Mega World Smash is a brick-breaking game that takes place in the light-hearted, somewhat tropical setting of an amusement park. With a bright and cheery atmosphere, it's an attempt to add some cheer to what has otherwise been a traditionally bland genre, visually speaking. The graphics, combined with a loose story and three-dimensional levels, help Mega World Smash stand out a little. If only it were a bit more challenging.
Dear Dear Esther, I'm not a philosopher. While I do find myself pondering and analyzing from time to time, I don't make a daily routine out of finding "the meaning of it all" so I can't pretend to be one. I'm not entirely sure that you require the person you're interacting with to be one, which is a good thing. Your calming mood and subdued narrator are something that many people will enjoy, so it's a good idea not to turn anyone off with my take on you. But really though, the question is: What are you?
In the present day, you're greeted by the ghost of Diane de Poitiers, mistress to the King of France in the 16th century. She calls for your help in saving her love and gives you an amulet capable of sending you back in time. In Amulet of Time: Shadow of la Rochelle, you'll travel throughout 16th century France, unlocking the secrets behind the King's attempted assassination, and unmasking those behind the conspiracy.
For a while now, hidden object games have been tapping literary classics for inspiration—witness the Mark Twain and Edgar Allan Poe-inspired titles. With the trend well-established, it was only a matter of time before someone attempted to turn writer H.P. Lovecraft's creepy yarns into hidden object adventures, and Ghost Towns: The Cats of Ulthar valiantly makes that attempt. Unfortunately due to its often monotonous gameplay, the game doesn't quite pull it off.
In The Agency of Anomalies: Cinderstone Orphanage, you'll step into the shoes of an agent who must investigate the decrepit Cinderstone Orphanage, a home for children with paranormal abilities, in order to save the souls of the children and caretaker that were lost in a terrible fire that claimed the building.
On the surface, Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness! is entirely unremarkable in just about every way. It's graphically bland, not very challenging, and almost criminally short. Yet it's also the most fun I've had with a hidden object game in a very long time. It's a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts - and it's a blast.
Nitrome games tend to be rather hit or miss depending on the genre, mechanic or past game they're currently trying to riff off of. The fact of the matter is that building your own take on a tired concept usually ends up still being rather yawn-worthy, no matter how many whistles and bells you tack on it.
Sometime in the last few years, DC Comics published a brief storyline about a Gotham City that was overrun by people impersonating The Joker and Batman. They were organized, like gangs, with one side opposing the other. In truth, it was a pretty crummy read. But it looks like the idea planted a seed in the mind of somebody at Warner Bros Interactive, because they've just released Gotham City Imposters, and unlike the aforementioned story, it's pretty great.