Latest Reviews

When I first sat down to play Gogii Games' Escape the Museum 2 I was expecting to have to, well, escape a museum. Again. And I wasn't terribly thrilled about it. I mean, how many games can you make about escaping an earthquake-ravaged museum before the premise starts to feel contrived and repetitive? I think the answer is probably "one."

 

Imagine my delight upon discovering that the follow-up to Escape the Museum isn't about getting out of a museum at all, but rather about a father heroically making his way through disaster-torn streets in the aftermath of the quake towards the museum to save his trapped family - in other words, a totally different spin on the same theme!

Read more»

It's a shame that the Wild West isn't a more popular setting in video games. If Hollywood and Louis L'Amor are to be believed, this was the era when cowboys had the same sense of honor as Knights of the Round Table, gunfights were used to settle disputes, and gorgeous steam trains were the way to get around. It was a period of romance and adventure, when the nation was still young and the possibilities seemed endless. Thankfully, the Westward series of games have done the setting proud, and the newly-released Westward IV: All Aboard continues the tradition. Read more»

Cook and waitress Emily is back for another culinary adventure in Delicious: Emily's Holiday Season. After deciding to stay in the peaceful and cozy town of Snuggford, Emily and her long-time friend Francois find themselves having to care for five different restaurants. This latest installment of the popular Delicious series again proves to be one of the most creative and unique time management game available. Read more»

Little Folk of Faery isn't the first game to simulate caring for a tribe of villagers (see Wild Tribe, Escape from Paradise, and of course the granddaddy of them all: Virtual Villagers), but it's certainly the one of the most stylish. Set in a beautiful fantasy realm populated with leprauchans, pixies, dryads and other fairytale creatures, the game is a visual delight even as the gameplay itself is nothing groundbreaking. Read more»

The Return of Monte Cristo brings back Alexander Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo's Edmond Dante for another hidden object adventure in which he searches for his fiancée's killer. The detectives closed the case without ever finding a suspect, so Dante travels from Spain to Paris in this game with beautiful art work and effects in this clichéd, but eye-pleasing game. Read more»

Ever walk in on the middle of a movie and find yourself hopelessly lost, but still enjoying yourself? That's what playing Lost Realms: The Curse of Babylon is like if you didn't play the previous game, Lost Realms: Legacy of the Sun Princess. You'll have a hard time following the plot, but you'll be having such a good time on your adventure that you won't really mind. Read more»

Cat Wash is a quirky time management game that has you washing cats in a disco-themed pet salon. Pet grooming games are nothing new, but cat washing games are rare, combined with a theme that jumped straight out of the 1970s...well, the whole combination is something new. Read more»

It seems like a match made in heaven: a hidden-object game ("HOG") that has you scouring for clues and solving puzzles to unravel a murder mystery, all based on the coveted Murder, She Wrote television series that ran from 1984 to 1996.

 

Now available for the PC and Mac, Legacy Interactive's Murder, She Wrote does stay truthful to the long-running show - thanks to excellent writing, plot twists and good voice-acting (led by a convincing Angela Lansbury sound-a-like) - but the fun object-finding puzzles and mini-games also hold their own, even without the MSW association.

Read more»

Square Enix is a Japanese publisher best known for creating the epic role-playing series Final Fantasy, which is why we  were surprised when they released the cute puzzle game Yosumin! as a digital download earlier this year. We were surprised again to see Square Enix's name on the title screen of Season of Mystery: The Cherry Blossom Murders, a hidden object game set in 19th century Japan. Read more»

Millennium: A New Hope is the latest title from Aldorlea Games, an independent developer that specializes in creating casual or "retro-style" role-playing games. Fans of the genre will find many familiar trappings here, especially if you've played any of the studio's previous titles like 3 Stars of Destiny. Read more»

You're on the trail of treasure in the latest in the Amazing Adventures series of hidden object games. The Caribbean Secret will take you into the jungle, under the ocean, to romantic hideaways and glorious vistas as you follow the clues that will lead you first to the bits of a treasure map, and finally to the booty itself. Read more»

Kellie Stanford: Turn of Fate is a humorous adventure game with quirky cartoon graphics and some hidden object game play in the mix. Maybe it's just the tropical music or the occasional monkey, but I was catching a clear Monkey Island influence towards the second half of the game, too. Read more»

The Tudors is a hidden object game based on the television drama of the same name that follows the reign of Henry VIII, the English king best known for founding the Anglican church and having six wives, two of whom were eventually beheaded. Read more»

It's very hard to describe the Nancy Drew series of games as "average." On the whole, Her Interactive releases consistent quality and writing. So if in describing Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek as a "below-average" Nancy Drew title, know that it is still far better than many games out there. Read more»

Two mages, Gabriel and Anna, live happily in a small house in the forest. One fateful day, however, when one of them stepped away from home, sinister goblins broke in and kidnapped the other mage. And so you must decide to play as Gabriel or Anna and work towards rescuing your loved one by searching for clues, solving puzzles and fighting evil. 

 

Such is the premise behind Hidden Magic, an excellent hidden object game (HOG) with an engaging story, multiple gameplay elements and tons of replayability because of many modes, unlockable content and randomly-placed items in levels. Not everyone might like the combat mechanic, but it certainly takes the HOG genre in a new direction.

Read more»

It is hard to count how many farming games have already been developed for the casual market, and Tropical Farm by Alawar is the next in line to compete for the player's attention. While there are not many flaws to be found here, the game still feels like playing more of the same old, and a few more innovations and twists would surely have been welcome. Read more»

The dungeon crawler. It's a time-honored tradition amongst gamers. Whether we're talking Dungeon Siege, Titan Quest or the more casual-friendly FATE, nearly everyone has played a game about killing orcs and selling pants. Well - almost everyone. The genre has always seemed more intimidating than need be, and Torchlight is looking to change that. We don't want to go out on a limb here, but this might just be the first dungeon-crawler that's fun, simple, and accessible to everyone. Read more»

In 10 Days under the Sea, Diana and her sister found an amulet. The sequel, 10 Days to Save the World, picks up two years after these events, when people begin to suspect that the amulet could be causing the cataclysms like flooding in Africa and a drought in Venice. Diana must work with her father, an archaeologist, to figure out how to save the world. Although, the story gets lost and barely registers a sense of urgency, the diversity of puzzles in the hidden object adventure game keeps you engrossed. Read more»

Scratches: Director's Cut is a horror game, but not the kind that relies on cheap scares to spook players. Instead, it depends on atmosphere and subtle details to unnerve, and, despite a few stumbles along the way, it does a great job. Read more»

Corruption. Lies. Sex. Betrayal. Murder. There's a big story waiting to be told in hidden object game Valerie Porter and the Scarlet Scandal, and you're just the plucky reporter to do it! This is your big chance to make your name as a journalist, so search for clues and follow your hunches but be careful who you trust - not everyone is what they seem. Read more»

Hostile Makeover is a hidden object game based off Ellen Byerrum's chick-lit mystery novel and the Lifetime television movie by the same name. While the twisty plot is heavily inspired by both, the game's storyline takes off in a few new directions of its own. Read more»

I can't count the number of times I've been disappointed by a sequel that make the same mistakes as the game that came before it in the series with no effort to improve. Or worse, a sequel that's actually less fun than its predecessor. I'm very happy to report that Danger Next Door: Miss Teri Tale doesn't fall into that trap. Episode three of the Miss Teri Tale series, which up to this point has been lackluster, is bursting with newfound style and creativity. Read more»

It was bound to happen eventually. After releasing three increasingly wonderful episodes, the Tales of Monkey Island series has finally taken a step back. Now that's not to say that Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 4 - The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood is bad -- far from it in fact -- it's just that, for the first time, the latest entry in the series isn't the best. Read more»

Don't judge a book by its cover. This saying, along with the ability to be patient, should be kept in mind when it comes to World Train Royale, a new game by developer versus-software. The combination of match-3, time management, and tycoon elements surely sounds promising, but as always the mixture of different genres can be a tricky case. While the game is far from perfect, players who enjoy details and a real challenge might still get hooked on it easily. Read more»

The story of the Titanic is an infamous tale of tragedy, loss, and the unthinkable. In 1912 Titanic Mystery, the birth of the Titanic II 100 years after the sinking of the legendary leviathan brings promise of reconciliation by completing the vessel's original maiden voyage. However, not all is as it seems when threat of a bomb surfaces. It's up to you to stop it in this new hidden object game from Suricate Software. Read more»

Alexandra Fortune is the latest intrepid explorer-type character to star in her hidden object adventure, and Alexandra Fortune - Mystery of the Lunar Archipelago is full of familiar trappings: a missing mentor, a mysterious journal left behind, exotic locations to visit, ruins to explore, and a goofy sidekick. But the game simply doesn't do these things as well as many of the games that it borrows its ideas from. Read more»

Hidden object game Big City Adventure: New York City is rather a lot like Manhattan itself: very large and with an overwhelming number of things to see and do. It can be a bit aggravating at times, but what trip to the Big Apple isn't? Read more»

If we were to trace casual games back to their roots, then we would certainly come across old standbys like Reversi or Bejeweled. These were games that didn't try to pretend they were anything more than fun, simple diversions. But as history has shown, just because they were simple, didn't mean they were without merit. Constellation, from indie house PaperDragon Games, sets out to prove this same ideal, with pretty decent success. Read more»

Nowadays a lot of role-playing games are trying to find the next new thing that will bring gamers in hordes to their door step, but truthfully all many of us want is the basic, old school RPG system we loved from when we were kids. Dark Souls is one of those games that tries to follow in the footsteps of "classic" role-playing game formats like the Aveyond series and the early Final Fantasy games, but fails for so many reasons - let me count the ways. Read more»

A wizard, a thief and a knight walk into a treasure room - stop me if you've heard this one before.  In the treasure room is an all-powerful crystal called the Trine, which merges three different souls into one body.  It may be uncomfortable for them, but it's fortunate for you.  Now you can rotate between these three characters at the press of a button on an adventure that traverses a world of fantasy overrun by the undead. Read more»

The thought of being kidnapped or trapped without escape is a viable fear for most people. In the latest title from Gogii Games, you'll play the role of victim Helene as she tries to find a way of escape before her killer closes in on her. But making a casual horror game is notoriously tricky business. Does Trapped: The Abduction have the makings of a truly great and scary game? Read more»

Grabbing a heavy ball and sending it thundering down the lane towards ten unsuspecting white pins can be a great way to unwind, and the resounding victorious crack of the ball against its target is simply cathartic. But those who feel they need a little something extra to sweeten the experience, Zombie Bowl-O-Rama offers even more excitement by replacing the customary pins with flesh-eating undead monsters. Instead of just bowling, you get to be a zombie hunter...armed with a bowling ball. Read more»

Yet another Agatha Christie mystery has gone interactive with I-play's Agatha Christie: Dead Man's Folly, the third hidden-object game (HOG) in the series, following Death on the Nile and Peril at End House. Read more»

Imagine Mystery of Cleopatra as an Agatha Christie murder mystery that takes place at Cleo's palace during her reign. Instead of playing Hercule Poirot or Jane Marple, you're the queen's trusted advisor who investigates the murder of a Roman solider by piecing together hidden objects and masterminding puzzles. This is the second game from National Geographic and Merscom following Lost City of Z that shows no improvement over its predecessor. Read more»

Having already braved the Amazon and conquered Everest, where does an intrepid adventurer go next? In Hidden Explorer: Devil's Triangle, the organization H.E.A.T. (the Hidden Expedition Adventure Team) has sent you - its top explorer - to investigate the disappearance of a pilot who went down while flying through the treacherous Bermuda Triangle. Read more»

When people think of art and the great masters of the canvas, the typical setting is quiet and calm galleries where the paintings hang still and silent. Yet in Meridian93's new title Hidden World of Art 2, police, cunning thieves, adn the FBI cross paths with classic paintings in a delightful story of when calm and thrills combine. Read more»

There's a theory that ghosts are those whose lives were cut short before they could realize their potential. If that's the case, the developers at Gaming Hungama might want to keep the Ghostbusters number handy, as Ghost Town Mysteries: Bodie is the mangled remains of a promising concept, struck down by poor choices that killed what might, if treated more gently, have produced a star in the hidden object genre. Read more»

Most of us are familiar with the story of vampire Count Dracula, whether from reading Bram Stoker's famous book or watching the numerous films based on it. The Dracula Files, a new hidden object game from eGames, puts a modern spin on the tale. Read more»

Repetition has become so common in hidden object games that we've simply learned to accept it. We head into each new game knowing that we'll likely be fed a handful of scenes filled with the same objects to find over and over again. This is unfortunate because it need not be so, as proven by Insider Tales: The Secret of Casanova, a HOG that makes a point of ensuring that the player is constantly challenged with new and interesting environments and activities. Read more»

Good sequels can unfortunately be hard to come by, and creating frightening adventure games that actually possess suspense can be equally difficult to make. The second installment in the Delaware St. John series, Delaware St. John: The Town with No Name,  attempts to be a scary adventure game sequel, but unfortunately fails to overcome the difficult nature of the genre. Read more»

What would you do if your boss was kidnapped? What if there was no one else who wanted to help him? That's Amanda's dilemma in Superior Save, a hidden object game that sends you on an unorthodox rescue mission.  Read more»

Baby dragons aren't usually the sort of thing you want to mess around with. They're scaly, bad tempered, and breathe fire when you burp them. And yet, caring for baby dragons can be just as challenging and rewarding as caring for real babies. That's why it's so important that you heed our call to action, taking your rightful place as the nanny in a dragon nursery!  Just like the babies in Dragon Hatchery, this offbeat hybrid match-3/time management game is too endearing to ignore. Read more»

Anna is back! What began in the previous Curse of the Pharaoh games - The Quest for Nefertiti and Napoleon's Secret - continues in Tears of Sekhmet. Anna is once again squaring off against her step-brother Will, who wants to control the power of the Curse as much as she wants to destroy it.  It's a dangerous game she's playing, where no-one can be trusted and nothing is as simple as it seems. Read more»

Although most of the characters in PlayFirst's Avenue Flo are from the company's long-running series of "Dash" games (which include Diner Dash, Wedding Dash and Dairy Dash), Avenue Flo itself is no time management game. In fact, it's the first adventure game set in Diner Town, and the first time we get to hear characters like Flo and Quinn actually talk. Read more»

Nancy Drew is many things: super sleuth, spa worker, entomologist, spelunker... But the one thing she rarely is anymore is just a kid. However, with Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy, Nancy's age is finally an important part of the story. Read more»

My opinion of Little Things, a hidden-object game with lovely art and refreshingly straightforward game design, wavered between like and dislike the entire time I played. In the end, I came down pretty much smack in the middle, which is bothersome because it feels like the sort of game a person ought to have a strong feeling about one way or another. Read more»

While the previous two chapters in the continuing saga of Mighty Pirate Guybrush Threepwood all took place either at sea or on land, the third chapter of Tales of Monkey Island goes somewhere completely unexpected: inside of a giant manatee. That's right, the majority of Threepwood's latest outing Lair of the Leviathan takes place inside of a hapless sea creature, which makes for plenty of amusing situations, in what is easily the best entry in the series to date. Read more»

While personal beliefs regarding reincarnation may differ dramatically, have you ever wondered who or what you could have been in a "past life?" What if you had a chance to find out and experience it all for yourself? This is exactly what happens to a professional copywriter named Jane as she searches for answers and personal knowledge in the new hidden object adventure Reincarnations: Awakening, brought to you by Vogat Interactive. Read more»

There is certainly no shortage of pirate-themed adventure games available, which makes it tough to stand out from the pack. And though Destination: Treasure Island has a few interesting ideas, it ends up as nothing more than a competent, slightly generic, swashbuckling adventure. Read more»

True classics never go out of style; they just get better with time. Happily, the same can be said for the Jojo's Fashion Show series. Jojo's Fashion Show World Tour is the crème de la crème of time management games, surpassing the previous games in its depth of game play and creative possibilities. With dozens of new twists, hours of game play, and real up-to-date fashions, even the most unfashionable players will be bitten by the fashion bug. Read more»