Drawn: The Painted Tower

For those of us who are fans of the games created and released by Big Fish Games Studios, today is something of a momentous occasion: the release of the much anticipated Drawn: The Painted Tower. The game is being made available to members of the Big Fish Game Club today and will be available to members of the general public starting tomorrow.

I've just finished playing the one hour trial, and I wanted to publish my initial impressions right away. Thirty minutes into the gameplay, I knew I'd be adding this one to my own collection. Big Fish has this game listed in their Adventure Games section, and while it certainly does fall into that genre, it is also full of creative and inspired puzzles that do much to advance the narrative as well. The storyline itself is highly engaging. The gorgeous artwork which creates the in-game world makes for an immersive experience. The voice acting is well above the norm. You won't find any of the flatness of tone or histrionic melodrama that have marred several otherwise decent past titles within this particular genre.

I'm also thoroughly impressed by the time and effort that were expended in creating a tiered system of hints. By allowing players to decide exactly how much help they wish to request, this makes Drawn: The Painted Tower accessible and enjoyable for all the varied types of gamers: from those who are looking for an extreme challenge to those who play with less intensity and are more in search of relaxation.

In all, it's obvious that the people who created this game put much thought and devotion into it. This is not some title that was thrown together quickly to capitalize on a fad and make a quick buck (Any fan of hidden object games knows exactly what I'm talking about). Give the one hour free trial a chance and you will see that much care was invested to create this high quality, beautiful, intelligent, and above all engaging game. You'll find yourself Drawn into this game (pun intended). :)

Big Fish Games Research

Looks like Big Fish Games is soliciting feedback from people who are fans of casual gaming (i.e. games played on your PC as opposed to a console). They're offering incentives of free game coupons, Amazon e-cards, or cash to those who apply and are chosen to participate. Personally, I intend to apply because, as a huge fan of casual gaming, I like the idea that someone in the industry might actually take an interest in what I have to say on the subject. I like the idea of having some influence (no matter how small) on the future of where computer gaming is headed.

If this sounds interesting to you as well, head here for a little more info and the opportunity to sign up.

Okay, Here's the Deal...

I love casual games. I really do. I love them so much that at last count I owned over 200 downloadable casual games.

I also enjoy writing about games, suggesting them to friends and giving my opinions on them.

But here's the thing...I love playing them more than I love writing about them. And that, my friends, explains the pathetic state of this blog. For me, writing about games is work...and not as fun and easy as playing them....and it doesn't help to know that no one out there reads my posts anyways.

In theory, I love the concept of this blog, but in practice...I haven't made up my mind just yet.

Human Age

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time on a site called Human Age. The object of this game sounds fairly simple. You start off as a cave person, and work your way towards evolving. I'll write a more in-depth review of the game once I've been on the site a bit longer. For now though, I'm really enjoying the game. It doesn't take much time to play either, since you can accomplish all the daily tasks on the site in about five minutes or less each day. If you'd like to check it out, you'll find the game by clicking the banner below.

Virtual human development game



www.human-age.com

Fairy Godmother Tycoon

Fairy Godmother Tycoon is by far one of the most enjoyable tycoon-type games I've ever played, and, as an added bonus, it's a game with a wicked sense of humor.

Gameplay takes place in the land of Onceuponia, where you become the assistant to...the Godmother. If you thought fairy godmothers were all about granting wishes and making dreams come true, think again. As the Godmother says, she only does that stuff for the good PR. In reality, it's all about profits.

Onceuponia may be a fairy tale land, but it's not a place I'd want to live. Villagers are routinely afflicted with curses that do everything from giving them a broken heart to setting them afire. That's where you come into the game. The Godmother is in the potions business, and it seems that others have been encroaching on her territory. Your job is to take over her shops one by one, and, in most cases, put the competition out of business. The different levels in this game consist of a series of villages with names like Shoe Haven and Three Piggyton.

Your game begins in the aptly named Tutorialville. As you're just learning the business, you won't have any competition here, and the Godmother's trusted assistant, Paulie Sugarplums, will be there to help show you the ropes. Each day the news report will give you the "curse forecast", giving you an idea of what kinds of potions the villagers will be buying. You'll use this information to determine your ingredients and the quantity you'll want to buy. Tutorialville is where you'll learn the basics about advertising, setting your prices, and hiring "goons" to help send customers your way. As you earn more "beans" (the currency of Onceuponia) and begin to show a profit, you'll be able to reinvest some of your earnings in upgrades for your shop, storage, employees, and performers to keep your customers entertained while they wait. And, since you are a fairy yourself and have magical powers, you'll also be able to purchase spells that allow you to do things such as read peasants' minds.

Along the way you'll encounter little side vignettes which will involve anything from giving building advice to the Three Little Pigs to solving a dispute between Little Miss Muffett and a biker named Spider.

Fairy Godmother Tycoon's sense of humor is what sets the game apart from others of its kind. It's one you'll want to keep playing just to see what they come up with next.

Nanny Mania

I've been waiting two weeks for the release of this game, and it's finally here! In Nanny Mania, you are the new nanny for the mayor's family, and it's your job to keep on top of household chores.

When the game begins, you cook and clean for the mayor, his wife, and their newborn baby girl. When a task needs doing, an item will become highlighted (you'll see a yellow outline around it). To perform the task, you click on the item. Sound pretty easy? It is for the first few rounds. As the game progresses, however, things get more difficult. The baby becomes a toddler who is capable of creating even more messes and undoing cleanup you've already done. Dad decides to go golfing and tracks mud into the house. Mom decides to take a relaxing bath, leaving you to clean the bathtub. As in real life, the family grows and the children get older. Soon, you find that you're caring for a toddler and a newborn while still performing the usual household duties. Eventually, with the progression of the game through higher and higher levels, you'll be taking care of Mom, Dad, and their four children.

The trick to this game is to find a strategy for staying on top of all the chores and getting them done before a member of the family creates a new mess. Personally, I like to start by gathering all the laundry first so it can be washing and drying while I perform other tasks. You just have to find something that works for you and get into the routine of it.

Nanny Mania is a hugely addictive simulation/strategy game with a good replayability factor. No two rounds are ever exactly the same, and it's fun to see if you can finish all your chores within the "perfect" time limit. I played a beta test version of this game two weeks before its release date, and I could hardly wait for the full version to be released. Well, now it's here, and it was definitely worth the wait! Who would have ever thought that housework could be this much fun?

Let's Try This Again...

When I created this blog, I had all sort of things in mind for it, but somehow it kind of fell by the wayside. I was waiting for a couple of my favorite gaming sites to add features that I would be able to use along with my site. It took them a little longer than I thought it would, and, with the way life moves on, this took a backseat to other things. I never forgot about it though. It's been there in the back of my mind with the label "someday" on it. Well, I decided that today should finally be that "someday".

I hope you'll enjoy reading it, and I hope you'll find interesting information here. I hope you'll visit often. See you soon!

Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst

Woohoo! It's finally been released, and yes, it was worth the wait. If you enjoy the Mystery Case Files series of games, don't miss the latest installation, MCF: Ravenhearst. It's the best one yet.

Ravenhearst has a storyline that will keep you fascinated. Not only does it contain the usual search for items, but this time around, there are incredibly creative puzzles to be solved.

Click the link below for a free one hour trial of the game. I guarantee you'll want to keep playing for much longer (First time I played it, I played for 14 straight hours!), so you'll just have to buy it.

2 FREE Games!

Just sign up for your very own, free personal Game Space on Big Fish Games, and choose TWO games for free!

To get an idea of what your free Game Space can look like, check mine out by clicking here.

Birth of a Game Geekette

If you had told me a couple years ago that I'd be playing a lot of games on my PC within six short months, I would have laughed. Had you told me that six months after that, I'd be so involved with PC games as to actually be considered a gamer, I flat out wouldn't have believed you. After all, gamers are kids, not women in their forties!

Oh, it started off innocently enough. Some online Zuma in that itty-bitty pop-up window. A few rounds of Cubis in the instant messenger window while talking with a friend. Nothing much. I was just experimenting. As I recall, it was the Zuma that started my addiction. Every few levels, that pop-up window version kept encouraging me to download the FULL version of the game. "Click below to download Zuma Deluxe! Your game will not be interrupted." Seemed easy enough. It wasn't even going to interrupt my game! And it's a FREE trial. Oh, I was so innocent. I really had no idea what it would lead to...game site memberships...obsessive checking for new releases...a virtual arcade on my PC...a gaming blog.

Once I downloaded that first, full-size version of a game, I was hooked. I opened that download of Zuma and was completely blown away by the graphics. I had never seen anything like it. Up to that point all the games I'd played were online and in pop-up windows. Nothing like this big, gorgeous window full of amazing, colorful graphics...the music...the sound effects! I remember being so surprised and delighted that I actually sat there and giggled. Who knew such things were possible?

These days, I love to play games, discover new games and talk about games...and I love to share what I've found. So, welcome to my game blog! I hope you find it informative. I hope it leads you to new games you might not have otherwise found, and above all, I hope you enjoy it!