Beta Thread

Ooh, Justie, excited for Chimeras 2   

Finally, a new/old beta!!

Beyond the Unknown: A Matter of Time (Golden Sarcophagus Beta #2)

 

Was just asking myself the other day, with all these Eipix coming out, I wonder when the next Myths of the World would be released?

Well, maybe not too far into the future. The beta is already here!

Myths Of The World 4: Of Fiends & Fairies

I recieved this beta in the mail today.  I'm off to play!

Chimeras 2 & Midnight Mysteries 6, Yay!!!!  

Myths of the World: Fiends and Faeries  is a definite  to buy.

After the disappointing  (to me)  second one,   this one has restored my faith that
they can come up with a storyline that does not have a "been there, done that"
feel.
The music and accents sounded Irish to me.  There were faery feet to be found.....
I think it was faery feet.....I found one by accident.   Anyway,   there was a leprechaun,
a talking pigs head....
Its all good!   

Dumb Question - How does one go about getting beta trials? I kinda want to be in the Cool People's Club too!

Justie can tell you about the rest, but to get started, follow the links in this thread: 
Casual Companies Looking for Beta-testers

lol, pippi, I asked just the same question here, for just the same reason, about 6 mths ago, and genki's wonderful list was the answer she gave me.

So I signed up for everyone's beta program and almost immediately started getting beta games. Then, bfg and their affiliate developers started sending stuff too, even though I had been unable to sign up for anything specifically for them.

BUT, to reallybe in the know, and get all the latest betas, you have to come here lol. I swipe the beta links from a thread at pondfriends, and put them up here. I started keeping a list at the beginning of the thread. But I've been too slack to maintain it. So, if you scroll backwards, you'll find all the more recent links and, if I've done one, a review as well.

Other comments/reviews from these links also welcomed!   

And please, do please let me know if one sneaks past both me and pondfriends and into your email inbox. It happens.   

And if you're as lucky as I was, you'll sign up for a beta program, just before they rewards all their beta testers with a free game. I got Enigmatis: Ghosts of Maple Creek CE for free!

   

Wow, Justie, you got Enigmatis for free?  Lucky you!      That's an excellent game.    

I've had a couple of surveys, after you've already reviewed them, but I've never been lucky enough to get the game for free. 


But here's a survey I just got from BFG. 
The Secret Order:  Ancient Times
http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/25094/the-secret-order-ancient-times-survey/index.html

That's interesting. This game's beta has been out there for a while. I have actually reviewed (and enjoyed) it.

I wonder if it is the same, or revised? Will definitely be taking a look!

Edited to add: Just noticed... Secret Order 2: Masked Intent is the Daily Deal.

I guess BFG's INTENT is not all that MASKED   

Gah I always seem to get betas late.  I DEMANDS AN EARLY BETA.   

Here you go, frodo. This one has only just been released. Do this instead!  

Myths Of The World 4: Of Fiends & Fairies

Also, there's this rerelease. Sure could use another opinion....

Beyond The Unknown: A Matter Of Time

I am running out of finger-capacity, with all these jobs I keep setting myself!   

Hehe, thanks Justie.  I'll give them both a run.   

I tried Beyond The Unknown, and liked it a lot.  Thanks for the link Justie.    

Loved the story about saving your grandparents, when they are young.

Putting the treasure map together was easy though.  Wish they had made us find more treasure map pieces to put together. 

Also, the map didn't seem to work properly.  According to the map icons, '!' is supposed to indicate an area of interest, when I can do a task.  But I never say any '!' on the map screen.   

Okey dokey, it's beta time again, and we've got some beauties!

Lost Souls 2: Timeless Fables BETA#2

Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan BFG BETA This is the 3rd beta for this game, so I'm thinking it'll be here soon!

Sable Maze 3: Forbidden Garden

Hidden Expedition 7: The Crown of Solomon YAY!!!!  

Dark Parables 7: Ballad of Rapunzel Wow! These guys are really churning them out! I haven't even played DP6 yet!

Ghosts Of The Past: Bones Of Meadows Town
Collector’s Edition

Developer: ERS Games

Interesting Departure From...****

BASED ON BETA

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The ERS norm.

Interesting and a bit creepy. Always like those kind of starts. The coroner is murdered... by a skeleton? It’s all a bit difficult to determine in the excitement, but certainly something supernatural is going on.

Considering this is an ERS game, it is full of surprises. It is quite a dark story, although the graphics are the same beautiful and colour-drenched, they look different somehow when they are in the form of skeletons, ghosts and ghouls! Also, as mooses. Yep, there’s a moose, that’s not a typo. What is the plural for moose anyway? Doesn’t matter, there’s really only one, but he keeps turning up everywhere!

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
I did enjoy the ERS graphics in this much-more-modern and disturbing environment. GPS and walkie talkie? Yup, 21st Century has arrived. There is archaic stuff, but only as appropriate to the story.

The background noises are so wonderful! So creepy. Whispers, thunder, torrential rain, screams, hysterical laughter – pure Bedlam Asylum. Some are stretched out so long... The music is quite different, and can also add its share of eeriness.

The voiceovers. Our character, excellent. The cute companion (well, he’s a freckle faced deputy really – unless you prefer the moose) is okay in a pinch but could be much better, the bad guy – nup, don’t like it. The bad ghost – she’s okay. All are lip synched very well.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
We are the new sheriff and we’ve arrived just in time, because the old one has disappeared, there’s been two murders, and a devastating storm has emptied the town, except for your delightfully young and impressionable deputy (who is disappointingly helpless, in the way of most male companions in games), the bad guy – whoever he turns out to be, and possibly some ghosts. And a few animals, both helpful and helpless.

Meadows Town is a Viking-built town, with its own proud history of the great explorers who settled there. There is Viking stuff everywhere. But the problem is the ghost of the founder, a woman called Valkiris. She has been disturbed in her grave and she is the one responsible for the storm. She has also made it very clear we’re not welcome. There’s lots of history here, and intrigue, and as yet no real answers. The bad guy, who is staying just ahead of us at the moment, seems to be trying to scare us, rather than harm us. But about him we have no clue. The moose is another mystery.

GAMEPLAY
Lots to do. Adventure and HOPs dominate over easy puzzles. The HOPs are progressive silhouettes, multiples and matching pairs so far... And a couple of entirely new design.

There is a Spirit Detector to help us find, well, spirits of course. You must play a unravel-the-strings game to use it. There are runes (30) to find, which are used to decipher the ancient Viking prophesies, which should help us find out how to placate that spirit that keeps turning up. They also play a part in the CE extras.

Our journal keeps the cut-scenes as evidence and our notes, which are written up in a funny new way. Whenever something relevant happens, the screen goes to black and white and becomes a still, our hand is seen with a pencil and writes the notes we are speaking out loud. Odd. Maybe the developers want to make a greater point of what is in the journal? It slows down the action significantly. As well as notes and case evidence, we also have the information we accumulate about the Viking legends of Valkiris.

There is a directional hint, and an interactive jump map. The map identifies locations that have objectives and those that are complete, NOT where there are available tasks. Do wish the “no pain, no game” crowd would keep it down – used to be able to rely on ERS at least to make things easy for me!

CE BLING!
The runes we have gathered provide a dual function. Firstly, they translate the prophecies that will help in the game. Then, when we have collected all 30 (they are not difficult to find), we are ready for a bonus game of bingo! With our faithful companions the deputy and the moose. I know it sounds weird – it is weird! But, there they are waiting for me to find the rest of the runes.

There are no other true collectibles, but there are achievements, a couple only of story and the rest performance based. They are nicely displayed in our office.

For the rest, we must wait for the CE itself.

COMBINED IMPACT
I liked this a great deal, primarily because it is something a bit out of the usual for ERS. I love their games, but lately they just haven’t seemed to be able to make things click. Their various CE extras ideas have failed to move me, and I still love critters, but I’m no longer wowed by them. This game is supernatural, and modern, and away from all the fantasy stuff we’ve had lately. So...

I recommend this game!

Try It Here!

Ancient Tales: The Roots Of Evil
Collector’s Edition

Release Date: 2014
Developer: Play Favorite Games

Beautiful, Needs Work***

BASED ON BETA

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
It is hard to pin down what it is that this game lacks that makes me feel so uninspired by it. The graphics are lovely. Really. The HOP scenes are a delight. And the voiceovers are good. The music is light and pleasant, made up of tones like a wind chime.

The story needs work, that’s true. It comes across as somewhat simplistic and childish. But it is mostly, I think, the way it is told. We’ve happily enjoyed similar many times.

Daughter (teenage) weeps beneath the front yard’s apple tree, because Dad can’t make it home for her birthday. A single teardrop and the tree blooms with wondrous magic apples. Mum runs out in a panic, the tree has bloomed, now the witch can find us, we must run! And indeed the witch does immediately find us with her magical mirror, and she sends her minions out to get the pair.

(Sorry frodo, there’s no way to break it to you gently) The minions are dragons and they are the only ugly thing in this game, I mean, even the evil goblins look better. An ice dragon makes off with Daughter just as we, Dad (now there’s a twist!), turn up to help Mum. No good. Now Mum and tree are both swiped as well, and you are left with your mighty manliness and a broken amulet with which to save the day.

GAMEPLAY
There are a lot of HOPs (nicely done art, very clear), the puzzles a half a step more difficult than the standard versions of the same thing. Like, repeat the sequence, where there are over a dozen fireflies that could light up. The HOPs are fragmented object, progressive silhouette, and interactive word list. With a mini-puzzle thrown in occasionally. There are also ‘plus’ items in inventory. Adventure is pretty straightforward and hint is a teleport, as is the map. Which gives you only where objectives are, if you want to at least try to use your wits a little before giving in.

In place of a journal is a stained glass artifact that you need to find pieces for to get the backstory. There is also an owlet that we rescue and get to keep. He helps out with high things. We need to find crystals to charge our amulet which will protect us from or destroy certain forms of evil magic.

CE BLING!
We have the usual gallery items, wallpaper, concept art, music. Plus collectible morphing objects (20) and achievements. A place for the 20 magic animals you can find, and a display of the morphing objects.

COMBINED IMPACT
Has possibilities. Was sure pretty enough and had all you’d normally expect. I think it is the telling of the story is where some improvements should be made, and then perhaps just one thing that is really different to set it apart from others.

Try It Here!

Mayan Prophesies 3: Blood Moon
Collector’s Edition

Release Date: 2014
Developer: Elefun Games

Mayan Magic*****

BASED ON BETA

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
For the 3rd time I am unexpectedly seduced by Mayan myths of Moon Goddesses & Jaguar Gods. Each episode in this series is as captivating and exciting as the ones before, as well as having fresh approaches to the games.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
The graphics are excellent, the locations interesting and beautiful, the HOPs clear and detailed and exquisitely drawn. We’ve got some really gorgeous puss cats, superbly done, but you may want to be far away before you call any of them cute. I love these magnificent creatures, but I am hoping the animation will be improved. It currently looks a little awkward. And awkward cats? Nah!

Also excellent is the voice acting, particularly the narrator. The music is fine, interesting. With only hints of cultural influences.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
In the previous two games we, as a Coast Guard officer, captured a smuggler, who ran us a merry chase when we crashed into a derelict ship full of Mayan artifacts. After escaping the sinking ship, we land on a deserted island, find and recapture the crook, save the day and leave in an airplane we fixed. Only to have the fiend escape us again by jumping out of the plane! Boy must our faces have been red when we got back to the office!

It is 2 years later, and our partner is at the door begging to be let in. Apparently, jaguars have been let loose in the city, and some of them are after Gregory. During our escape, we’ve lost him, but our search for him takes us underwater – I always enjoy that – and over to the other side of town where we witness Gregory being turned into a jaguar! Setting him free turns out to be a bit of a mistake, but we meet a priestess of the Goddess Cheila who helps us out. She seems to know what she’s doing, so we team up with her. Together, we press ahead to stop the Jaguar God from destroying the town.

GAMEPLAY
There is a nice balance of puzzles (20) and HOPs (22) to this game. Among the puzzles are some completely new fresh and intelligent ones. Some locks use a combination of puzzle and diorama to tell the Jaguar God myth. Normally, I might call 22 HOPs a bit too much, but with the choice of playing mahjong instead and at least a couple of types of HOP (interactive word list, silhouettes), I think there’s sufficient variety. There are also plus items which must been combined or solved within the inventory.

The adventure aspect of the game is all that difficult but does maintain your interest. A little into the game we get an interactive jump map with indicators of available actions. However, there are 3 difficulty levels and a custom one for more expert players. Hint is directional. Journal contains story as we go only.

Our partner, Gregory, provides specialist help, once we find him. There is also a scroll-like document to the right of the (lockable) inventory bar, whose purpose is as yet unknown.

CE BLING!
The collectibles are very appealing in this game. There are 26 morphing objects to collect, and 25 hummingbirds. In order to find the birds, you must find totems, which release the birds, who will fly around until you stop them. There are achievements, but as yet there is not a display for them.

COMBINED IMPACT
Love it! Even more than the early games I think. Partly it’s the jaguars, partly it’s the fondness I have developed for this character, mostly for the perfect combination of gameplay components.

I recommend this game!

Try It Here!

Dreampath: The Two Kingdoms

Release Date:  2014
Developer: Boolat Games

Wonderful Dragon Fable****

BASED ON BETA

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
An interesting and dramatic beginning has a king seeking “all the treasure of the temple”. His efforts, well, the results are unexpected. The opening into the game proper is less theatrical, but invites involvement.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
Enjoyed the graphics. Not always the highest quality but always beautiful and colourful and clear. The music was unobtrusive. The voiceovers are excellent. But I may get fed up with that cat.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Our sister the queen is dying and the only cure is in another kingdom where we may get the info we need, if we can find the knowledgeable dragon. We travel there through a mirror (yeah, I know, not exactly original), and are immediately caught up in the problems of the kingdom we are now in. We rescue a talking cat, who turns out to be some sort of butler, and is very helpful with hard to reach items. He is also the source of info on the history of the dragons, and the two kingdoms, which is presented in a cartoon/diorama style as required.

GAMEPLAY
The HOPs are varied. There are interactive word lists, and silhouettes, and multiples of. The puzzles are mixed, but for the most part not too difficult. The adventure makes sense without being overly linear. There is a directional hint, interactive jump map (with available actions), journal game notes and clues, and lockable inventory. There are plus items in inventory.

There are many collectible gold and silver coins to collect, purpose unknown.

COMBINED IMPACT
Had a really good time playing this, more than I can easily explain by game analysis. Not too hard, fun story, varied HOPs. Just the right balance somehow. Or maybe it's just the talking cat.

I recommend this game!

Try It Here!

Now I'm really excited!         

A dark & eerie Eipix game!!! Can't wait to demo it!

Dead Reckoning: Silvermoon Isle

Dead Reckoning: Silvermoon Isle
Collector’s Edition

Release Date:  2014
Developer: Eipix

Whodunit The Eipix Way*****

BASED ON BETA

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Opening scenes are good, exciting and mysterious, and done in the very best of whodunit film making. But I am tired of the art deco motif. I love the interface, its colours and crisp lines, but it is sooo déjà vu, at first it almost seemed a part of the Final Cut series. Yes, Eipix, it looks beautiful, but it also looks far too familiar.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
As mentioned, lose the art deco, or alter it to some other aspect of the era. Apart from that, the art is splendid. The cut scenes are an improvement of some of Eipix’s recent games, and they have done some fun things with point of view. The lip synching is direct in this game, and well done. The actors are good. The music is fine. Ambient noise & special effects also good.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Famous actress (who happened to work for our favourite film makers) fell/jumped/was pushed off a lighthouse on the night of her birthday party. Island sealed off when you, the detective, arrive to investigate. Although, as player, you know it’s murder, but don’t know by whom. You have a partner you apparently worked with before, sweet voice, very mild. Your boat dies just as you arrive on the island, so he sticks by the boat while we meet the suspects and snoop around. Already, everyone you meet is behaving suspiciously.

GAMEPLAY
Less HOPs and puzzles in this game makes way for a new style of play, almost entirely unseen before. Have a “deduction dialogue” magnifying glass that gives a hint at something you may want to question when you are talking to suspects. For instance, the maid says she has been crying all night. The magnifier has written under it “Crying all night?” A quick look and click at her eyes and handkerchief show she’s lying and she is forced to revise her story. And so on with her jewellery etc. At other times, it may be an object sketched that you should ask about.

This unique puzzler is combined with a suspect list and an ‘evidence’ board. The list gives detailed information on the history and details you bring out on each subject. The evidence board has items that must first be found and put together, like an incriminating photograph. Later, another way of viewing objects as clues and evidence occurs at the murder scene, where successively highlighted objects give you information about what happened.

The HOPs so far include an interactive word list that is followed by a fragmented object that must be put together once you get it into inventory. Then another mini-HOP of silhouettes, uniquely presented, accompanied by a multiples of. Both types can be swapped for a bubble shooter game I had so much fun with I didn’t notice I had finished with the list and was now “finding” fragmented parts!

Puzzles also include odd little differences, all fun and not difficult. There is no journal, only the evidence board. But there is directional hint and an interactive jump map. And the partner – not that he’s been much use so far.

CE BLING!
49 collectible stars. Achievements.

COMBINED IMPACT
Will I love this game? Of course, it is Eipix, and they seem unable to serve up anything but irresistible fare for me. This is not going to be my favourite, I imagine, however. The whole “detective from the era” thing somehow escapes my interest. But I love what they’ve done with the deduction dialogue and crime scene evidence, it is fresh and new.

I recommend this game!

Try It Here!

Haunted Manor 3: Painted Beauties

Release Date: 2014
Developer: Top Evidence Studio?

Magical Paintings – My Favourite! ****

BASED ON BETA

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Excellent beginning, not at all like the norm, and extremely intriguing. Looks good, and Stephan’s pact with Death already has me hooked – particularly because she’s a woman!

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
Much better than the previous games in series – well, it should be, it’s been 4 years! Has same peculiar flat-finish look about it, but now we have vibrant colour it looks quite lovely. (The earlier games had nothing but greys and browns *yuck*) And the artists have captured the eyes of Stephan Black brilliantly – they look alive and glow with intensity. Hint is a cherubic child with a fit of the giggles. A variation on cute I’ve not seen before!

After the opening, there is not much in the way of voice, but it is all good. Done without attempt at lip synch. Ambient noise is wonderful – creepy voices, creaking floorboards (or was that a door?), wind blowing through the gaps in walls. Great stuff. Music also good. Sometimes, after an important find, it wells up triumphantly. Other times, it sits quietly in the background murmuring about things that crawl in the dark.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
A brilliant artist has made a pact with Death in order to save his wife and son. Now, he paints beautiful women, and they disappear. You are his latest victim. You are transported to his gloomy mansion, where you discover that your portrait is the means of your salvation. You must locate the 15 pieces of it to get home.

You are ‘at large’ only as long as it takes Stephan Black to paint a ‘painted prison’ for you, as he has done to the others. You must find and rescue them from their various cages into the ‘soul vial’ so that they can be returned to their own lives. To do this you must travel into the worlds of the paintings. One thing I like a lot about this game is that there are lots of paintings, not just 2 or 3, that we unlock and visit, even if just for a HOP.

GAMEPLAY
As well as collecting pieces of your portrait, and souls of other victims, you will also need to collect 33 beads for the rosary a priest has given you in order to protect yourself from Death – anyone smell ‘big finale’ in that?

The adventure is easy but interesting. There are a smallish number of rooms in the mansion so far but plenty of paintings – at least half a dozen navigable ones so far... There is a directional hint which is more use than I like, because there is no indicators at all on the jump map. Hint and skip fill very quickly on lowest of 3 levels of difficulty. The mini-games are easy, and numerous, the HOPs are fewer. They are interactive lists by word or image.

One final unusual thing about this game – the map and the journal with your story notes are in the top righthand corner, while the task list is in the left bottom and the cherub is on the right bottom. I found it quite comfortable. A solution, perhaps, for those games that have just too many gadgets to keep organised when all down with the inventory interface.

CE BLING!
Despite the collectibles, which I think are essential to the game, no sign of any achievements or other CE Bling! I suspect it will find its way into the game before release, though.

COMBINED IMPACT
I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The first of this series , Lord Of Mirrors, was an excellent HOG, even though the graphics were dismal. The 2nd game, Queen Of Death, was awful. The colours had me wanting to slash my wrists, and unfortunately the gameplay didn’t compensate this time.

This game is good on both fronts, and has an interesting story as well! While not one of the mega games, this is one I am looking forward to finishing some day. One last thing has me curious – there was an awful little girl in both the prequels, but I can’t see her showing up here... I just gotta know if she’s involved.

I recommend this game!

Try It Here! 

LADIES & GENTLEMEN (If we have any out there)

I have updated the list at the top of this thread and now do solemnly swear to keep it up to date   

Am also on a mission to get to the point where game releases don't catch me unprepared   , so expect lots of reviews here over the coming weeks. There are still 22 open betas on my list!