Azada and Azada: Ancient Magic are two of my favorite games so I was very excited for the third entry in the series, Azada: In Libro. In Libro is difficult for me to review though. As a stand-alone game it is wonderful; featuring gorgeous graphics, numerous locations to visit and challenging puzzles to solve. Unfortunately, it lacks the uniqueness of the previous games.
Azada and Azada: Ancient Magic are two of my favorite games so I was very excited for the third entry in the series, Azada: In Libro. In Libro is difficult for me to review though. As a stand-alone game it is wonderful; featuring gorgeous graphics, numerous locations to visit and challenging puzzles to solve. Unfortunately, it lacks the uniqueness of the previous games.
The game begins when you receive a letter from a distant cousin in Prague regarding a house you have inherited. You travel to Prague and quickly learn you have been tricked. You are trapped in the basement of the house and surrounded by flames. This is when Titus (your guide from the previous game) appears. Titus is a guardian of Azada and he needs your help to save the world of Azada from his evil uncle. To save Azada you must enter the book and rescue the other guardians before it is too late.
In the previous games, there were multiple books that you would visit and solve puzzles in. In In Libro there is one book with three different chapters. Each chapter has a unique look and has multiple areas to visit.
Azada: In Libro is a light, point-and-click adventure game. There are no hidden object scenes to sort through. You will be searching the scenes for inventory items but there are no lists telling you what to look for. In the tradition of Azada, there are puzzles everywhere. Many of the puzzles are inventory based, but there are also challenging puzzles that you will need to solve to advance. If a puzzle is proving too difficult you have the option to skip it. Hints are also available, although the hint button takes quite a bit of time to recharge even in casual mode.
The game is fully voiced, but the voice acting is very hit or miss. The main problem with the voice acting is that it sounds tinny and as though it weren’t professionally recorded. The music in the game fits the atmosphere and is pleasant to listen to. The graphics are beautiful and clear.
The Collector’s Edition features a bonus chapter that brings some closure to the game. Without it the ending is very abrupt and doesn’t provide many answers. Unfortunately the bonus chapter is quite short, and can be finished in less than thirty minutes. There is also an in game strategy guide that is quite helpful, especially when you aren’t quite sure where you should go next. There are also the standard extras such as wallpapers, screen savers and the game soundtrack.
If you go into In Libro expecting it to be like the previous Azada games you may find yourself disappointed. However, if you look at it as a stand-alone game that happens to be set in the world of Azada you’ll find a very nice adventure laid out before you.
