ending up with a story.

Mad Libs

Finish up your funny with a silly photo.

Oh, I forgot to mention that besides just choosing words, you also get to choose a photo to represent the story you've written.

You know how there is always a little drawing at the top of the Mad Libs in the paper editions? Well, in the digital version, you can choose a photo from your Photos app or take a new photo of your silly group to illustrate the story you've just done.

The completed story looks like this:

That's it for me today. Until later, …

About Mad Libs

About Mad Libs

New Hidden Object Game Based On TV Show Lost Girl a Winner

Lost Girl

I’ve never seen the TV show, but the game is wonderful!

I downloaded the brand new game Lost Girl yesterday with some trepidation, frankly out of desperation. I have completed every Big Fish game, & I needed something to play. I have played the type of game Lost Girl is before & I’ve always hated them. But, like I said, I was desperate.

Lost Girl

I am SO glad that I gave it a try. The fact that it is a completely FREE hidden object/adventure game (unless you buy power-ups and such that you really don’t need unless you’re impatient) was the biggest reason I downloaded it. The reason I’m continuing to play it, however, is a combination of interesting storyline, decent hidden object scenes (although they can get repetitive), strong characters, & lack of annoying tasks that are pointless.

You see, Lost Girl is not just a hidden object game. It’s not like a Big Fish game where it has 1 storyline that is cohesive & ends. Lost Girl is a never-ending game that keeps coming up with new mysteries to solve, new assignments & tasks to complete & introduces new characters & locations periodically.

Lost Girl

This is the map that allows you to travel from place to place in Lost Girl.

There are many of these types of games. If you search for hidden object games in the App Store on the iPad, the biggest games to pop up are games like Gardens of Time & Mystery Manor. I’ve tried these games before, but I absolutely hate them!

They give you endless & pointless tasks to find objects that have nothing to do with what you actually need to find. The tutorials last forever, they guide you on exactly what you’re to do next with absolutely no exploring or free play & they make their money off selling you energy to keep playing & trinkets for good luck.

Lost Girl

Now, Lost Girl does have many of the same characteristics of those endless play games, but for some reason, it is able to pull it off without seeming contrived & being downright annoying. I have not seen the TV show that the game is based on, but the stories & characters seem strong & this game was obviously carefully thought out. It is not just some afterthought made to try to get more viewers (although, I’m sure they’d like that).

Since I haven’t seen the show, I can’t really tell you if the premise is accurate or not. But, here’s the story.

Lost Girl

The create a character set-up.

You play a new Fae (different types of fairies and magical beings) who has just come to town. You have a knack for finding things & are quickly swept up in controversy & mystery. Your finding things skill makes you a desired asset for many of the main players in town, so you have no trouble finding things to do to make money. I have not played very far into the game, so I can’t tell you much more, but I have played for several hours & it is an intriguing world the game is set in, filled with magic, mystery, & mayhem.

The game starts out with you designing your own Fae character to play, which is a very nice touch that is reminiscent of console games, although without quite as much depth. The tutorial is extensive, but in this case it was quite necessary at least for me, because I am unfamiliar with this type of game play. Unfortunately, there is no way to skip the tutorial or at least parts of it if you are familiar with this type of game. I think I would be annoyed if I had to go through half an hour of tutorial when I knew what to do.

Lost Girl

This is a hidden object scene you’ll become quite familiar with.

Basically, you start out in 1 place (a bar), where a bartender explains the game to you. You are given tasks and assignments that you read & accept. Then, you go to the designated hidden object scene that hides the object necessary to fulfill said assignment & find objects that are not the things you actually receive.

I totally don’t understand that last point. Why do I have to find a helmet, globe, & moon, when what I’m actually after is tomato juice? It is asinine. But, I digress.

The tutorial ends (kind of) & you are left to find the city map on your own (top, right corner). From that map, you can travel to any designation that pops up & is relevant to the assignment you’re trying to complete. The tutorial pops up here & there when you encounter something new, like fighting.

Lost Girl

Here’s the guy you need to fight 1st.

The fighting is a new element that I’ve never seen in this type of game. It is not difficult. You just press buttons to block & punch & you can use your Fae powers that you’ve been developing as you level up to defeat your enemy. It is actually pretty cool & really shows off how awesome the graphics are in this game.

There is truly too much going on in this game for me to do a complete walkthrough like I usually try to do, besides the fact that I’ve barely started playing. I am confident that you will do well with it though, because it is not overly hard & the walkthrough is extensive, extensive, extensive.

You do have to watch your energy level, which is the 1 thing I really don’t like. If your energy level gets too low, you can’t do anything without eating something that you have to pay for or find. Most of the time, you will pay for it. However, you can wait & come back to the game when your energy has been refreshed (it will refresh even if the game is closed). The game also does start you with a generous sum of money & you make a lot of money while playing.

Lost Girl

This is the item store. There is also a clothing store.

If you want to buy clothing & other things in the store, you could easily start spending real-world money. But, unlike other games of this type, they don’t seem to be pushing that path overly much or requiring things you can’t find with perseverance.

Speaking of perseverance, many of the things you need to find will require you to find the same objects in the same scenes over and over and over again. It can become tedious, but the scenes are actually difficult enough & they move around the objects you need to find, so it isn’t as bad as it could be. Plus, you have to find more & more objects the higher up you get in the game.

There are no hints, but you can use your Fae powers (you have to pay after a few) to find things. They do refresh naturally after 24 hours.

Lost Girl

I like to play games like these, well Big Fish-like games, for hours upon hours. Unless you spend some money, you will have to take breaks to refresh your energy in this game. Now, I’m not opposed to spending money on games.

You know what an advocate I am for developers being able to make a living. But, I’d much rather spend $5 or $7 on a game upfront & just be able to play it. I really don’t like the buy a little here & buy a little there strategy. It can quickly build up to massive amounts of money.

But overall, Lost Girl is a winner in my opinion. It has some quality that escapes naming that makes it just different from other games of this kind. I think I can get over the need to play endlessly (for hours) if I get to play this game endlessly in the long run (for a year).

Lost Girl’s real strength lies in the excellent graphics, FAR better hidden object scenes than usual in this type of game, & characters & storylines that grab your attention & make you want to keep going to find out what happens next.

P.S. I’m sorry that this deviates from my normal reviews. I didn’t walk you through exactly how to play & I didn’t have only positive things to say about the game. I promise I’ll be back to my normal reviewing self by tomorrow :)

That’s it for me today. Until later, …

Lost Girl

New characters & storyline will be coming up, developers promise.

Top 10 Best Big Fish Games of 2013 (So Far)

wpid-Photo-Apr-2-2013-1203-AM.jpg

It is about time I did a Big Fish roundup of their hidden object games (although, I’ll mention a few bonuses that are not). I decided to do the 10 best games that have been released so far this year, along with a warning about 2 games you should probably avoid.

In case you haven’t heard of Big Fish, they are developers who specialize mostly in games where you are finding and interacting with objects in scenes that are brought together through the telling of an overarching story. Many of the games are simply find hidden objects, but many require you to use the objects that you find in a certain way to move the story forward.

Most of the games are free to try for the first few levels, and then you can purchase the rest of the game. Big Fish games cost between $2 and $7 for the full version. Although, they have recently starting having a sale price on brand new games for 20%-30% off the full price of the game for the first few days it is out.

As a note, you may want to buy the collector’s editions and not the full version of games. Collector’s editions often give you bonus features like strategy guides and extra game play that the full games may not have. That means you need to download the free versions of the game and buy them in-app, but they are still on sale there. When not on sale, collector’s editions cost about $2 more than the full versions usually. But, they are well worth if they contain extra game play and a strategy guide.

I apologize for just screenshots of screenshots in this post, but all of these games are large and I delete them after I finish with them to make room for more. The games have gotten even larger since the iPad got the Retina screen, which necessitates even more MB.

The Top 10 (in no particular order)

Surface

Surface: Mystery of Another World Collector’s Edition

This iPad only game that was released in January tells the story of a father and son traveling by train when the son suddenly goes missing. The father (you) goes to all lengths to get his son back, even as far as leaving this world behind for another.

What sets this game apart, like many in this top 10, are the stunning graphics, fantastic puzzles, and smooth storytelling. I actually played this game 2 times in a row I liked it so much. The journal that the father keeps also keeps time as a map of the world or area you are in currently and a portal to jump to any of those times. Plus, you can watch any cut scenes that you miss through the journal as little video clips.

Surface is as smooth as can be. All rounded corners, no jagged, unfinished edges. I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

iPad edition

Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen

Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen Collector’s Edition

Rise of the Snow Queen came out just late last week. It tells the story of an investigation led by you into the disappearance of an entire village of children. It is said that the Snow Queen steals children away during snowstorms with her supernatural powers. This time, she may have gone too far and the fate of the world rests in your hands. It is a shame I can’t tell you more about this story because it is built on a well-loved and known fairy tale told in a new and unique way. You’ll be surprised as the story unravels. I’ll say only this. Sometimes bad guys need to be saved, too.

Dark Parables is a line of games by Big Fish. This is the most recent edition for iOS. It is practically flawless in design. The graphics are sensational and the method of play is innovative. The story is not overwhelming, but it is told at a steady pace that will keep you hooked.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Haunted Mansion

Haunted Manor: Queen of Death Collector’s Edition

Haunted Manor came out in mid-January and is still 1 of the scariest Big Fish Games I have ever played. I’ve played it twice, and it retained its scary grip on me even the 2nd time through.

In Haunted Manor, you do not play a detective. You play a young girl who gets a letter from her twin sister that tells of the rest of the family’s demise. You rush home to help save your sister only to find her elusive. You actually witness the deaths of each of your parents during the game, along with a postman, and your nanny. This is a harsh game in storytelling. I hesitate to say much more about the plot, but suffice it to say, you must fight hard to at least save yourself if nothing else.

Haunted Manor has great hidden object scenes with objects that must be uncovered in the scenes themselves. The puzzles are uncommonly good, and the graphics are perfect. Haunted Manor is a long game made even longer with the extra gameplay in the bonus section. It will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, but you’ll still want to play more.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Devil's Triangle

Hidden Expedition 4: Devil’s Triangle

Devil’s Triangle actually came out a few days before the new year, but I had so much fun playing it that I decided it was close enough to count in this roundup. The story continues what was started in Hidden Expeditions 1-3, all of which are out on iOS, I believe, but this is by far the best of the bunch.

Devil’s Triangle is of course the Bermuda Triangle. On assignment with the agency that employs you, you venture there in search of a lost crewmate only to be stuck on an island that shows up on no maps. I’ll warn you though, this story ends on a cliffhanger.

Devil’s Triangle stresses the puzzle over the hidden object scenes, but both do exist. It’s just that using your logical skills and figuring out your next moves will play more heavily in this game than they do in some other pure hidden object games. Graphics are so stunning that this is a BIG download. You may even want to download it on iTunes and sync it to your device, but I didn’t.

If you’re a fan of the hidden object/adventure type games, this game definitely fits in and is up to snuff.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Cate West Velvet Keys

Cate West: The Velvet Keys

The 2nd Cate West game for iOS came out around Valentine’s Day. This series is highly acclaimed on consoles, but doesn’t fare too well with App Store reviewers, which is a shame. Most of the complaints have to do with there being too much dialogue and having to read too much. 1. This is part story. It can have a lot of dialogue. 2. There are voice actors to read you everything, so there’s no actual reading involved.

If you haven’t played the 1st Cate West game for iOS, I’d recommend you do that 1st. The story will make more sense. For those of you who know it, this game finds Cate and Ben on another case that will lead them closer to the truth about who they are and where they are going. The story is extraordinary!

I love the Cate West series because there are about 4-5 types of puzzles and hidden object type scenes per chapter and there are about 15-20 chapters, making this a long game. The games can be somewhat glitchy, but I found just signing off and signing back in were enough to fix them. And, it is worth doing that to play such an awesome game.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Redemption Cemetery 2

Redemption Cemetery: Children’s Plight Collector’s Edition

In early January, Redemption Cemetery 2 was released. It is better than the 1st 1, in my opinion. The story told is different than in the 1st, but the actions taken to get things done are the same. You must help put to rest the concerns holding the deceased to their resting places in 1 cemetery.

The fantastical places you’ll visit seem like you’re visiting other worlds. The play on light and dark, both literally and figuratively, give Redemption Cemetery a wonderful look. The hidden object scenes are interactive and the puzzles are well worth playing.

iPad Edition | iPhone Edition

The Fool

The Fool

The Fool just came out yesterday, but I have already finished it (that’s why this is being published today and not last night). I wasn’t sure what to think of it at 1st, but by the end, I was in love.

You play The Fool, who is hardly a fool at all. Your character enters a town that has been beset by a dragon. The king has promised the princess and half the kingdom to anyone who can kill the dragon and bring proof. That’s all I’m going to tell you, but do let me say that the journey your character goes on is a long 1 that seems as it it is coming to an end many times only to be extended.

The hidden object scenes are both beautiful and interactive. The graphics are gorgeous. The story is original. There’s really no reason I can think of that you should not try The Fool. Plus, it’s only $3.99 on the iPad for the next few days.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Elixir of Immortality

Elixir of Immortality

Elixir of Immortality, which was released about 2 weeks ago, is kind of sci-fi meets the dragon age. You play a detective (surprise, surprise) who has been assigned to investigate the mysterious goings on of a group of “scientists” working for the castle owner on an island. Someone in the bunch is a murderer, and you have to figure out who it is without being discovered as a detective.

This is not your usual suspense/adventure game. It is full of fun and fancy. The hidden object scenes are beautiful, but the puzzles are so much fun. So many of them are just completely original.

If you’re looking for something new and original that doesn’t scare you much at all, Elixir of Immortality is definitely a game for you.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Dark Strokes

Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector’s Edition

This addition is another little cheat of mine on the date part, because it was released New Year’s Eve, but close enough.

Dark Strokes (besides having a kind of, um, well, interesting name) is a stunningly beautiful game all around. You play Ethan, who is trying to save his fiancé from something known as the Faceless Ones. The journey takes you all over a completely destroyed city that is teeming with supernatural forces.

This Collector’s Edition does get you extra game play, which is great, because recently not all Collector’s Editions have had it. Sometimes they just include stupid things like wallpaper and music from the game.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

Phenomenon

Phenomenon: City of Cyan

Phenomenon came out at the end of February. I had a hard time picking a 10th for this list, because although I loved so many other games, including this 1, they all seem to have some drawback or something that just didn’t sit well or play right.

City of Cyan is a great game, though. Particularly because the story it tells is so original that you will not feel like you’ve heard this 1 before. The puzzles and interactive hidden object scenes are just as original.

Oh, the story. You play Monica, who has returned to the City of Cyan to try to uncover the secrets surrounding her childhood in the city and find her parents. You are alone in the city, almost, because 20 years ago a dangerous experiment destroyed much of the city and turned the citizens into strange creatures.

iPad edition | iPhone edition

2 Games I’ve Already Reviewed This Year

There are 2 games I have already reviewed this year, or they would’ve made the top 10 list. So, I thought I would send you to their full reviews for more information.

2 Games I’d Avoid

There are 2 games that were so awful I either didn’t buy the full game (G.H.O.S.T. Hunters: The Haunting of Majesty Manor) or bought but soon deleted (Escape the Museum: The Complete Series). Both of these games had graphics so horrendous they made my eyes hurt trying to play them. They had weak stories and even weaker design sense.

What Did I Miss? and Assorted News

Did I miss any of your favorite games from this year? Let me know in the comments section what you liked and didn’t like or if you disagree with 1 of my selections.

Just because I didn’t mention every game that came out on this list, doesn’t mean that almost all the others lacked some redeeming quality. Except for the 2 games I mentioned, I have played every single game that came out this year (forever, I think). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

2 games I didn’t mention but that I will do full reviews on at a later date are Fetch and Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened. I’m in the midst of playing both games and they are absolute winners! Fetch was even an Editor’s Choice app of the week in the App Store. However, neither game is a hidden object game, so they seemed a little out of place in the Top 10 I wrote today.

By the way, if you’re waiting for the next Big Fish sale, I think it will be Mother’s Day weekend. I will Tweet and post here as soon as I know.

That’s it for me today. Until later, …

Related Links on iOS Affairs:

 

 

New Game by Hullabu: Dream Day True Love

Dream Day

The pictures and story from Dream Day are said to be based on a true story.

A new hidden object game by Hullabu, the makers of The Great Gatsby: Classic Adventures (free trial version here), celebrates the 70th anniversary of a couple by reliving their entire relationship. Dream Day: True Love is a beautiful alternative to the typical mystery/suspense-style hidden object games that predominate the market.

Dream Day

My favorite-looking hidden object scene in Dream Day.

Don't let the emotional theme fool you, though. Dream Day is full of some tough puzzles and hidden object scenes. It is a really well made and thought out game by Hullabu. Their Great Gatsby game is 1 of my all-time favorite hidden object games (read the full review here)!

The premise of Dream Day involves you as a wedding designer/party planner. You are asked by the son of a couple who will be celebrating their 70th anniversary soon to plan a surprise party. Hijinks and hidden object scenes ensue.

Dream Day

The scrapbook tells the story of the celebrating couple.

The story of Dream Day is told through phone calls from the son and by the couple themselves in voiceovers as you go through their scrapbook, which is where many of the games and hidden object scenes are located. The scrapbook covers every 10 years in the relationship and highlights many of the things going on in the world during those times, as well.

There is 1 story sequence and 4-5 games and hidden object scenes per decade in the scrapbook. In addition, you should also find all the bluebirds in the game to get presents to open at the end of the game and special objects per decade that are kept track of at the top of the book.

Dream Day

My decorated house at the end of the game.

Between decades, the story of you as the party planner continues. You must get the house and yard ready for the party, deal with disasters, and decorate after said disasters inevitably happen. The decorating is fun and something I haven't seen before in this type of game.

Don't worry if you don't collect everything the 1st time through the book. During the bonus section at the end of the game, you have a chance to go back through the book to replay the games and find the things you missed. Once you find everything, you unlock some new sections in the game.

Just like Great Gatsby, Dream Day is a multi-layered game with much to do and be dazzled by.

That's it for me today. Until later, …

Dream Day/Hullabu

Wombi Detective For Children Goes FREE Today

Wombi Detective

The opening scene is filled with ambience.

A splendid little game for the younger crowd went FREE today. Wombi Detective – A Crime-Solving Mystery Game For Kids is perfect in almost every way for children interested in puzzles, logic, figuring things out, and just generally having fun.

Wombi is a short game, making it perfect for preschool age children. It is also universal, so you can take it with you for your kids to play on your iPhone, or you can let them play on the bigger iPad screen. Either way, Wombi Detective is a winner.

There are NO in-app purchases in Wombi, by the way.

Wombi Detective

How to play ...

This intuitive game needs little instruction, but if you want to read about how to play, especially for the really litttle ones, just press the little “i” in the upper, left corner of the main screen for instructions on playing the game.

After you press the big arrow on the main screen, the game is afoot.

Wombi Detective

The call is coming from the desk ...

Your phone rings. When you answer it, someone tells you something unintelligibly about a crime that has been committed. The way you figure out what they're talking about is by asking them 3 questions about things you are holding in your hand.

In the photo above, you can see an eye, a hat, and a person with a measurement and of a certain color. Just press each object and the person on the phone will change those objects to meet the description of the criminial you need to catch.

You also are told what was stolen. So far, I've seen 2 teddy bears and a ruby.

Wombi Detective

The line-up

I've played the game 3 times already with different results each time. So, the game is definitely replayable, although it only took me about 5 minutes to finish each game. I'd like to know how long it takes children to play this game?

After you have all your clues layed out, you are taken to the line-up of suspects (photo above). You can find your clues again by tapping along the bottom of the screen.

Take a look at the suspects and see who matches. The criminal will match all 3 clues. Just tap the suspect you think is the criminal. If you make a mistake, they reorganize the suspects and you try again.

Wombi Detective

Where criminals live

If you choose correctly, the suspect is arrested and you are taken to what appears to be the house in which every single criminal in this town lives in.

You have 3 tools/objects that must be placed somewhere in the scene. Twice it has been a door handle, lock, and key. I just stacked them on the front door and that was that. Figuring out where these 3 things go might be the hardest part of this game. For instance, the 3rd time I got a leaf, key, and scarf or something like that.

Wombi Detective

Something's hiding.

Once your tool/objects are in place you enter a room where the evidence is hiding and you must find it. Twice I ended up in the room in the photo above. You can open all the cupboards, find a key to open the locked cupboard, and find the evidence in the locked cupboard.

Wombi Detective

This is a really fun part because you get to open things up and look around and try to figure out where something is hiding.

Wombi Detective

That is that. The game is really over. Case closed, as they say. All you have to do is stamp the folder in the photo at right, and you're done. But, you can always start a new game right away and see what's different, what's the same, and solve more crimes!

You can see a trailer of Wombi Detective in action on YouTube.

That's it for me today (Maybe?). Until later …

Ghost Trick is a Unique Game With Extraordinary Twists

Ghost Trick

This bit of dialogue explains a lot for Ghost Trick.

I'm currently playing a number of games. One of them is Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, which I have played in part before. I have never finished it, although I own all the chapters. Chapters. Let me explain.

Ghost Trick is FREE for the 1st few chapters (periods of time throughout the night). Then, you have to pay. It's a bit pricey, but totally worth it to play the whole game. I guarantee if you play the beginning, you wont' be able to stop. The game is universal, so you can play it on both your iPhone and iPad.

Ghost Trick

The main character of this game, which was ported over from the Nintendo DS, is Sissel. Sissel is the ghost who can play tricks in this “interactive mystery.” Sissel has the Powers of the Dead, which only a few people have, apparently.

The powers consist of the ability to possess inanimate objects and activate them, communicate with the dead, and rewind time by 4 minutes to save a person who has been dead for less than a day. Don't ask why. Don't question. Just play. You'll enjoy it.

Sissel begins the game with the realization that he is dead. The 1st chapter is basically a tutorial in which a desk lamp walks you through all of your powers so that you can save a woman police officer who keeps ending up dead in this game. She needs a lot of saving.

Ghost Trick

Lynn dies a lot.

Meet Lynn. Lynn dies a lot in this game. But, Sissel keeps bringing her back. He does this both because he's apparently a very good guy and because Lynn is the key to figuring out who he is and why he died. He only has till morning. Then, he disappears for good.

The whole game has an anime-esque, Japanese cartoon feel to it. There's probably a name for games like this, but I'm not much of a traditional gamer, so I wouldn't know.

Ghost Trick

I told you Lynn died a lot. This is her 3rd time tonight.

Ghost Trick is a funny and addictive game. Sissel has a good sense of humor, as do most of the characters he runs into throughout the night. My favorite so far is the little dog named Missile.

This is really a quite flawless game, which is to be expected since it was ported over. Speaking of which, the developers did an excellent job of translating the game into the touch screen format. The controls are intuitive and easy, and movement is simple.

The twist involving the Powers of the Dead is original. Especially the power to rewind time to 4 minutes before a person died in order to help save them.

You'll be rewinding time a lot. You may have to do a single scene several times or more if you don't save the victim.

If you need to refer to a walkthrough, I have found this 1 to be particularly helpful. It is only text. No pictures. But, there are plenty of video walkthroughs available as well, if you just search for the game in Google.

Ghost Trick

There's little Missile.

The other twist is that although Sissel can save Lynn over and over from dying, he cannot save or possess himself. Sissel moves around the game by possessing inanimate objects that have a glowing core. I'm not going to go into too much detail here, because the tutorial chapter really does a great job of teaching you absolutely everything you need to know.

Some of these objects can perform “tricks,” hence the rest of the name of the game. You move back and forth between the Ghost world and the Real world. You can move around in the Ghost world (you can also move using telephone lines), but you can only perform tricks in the Real world.

One thing to be aware of in playing Ghost Trick is that you have to manually save your game. This is unusual for an iOS game, but it is nevertheless true. Click on your notebook to find a save point.

Ghost Trick

This is how the game begins and this post ends.

This movement back and forth and the 4 minute deadline to save someone's life really adds tension to the game. You often need to move quickly and make split-second decisions, but don't worry. You can always rewind time again if you need.

The music and voices for Ghost Trick are spot on and I actually don't have to turn my iPad down when I'm playing, which is different.

Make sure you check your notebook a lot to see when new information is added. Some of it is crucial to the game and unless you have a perfect memory, the notebook helps.

I'm not sure how long this game is since I haven't finished playing it yet, but, I have spent hours upon hours playing it, so I definitely think it worth the price of admission. I'll update this review when I have more information.

If you like smart and funny games in which you have to solve problems and puzzles, Ghost Trick is right up your alley. So, go try it out. The 1st taste is FREE after all.

That's it for me today. Until later, …

My Laboratory a Little Game With Big Draw

My Laboratory

I'm quite addicted to an iPhone game called My Laboratory. I know. I know. All I ever talk about is Big Fish games, but they need to make them faster to keep me entertained. Until then, I've begun colonizing my own little world with My Laboratory.

My Laboratory

You may notice the black bars in the photo. It's usually something I wouldn't put up with in a game for my iPhone 5. It's not updated for the newer iPhone. But, this game is so great, I'll forgive it.

Other than that 1 minor imperfection, My Laboratory is simple, addicting fun. The story that you're told in pictures at the beginning of the game is that our world is ending (or overcrowded. I can't tell). It's up to you to find a new world and colonize it starting with only 4 elements.

My Laboratory

Elements are used in the loosest sense in this game. Because, if Double Rainbow and Brick are really elements, my education is sorely lacking. Suspend your disbelief long enough though, and you'll be happily creating a double rainbow and an engine and a mill, and creating things out them, as well.

The game is very easy to play. You just drag 2 elements up to either side of the plus sign. You can place an element right over the top of another element to take its place or drag the element you don't want anymore back down, either way.

Once you have 2 elements in place, the game lets you know if it works. If the screen shakes itself back and forth, you have not made a new element. If you see the elements meld into a new one, you have. If you've already created an element with those 2, it just kind of blinks light at you.

That's all there is to it.

My Laboratory

There are 200 elements to create. After you create some of them, you can see the story behind that element. Apparently, these stories also hold clues to creating other elements. I'm going to have to go back and watch them more closely now.

If you want to see a story again, just click the button on the top of the screen and choose stories. This also give you an idea of what you should be creating.

As of now, I've created about 65 elements, although I seem to have somehow skipped over space and initially missed all living creatures and created machines first. Oops.

My Laboratory

Oh, 2 more things you should know. If an element's name is black, it isn't used to create anything else. And, if you want to see how many things an element can be used to create, just double-tap it, and a screen like the 1 at right pops up.

This screen shows you how the element was created and how many things it contributes to creating. It also shows you how many of those things you've already discovered.

My Laboratory is Game Center integrated, for those of you who care. You can compete against your friends to be the 1st to colonize their world.

I can't explain exactly why this game is so darn addicting. You'll just have to try it. Right now, it's completely FREE, so there's no reason not to try it.

That's it for me today. Until later, …