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I took a look at the Emptiness page at Big Fish, and found this:
Warning! The game is not recommended for people with an unhealthy state of mind, nervous disorders or heart disease.
Trying to figure out if I have an “unhealthy state of mind.” 
another top-notch production from Eipix, reminiscent of Final Cut… highly immersive… gorgeous hi-res deco art design… good storyline with multiple suspects & unique interview technique… contender for best of 2014. CE offers plenty of value added, although bonus chapter looks like they gave it to the trainee team and doesn’t relate much to the main game…
I played Final Cut: Death on the Silver Screen awhile back, and I agree that the games are similar in that both use an art deco mansion as a backdrop. But Final Cut’s graphics had a lot of bluish mist in them, while Silvermoon Isle’s graphics were more colorful.
I think the latter game’s style is a better use of art deco—art deco is sharp and angular, and the mist didn’t work well with it, IMHO.
Apparently there’s a groundhog swimming in the fishtank because our friends at BF are having a BOGO on CEs this weekend. I want to get Hidden Expedition: Smithsonian Castle (not to be confused with Smithsonian Hope Diamond), so what should I get for my freebie? Thanks to recommendations here, I have Dark Realm: Queen of Flames CE in my queue. Anything else that will knock my socks off? Favorites of 2014? Heck, I’d settle for anything mildly amusing.
These days I go everywhere with a carpetbag containing a crowbar, a flashlight, a screwdriver, an oilcan, a ladder, a zipper tab, and a chihuahua.
As long as you’re going for a CE, I would definitely recommend Fright.
I’ve played Hidden Expedition: Hope Diamond before. I found it pretty dry. Can’t tell you how it might compare to Smithsonian Castle, but they are both Hidden Expedition games, and appear to be the same collaboration of two game developers and the Smithsonian so I would probably expect more of the same. I’d definitely try to play the demo first.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Apparently there’s a groundhog swimming in the fishtank because our friends at BF are having a BOGO on CEs this weekend. I want to get Hidden Expedition: Smithsonian Castle (not to be confused with Smithsonian Hope Diamond), so what should I get for my freebie? Thanks to recommendations here, I have Dark Realm: Queen of Flames CE in my queue. Anything else that will knock my socks off? Favorites of 2014? Heck, I’d settle for anything mildly amusing.
I was disappointed in Smithsonian Castle. It had the usual good production values, was of a decent length, and the puzzles were fairly good, but it did not seem to have any heart. For one thing, it took place inside the Smithsonian which, while interesting, was hardly riveting. The action was all about someone else and nothing ever really happens to you. Not a bit like Crown of Solomon which I loved.
I’d second Fright.
Some other (fairly) recent games where I thought the bonus game was worth it and provide a bit of a contrast to Dark Realms which you’re already planning on:
The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams
Portal of Evil: Stolen Runes
Eternal Journey: New Atlantis
Furgotten—that’s too bad about Smithsonian Castle. I was planning to get it because it’s one of the few HO games that takes place in an environment I’ve actually visited. Does the game give you a good sense of the surroundings that you can explore?
I’d second Fright.
Furgotten—that’s too bad about Smithsonian Castle. I was planning to get it because it’s one of the few HO games that takes place in an environment I’ve actually visited. Does the game give you a good sense of the surroundings that you can explore?
I have not been to the Smithsonian so I cannot tell for sure but it seems so to me and that was one of the pluses listed in the reviews. And I can’t say it is really a bad game, it just isn’t a really good one. I don’t think I would ever replay it, for example.
It was interesting to see the Credits. I’m used to seeing Eastern-European surnames as the Credits scroll by. I’ll have to look up the developer to see where they are located. The same five or six names appeared in most of the categories, so it would seem that this is a very small team of people. If that’s the case, this goes from being a fun game to being an exceptional game considering the circumstances.
The developer is Silverback Productions. They are locate in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Furgotten—I’ll probably get it then if only to wander around and admire the views.
I enjoyed Smithsonian Castle well enough, especially since I’ve also been there.
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” -Bill Watterson
Given the differing responses to Smithsonian Castle, I have postponed it but will probably get it when I have another game credit. Meanwhile, I got Fright CE, thanks to your recommendations. I probably would have not even tried the demo otherwise. For my second, I got Dark Strokes: Sins of the Father CE. I don’t remember any comments on it here, but I really liked Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom CE so I went for another in that series. My notes on Snow Kingdom are:
Fairytale with airships? yup, but it works; well-designed storyline with extensive play; traditional adventure feel with inventory and quest well-separated, can revisit most scenes; mini-games freshened up, some quite challenging; back story provided with magic lantern, veers a bit from predictable; only flaw is some rather dreary music.
I rated Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom CE 4 stars, and I particularly recommend it to Becky.
These days I go everywhere with a carpetbag containing a crowbar, a flashlight, a screwdriver, an oilcan, a ladder, a zipper tab, and a chihuahua.
We used to have monthly casual game threads that supplemented the forum reviews. When the decision was made to discontinue reviewing casual games, I/we stopped monthly updates and decided to consolidate the discussion of casual games into one thread…this one. Some of the older games, e.g. Dark Strokes - Sins of the Father were discussed. But those discussions are only found in the Archives. If you know the name of the game, e.g. the above named Dark Strokes game, you can type that in the search box at the top of this page, and it will give you the threads and/or messages in which that game is mentioned.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
I rated Dark Strokes: The Legend of the Snow Kingdom CE 4 stars, and I particularly recommend it to Becky.
I’ll definitely add it to my list. I have the first game in the series, but haven’t played it yet. I’m curious if the stories in the two games are related, or if they are two separate stories. Should I play the first game before playing the second? Or doesn’t it make any difference?
The two are completely unrelated. Totally different game universe.
These days I go everywhere with a carpetbag containing a crowbar, a flashlight, a screwdriver, an oilcan, a ladder, a zipper tab, and a chihuahua.
The two are completely unrelated. Totally different game universe.
Please clarify. I have no idea what message this refers to.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
It’s an answer to my Dark Strokes question—the two game universes aren’t related, so I can play the second game first without worrying that I’ve missed something.
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