syberia review

I just finished playing Syberia and I can honestly say it's been awhile since I've had the pleasure of playing through a game that was so enjoyable and challenging throughout! Syberia is a true classic point-and-click adventure game and I constantly found myself comparing it to what I consider the pinnacle of adventure gaming, the Gabriel Knight series.

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argh why can't i play video games for a living?

...Which is my way of saying "waaaaahh, I wish I had more time to play games and post on my bloooog" [/whine].

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heavy rain sounds effing awesome

Wow, this game is just looking cooler and cooler the more I read about it. Heavy Rain, by French game developer Quantic Dream, is due out later this month but has been generating buzz for quite awhile.

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hotel dusk: last window?

If you read this blog at all you know I love point-and-click adventure games more than any other genre. I'm always on the lookout for great games that I missed in the past as some of the best adventure games are older titles. Still, occasionally new games come out that make me jump for joy because of their commitment to preserving the wonderful tradition of point-and-click. One company whose game I have really taken a liking for is Cing, who developed Trace Memory and Hotel Dusk: Room 215 for the Nintendo DS. Imagine my surprise and thrill when my boyfriend clued me into to recent development news on a Hotel Dusk sequel! Apparently titled Last Window, the DS game is not strictly a sequel but does star my favorite video game anti-hero Kyle Hyde in a plot that occurs a year after the events of the original Hotel Dusk game. Last Window will also make reference to characters from the previous game. Gameplay elements will likely be very similar with a few changes including rumble-pak support. As a huge fan of the first Hotel Dusk game I will for sure be pre-ordering this one... whenever it gets a North American release date, anyway!

Last Window DS - New Details

silent hill: shattered memories

We recently signed up for GameFly (we're a little pissed at the crappy copy of Batman: Arkham Asylum we received as one of our first games, but that's another story/Xbox360 rant..) and one of our first selections to be mailed to us was Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Nintendo Wii. Made by (in my opinion) the always trustworthy Konami, I had heard that this game was a retelling of the original Silent Hill title but from the perspective of Cybil the cop. This is not really the case, although the game does deal with the original Silent Hill story. Lost and scared in what seems to be an abandoned town during a snowstorm, you are looking for your daughter and things are of course not what they seem. The controls are cool - you have a flashlight in one hand which serves as your camera control, and a cellphone that opens up menus for everything else. There is no real combat; there are sequences where everything goes dark (if you know Silent Hill you'll know what I mean) and bad things come out to get you and your only choice is to run run run! These parts are actually less enjoyable to me as the environments often start looking very monotone after running through four or five rooms like this, plus I personally play games like this one for the creepy plotline and story elements. Shattered Memories does provide a good deal of this in an eerie environment with great ambient scariness. There is an element of interview with a psychologist that is a weird but cool twist and can alter the progression your game takes apparently based on how you answer questions and respond to activities. Overall I'm really enjoying this new Silent Hill title and though I am ambiguous on how I feel about the removal of combat, I am glad to have more Silent Hill lore to whet my palate. Love it!

finally finished professor layton 2

I have to admit, I've been playing Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box almost exclusively since I got it and with 22 hours logged into the DS game, I finally reached the end! I did my best to play the game through completely and while I have not yet ventured back out into the game to find the last few things I didn't do, I feel pretty good about my efforts. I found and solved 136 of 138 puzzles, completed the camera and hamster mini games and the subsequent camera-photo hidden puzzle minigame, and unlocked three of the five Layton's Challenges options in the Bonus section. I thoroughly enjoyed the Diabolical Box and found it to be a fun and innovative followup to Professor Layton and the Curious Village. If I had to find one fault with the game I would agree with reviews I read that criticize the seemingly random use of voice acting - it isn't just in cutscenes but it isn't in every scene and sometimes it's like one character gets a voice actor and the one he's talking to doesn't... plus the voice acting was just a wee bit questionable what with every voice being obviously a Japanese actor behind it despite what the accent was supposed to be. Nevertheless, this game was totally awesome and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves challenging puzzle games and cute animation and music, whether you've played the first game or not. Two thumbs up for sure.

professor layton & the diabolical box

This is a great week for game releases, mostly because today is the ship date for one of the year's most anticipated DS titles, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box! The long-awaited followup to the runaway/sleeper hit of 2008 Professor Layton and the Curious Village is actually the second title in a trilogy chronicling the adventures of Layton and his young apprentice Luke. The series sells like crazy in Europe and the third one is already topping Japanese sales charts. The original title was one of the first games I played after getting my DS and it remains one of my favorites, and one of a select group of games that I actually repurchased after trading in initially. The game is full of challenging brain-teasers (some easy, and some insanely hard) and is set against a beautiful Euro-themed village setting. I have been replaying the first game to remind myself of its plot and have found it immensely enjoyable to see the lovely animation style and listen to the adorable atmospheric soundtrack again. I have already paid off my copy of Diabolical Box and plan to pick it up tomorrow after what will most likely be a very long day of working both jobs from 9 am to 10 pm. But at least with this release I have something to look forward to taking home once my shift's over!

just finished theresia

I finished playing through the 'Dear Emile' campaign of Theresia on the DS last night and man, what a great game! All I can say is I wish there were more M-for-mature DS games out there like this one. Theresia has a hauntingly beautiful ambience to it with appropriately creepy yet pretty music, beautiful animation, logical gameplay mechanics and a seriously dark and engaging plot. Beating 'Dear Emile' unlocks another campaign, 'Dear Martel', as well as a viewable diary that provides more information about the game's story. This game can get kind of slow-going and is definitely a challenge when it comes to puzzles and traps but it really is worth it for the beautifully told story of the tragic heroine and her life. Two thumbs up for sure!

unsolved crimes is okay

I am always mentioning my love of point-and-click mystery and adventure games and the fact that the Nintendo DS with its touch-screen controls and portability makes a great platform for such games that often require detailed exploration and investigation. I am usually on the lookout for any point-and-click game on the DS that might be worth trying. When it comes to Unsolved Crimes, I have to say it is probably worth trying but honestly it hasn't really gripped me yet. The gameplay is interesting and I can't think of many other games with a similar crime scene setup so if CSI-style games are your thing, Unsolved Crimes may be a good choice. I am willing to at least ride it out for the 7-day used game guarantee from GameStop (a beautiful thing). The most criticism I've read of this game prior to trying it is that it really lacks in graphics and is also a fairly short plot lasting less than 6 or 7 hours on average. Hey, even more reason to buy used games that you can return within a week...

30 adventure games worth playing

One of my favorite genres of games is the adventure game, which is generally characterized by an open environment you can explore, items to find, use and combine, puzzles to solve, and a deeper plot and character development than you get with most games these days. I personally prefer the point-and-click variety that don't demand real-time action or fighting but I've played quite a few adventure titles in my day and they definitely offer a more all-encompassing gaming experience than your average shooter or beat-em-up. This list doesn't include my all-time favorite adventure franchise, the Gabriel Knight series, but then again those are old. Still, this is a pretty comprehensive list of the adventure genre with a lot of great suggestions, some of which I have already tracked down and plan on trying out.

30 Adventure Games You Need to Play

eternal darkness is cool

We've been using our Wii more and more to enjoy classic GameCube games lately. Backwards compatibility is a wonderful thing. Thank you, Nintendo! Anyway we just picked up Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem the other day and it seems like a very cool, very promising adventure game. This one gets an awesome 9.6 on IGN's review and though I don't usually like adventure games that also make you fight stuff in real time, this one works it into the game in a well thought-out way that makes it less of a hindrance than I expected. You are constantly learning as you play and adapting to make better decisions, like how to kill guys and whatnot. There is an element of "insanity" that causes hallucinations and other weird things to happen if you don't manage it properly. The main character is a girl whose family history is the focus of the game's plot. You also get to play 12 different characters over thousands of years, and there are three intertwined plots that all need to be completed to view the ultimate ending. I'm looking forward to delving further into this GameCube game, which looks great on the Wii despite last generation graphics. Definitely one to check out if you like epic adventures or are a fan of the GameCube.

ds games to come in 2009

Now that the DSi has finally launched you can bet we will be seeing more and more titles coming out for the Nintendo DS/DSi in the coming year. Granted, there's a ton of crap coming out, much of it aimed at little girls (Girl Time? Imagine: Makeup Artist? Barf.) but still, there are quite a few titles that have already piqued my interest. Here are three of them:

Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy (ships 5/26/09). Sounds like another hopefully good point-and-click mystery adventure surrounding a murder most foul. The plot involves archaeology and a mummy and claims to have many challenging riddles and puzzles to solve.

Miami Law (ships 6/9/09). Another adventure game although this one is a little more action-y as well. IGN calls it somewhat Phoenix Wright-like in its graphic novel format which sounds like my cup of tea, plus it just looks kind of cool!

Flower Sun and Rain (ships 6/16/09). From Killer 7 and No More Heroes creator Suda51, this is actually a remake of a PS2 game. The plot follows the main character as he experiences the same day - and terrorist attack - over and over at a hotel and must figure out why. This one's getting a lot of hype and hopefully will incorporate some creative touch-screen functions into the game along with many new puzzles that have been added from the PS2 version.

Check out more Coming Soon DS titles here.

nancy drew on ds is meh

I am willing to try pretty much any game in the hunt for truly enjoyable adventure point-and-click titles, especially on the DS. Which is why I wanted to give Nancy Drew and the Deadly Secret of Olde World Park a fair shot. Despite having a 10-word title, there's really not much to this game. It's linear to a fault and you pretty much can't miss anything. The minigames are super easy and the controls are kinda lame in their minimal use of touch controls. Having to use the d-pad and the stylus doesn't work for me as a lefty so games that pull that automatically piss me off a little. Anyway, I'd recommend this for a young girl who loves Nancy Drew or anyone who needs a super easy introduction to adventure gaming.

finished trace memory part 2

What an awesome game. One of the DS's earliest, it's also one of the more innovative when it comes to puzzles and use of the DS's mic and stylus abilities. Once you beat it through the first time you have the opportunity to play through again and learn more about the history of the mysterious Edward family and their home on Blood Edward Island, and you get to find out exactly what happened to your little ghost friend to end his life prematurely. As with many point-and-click adventures, Trace Memory deals with deeper themes of loneliness, abandonment, and loss while still telling the story through the perspective of a 13-year old girl. If you've never tried it, check it out, it's cheap! Plus Ashley and D are both cute as a button, and Bill is Kyle Hyde with a blonde wig on.

two cool upcoming ds titles

I know I post all the time about having way too many games at the moment but of course that doesn't stop me from finding new video games coming out that I am psyched to try. Next week sees the release of two new Nintendo DS titles that I'm looking forward to picking up. First is Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars, originally a PC game, then a GBA game, and now a director's cut remake on the Wii and DS. Point-and-click adventure, of course, surrounding the mystery of the Knights Templar. Might have to try this one on the Wii as well. The other DS game I'm psyched for is Lux Pain, another adventure game about some creepy parasitic worm that infests people and makes them commit horrible atrocities. Also point-and-click, and promising worm autopsies with the stylus!

pc games really might be my thing

After a fun experience involving alphabetizing three shelves worth of PC games I have renewed my interest in the classic style of games that seem to only come out for PC, namely the point-and-click adventure genre. I try hard to find these games for the DS but lately am realizing I might just need to play some more PC games. I picked up Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches and it is very promising so far - creepy and all about the ambience with cool graphics and a compelling plotline thus far all about Welsh lore and Celtic spirits and stuff like that. One of the coolest parts about this game is that it as made by a three-person team, indie developer Arberth Studios.

interesting ds titles

I've been searching for the next DS game to really capture my attention and the most recent attempt was a game by Konami called Time Hollow. The game seems cool although it failed to really grab me so I'm not sure I will bother playing through. It's much less puzzle-based than Hotel Dusk or Trace Memory were, which is really what makes an adventure game great for me. Still, if you like point-and-click adventures this one might be for you. The animation is cool although it's much less my style than the other recent DS games I've enjoyed. Also, if you're a fan of Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir, then definitely check out Mystery P.I. and Cate West: The Vanishing Files, which are both very similar and use the same I-spy style of finding objects.

trace memory was great

After finishing Hotel Dusk: Room 215 I was concerned about finding a new game that I would like as much. Luckily, I made an excellent choice with Trace Memory, one of the DS's first games. Anyone who likes point-and-click adventure should try this one. It has beautiful animation and very cool innovative puzzles considering how old a game it is. Plus it goes for $9.99 which is like 1/6 of most games these days. Also, if you love the DS as much as I do you'll looove the nods to the system throughout the game, mainly characterized by the main character's DTS device that is basically an original DS. My only complaint is that this game is far too short and leaves you wanting more, although it does offer bonuses on the second playthrough that apparently round out the story a bit more, so at least I can give this one another go before having to search for my next DS adventure.

done with hotel dusk... sigh

I finally finished Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and it has left me with a serious yearning for another great point-and-click! To anyone out there who enjoys games with an unfolding mystery, a great sense of character and an interesting plot above all else, this game is a wonderful find. I seriously am on a hunt for another good one to spend my time on so any suggestions are welcome. Next in line for the DS is Trace Memory, which I’m hoping will turn out to be just as fun.

secret files: tunguska

Currently available for the PC, Secret Files: Tunguska is being released for the Wii and DS systems at the end of March of this year. This game looks like a throwback to the classic genre of point-and-click mystery adventure games that I love. The plot revolves around solving the mystery surrounding the Tunguska event in 1908 in the Tunguska region of Siberia, an unexplained explosion where massive flames engulfed everything and turned the area to debris and ash. I will definitely pick this one up for the DS or even for the Wii, depending on reviews once it comes out. Perhaps it will be another great Wii game we can look forward to in 2009!

IGN: Secret Files: Tunguska for PC