Holly - A Christmas Tale

Holly, A Christmas Tale

Prepare for a journey of wonder in Holly: A Christmas Tale! Bright, colorful and bursting with holiday magic, A Christmas Tale tells the story of Holly, a young woman who nods off on Christmas Eve and dreams about helping Santa Claus deliver toys to children around the world. But is she really asleep? And what about the magic wand she's using? Does it hint at a greater destiny for Holly?

You'll discover the answers as you play this season's best hidden object game! A Christmas Tale will put you in the holiday spirit as you scour over 25 beautifully drawn Yuletide scenes looking for the objects Santa needs. And you won't get bored, either, as there's more twists to the gameplay than spirals on a candy cane. Can you pick out just the toys on a shelf crammed with merchandise? Or spot the differences between two seemingly identical pictures? Download this new holiday classic today!

I found this game to be very charming, though perhaps aimed at a younger crowd. The Christmas theme is great, as I love holiday games and the graphics are lovely! The game play was rather easy, though a bit tricky as the clues weren't always very clear. Click the images above for a larger view.

The game offers more than 25 levels to beat with over 1,000 different objects to find - and they're all new objects! I didn't recognize them from any of the other HOGs, lol. There are a variety of ways to find the objects as well, adding to the ease of the game.

Although HOGs aren't my favorite genre of game, I did enjoy the holiday theme of this one and will continue to play it throughout the season.

I give this game a 7 out of 10!

To download a free demo of the game, click here to visit Alawar.com!

You can also purchase the game directly, right here! ($19.95)

Purchasing the full version also gives you the entire story, unlimited game time, free upgrades to newer versions and full tech support from the developer, of course. :)

Newly Released at PlayFirst

I'm behind! I took some time off this week for the holiday, but I've fallen behind in the daily releases. Here are the games released at PlayFirst this week! Give them a try! :) Click the images to download a free demo or to purchase the games.

Heroes of Hellas

Travel through Ancient Greece and take back the scepter of Zeus! Click and drag your mouse across objects on the game board to create chains of 3 or more identical items. When the going gets tough, draw from the powers of 7 mythical heroes and use special bonuses. Explore the history behind nine classic mythologies as you progress in this visually stunning and challenging game!

Neptune's Secret

Help a young archaeologist uncover the secret of a lost kingdom and discover the truth about herself. Abandoned as a newborn with only a mysterious amulet, Hannah became an archaeologist specializing in ancient artifacts and symbols. Dive deep beneath the waves to the lost city of Atlantis and join Hannah on her search for the true story of Neptune's demise and the mystical secrets of her own lineage and the power of her amulet.

Fashion Fits

Help Francie run a fast-paced clothing store by stocking tables, cleaning fitting rooms, providing customer service, and more! Set the fashion trends by purchasing new styles to sell. Once you complete the first year at Uber-Mart, help Francie open up her own line of clothing stores - from a sunny beach boutique to a posh department store! Be a trendsetter now!

Abra Academy - Returning Cast

Unknown creatures have broken into the campus and are wreaking havoc. The children are frightened and the school is in total disorder. It's up to Wanda and her friends to put a stop to the attacks. Return to Abra Academy with new levels to conquer, hundreds of objects to hunt and a crystal ball to help you!

Hidden Relics

Today's release at PlayFirst, Hidden Relics is an adventurous hidden object game. Lots of mini games and different levels stave off the boredom nicely and at some points, the game presents quite a challenge!

The Professor calls upon her star student Adrianna to help her with some antiques but they get stolen from right under Adrianna! Help Adrianna recover the stolen articles throughout Europe, all while evading the evil thief. Along the way, earn gadgets from Mr. Gadget by solving fun puzzles. Use the gadgets to uncover valuable, secret artifacts. The search is on!

The graphics are very well done and I enjoyed the overall theme of the game. For fans of the hidden object genre, this game will probably fall somewhere in between the MCF series and the Mysteryville series.

Download a free demo or purchase Hidden Relics here!

Stuck? Need some hints? Visit the Game Cafe forum!

I give this game a 7 out of 10!

Mystery Case Files - Madame Fate

The latest game in the Mystery Case Files series has finally been released! This long-awaited sequel definitely lives up to the hype and eager anticipation of MCF fans!

Madame Fate runs a small carnival and she has foreseen her own death! You must gather clues to unravel the mystery before midnight! Do you have what it takes to save Madame Fate from her... erm.. fate? lol

The graphics are stunning and the game is very well done. MCF Ravenhearst is hard to top, but they have managed to do it with this new game!

I found Madame Fate more challenging than the other MCF games. The objects are a bit harder to find and the puzzles in between levels aren't all that simple!

A strategy guide is also available from Big Fish Games. You can get it HERE.



New twists within the normal levels make the game much more engaging. For example (possible spoiler!), one object I had to find was called "head over heels". That can be interpreted several different ways and I spent a great deal of time looking for a picture of someone upsidedown, but no, that wasn't it! There was a picture of some high heel shoes that I was able to pick up and place over a picture of a head.. very cute, lol. There are also objects within each level that change their shape or image slightly. You have to find them and collect them to unlock something else later in the game!

The game is full of little tricks and teases like that, which adds a wonderful layer of logic puzzle solving to the mix. The storyline is much improved over the earlier MCF games as well including lengthy cut scenes which I found entertaining and informative!


To download the free trial or purchase this game, click HERE.

For the strategy guide, click the image below:

For more information or to discuss hints, tips and tricks, join the Game Cafe forum HERE!

I give this game a 10 out of 10!

MCF Madame Fate Release!

UPDATE: To get the game, click on the image above to be taken to the BFG main page. If you are a game club member, sign into your account and download the game! (It's listed as tomorrow's release.) If you are not a game club member, click on the MCF shield on the BFG home page and it will take you to the MCF mini-site! You can download the game there!

Word on the street is that MCF Madame Fate will be released tonight at midnight at Big Fish Games!

There is speculation that it will be released first to BFG club members and then to the public. This is very exciting! Can't wait for this game!

I will post a review as soon as I get to play it!

MCF Ravenhearst - 99 Cent Sale!

Now through October 31, 2007, you can purchase the full version of Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst for 99 cents at Big Fish Games!

Click here to go to their website. On the home page, there is an advertisement for the game sale. Click on that to get the coupon code and click "buy now". Download the game and you're all set!

Even though we do not partner with Big Fish Games, we just HAD to pass along this great deal to you! For anyone who has been waffling about buying this game, now is the time! :)

Happy Gaming!

Pirateville

Download the free demo or purchase the game here.

Pirateville is a new hidden object puzzle game from NevoSoft (the creators of games such as Mysteryville, Mysteryville 2 and Magic Academy).

The object of the game is to travel through over 160 levels and collect clues, talk to a wide variety of characters and unravel the secret of an ancient casket.

The game mechanics and overall gameplay is very similar to Mysteryville, with an engaging storyline and lovely graphics. (There is a skip conversation feature for those who just want to play and not go through the extensive chat sequences)

The difficulty of Pirateville is again similar to Mysteryville and Magic Academy - not too hard, but not too easy either. I found it much easier than Magician's Handbook but harder than Little Shop of Treasures, if that helps.

Fans of Mysteryville will most likely appreciate this game as well!

I give it a 6 out of 10.

To download the free trial or purchase this game, please click here.

The Scruffs

There are a lot of hidden object games out there and I've played most of them. The Scruffs, from developer Sweet Tooth Games, is definitely the one that I will remember the best!

The object of the game is to find missing, valuable artifacts to save the Scruffs' family home. Explore twenty different locations and search for over a thousand different items! Unique mini game puzzles in between levels keeps the game flowing and fresh. Though, in my opinion, one of the best aspects of the game are the video scenes of the family and the storyline!

The items are not impossible to find, but they aren't so easy as to make the game boring either. The Scruff's creators have found just the right balance of difficulty to keep the player interested but not too frustrated!

You can earn extra hints in each location by finding a snack for the family pet who can be very helpful and sniff out those hard to find objects!

If you're having trouble and need some tips, check out the PlayFirst forums thread and the Game Cafe forums!

The game is available from many game websites now, and will be at The Diamond Games soon!

I give this game an 8 out of 10!

Little Shop of Treasures 2

I definitely enjoyed the first Little Shop of Treasures game and this one didn't disappoint me either! I did a focus test for this game for Real Arcade awhile back and I'm glad to see that PlayFirst has picked the game up!

Little Shop of Treasures 2 is very much the same as the first version, though with new images, locations and the ability to customize the upgrades for your shop! That is one addition that I really like.

The gameplay is a bit easier than most other hidden-object games, which is good news for me! I get easily frustrated with the hidden-object games that make the items impossible to see!

Because of the similarity to the first LSOT game, any fans of that one are sure to enjoy part 2 as well!

You can find the download by clicking on the image above or visiting the PlayFirst website!

I give this game a 6 out of 10!

Mystery of Shark Island

Stranded on a deserted island, your mission is to figure out how you got there and how to get off. Roam gorgeous beaches and collect stunning sea shells, rocks and sea glass in order to unlock the mysteries of a lost civilization. Can you solve the Mystery of Shark Island?

• Exciting new Hunt and Find game play!


• Two gameplay modes, story and arcade


• 50 levels of gameplay taking place across 10 islands


• 5 types of beaches


• Soothing, refreshing music help all players unwind from a long day!


• Now available with Together™ (BETA) on PC!

This is a beautiful and unique hidden-object game. The graphics are truly gorgeous and the overall gameplay is both easy to learn and relaxing to play.

You start off waking up on a deserted island, lost. Magical seashells give you clues as to your whereabouts and how to proceed through the adventure. To pass each level, you must find a series of seashells in the tide waves and then unlock the mysterious gate to proceed to a new beach. Collect all of the trophies for meeting certain goals within the game. Can you solve the mystery of Shark Island?

Some tips and tricks -

• Find the gold token power-ups for extra help! Save the hour glass token until you've located the last shell. Click on the token to refill your time meter right before you click the last shell to maximize your time bonus!


• The shell requirements for each level are random. If you do not reach the expert score, replay the level a few times until you get a large requirement for each wave!


• Chain your shell collecting! If you need to collect similar shells, grab them all in order and you can get great score bonuses!


• Clicking on a shell fragment or other non-required item will break your chain!


• On levels with the large stones, lift the stones first, as they take the most time to move!

For more tips, tricks and help, visit the PlayFirst Mystery of Shark Island Forums!

To download or purchase this game, click HERE.

I give this game an 8 out of 10!