Home > Reviews
|
Multiplayer Game Reviews
March 18, 2011
 Death was an interestingly simple game. I was not really expecting much, thanks to the simple cover and lack of any screenshots or description but overall I did not mind playing it for a little while.
Upon starting the game, I was a little surprised at the lack of art. With a title like “Death”, I expected at the very least a skull or some creepy coffins. Instead, you are launched into a game with little to no fluff or frills. Luckily, the game play itself is pretty straightforward.
You find yourself watching button prompts flash before the screen. It appears that you are lying on your back, maybe on an old operation table or some kind of interrogation table, staring up at a ceiling of lights. You are then prompted to press buttons. Your heartbeat (a fairly generic rhythmic sound) speeds up, as do he prompts and rotation of the buttons on the screen. They begin in their respective places on the controller, Y, X, A, and then B and slowly begin moving around so that you have to use your memory of where they are situated in order to keep up with the game. Basically, the entire game is about hand eye coordination. The bright light that flashes in your eyes when you make a mistake is not very helpful but overall the game is just that.
Now, I have no doubt that a game like this would get very old, real fast. I could not get my husband, who describes his gaming level as “casual core” to play it more than a few rounds because it “isn’t much of a game.” This tells me that it might be a little too simple for anyone who is used to a little more stimulus, but for someone like me…well, I enjoyed it.
Granted, I imagine that something like this could not be that complicated to set up for a developer. In addition, as there is no story there is really nothing more to it than mindless button mashing fun. But, so what? The game does not try to be anything more than what it is and while it is not going to hit a lot of homeruns, it did okay in my book.
Game: Death | Developer: ZebraGames
March 15, 2011
 Flipping through the Xbox marketplace can be exhausting. It’s like dumpster diving, you’re weeding through mounds and mounds of garbage hoping for something good. Return All Robots was that nugget of glorious gold I found while scraping the bottom of a bucket. It was the iPhone someone accidentally tossed in the can while clearing the table. It was an incredible game.
First of all, the art on the cover of Return All Robots is beautiful. This is a constant throughout the game. The art style is crisp and fun, without losing any quality. The music choices are just as impressive, really well thought out and entertaining without taking away from the game itself.
One of my favorite things to find in a game is humor. This game is funny but beyond that, it uses a lot of pop culture humor which makes you excited to get to the next page so you can see if you’ll get the next joke. Besides that, it’s filled with interesting, likeable characters that really pull you into the story and make you care.
The game play itself is all about block puzzles. You have to lead a number of robots to freedom while dodging obstacles and evil robots as well. You basically have to lead them into one direction and use the various blocks there to keep them from going off the deep end. Think of it as a sliding game, the robots will continue forward until they hit one of these blocks so you use them to get the robots where you want.
 Even with all its jokes and fun, this is a challenging puzzle game. It’s all about planning out your movements and having fun while you think. Any game that makes you think as hard as this one without making you feel like it’s a chore should be commended.
The first thing I had to tackle when I decided to play this game was the price. Now, I realize it’s not all that expensive, but when you’re seeing a bunch of options that are only a dollar and this one is three times as much, it’s easy to balk and buy something cheaper instead. In this care I just want to say that you get what you pay for. This game is more because it’s worth more.
Game: Return All Robots | Developer: Space Whale Studios
March 14, 2011
 Kaptain Brawe: A Brawe New World was an awesome game. I’m probably a little biased because it’s one of those wonderful click and combine games. You know the kind, the ones where you find item A in one room and item C in another room, combine them and make item B, which you need to open the door to the next puzzle. I love those kinds of games and usually they have to be pretty awful to turn me off, butt his one isn’t by any means awful. It’s a clever game with a simple premise.
You play the game as Kaptain Brawe, who kind of reminds me of that blonde captain from Futurama. Zapp Brannigan. In the demo, he has a second in command who is also a lot like Kif, in the sense that he’s fully aware of the fact that his commanding officer is a dimwit, but covers for him with a bit of annoyance and good humor. They’re fun characters.
The game play itself is nothing new. Like I said, you find items and use them to get places. When you have a game like this, which is so much alike others, you really have to focus on the aspects that are different. Is the story good? Are the characters engaging? Is it funny? The answer to all of these questions would be a resounding “Yes!” The world that develops around you is not only pretty, it’s interesting and interactive. If you’re not laughing over Brawe’s stupidity, you’re laughing at the descriptions and various items that liter the world they’ve created, just to be amusing.
Another leg up this game has over the competition is the fact that it has two options. You can play it for fun and the likes and laugh over the silly monologue or you can play it without it and really challenge yourself with the item puzzles. I played both and found them acceptably different. You still get the same game but with a steeper learning curve, which is always awesome.
All in all, I thought this was a fantastic game. You find a little bit of everything here. There’s humor, challenge, and fun, dynamic characters that work hard to make sure you enjoy your time. The price is a little higher than the other games I played this week but it was well worth it. Even though the screenshots I’ve got posted are the developer snaps (I’m having a weird problem taking screenshots in games, they always turn out black or white) they’re a good representation of what the game world is like. It’s lush, pretty, and done with a great eye to detail. Well worth it.
Game: Kaptain Brawe: A Brawe New World| Developer: Cateia Games
March 12, 2011
 Timeslip is the first game I played for this week and mostly I picked it because it said that it was in the UK for a while. Maybe I’m a little biased but every since discovering Doctor Who, I’m excited about all thing from English. Silly, I know, but that’s why I decided to give it a shot!
Now, in Timeslip you play as a snail. Luckily, you’re a pretty fast moving one and your goal in your new snail-y life is to collect coins and make it to the end of this magical world without dying. Now, naturally, this magical world is filled with traps and puzzles that you have to work through in order to progress. Sounds pretty simple, right?
Well, the trouble in this game comes with how you have to complete these puzzles. The thing is, you play the game in time loops. By that I mean you have about a minute to get your snail lined up and in position before a loop occurs and you have to avoid a new and devilish obstacle: yourself. Once the timer runs out you will have a phantom you running around and doing exactly what you just did. You can’t touch your phantom or you’ll create a time paradox and thus end the game. Still, you and your fellow phantoms have to work together in order to complete the level.
 This game requires quite a bit of thought, which I think is admirable by itself. You have to plan out your movements if you have any chance at all of beating the levels. Sometimes this requires that you run through the level once, knowing that you’re going to fail, just so you can map out your next move. It’s different, though I could understand if someone were primarily annoyed by the necessity.
Besides that, I have a few comments on the aesthetics of the game. The opening music is fun and a good pick. During the tutorial you have these swirly red letter that could easily contribute to nausea. It’s a minor detail but it wasn’t well thought out. In addition, when you run into a time warp there is this swirly black and white screen presented. It only lasts a few seconds so it’s not too bad but after an hour of playing it can be a bit of a problem.
Still, a good game. I was satisfied overall.
Game: Timeslip | Developer: Smudgedcat
March 6, 2011
March 4, 2011
 Secrets of the Magic Crystals was a confusing game and I don’t just mean the game itself. The entire process of playing it was confusing by itself. I wish I could just scan my notes and have you guys see the confusion that was Nina S. while she was playing this game. As I doubt my bosses would be pleased with that I will do my best to explain how this went. {Editor’s Note – Actually I think it would have been kind of amusing.}
The first fifteen minutes of playing any game I usually just read the description, look at the screenshots, and kind of mentally prepare myself. If I’m about to play an action game I might listen to some pumping music or jump around like I’m gearing up for a fight. Yes, I realize this makes me a big dork but I don’t care, I get into my games! This was a family game, so I wasn’t really expecting much by action, so instead I kind of chilled out. I picked it because it has a Pegasus on the cover and I’m a sucker for Greek Mythology. Fine, wasn’t expecting much.
After about half an hour of playing I was ready to switch games and call this one a bust. The game tells you what you are doing. Constantly. It tells you that this is the Barn and that is where you take care of animals. It tells you that this is the Corral, and that is where you train your animals. Still, it doesn’t explain some of the more questionable aspects of the game. It doesn’t tell you how to increase your horses abilities. It doesn’t tell you what the POINT of buying items is, and it doesn’t tell you how to get items to make horse shoes. It stresses things that you could have figured out yourself and completely neglects things that needed to be explained. Bah.
About an hour in, I’d gotten over my initial annoyance and figured out some things. I was still rather annoyed by the process and I had no idea what the stupid timer to the left was for or what the weather changed, but whatever. I was playing with my Pegasus and my Unicorn and having a relatively good time. Even though it was monotonous and simple, I decided to give it another hour.
…
Two hours later I looked up and realized I was still playing this game. My husband came in and CHECKED on me. He was actually concerned. And he had a right to be. Now, I realize that a lot of casual games are built primarily to waste time, but my Goddess. Where did the time go?! I realized that I’d spent a disturbing amount of time repeating quests and grinding money, but I was happy. My horses were healthy and awesome and I kept pushing them to win races, find me items, and pull heavy objects.
Now, I don’t know if I would recommend this game. It was simple, annoying, and grindy, but…there was a certain magical charm about it. It WASN’T a GOOD game, but for what it is meant to be…it’s incredible. Does that make sense to you? Good, now we’re both confused.
Game: Secrets of the Magic Crystals | Developer: Artery Games
March 3, 2011
With the recent release of Killzone 3, which we have an upcoming review for, I thought it would be appropriate to go back and review the game that I personally consider to be the spirit of the franchise. Sure, Killzone started the whole thing on the Playstation 2, but that was one of those games that had a great thing going for it conceptually, but fumbled the ball in the actual implementation.
Killzone 2, however, fixed all the clunky controls and excessive grays of its predecessor, bringing in some starkly contrasting reds and blues to highlight important happenings on the battlefield. Essentially, Killzone 2 picks up the storyline after the original game ends. The ISA is attacking the planet Helghan in retaliation for the Helghast attack on the planet Vekta. The ISA aim to remove the Hitler-esque, but very charismatic dictator of Helghan, Scolar Visari. Honestly, even I was pretty impressed by Scolar Visari’s speeches in both the original game and Killzone 2. I would have fought for him before I would have fought for the ISA. But, that aside, the game follows you (Sergeant Sevchenko) and your squad through the campaign storyline with the aim of capturing Visari. The graphics, sound and overall ambience of this game at its release were unmatched, and I dare say they stand out fantastically well even now, years later.
 Killzone 2 Intro Movie It also had an awesome multiplayer experience, with some unique objectives and dynamic maps that easily put anything Modern Warfare ever spawned to artistic shame. The multiplayer experience involved two opposing squads of 8 players to battle in various different game modes, whether it was simply a slugfest, where the highest kill count wins, or capture-the-flag or king-of-the-hill style scenarios. It held attention, and it held it well.
Not only that, but the single player campaign ended on something of a cliffhanger. I won’t ruin it for you in case you haven’t played it, but it sets the stage perfectly for the introduction of Killzone 3 and the bigger, badder nemesis you are introduced to there. And, undoubtedly, who we will have the pleasure of fighting in the inevitable Killzone 4. And let me tell you, he’s a doozy of a villain…
|
|
| Gameplay: |  | | Technical: |  | | Multiplayer: | | |
Game Series: Killzone | Developer: http://www.guerrilla-games.com/
March 2, 2011
I got Magicka while I was sitting in a room full of people, bored out of my mind. It was one of those days. I started playing it and was immediately impressed, mostly by the cute graphics. They’re not too complicated, but they really get the job done. Besides that, I like the choices the developers made. They could have vied for the more dungeon-esque type art style, which would have worked just as beautifully for the gameplay, but instead they kept it simple and fun. It’s an easy thing to overlook if you’re just in the mood to play a game and not dissect it or anything, but I appreciate those little things.
Now, there isn’t a lot of complexity with Magicka. You have to remember some basic spells and use them in combination to get through various trials. Re-reading that sentence, it sounds rather boring, so let me be a little clearer. The game isn’t complicated, by way of use. The tutorial is fantastic, and anyone can play it. That’s why it makes such an ideal multiplayer. You can play it with a bunch of adult friends or you can play with others.
It’s one of the few games I’ve noticed lately that has a local co-op option, which just blows my mind. I won’t lie, just the fact that it has local co-op already gives it a fairly high number of points in my system, just because a lot of the bigger name companies are getting rid of this. This feature is why I got into games in the first place, when I was little it was the whole reason I even bothered to leave my cove of books and drawings. Local co-op is what games are all about for me.
Another thing that Magicka has going for it is the fact that it’s funny. It’s meant to be kind of a satire of the games we’ve been playing for years. Couple that with a story based on mythology, challenging fights, and interesting levels, and this is really the kind of game I want to have around when I’m sitting around with a bunch of friends.
I love this game. It’s got a good, solid premise and is executed wonderfully. The price just can’t be beat and it’s fun. Yes, damnit, I said fun. Hours of entertainment seems to be easy enough to come by these days, but fun? Fun is a marvel.
|
|
| Gameplay: |  | | Technical: |  | | Multiplayer: | | |
Game: Magicka| Developer: Arrowhead Game Studio
March 1, 2011
 I was really excited about playing Dungeons because of the promotional video. They really did it up and did it well. Naturally, I was hoping that the time and effort they seemed to put into the video would be well reflected in the game itself. I went in thinking that if it was even half as good as what they were promising me, I’d be absolutely set.
The basic premise of this game is to be on the other side of the gaming universe. Instead of playing a hero who is traveling through a dungeon and scooping up gold, you’re the demon guy who set up the dungeon and is trying to kill said hero. Only, it’s much more difficult to keep a dungeon in top running condition than you would have thought.
The opening for this game was beautiful. There’s no two ways about it. The rendering was lovely, the voice acting superb, and I love the little things, like the respect for the 4th wall. It really sucks you into the story and allows you to submerge yourself into game play, while still coming up with an easy to understand tutorial.
Now, I did say the tutorial was easy to understand, because it is, but don’t get me wrong. This is a fairly complex game and after two hours of playing I still hadn’t managed to get through the demo. It wasn’t monotony that dragged everything out, here. Instead it was the sheer wealth of “stuff” to do. If I wasn’t clearing walls, or chasing down heroes, I was protecting my dungeon heart, trying to figure out what everything did, and playing with spells. It’s one of those games where you can skate by without trying everything, but you really, really….really want to.
The game is a lot like civilization in the fact that you have to learn to balance everything you have with everything you need. You also need to manage your time well and keep an eye on all of the various points of entry to your dungeon. It’s not easy, trying to expand on one side of the  game while figuring out how you’re supposed to guard against heroes and other annoying trespassers, but it’s definitely a good kind of frustration.
Still, even with as much as I enjoyed the game, I didn’t buy it. I realize that the price tag isn’t all that steep for some games, but this is supposed to be an Indie game and I’m a bit wary of spending that much on one. Then again, it’s my understanding that these guys have quite a few popular games out, so maybe this tycoon-style game is a testament to all their glory. A good game, overall, and if I see a good sale I might pick it up.
Game: Dungeons | Developer: Realmforge Studios
February 27, 2011
 Now, I’m not too fond of action games. I don’t know why, exactly, it’s not like I have anything against them, it’s more that I can rarely get sucked into them. I know there are plenty of action games with fantastic stories but I can never find one that is balanced in just the right way for me to actually care about the characters and want to kick ass. This previous assumption was not only blown away by A.R.E.S. : Extinction Agenda, it made me want to go back over the games that I’d already played and see if I missed anything.
My first impression of the game was a rather stunned “Wow!” I wasn’t expecting to be so pumped up from the short opening but I really was. The music choice was incredible (which remains a constant throughout the game) and the art works well. It’s a clean kind of gritty that makes me happy to be blowing crap up.
 Now, in A.R.E.S., you’re playing as a special suited individual who is sent in to investigate the happenings of a ship that was taken over. There are hostages somewhere, an important Doctor in particular, that you have to save. Unfortunately, standing between you and the hostages are a number of rogue and dangerous machines. Your course of action? Blasting through them, naturally.
I was a little worried as I moved through the tutorial, as the instructions are written as much for an Xbox controller as a keyboard. I’ve found that when this is the case, there is sometimes something lacking in the keyboard version. Like they really want you to play it on the Xbox, but since you’re going to use a keyboard they kind of threw something together. That isn’t the case here, the keyboard instructions work just fine and the game runs smoothly without any weird finger stretches required.
 The game also allows you to upgrade your guns and suit. You do so with the bits and pieces of the robots you destroy on your way through the game. I thought this was interesting, especially because you can also use these bits and pieces to make healing packs, which…you know, I kind of needed quite often. I found myself really enjoying this game but I still have a bit of trouble remembering that fire is bad and I shouldn’t stand in it.
All in all, this game had me pumped. I was so freakin excited about shooting things that were shooting at me I literally ended up cheering by the time I killed the first boss. Well worth a look.
Game: A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda| Developer: Extend Studio
February 24, 2011
 I played Hacker Evolution for a few long, painful hours.
The game is a simulation of hacking. That’s pretty straight forward. I don’t think it was made to be easy, and it’s not. You have to remember a number of commands, which isn’t all that difficult, especially if you do what I did and just keep a list scribbled out on the desk next to you. Your mission is to stop some kind of global computer meltdown. I believe it’s a kind of Skynet problem, but honestly, even after the second hour I wasn’t really sure what I was doing. You hack into ATMs and the like in order to get money and upgrade your tech, which allows you to hack deeper without getting your Trace too high.
Now, I’m not a hacker. That much is obvious. Most days I can barely figure out how to install complex systems. It’s pretty sad, all in all, but I’m comfortable with my level of computer knowledge or lack there of. At the same time…I saw the Matrix. I thought Swordfish was an awesome movie, and so when I saw a game that promised to let me “learn” to be a hacker for a little bit, I was beyond excited. What I didn’t take into consideration was that hacking isn’t a game. It’s a skill that is developed slowly and carefully, one that is dangerous and not always rewarding. And that is exactly what this game is like.
Hacker Evolution looks good. It is a very pretty game, especially considering the fact that you’re staring at text for most of the time.  Still, the color options are harsh on the eyes. Again, this isn’t something I would have nitpicked on, but when the entire game is all about staring at the screen and trying to remember a bunch of codes, it’s a bit of a problem. The music audio in the game isn’t anything too ear-catching, but I suppose it’s not supposed to be. You need to focus in order to be a hacker, after all.
The game allows you to make your own levels. This is usually a good thing, and can really take a fantastic game and stretch all that hot, gooey goodness to the max. Unfortunately, if you have a lukewarm game play to begin with it just kind of…limps along.
This was a complex, interesting game but I wouldn’t recommend it, per say. It’s a good way to burn out a few hours, but it felt more like work and less like fun.
Game: Hacker Evolution | Developer: Exosyphen Studios
February 22, 2011
Don’t Be Nervous Talking to Girls….this game isn’t as old as the ones I wanted to review for this set but honestly I had to give it a try. I was not expecting it to be helpful when it comes to conversation but I was expecting it to be mildly funny and something that was worth the dollar to waste my time one. Honestly, I was looking for something closer to a dating sim. Yeah, I mean the kind they have in Japan but the U.S.A. is filled with too many prudes and rules to release here. Even so, I was a little disappointed by the lack of…sense making.
Now, before I go further, I think it is only fair to tell you what this game is not. I have seen people playing it and expecting it to be an actual “this is how you go about talking to girls” lesson. It is not like that, it is a video game first of all, and second of all, all girls are different. Sorry to break it to you, gentlemen, but the only way to learn to speak to us is to do it. You might strike out your first couple of times and no one likes rejection, but eventually you will get the swing of it. Just be yourself (yeah, I said that crap. It is cheesy but it is true. Any girl who wants a fake version of you is obviously not, what you want in the first place) and you will find girls that are right for your type of personality.
Going back to the game: it is also not a game about skill. Some of the time, you can go with an answer that is completely right. I mean, right for the typical girl. The obvious answer, the polite, respectful, sweet answer might get you bear maced in the face in this game. There is not any method to the madness that I can see; maybe the girl you are trying to pick up in this game is just flippin’ insane. That seems likely.
Lack of sense making and humor aside the game does have an interesting idea. In which when you give an answer a real girl will respond to it. I liked the little clips of response even if she decided to call the cops on me for little reason. The ultimate goal here is to get this girls number, though she is kind of a jerk so I cannot imagine why any person would work so hard to get to know her. The game is not just two option questions, either. You will have to memorize phone numbers (I suggest writing it down), do math questions, and apparently learn to read the mind of a psycho.
Overall, I think this game could have benefited from a writer. If it had one, I think it could have benefited from a female, not trying to be a comical writer. The game misses the mark on “funny” and just drops into “annoyingly random” quickly. The only thing it is getting an A for is effort.
Game: Don’t Be Nervous Talking to Girls | Developer: Silver Dollar Games 1
February 19, 2011
 Tommy Tonic was a rather cute game. It was one of those that kind of screamed Indie Game, all the while charming you subtly with its simplicity. It was not fantastic but on the same note, it was not horrible either. It is listed as a Family game and I am not sure how much I agree with that but it did have more positive points than negative ones, so I guess all in all it was a good time. At least I do not feel like I wasted my money.
To begin with, the theme song for Tommy Tonic is…well, cute. I do not want to overuse that word but I feel like that is exactly what I am going to do for this review. The song was cute, the art style was cute, even the darn dog you are supposed to be looking for is cute. It is a cute game and that earns it at least a few points in my book.
The game is a platformer, which I will be the first to admit is not really my usual choice. They are games that are primarily built on the laws of physics and I am a bit of a rager when I have to watch my character repeatedly fail to hit a ledge. At any rate, this game did not help that rage in the least bit.
 After a few minutes of rearranging my controls, I quickly found that Tommy Tonic is not terribly sensitive in the controls. I found myself subjected to a definitely slide factor and invisible moon boots. This would have been fine; I am more than willing to compromise with my buttons in order to stay on a ledge. However, when you add these problems to an overly responsive directional change it can get a little frustrating.
That complaint aside (I realize it is a rather big one, especially for this kind of game but go with me on this) this game was not terrible.  The voice acting was hit and miss but when it did hit it was rather well done. I enjoyed listening to Tommy and for the most part was not annoyed by the various quests and requests standing in between my lost puppy and me.
Lastly, the story is all right. Nothing fancy but nothing awful here. Overall, this game was just rather…”eh.” It was not bad, it was not good; it was just there. I got it while it was on sale for five bucks, which seemed about right. Granted, it is usually ten and I do not know how pleased I would have been if I had paid all that but as is I am not complaining. It is in my pile of “games I’ll consider playing if I’m really, really bored”…but I probably will not bother.
Game: Tommy Tronic | Developer: Oasis Games
February 16, 2011
 I am finding that more and more I like games that are built on the idea of rhythm. After Audio Surf, I have been looking into games that are not just tools for making your own music, but games that are run on that kind of idea. That you should be able to incorporate your own style and choices of music into your gaming experience. I am sure it is obvious why but I just feel like, though major companies are not picking it up yet, this is the next step in big games. It is a kind of customization that goes further than just picking what color hair or which set of features you want with your adventure. It is about adding something that is uniquely you to a pastime. That is why I was so excited when I found the rhythm game called BIT.TRIP Beat.
Now, while I believe that the aforementioned perk is important I also understand that in order to be a good game it has to stand on its own. That means that no matter how much rhythm you put into a game, if it sucks it sucks. Luckily, for me, BIT.TRIP Beat was just as fun in practice as it was in theory.
In case the title does not give it away, the game is another one of those throwback games. It incorporates a lot of the older game aspects and puts a modern twist on old ideas. I, Personally, am thrilled by most of these efforts and this game was no different. The Bit style of artwork is fun and encouraging. The game is classified as “casual” and “action” on Steam but I am going to go ahead and include “arcade” with my own review, just because it has that kind of classic feel to it.
The game is not just that, though. It is a bunch of pretty colors and fantastic sounds, but on top of that, it has more substance. It is filled with classic style boss battles. In addition, it has a few rather intense cut scenes, which I was not expecting at all when I picked this one up.
Overall, this is a game that goes above and beyond my expectations. It is sophisticated in a very laid-back kind of way, presenting itself as one thing and then wowing you with a completely different charm than you ever expected. It takes greatness and tacks onto it. This is a real crowd pleaser.
P.S. I just wanted to add that I didn’t realize that this company also does quite a few other games that I didn’t realize were…Indie. I’m not sure if this company still counts as an Indie developer with that kind of resume, but they’re worth checking out, still. Very impressive work.
Game: Bit. TRIP BEAT | Developer: Aksys Games
February 14, 2011
 This might be a strange title to review on this website because it is not really meant for adults. I mean, I played it for a while and I was generally impressed by the ingenuity of the game, but let us be honest here. It is a game that, from what I understand, is primarily purchased for children between five and eleven. Still, I am going to review it because it was fun. Do not judge me, review readers! The game was adorable and fun, like watching Blue’s Clues at three in the morning because I cannot sleep. Yes, I do realize after the first clue that Blue wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with her glass of milk but that does not mean it is not entertaining to watch Steve stumble around.
Anyhow, there are plenty of reasons that I liked this game. For the sole purpose of not seeming like a complete weirdo, I did play it with one of my friends children.  She is three, so I was afraid the game would go over her head but I am constantly amazed at how smart children are. The game itself is set up so simply and vibrantly that it is easy enough for a three year old not only to follow it, but also to enjoy it.
The coolest feature about this game is that you get to draw with it. For instance, you are asked to draw a house. Now, that seems simple enough, you sketch a quick house and voila! It is on your screen. Not only that but it is not just a copy and pasted version of what you have done. The characters in the game actually change to interact with your drawings. Therefore, if you draw a tiny car the character will shrink in order to fit into it. Isn’t that awesome?
 The game is not all fun and games, though (haha, see what I did there?!). It is also a great learning tool. After a few wonderful hours of playtime -which is a miracle in it of itself, since the only way you can usually get this little girl to sit down for an entire hour is to tape her to the chair. I watched in wide-eyed wonder as this girl slowly began to point out the right answers.
I suppose that ultimately this really is a children’s game. Still, I am going to call it a family game. It really is fun to watch the kids get a little brighter as they shout and point. This game makes drawing a joy.
Game: Itzabitza | Developer: Sabi Games
« Newer Posts — Older Posts »
 |
