Review: Barbarous - Tavern Of Emyr

game format: time management

puzzles: none

playtime: 3-5 hours | difficulty: easy

developer: SQRT3 Games | publisher: iWin Inc

links: official site | gamehouse

game brief: Barbarous - Tavern of Emyr follows the chaotic career of the realm's most famous hero. Some call him Champion, others call him Hero of the Realm. Now trade in your sword for a pint and as a fantasy world innkeeper, manage your own tavern, take care of your guests and face the problems of a prematurely retired hero in this humorous story-driven Time Management adventure.

rating: 5/5

review: Barbarous - Tavern of Emyr serves up a brilliantly entertaining melange of epic medieval adventure and casual time management gameplay. Aging barbarian Emyr, hobbled by his many wars and seeking to retire with his best buddy, the cantankerous but fiercely loyal dwarf O'rho, and his pet dog Pix. They take up a lowbrow tavern and creatively name it 'Tavern of Emyr'. But even as they’re setting up shop, they are extorted by the local Guardsmen, gate-crashed by mysterious redheaded teenager Gwen, and threatened by henchpersons of their archenemy, Orc overlord Rush-O-Doom.

Emyr's quests include trying to find a fix for his busted knee, figuring out Gwen's story, inadvertently stepping on various toes, and saving the good guys from certain Doom. All this involves meetings and beatings with his numerous frenemies, such as scheming magician Varizz, Orc mage Sariv, nervous wreck Edward, and quasi-sis-in-law, Lyselle the pirate.

The game has 60 levels spread across five main locations: Emyr's Tavern, Lyselle's Fishy Bar, the Orcish Camp, the Murky Swamps and the Magic Guild. Emyr and his friends take turns to serve customers local delicacies and wares such as eyeball soups, orcish shish kebabs, swamp sushi, adventure gear, runes and potions, and lots and lots of beer while plotting their over-complicated plans. On each level, one must also complete a mini-quest and find a rat to earn diamonds, which are then used to upgrade Gwen's cleverly designed room.

The story is a mix of action and emotion, and besides the overarching save-the-world narrative, ties in several tales of Emyr's colourful past. The script is loaded with cheeky one-liners referencing pop culture gems such as the Lord of the Rings, Pink Floyd and Black Friday Sales, intertwined with snipes at RPG elements like character stats and fight strategies. The game world is vibrant and cheerful, filled with quirky items in sync with the Middle Ages.

Camouflaged by the corny is a tale of heart and redemption, the victory of good over evil, and the coming of age, both for semi-retired Emyr and young Gwen.

summary: Barbarous - Tavern of Emyr is a well-crafted gem, with an intricate story and a smart, stylish game world; will be extra-fun for players who also love classic RPG adventures.

screenshots
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Frenemies | Gwen's Room
Map | Emyr's Tavern | Fishy Bar | Orcish Camp | Murky Swamps | Magic Guild




This is an original review written by me. Please do not distribute / adapt the text without written my consent.

Review: Braveland - Pirate

game format: turn-based casual combat strategy

puzzles: none

playtime: 4-6 hours | difficulty: moderate | size: 377 MB

developer & publisher: Tortuga Team

links: official site | gamehouse

game brief: The Braveland trilogy concludes with #3, the Braveland - Pirate strategy game. A crew of pirates led by Captain Jim embarks on a search for the Eternal Treasure. Hordes of undead, chests full of gold, devious pirate captains, and breathtaking adventures await you in the Free Islands. (official site)

rating: 5/5

review: It's time to take on the High Seas and Free Islands with Braveland - Pirate, the final - and arguably most entertaining - round of the Braveland turn-based combat strategy games. This adventure, led by you as rookie pirate Jim, follows in the footsteps of the original Braveland, which featured a Warrior, and Braveland - Wizard.

In Braveland – Pirate, you the Hero and your squad, a merry band of drunken pirates, barefoot and musket-wielding cabin boys, sassy Daredevils and other sundry worthies you pick up en route, search the Free Islands and open seas for a mythical treasure map and the riches it promises. Your tortuous route is crowded with all sorts of folks - other rogues seeking the treasure, as well as well-meaning mages and healers attempting to protect it. It's an interesting conflict, since as a pirate, you are not a benevolent 'hero' either.

The major gameplay happens in 'combat zones' - chessboard style arenas where your crew and opponents move in turns and attack each other with specialised weapons and tricks. The combat sequences are by no means cakewalks - you must plan your melee, range and magic attacks properly based on the composition of your opponents, and mix-and-match your squad to best suit your gameplay style. It can take a few rounds to get familiar with the moves and strategies, since each character can do several things within a turn. Pirate has an improved interface compared to the earlier titles in that you the Hero are part of the line-up and can lead your squad from the front.

Battles yield experience points and gold, which are used to level up, expand the squad, and purchase goodies. You can level up across skill sets like attack, defence and knowledge of magic, and amp up your stats with armour, helmets, belts and cutlasses. You can also learn 'tricks' i.e. special attacks, through various encounters. There's also an element of 'luck', which determines what you get when you open treasure troves.

Braveland - Pirate, like its predecessors, is a super-sleek production. The artsy hand-drawn maps and landscapes are super-cute and let you wander from verdant green tropical forests to the icy slopes of the northern islands and lava-strewn volcanic mountains jutting from the ocean. The cartoonish animation is deceptively detailed, with facial expressions and movement quirks of characters, such as the slight shudder of the wrist when bowmen fire their arrows. The music matches the ambiance, with up-tempo tunes when you are exploring, and a more tense, drumbeat-driven track underlying the combat sequences.

The story is tightly woven and involves a number of well-defined plotlines, characters and artefacts. There's a lot of banter and snarky jibes between the squad members, and with the opponents. The journey can take between 4 - 6 hours, depending on how efficiently you fight your battles.

summary: Braveland - Pirate is clever, attractive and super-fun, and a must-play for anyone looking for a swashbuckling adventure on a lazy Sunday afternoon.




This is an original review written by me. Please do not distribute / adapt the text without written my consent.

Review: Yesterday Origins

game format: point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory

playtime: 6-8 hours | difficulty: moderate | size: 4 GB

developer: Pendulo Studios | publisher: Anuman Interactive (Microids)

links: official site | steam

game brief: John Yesterday becomes immortal following an occult ritual. However, not everything goes to plan. He and his girlfriend Pauline must embark on an investigation to try to reproduce the immortality ritual. But his former acquaintances have other plans for him... (steam)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 3.5/5

summary: A disappointing present-day storyline infringes upon the dark historical tale of Yesterday Origins, but outstanding production quality, nonstop quests, and a few spirited acts go a long way towards saving the day.

This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Review: Désiré

game format: point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory

playtime: 5-7 hours | difficulty: moderate | size: 600 MB

developer & publisher: Sylvain Seccia

links: official site | steam

game brief: Désiré is colour-blind from birth and he will lead you into in world of black and white. He marches on hesitantly, as life never brought him much joy. From a tender age, he is going to meet several characters who will elicit in Désiré intense emotions and alter his vision in surprising ways. Is colour at the end of the road? The game is, at its core, a critique of the modern world and of the perverting nature of a consumer, profit-obsessed society. (official site)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 1.5/5

summary: If you have a strong masochistic urge to inflict a few hours of excruciating, pretentious sociopolitical ramblings interspersed with bouts of petty cruelty and vulgarity upon yourself, Désiré is the game for you.



This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Review: Lost Horizon 2

game format: point-and-click adventure with action elements

puzzles: inventory, mouse-based action

playtime: 5-7 hours | difficulty: moderate | size: 6 GB

developer: Animation Arts Creative GmbH | publisher: Deep Silver

links: official site | steam

game brief: In the shadow of the Cold War, Fenton Paddock is facing the hardest fight of his life. While the tensions between the superpowers threaten to tear the world apart, the British soldier has to save his family that has been caught by powerful enemies. Fenton has to finally face the dark powers of his past and learn what it means to take on responsibility. (official site)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 2.5/5

summary: Despite embarking with a sound plan for another beautiful globe-trotting adventure, Lost Horizon 2 suffers from weary execution and assorted technical limitations, eventually losing the way to greatness and ending up in the land of the average.



This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Review: Bulb Boy

game format: point-and-click adventure with action elements

puzzles: inventory, mouse-based action

playtime: 2 hours | difficulty: moderate | size: 2.3 GB

developer & publisher: Bulbware

links: official site | steam

game brief: One gloomy night, Bulb Boy wakes suddenly from a frightening nightmare to discover that evil has overshadowed the Bulbhouse. His family has disappeared and there are horrid monsters lurking in the shadows. Gather the courage and use his glass head to save everything he loves. (steam site)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 4.5/5

summary: The Bulb Boy’s brief but brilliant battle to reclaim his home from the hideous monsters of the night underscores the proverbial victory of light over darkness, and quality over quantity.

This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Walkthrough: Anna's Quest

Review: Anna's Quest

game format: classic point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory, standalone

playtime: 10+ hours | difficulty: easy - moderate | size: 4 GB

developer: Krams Design | publisher: Daedalic Entertainment

links: official site | steam | gog

game brief: Dragons, witches, trolls... no one can stop Anna. With her telekinesis, unorthodox use of torture instruments, a knack for improvisation and the help of a shady fox she just makes her way. She communes with the dead, shuts off the local taverns beer supply and gets old ladies behind bars... It all starts with freeing talking teddy bear... (steam site)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 4.5/5

summary: Anna’s Quest is an enchanting mélange of superb production quality, engaging gameplay, and a poignant saga of heart and heartbreak that will linger with you long after the adventure is over.

This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales 2

game format: classic point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory, standalone

playtime: 25+ hours | difficulty: easy - moderate | size: 4.2 GB

developer: KING Art Games | publisher: Nordic Games GmbH

links: official site | steam | gog

game brief: Legend foretold it. Prophecies predicted it. Chosen ones chose to believe in it. Now the adventure saga continues. A sequel is coming. A sequel to one of the most acclaimed fantasy spoof adventure games in the history of fantasy spoof adventure games. Help Wilbur, Ivo, Nate and Critter fulfill their yet unwritten destiny. (official site)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 4/5

summary: An epic tale that reunites some much-loved characters and recreates the magic of good, old-fashioned point-and-click adventuring in a hyper-attractive world, the Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a must-play for fans of the genre.

This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Walkthrough: Randal's Monday

Review: Randal's Monday

game format: classic point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory, standalone

playtime: 15 hours | difficulty: moderate, sometimes obscure | size: 4 GB

developer: Nexus Game Studio | publisher: Daedalic Entertainment

links: official site | steam | gog

game brief: A kleptomaniac, a sociopath and a horrible friend. Randal is potentially one of the most scurrile protagonists since the invention of the hoverboard. Randal's Monday is a crazy space-time odyssey in classic adventure design, spiced up with countless geek culture references. (steam)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 2.5/5

summary: Like most Mondays, Randal’s Monday is too long and tedious; it has its moments but falls way short of being a cheeky entertainer with engaging gameplay.



This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Preview: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition

game format: classic point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory, standalone, conversations

playtime: NA | difficulty: moderate | size: NA

developer: Pinkerton Road | publisher: Phoenix Online

links: official site | steam | gog | phoenix online store

game brief: Experience one of adventure gaming’s most stunning masterpieces in this blockbuster retelling of the award-winning 1993 murder-mystery, which adds all-new puzzles, scenes, and HD graphics! Blending the best of yesterday and today, it re-imagines the 1993 original, voted one of the greatest games of all time, for an entirely new generation of fans. As struggling author and bookstore owner Gabriel Knight, players will investigate a series of savage ritual killings in New Orleans and their connection to voodoo’s sinister mysteries. (official site)

review: Read my hands-on preview @ Adventure Gamers®

summary: A whole new generation of gamers will soon inherit Sins of the Fathers, now magnified in Jane Jensen's slick remake.

This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Review: Whispering Willows

game format: side-scrolling point-and-click adventure

puzzles: inventory

playtime: 5 hours | difficulty: easy | size: 3 GB

developer: Night Light Interactive | links: official site | steam | buy this game

game brief: Interact with the spirits of the dead, solve the puzzles of the mysterious mansion and help Elena find her missing father in the horror/adventure puzzle game: Whispering Willows. (steam)

review: Read my review @ Adventure Gamers® | rating: 2.5/5

summary: Whispering Willows has an engaging story and superlative production quality, but fails to build on its strengths, eventually becoming an exercise in drudgery due to its insipid quests and irritating game design.

This is an original review written by me and owned by Adventure Gamers®. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without written consent from Jack Allin, Editor-In-Chief, AG.

Walkthrough: The Last Door | Season 1 | Chapter 2: Memories

Walkthrough: The Last Door | Season 1 | Chapter 1: The Letter