Queen’s Quest: Tower of Darkness

Queen’s Quest: Tower of Darkness

Queen’s Quest: Tower of Darkness is a decent enough hidden object puzzle adventure starring a royal heiress on the trail of an evil sorcerer who kidnapped her infant daughter. The colorful and detailed artwork is certainly very eye-catching, but the animations could have used a bit more work. The story never really takes off either, but there are plenty of hidden object scenes and mini-games to sink your teeth into. While far from the best that the genre has to offer, Queen’s Quest has its heart in the right place and can still provide an entertaining experienced, provided you don’t expect too much from it.

Gameplay: The story and puzzles are a little lacking, but there are plenty of hidden object scenes and mini-games.

Graphics: Colorful and detailed, but the character animations are a little off.

Sound: Decent enough for the most part, but some of the voice overs could have been much better

Left in the Dark: No One on Board

Left in the Dark: No One on Board

Left In The Dark: No One On Board is yet another hidden object puzzle adventure with a supernatural storyline and some spooky locations to explore. Unfortunately, it faces some stiff competition and feels a bit lacking compared to other similar titles in terms of puzzles and hidden object scenes. It is certainly not a bad game, but being short and average definitely counts against it when there are so many other titles sharing the same genre. Only considering picking it up if you are a big fan of the genre or find it on sale at a great price.

Gameplay: The story failed to really grip us and feels a bit generic.

Graphics: Decent enough artwork, but not that really sets it apart from similar titles.

Sounds: The music is unmemorable and some of the dialog sounds very unconvincing

Imprint-X

Imprint-X

Imprint-X is a unique entry in the puzzle genre that not only requires memorization and pattern recognition, but some quick reflexes as well. The entire game is based around the concept of pushing buttons, although accomplishing this feat is a lot trickier than you might think. It is a game that leaves it up to you to figure out what is required to succeed, but sadly it is not quite as addictive as some of the best titles in the genre. Regardless, it is definitely different and well worth checking out considering its price tag.

Gameplay: The game starts off very easy, but later levels will thoroughly test your memorization and reflexes.

Graphics: The cut-scenes and art style probably won’t appeal to everyone, but the overall look of the game is quite nice.

Sound: The background music is great and never becomes annoying

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City

If you enjoyed GTA IV then you will love these two new episodes. It might have taken a while to reach the PC, but the wait was definitely worth it and together these two games represents excellent value for money. A must-buy for every Grand Theft Auto fan.

Gameplay: Same awesome new additions to an already great game.

Graphics: Needs a hefty PC, but is worth it.

Sound: Still one of the best soundtracks and voice acting in the business

Adam Wolfe

Adam Wolfe

Adam Wolfe is definitely one of the more varied and unique titles in the hidden object game genre. It features many detailed locations, an intriguing storyline, and interesting gameplay elements that set it apart from similar titles. If you enjoy a good mystery with supernatural elements and don’t mind a bit of action in your hidden object games, this one is highly recommended.

Gameplay: Good hidden object scenes as well as plenty of other puzzles.

Graphics: Lots of very detailed scenes, and the game looks very polished overall.

Sound: The voice acting is above average for the genre, while the atmospheric music is a big plus

An Assassin in Orlandes

An Assassin in Orlandes

Tin Man Games have done a great job porting over classic gamebook adventures, but this is their first attempt at bringing something brand new to the table. With its fantasy setting and interesting storyline, An Assassin In Orlandes definitely feels like it could have originated from the same era as gamebooks like The Forrest of Doom. However, it is a very enjoyable and gripping tale in its own right. The heavy reliance on dice throws and luck might annoy some players, but thanks to the “Casual” mode, this is an adventure that can be enjoyed by anyone.

Gameplay: The story is quite good, but prepare yourself for plenty of dice rolls to test your luck.
Graphics: Faithful to the look of the old gamebooks, but we would have liked to see more illustrations.

Sound: The audio remains fairly mellow and unobtrusive throughout your adventure

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek

Join a paranormal private investigator as she rushes to the aid of her friend, who runs into some trouble in the town of Serpent Creek. The Secrets of Serpent Creek is probably a little too short and easy for veteran players, but casual players or those new to the genre will still find plenty to like. It is not a groundbreaking title in any way, but the story is entertaining, and the cast of interesting characters makes it worth a second look.

Gameplay: Quite short and very, very easy, but still offers plenty of entertainment.

Graphics: The usual hand-painted scenes, but nothing really memorable.

Sound: The music is good, and the voice acting much better than what the genre typically has to offer

Starship Traveller

Starship Traveller

Starship Traveller offers a nice departure from the usual swords and sorcery settings that the gamebooks are known for. It is a science fiction tale that borrows heavily from Star Trek, but packs a lot of humor as well. Completing the story requires a lot of luck or trial and error, which might annoy some players. However, it remains entertaining and engaging throughout, even if the replay value is not as great as we would have liked. Still, you can’t really go wrong with its low asking price and it is worth it for the nostalgia factor alone.

Gameplay: Lots of reading along with the occasional choices and dice rolls.

Graphics: A couple of nice full color drawings add some flavor to the text.

Sound: Not many sound effects, but the music capture the mood nicely

Batman: Arkham City

Batman: Arkham City

Improving on a game that is rated so highly as Batman: Arkham Asylum could not have been easy, but Rocksteady Studios pulls it off with aplomb. If you are looking for the definitive Batman experience, then look no further than Arkham City. While not quite perfect, it comes close and sets a new standard for all licensed titles.

Gameplay: Improves on almost every aspect of the already great original.

Graphics: Shows that the Unreal Engine 3 can still deliver stunning visuals.

Sound: Excellent voice acting and a moody soundtrack

Alan Wake

Alan Wake

Five years in the making and still impressive, Alan Wake is one of the best exclusives on the system. The story is utterly compelling and the gameplay has just the right amount of action and tension to keep you hooked to the end. There’s a few minor issues here and there but overall this is a solid game that deserves to be played by all fans of the genre.

Gameplay: Tense flashlight and firearm battles with the Taken and some good story sections.

Graphics: Nicely done and really gives the impression of a large gameworld even if you are mostly restricted to a linear path.

Sound: Good sound effects and good voice acting