Brain Teaser Games | Casualicious

Hamlet Review

Posted by Ruff on May 10th, 2010

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Hamlet It wouldn’t get any funnier than some random hero saving the day, especially when that random hero came from the future in order to, well, do adventure in the past. That’s the theme of Hamlet, a game coming from Alawar and mif2000. And if you still think this is just some boring game adaptation of a famous Shakespearean novel, then think again.

Hamlet the book is a famous tragedy novel about a prince and his quest to exact revenge against his uncle Cladius. Hamlet the game however, is about an alien-like man-from-the-future which caused quite a disturbance in fictional past, and now tries to make it all better again. The same characters are present in the game: Hamlet, Ophelia, Cladius, and other villains, but the thing is, they are not like the characters you might have known them to be in the book. So yeah, let’s just talk about the game from now on.

The game is a brain-teaser puzzle, which I must say, does great in its job to keep me focusing all of my remaining IQ in solving every level. The first two or three levels will test you out, but after that, it just goes weirder and weirder as you must figure out level solutions with minimal or no clues at all. And if you think you’ve had it made when the little round “?” button lights up, think again because all it will give you is another hint – a key to solving the level, but still a hint that you need more brain cells to figure out.

Hamlet If that last paragraph comes out negative, my bad. All the challenges are good. Great in fact since I can’t recall the last time that I came face to face with a game that I enjoyed playing even though I’m barely moving through the levels. Although, a good step by step walkthrough will definitely ruin it, Hamlet still offers enjoyment to those people not habitually Googling themselves out of every brain-teaser game.

As for the storyline, all I can say is that it’s pointless, and its pointlessness makes it very funny. The story drives away from the book and that’s a good thing. The game features a damsel-in-distress kind of adventure wherein villains die in ridiculous ways during boss battles. And don’t let that villain life bar fool you. Consider boss battles as regular levels. Do what it takes to complete the puzzle, and you’ll see that life bar whither away. Just as pointless and fun as the story is.

Hamlet does great with its overall presentation and style. The game presents simple cartoon-like characters that suits the funny plot very well. You might complain that the hero of the story doesn’t really do anything than just stand on a corner, but well, I guess that’s part of the overall weirdness of the whole adventure. Besides, anything you do won’t kill him, so I guess standing on a corner doing nothing works in his favor.

As for gameplay, sometimes there are levels that requires you to click fast and these levels are a real pain. Try to click through fast moving and sometimes random dots and you’ll wish for the day they can develop some auto-random-dot-tracking mouse for your PC. A wrong click may also mean you’ll have to restart again, so it’s kinda frustrating in many ways.

Finishing Hamlet is rewarding but there’s this feeling that it needs more levels. Maybe because I enjoyed the game too much and find that enjoyment ended prematurely after spending more than a week playing and finishing the game. Maybe the game is really lacking. Well, as for the final say in maybes, I’ll leave that one up to you.

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Strimko

Posted by Ruff on March 7th, 2010

(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Strimko is a puzzle game that you might be able to recognize being derived from the popular past-time game Sudoku. It has numbers, a gridded board, and follows a basic rule that no number should be repeated based on a specific formation. Now, before anyone says “rip-off”, it should be mentioned that Strimko is a unique puzzle game all on its own. And as we explore it more, I bet you’ll know what I’m talking about here.

Like all modern casual games, Strimko also has a backdrop story to give the audience the impression of progression after racking their brains out in solving the puzzles. You play to aid the Princess Luana as she tries to save her planet from famine and drought. An object called the Astrolable will make the planet prosperous again; but before anything else, you have to find the Astrolable’s amulets, locked away in chests guarded by puzzles.

This will then bring us to the gameplay.

Strimko plays very much like Sudoku, so I guess Sudoku fans will appreciate the familiarity and added twists to Strimko’s gameplay. All numbers on each row should not repeat; this is the same for all numbers on each column. But what sets Strimko apart is the stream that connects some of the cells in the board. Not only are you going to follow the aforementioned rule, but also to make sure that all numbers on a stream won’t be repeating as well.

Strimko It is very ingenious actually, since the introduction of streams will open up a lot of opportunities for the player and puzzle-maker alike. For instance, it can serve as an additional clue, giving you faster means of solving the puzzles. All the same, it can also act as a whole new level of challenge, since confusion will play a major role when tackling most of the harder puzzles.

As a matter of fact, Strimko also introduces 4 different game types to choose from during adventure mode or through quick classic play in the archives. There’s the Zen puzzles, which is Strimko classic gameplay; Pave puzzles, which is basically the same as Zen but with a jigsaw puzzle mix; Fit puzzles, which will supply you with complete streams instead of usual numbers, and your task is to fit them streams correctly on the board; and Tri puzzles, which are twisted Zen puzzles with, well, a twist you have to find out for yourself.

All in all, it’s not just same Sudoku style gameplay you’re getting, but a lot more to keep you fascinated and grinding away through puzzles. Gameplay is simple and very easy to master. As you go through the levels and get more confused, you’ll even begin to make up your own techniques in order to leisurely finish each level.

One thing the game lacks is good sound. The graphics and environments are simple enough – that’s understandable; but without good accompanying sound, the game gets the feeling of being too bland. Graphics alone is not that flashy too, so it really won’t carry that missing element from the whole of the game.

Strimko also employs a replenishing hint system that will instantly answer a part of the board for you during each trigger. Since levels are not timed, it’s possible to finish a level without even thinking too hard on solutions. It’s a longshot but that’s not impossible for those who have really large chucks of time in their hands to waste.

Anyway though, I still loved the new twist in Sudoku-like puzzling that Strimko introduces in this game. It’s fun, it’s addictive and it’s challenging. Really recommended for puzzle gamers to get their hands wet on.

Strimko Download

Happier Than You

Posted by Ruff on May 16th, 2009

(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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You can’t satisfy all people. This is probably one of the hardest facts of life. Unless of course if you’re playing Happier Than You, an innovative puzzle game made by independent game developer Christian Ibarra. That’s because in this unique brain twister, you’re primary goal is to satisfy all the people you come across. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside doesn’t it?

Anyway, at the first opening of the game, you’ll be greeted by a window asking you to take the Good Person test. This test is actually a bonus lesson inside the game wherein you’re tested on whether or not you follow some of the religious teachings of the Bible. Yes, you heard that right; this is actually a Christian test of beliefs. It’s not really part of the actual game though, so for those people having different beliefs to follow, just skip this part to go to the actual puzzle game.

Well, if you ask me, it’s kind of inappropriate for a game target to major audiences to include such a test. But if you just look at it as a bonus, I guess it’s pretty ok. Considering I’m also Christian, this is just an unbiased opinion about this particular feature.

In starting the actual puzzle of Happier Than You, you get to choose on how many people, pieces and envy you would like to play with on your current level. The more of these elements, the challenging the level would be. It’s really advisable to max them all up to attain more points, since more points mean faster attainment of a higher category, and a higher category means a higher placement at the top score list.

Moving on, the objective of each level is for you to make all people attain maximum happiness points. You do this by making inventions containing pieces they need to be happy. Needed pieces are shown at the right side of each person, and through the market, you buy pieces to create inventions and distribute them to the masses.

Happier Than You also has other side objectives aside from being a good inventor for the people. You can also earn points for becoming a good merchant or a good diplomat depending on how you perform on the level. Merchants earn money by buying low and selling high to the market for more profit, while diplomats satisfy people without causing a lot of envy between them. Achieving these statuses will earn more points, just like if you finish a level fast enough to earn time bonuses.

Envy is the primary challenge of the game since you’ll have to contend with more and more of it as you progress through the levels. People become envy against other people if the latter gets more happiness than them. This way, you’ll have to plan all your inventions before you distribute them, or else, lose happiness rather than gaining them during play.

Other than categories, you can also gain bronze, silver or gold trophies by achieving set number of points. Trophies determine when you will get a key to unlock more people, pieces or envy to play with on the later levels. Just some of the ways Happier Than You makes the player keep going on playing as it introduces more elements into the game.

As for presentation, expect no breathtaking visuals or outstanding effects like other high-budgeted casual games. Even so, the game still managed to include a variety of classical music that blends well with its relaxed theme. Other than this, the game is pretty addictive too, coming from its unique and very innovative gameplay.

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Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child

Posted by Ruff on April 26th, 2009

(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Faye is back once again in another hidden object adventure as we get to review today the sequel to one of Playfirst’s most successful series, Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child. As always, you get to immerse yourself in a stunning magical world filled with wonder and amazement in this installment. And of course, pit yourself in a whole new array of brain teasers along the way.

The story of the game starts with a woman called Brenna having the same recurring dream of her supposed to be husband and daughter. In the dream, her daughter was kidnapped and what follows next after her wake is a message from the same man who she remembers as her husband in her dream. Soon on the beginning parts of the game, she regains her memory of her husband and daughter. She now knows her real name as Faye and what follows next is a magical adventure to recover her daughter, Lyra from the clutches of the Fairy Queen of Dreams, Lilith.

Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child is set to follow the success of the previous Dream Chronicles games, which means that it also revolves around the same addictive gameplay. While it’s considered as a hidden object game, you won’t be shown any list to find in the scenes. All you have to do is to solve the situations as they come, by finding tools, interact them with the scenes and continue on your long journey ahead.

Of course, in the tradition of Dream Chronicles, you’ll still be amazed at how much work is put into the presentation of the game. All of the scenes are beautiful and the fantasy behind the game stands out very well on the realistic nature of the graphics. In a word, the presentation is just plain awesome, showing how Dream Chronicles is taken very seriously by its developers.

In terms of gameplay, I won’t even begin to show any dismay. All clicking functions are responsive and small objects still stand out without sacrificing challenge on finding them. Of course, there are still some partially hidden objects behind the scenes but I guess that’s prevalent on hidden object games anyway.

There is no time limit in Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child and there’s also no penalty for miss-clicks. However, this is offset by the limited hint system through a crystal ball located at the lower left of the screen. Your husband in the ball won’t show you object locations, but will almost always just remind you of what you need to do next. Either that or a polite explanation that he doesn’t even know what to say to you.

While there’s challenge in hidden object finding and interacting, Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child definitely shines more on the puzzle aspect of the game. I know there’s no less to expect coming from this series, but it’s still worth mentioning the innovative brain teasers you’ll encounter throughout the course of your adventure. There are puzzles I’ve never seen before on other games of this type, and the game explains the objective of each puzzle too, and not just some random mini-game pop-up.

All in all, the game is really a good blend of fun, challenge and addiction. It even introduces a brand new way of backtracking through the previous levels by the use of the Nexus Gateway. New levels can be unlocked on the gateway by finding and using Dream Jewels you can collect or forge throughout your adventure, therefore adding a new element of challenge in the whole gameplay.

Being a well-known brain teaser, it’s easy to get stuck on levels without much help coming from the limited hint system. Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child really needs a great deal of analytical thinking to play, therefore making it easier to play the game with friends if you need help in the in-game situations. Of course, you can always challenge yourself by playing solo, making it a rewarding experience as you finish each stage of the game.

In conclusion, you just have to try this game out and buy it if you have a chance. It’s a great addition to your casual gaming library and I recommend it very much as a perfect accompaniment during your free gaming time.

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Between the Worlds

Posted by Ruff on April 19th, 2009

(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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From what I observed on countless hidden object games I’ve played in the past, they are mostly classified on whether they tackle fantasy themes or detective work as a plot for the adventure. Between the Worlds is different since while at first hand, you’re off tackling sleuthing cases to solve crimes, on the other, your task is to stop an evil sorcerer from conquering the whole of Los Angeles City. Sounds confusing? Well, let’s talk about the plotline then.

In the game, you play as a brilliant detective asked by the Los Angeles county sheriff to help in his current predicament. The whole of the city is in total chaos as crimes are being committed everywhere. The reason behind the crimes is an evil sorcerer whose aim is to take control of the whole city by magically controlling the minds of would-be criminals. And as the main man of the force, you’ll have to both save the city from crime and when the opportunity strikes, get back to the evil sorcerer until he leaves the people in one piece.

Between the Worlds features a traditional hidden object gameplay. Objects are listed on either the left or right side of the scene and all you have to do is to find all of the objects for you to move on to the next level. Evidences are random, thus explaining the unrealistic clutter of all the scenes in the game. Be prepared of all the uncommon ways of hiding objects too – silhouettes, embedded objects on straight edges, pixel finding, etc. You name it, and probably you’ll encounter it in this game.

Some of the scenes also have objects you can open to reveal parts of a broken amulet to be used against the evil sorcerer. The secret counter shows how many of these parts you’ll need to find in the current scene. This adds a bit of a challenge to the usual hidden object gameplay. Good thing that all the levels are not timed and there are no penalties for miss-clicks, therefore enabling you to spam clicks if you’re a bit frustrated in finding objects.

Another downside with Between the Worlds is how some of the hidden objects sometimes run on the edges of the scenes, making them near impossible to find. Most of the time, there are also multiple instances of a single object on a scene, but the game wants you to pick only one of them. For example, the game looks for a bird, but there’re at least five birds in the scene and you’ll have to click on each one of them to pinpoint what you’re actually looking for.

With all that negative review said, the game also has its beauty which is even enough to make you enjoy playing and eventually buy the unrestricted version. With this, I’m talking about the mini-games involved when you’re up face to face against the sorcerer in a battle of wits. There are nine wizard traps included in the game, which roughly translates to nine brainteaser mini-games you’ll look forward to as you go through the levels. There are also three bonus levels, including an action game where you shoot the sorcerer with a magic-spewing wand.

Between the Worlds is presented fairly well visually and I loved the music incorporated in the game. All of the mini-games are very addictive and will definitely challenge you especially on later levels where you won’t even be given a single clue on how to solve the problem. And with all the 32 item-finding levels, you’ll be sure that you get your money’s worth if you decide to purchase the game.

I say it’s definitely worth the try and can be great fun if you don’t mind all that pixel-finding gameplay.

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