Alexander the Great: Secrets of Power

Alexander the Great: Secrets of Power
by Playrix - September, 2012

Available at:
Playrix as Collector's Edition
Alawar as Collector's Edition / Standard Edition
Big Fish for PC (standard edition only)
GameHouse as Premium Edition / Standard Edition
iWin as Collector's Edition / Standard Editionn



Long ago, a renowned warrior and ruler, Alexander the Great, endued his crown, dagger and ring with magical powers. The power once bestowed on each artifact is strong, and capable of causing irreparable harm, should they fall into the hands of the evil. Now it’s up to you, a descendant of the ancient emperor, to collect all the artifacts and save the world.

Dive into the whirlpool of dramatic events and thrilling mysteries to unlock the secrets of ancient power!

• Scour through 30 unique locations
  
• Enjoy over 45 mini-games
  
• Dive into the fascinating storyline
  
• Complete a unique 3D bonus level
  
• Unlock the secret of power of Alexander the Great!
  

Click images to enlarge

Ancient Tale In Modern Times
  

BASED ON COMPLETED GAME

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
What sets this game apart is the finesse with which it tells us an ancient myth in a modern day setting. From the game’s interface to the mode of travel to the smart phone where we keep our notes, everything about this game is very high tech and present day. Yet the story is of Alexander The Great and his (modern day) scions, and a race for the powerful artifacts that gave Alexander his prominent place in history.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
Although the graphics are not widescreen, there is an acceptable wallpaper on the infamous ‘black bars’ on the side, and it all actually looks a part of the interface. The cut scenes are excellent, the graphics quality is good, but the developers have deliberately set some scenes in environments that involve a lot of grainy images. For instances, HOP scenes in amongst brushwood and stone. Some scenes can be viewed as 180 degree panoramas, but the choice is yours. Some are deliberately monochromatic, when showing a gloomy interior, for example. Usually these scenes are of modern day ruins, and so you will also see the scene in full colour when you travel back in time (I leave you to find out why and how).

An interesting feature of this game is being able to take screenshots with your smart phone, for use outside as well as inside the game.

The sound effects are often very, very true to the ancient Greek era, but the music did not make an impression on me. The voiceovers were absolutely excellent, unfortunately overused. Loved Alexander in the intro, but I really got fed up with my character’s inane comments which were available on subtitles anyway.

WHAT’S HAPPENING
You receive a package from an aid organisation claiming that they have found very valuable artifacts that belong to you, because you are the scion of Alexander The Great! Pretty heady stuff, but you’re game, and so starts an adventure that will take you across the world and through time. Seems you are not the only descendant of Alexander still alive and the others are on the same quest to get the items of power.

MAKING PROGRESS
This is mostly a HOG. There is very little adventure, although you do collect a few inventory items from time to time, and there are some puzzles (easy). You must click hint if you want the instructions for the mini-games. The HOPs are standard word lists, or silhouettes.

Your smart phone keeps track of your tasks, clues, and information on the legends associated with Alexander The Great – I am pretty sure that is all make-believe though. There is a map, that gives the general location, which the game controls, and then the 3 or 4 locations within it that you can jump between. If you are in the past, however, you are on your own.

FINAL VERDICT
For a standalone SE, this is a very impressive game. Not at all fanciful in the way it looks, it is nevertheless an adventure in the world of myth that would charm any fantasy lover.

I Recommend This Game!