Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire
Gameplay 8
Graphics 8
Sound 7

Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire is a polished solitaire title with a vampire theme. While it doesn’t feature a gripping storyline or much in the way of gimmicks, it does have plenty of levels, a lot of obstacles to overcome and some nifty power-ups to help you out. Three difficulty levels mean that the game can be as easy or challenging as you want it to be and it even includes a bunch of mahjong levels for variation. This is definitely a great game for fans of the genre and one that can keep you busy for quite some time if you are a perfectionist.

Gameplay: Two hundred levels of solitaire fun along with 50 optional mahjong levels.

Graphics: If you like vampires, then you’ll love the visual style of the game.

Sound: Decent tunes, but they can become a little repetitive after a while

Summary 7.7 Great
Gameplay 0
Graphics 0
Sound 0
Summary rating from user's marks. You can set own marks for this article - just click on stars above and press "Accept".
Accept
Summary 0.0 Terrible

Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire

Developer: Suricate Software | Publisher: Grey Alien Games | Release Date: 2018 | Genre: Casual / Indie | Website: n/a | Purchase: Steam

It is a testament to the addictiveness of solitaire that despite a free version of it being included in virtually every modern release of Windows, it is still a popular choice amongst both developers and players. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though, as this card game has been going strong since the 18th century. Of course, since the market for solitaire games is a little crowded, it has resulted in plenty of original takes on the game. In most cases the rules remain the same, but everything is styled around a certain theme to provide the game with additional depth and charm. Grey Alien Games in particular have proven themselves to be quite adept at creating solitaire games that can suck you in and spit you out many hours later. In addition to their own highly acclaimed solitaire titles, such as Fairway Solitaire, Regency Solitaire and Shadowhand, they have also taken on publishing duties for Suricate Software, creators of Jewel Match Solitaire. However, where Jewel Match Solitaire was a fantastical journey across an ancient land to rebuild epic castles of old, Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire has a bit more bite.

Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire (JMTS from here on out) takes the series in a slightly more sinister direction thanks to its vampire theme. It still offers more than two hundred levels of solitaire, but this time your objective is to rebuild derelict castles. There are five of these castles and the parts that are required for their restoration can be purchased with the rubies you earn from completing levels. Playing through the levels also earns you gold, which can be used to purchase power-ups as well as upgrades from the in-game shop. However, don’t expect a game that veers quite as far into role playing territory as those created by Grey Alien Games, though. Instead, JMTS keeps things simple by sticking to solitaire and not incorporating elements like combat or statistics. It also doesn’t feature much in the way of a story either, so you’ll be playing purely for the satisfaction of completing levels and advancing across the map and not to discover the next plot twist.

For solitaire purist the only thing that will count is how the game plays and JMTS does not disappoint in this regard. It is a solid higher/lower solitaire game with three difficulty settings to choose from. You don’t even have to know how to play solitaire to enjoy this game as it features a tutorial to teach you the ropes. As is usual for the genre, things start out relatively straightforward, but eventually you will be dealing with a number of obstacles and challenges in your pursuit of a perfect three star run of the board.

Cards can be locked, chained, frozen and covered in vines, which can complicate things a bit. For example, you need to play frozen cards twice to clear them while locked cards require you to find a key. You will also want to clear as many cards as possible to create combos as these will multiply the coins that you earn. You can make life a little easier for yourself by using power-ups, such as shuffles, wild cards, or jokers. Other goodies in the shop range from a deck counter that shows you exactly how many cards are left in the stack, more cards added to our stack and even the ability to remove any selected card from the board.

Earning three gold stars on a level is not only very satisfying, but these stars also serve another purpose as they can be used to unlock the bonus mahjong levels that are included with the game. There are 50 of them in total and they not only add some variety to the game, but also come in handy on those occasions where you are stuck on the solitaire levels and need a break. Unlike the straight up vampire theme of the solitaire decks, the mahjong games feature a more Halloween-like theme with black cats, ghosts, skeletons, witches hats and voodoo dolls on the tiles. Although the mahjong bonus levels feature a timer you don’t have to worry about running out of time. This is because the timers are just for you to keep track of your own personal leaderboards, so you can play the mahjong levels at your own pace if you prefer.

Visually, JMTS is a polished looking game, although fans of vampires will obviously enjoy its theme the most. There are a number of styles to choose from for the backs and fronts of the cards, although only the face cards feature vampires. A nice touch about the backgrounds for the levels is the fact that they feature the castle that you are currently trying to rebuild. Therefore, you can actually see your castle taking shape as you progress through the levels and, as an added bonus, when you complete a castle you can then use the image for your Windows wallpaper if you want.

As befitting of a vampire themed game you’ll hear plenty of haunting tunes in the background while playing JMTS. Seeing as there are so many levels, the music can become a little repetitive after a while, but this is to be expected. The game does allow you to adjust the volume levels for the music, sound and ambient effects independently. The controls for JMTS is straightforward and everything felt responsive, so we don’t have any complaints. In total, it took us about 14 hours to complete every solitaire level in the game and earn all 24 Steam Achievements, but there were still plenty of mahjong levels left to tackle. So, if you are a fan of solitaire, then you definitely don’t have to worry about value for money with this title.

Overall, Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire is a solid entry in a crowded genre. The lack of story and RPG elements could disappoint some players who have come to expect it from the genre, but those who want to get straight to the solitaire will have a blast. The visuals are good, but whether you like it or not will depend largely on what you think about vampires. The different obstacles in the game keep things interesting and there is an abundance of levels to complete, so if you are a solitaire fan, then you really shouldn’t hesitate to add this title to your collection.

System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 7
  • Processor: 1GHz
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 64MB VRAM
  • DirectX: Version 7.0
  • Storage: 140 MB available space
  • Sound Card: Any

Related posts

Sakura Agent

Sakura Agent

Akira took the job working for a mysterious agency because it gave him the opportunity for free trips around the world and meeting women. However, despite his high success rate, he is on the verge of getting kicked out due to his antics. He has the opportunity to prove himself though when an influx of other-dimensional beings start making a nuisance of themselves. Sakura Agent is a typical Winged Cloud visual novel with plenty of scantily clad women, comical situations and a paper thin plot. If you are a fan of the genre and the developer you’ll enjoy the game, but everyone else will probably find it a little lacking. Gameplay: Humorous characters and situations, but the story isn’t exactly engaging. Graphics: Beautiful character designs, but far too few backgrounds. Sound: The music is unremarkable while the sound effects and voice acting are non existent.

9-nine-:Episode 3

9-nine-:Episode 3

9-Nine: Episode 3 continues to build on the events of the previous two games and once again features a combination of action, drama, comedy, and romance. Haruka Kosaka is the love interest for this episode and her story is every bit as intriguing as the previous heroines. Episode 3 also features some of the most dramatic and startling revelations so far in the series and should keep fans hooked right to the end. Gameplay: Episode 3 is very much a kinetic novel, but still interesting. Graphics: The art style and animations are still top-notch. Sound: Features a great soundtrack and great voice acting.

Crimsonland

Crimsonland

If you played Crimsonland before, the updated version is definitely a nostalgic blast from the past. It still has enough to offer new players as well with a multitude of modes, weapons, perks and achievements to keep things interesting. As long as you don't expect a deep plot or anything beyond killing every monster in sight you will have fun with Crimsonland. Gameplay: A simple, yet addictive top down shooter which is enhanced with some great perks. Graphics: Improved over the original version, but still pretty basic. Sound: Suits the game nicely, but doesn't really stand out.

Jets’n’Guns Gold

Jets'n'Guns Gold

Despite not being a new release Jets'n'Guns Gold is still able to go toe to toe with newer titles. The action is relentless and the sheer amount of enemies and levels is quite amazing considering the low price tag. This is not an easy game, but persevere and it will have you hooked for hours. Gameplay: Old school side scrolling shooter done right. Graphics: Colourful and chaotic. Sound: Energetic soundtrack with plenty of sound effects to back up the action.

Days Gone

Days Gone

Roam around a post-apocalyptic Oregon as Deacon St. John, an ex motorcycle club member trying to survive the aftermath of a virus outbreak that turned the population into violent zombie-like creatures. Deacon lost his wife during the outbreak and the game picks up two years later as he goes on a crusade against the Freakers, bandits, and everyone else who gets in his way. While Days Gone features most of the cliches found in other open-world titles its compelling story, nailbiting combat, and beautiful environments make it worth playing through. It is also filled with enough additional content to keep players coming back for more. Gameplay: With a large, beautiful map to explore and plenty of missions as well as sidequests there’s always something to do in Days Gone. Graphics: The game looks incredible on PC and is filled with a lot of detail as well as really good mocap performances. Sound: Sam Witwer steals the show as the voice of Deacon St. John, but the rest of the cast also delivers stellar performances and the rest of the audio lives up to expectations.

G-senjou no Maou – The Devil on G-String

G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on G-String

The story of G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on G-String is definitely the best part, but despite its age the game doesn’t disappoint when it comes to visuals and audio either. The adult scenes did not make the cut, but even without them the game is still one of the best in the genre. Players who enjoy intelligent and well written stories with plenty of twists and turns should not miss out on G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on G-String. Gameplay: This is a very long visual novel with wildly different routes and plenty of great characters. Graphics: It is a pity that the CGs had to be cropped for widescreen, but the game still looks great despite its age. Sound: The voice overs cost extra, but are worth the high price and the soundtrack is equally brilliant.

Leave a comment

seventeen − 1 =