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So maybe, just maybe I'll get something done this evening? Doubtful - my guess is I'll start on another game I have laying around waiting to be played! For anyone interested, these were my thoughts on Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun PC Game:
Pros:
* Staged gameplay: you progress in chunks, and you know you've accomplished what you need to when it allows you to move on.
* In-game hints: not the most helpful in-game hints, but between the journal instructions and the 'finger of suspicion' you can find your way through. Also, the dialogue gives a lot of hints and occasionally tells you what to do.
* Logical use of items for the most part - no combining dust bunnies with smarties to create a new sentient life form.
* Smooth gameplay and easy-to-use menus.
* Overall it was a well-programmed game with only a few minor continuity glitches (there's one point where you can still 'see' something that has already been retrieved and removed).
Cons:
* Auto-play sequences can be touchy to initiate - there's one time where you simply have to go back and look at something to get it to play, even if you've looked at that same thing dozens of times and it hasn't changed.
* Double-click to view inventory is a real pain - I had to click dozens of times to bring up the view screen. Why didn't they add a 'view' button to the main inventory page, or make it a right-click function?!
* Real veterans of this type of game might find it a bit on the easy side - there were very few brain-teaser-like puzzles and not a lot of action. The majority of the time you spend walking about, which reminds me:
* Too much time spend getting from place to place. I realize this is because you do bump into people on the way, but it was a lot of clicking, especially if you're not super-efficient in your moves. I prefer games with fixed locations that can be jumped between with the use of a map screen, but that's a personal preference.
Overall:
I quite enjoyed it, and even as impatient as I am I didn't have to cheat... much. There were a LOT of characters to keep track of, though, and that got a bit confusing. I would have really liked a cheat sheet with their names and faces just so I could keep them straight (but I have a problem with names, so maybe that's just me). I think the mystery was straightforward and Poirot really walks you through it, so it wasn't as much of a mind-bending challenge as games with tons of puzzles, but it was relaxing in a way, too. I think it's a great starter game for those not used to this type of game (but why would I combine a spaghetti strainer with a porkchop?! - the days of the old 'Day of the Tentacle' and 'Sam and Max') or even a veteran who wants to kick back and take it easy. On par with most of the Nancy Drew games out there.
Pros:
* Staged gameplay: you progress in chunks, and you know you've accomplished what you need to when it allows you to move on.
* In-game hints: not the most helpful in-game hints, but between the journal instructions and the 'finger of suspicion' you can find your way through. Also, the dialogue gives a lot of hints and occasionally tells you what to do.
* Logical use of items for the most part - no combining dust bunnies with smarties to create a new sentient life form.
* Smooth gameplay and easy-to-use menus.
* Overall it was a well-programmed game with only a few minor continuity glitches (there's one point where you can still 'see' something that has already been retrieved and removed).
Cons:
* Auto-play sequences can be touchy to initiate - there's one time where you simply have to go back and look at something to get it to play, even if you've looked at that same thing dozens of times and it hasn't changed.
* Double-click to view inventory is a real pain - I had to click dozens of times to bring up the view screen. Why didn't they add a 'view' button to the main inventory page, or make it a right-click function?!
* Real veterans of this type of game might find it a bit on the easy side - there were very few brain-teaser-like puzzles and not a lot of action. The majority of the time you spend walking about, which reminds me:
* Too much time spend getting from place to place. I realize this is because you do bump into people on the way, but it was a lot of clicking, especially if you're not super-efficient in your moves. I prefer games with fixed locations that can be jumped between with the use of a map screen, but that's a personal preference.
Overall:
I quite enjoyed it, and even as impatient as I am I didn't have to cheat... much. There were a LOT of characters to keep track of, though, and that got a bit confusing. I would have really liked a cheat sheet with their names and faces just so I could keep them straight (but I have a problem with names, so maybe that's just me). I think the mystery was straightforward and Poirot really walks you through it, so it wasn't as much of a mind-bending challenge as games with tons of puzzles, but it was relaxing in a way, too. I think it's a great starter game for those not used to this type of game (but why would I combine a spaghetti strainer with a porkchop?! - the days of the old 'Day of the Tentacle' and 'Sam and Max') or even a veteran who wants to kick back and take it easy. On par with most of the Nancy Drew games out there.
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I swear I almost caved yesterday, just to stop the pestering. I suck at arcade-style games, though.
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Sounds like you'll be XBLA games only, but that's okay because there are quite a few you'd get sucked into.
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I have no idea what XBLA is... :/ I'm such a console-game n00b.
I *almost* stopped at Best Buy after being happy with my haircut, but managed to restrain myself. ;)
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Then we can chat like nerds through our headsets.
oh, and XBLA = Xbox Live Arcade
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http://smeddley.livejournal.com/336823.html?thread=3247031#t3247031
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Also, have you ever played Pharoah?
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That's one I don't have - I'm a bit addicted to these games, and it's hard to find good ones (nothing will EVER top Sam and Max!).
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I have been pitting myself against expert level minesweeper for days. It's an obsession. One that is probably very unhealthy. But I'm great on the other levels ... and I got down to 3 mines left the other day! It's just a matter of time ... right?
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But yeah, I think practice really helps at that game, you get better at recognizing patterns and whatnot.
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