Now Playing: Farmscapes HD (Premium) for iPad

Welcome to Farmscapes! In time for summer, there is a bored kid who is sent off to ‘farm camp’ with his grandpa after his parents notice that he plays too many video games during his free time. Armed with a sense of humr, an eye for business and a desire to keep things neat and clean, you accompany Tom to his grandpa Joe’s farm to make something out of the charming but poorly maintained place.

Playrix is one of my aboslute favorite publishers/developers when it comes to casual games. Their games are beautifully designed and highly polished, offering more than your usual time management or hiddn object title. Farmscapes HD (Premium), which was free for a limited time, is no exception. In this game, you help a kid and his grandpa restore his rundown farm into a beautiful and financially productive entreprise.

How, pray tell? Farmscapes HD (Premium) combines match three with hidden object gameplay in order for you to buy the necessary equipment and decorations to improve your farm.

Matching at least three of a kind is used to sell your wares to the local townfolk. Your wares form the ‘units’ that you have to mix and match – ultimately, you have to eliminate golden tiles scattered across the board in typical match three fashion. Later on, when you unlock new equipment/animals such as bees and livestock, you add units to the board. Each match three level is equivalent to a day at the market, and as a nice touch, people walk past and make all sorts of comments while buying.

Now Playing: The Cursed Ship, Collector’s Edition HD for iPad

appSIZED the cursed ship
Dark, disturbing horror tales are a favorite subject of many hidden object games (HOGs). The Cursed Ship, Collector’s Edition HD by G5 Games is no exception. The story about Ondine, a Titanic-like luxury cruise ship, disappears in the late 1970’s and you step in on an assignment to search for the missing ship.
As the name implies, the ship Ondine is indeed cursed, and you have to navigate a treacherous and downright creepy environment searching for clues and a way out alive.
appSIZED the cursed ship 2

Now Playing: Hidden City – Mystery of Shadows for iPad

I haven’t got much patience for hidden object games (HOGs) of late, but I do appreciate most of them for the gorgeous design and interesting storylines. Hidden CIty: Mystery of Shadows (Free) by G5 Games is their latest title to hit the App Store. While there are plenty of HOGs out there, not many have explored the free to play model. In the past, HOGs were far more expensive than your usual games, owing to the depth and richness of the content. It also takes a lot of time and patience to finish one, hence a single HOG could last you for months, depending on how busy you are and how many games you play on average.

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Where Angels Cry in Review: A Hidden Object Adventure That Falls From Grace

It’s been a while since I last picked up a hidden object game. The thing is, for a hidden object game to sustain my attention, it should be driven by a really interesting storyline. Minutes into Where Angels Cry HD for iPad, I was simply hooked.

Where Angels Cry HD puts you in the shoes of a young monk sent by the cardinal to investigate a mysterious occurrence – said to be a miracle, in a remote monastery. Coincidentally – or not, the miracle coincides with the unexpected death of a resident monk who is believed to have been killed by wolves.

Sounds great so far? I thought so, too.

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iOS App Review: Magic Academy 2 HD

Magic Academy 2 HD is a Harry Potter-esque approach to hidden object games – look for ingredients, potions and spells and uncover the mystery behind a missing magical treatise that threatens to destroy the wizarding world.

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iOS Weekend Sale Alert! Ninjatown, Shift 2 Unleashed, Unlikely Suspects and Space Miner HD!

 

Shift unleashed 2 Ninjatown unlikely suspects space miner HD on sale

 
Just when you thought the massive Thanksgiving holiday app shopping spree was over, this weekend is just full of more surprises and great deals! There are so many to choose from, but here are some handpicked appSIZED recommendations:
 
1) Shift 2 Unleashed (iPhone/iPad) – Love racing? Love the Need for Speed series? Then you wouldn’t want to miss EA Mobile’s freebie of the day. Yup, you read it right – it’s FREE.
 
2) Ninjatown: Trees of Doom (iPhone/iPad) – Climb your way to the top, ninja-style, in this utterly charming game kids will also love. The game is FREE for a limited time to celebrate Venan Entertainment’s new game, Book of Heroes for the iPhone.
 
3) Unlikely Suspects HD: Full (iPad) – Hidden object adventure fans with a penchant for crime solving ought to check out this interesting title from MumboJumbo games, now on sale for $2.99 only. You might want to check out their other titles, such as the Luxor series and Midnight Mysteries titles, which are also on sale.
 
4) Space Miner (iPhone/iPad) – One of my favorite games, Space Miner HD makes busting up space rocks awesome thanks to its deep gameplay and wicked sense of humor. The fact that it’s FREE this weekend only is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so grab it now. 
 
H(app)y shopping! 
 
 

iOS App Review: Midnight Mysteries – Devil on the Mississippi

Midnight Mysteries: Devil on the Mississippi is the spooky, exciting sequel to Salem Witch Trials, an atmospheric hidden object detective thriller that is an exciting mix of history and literature. A must have!

 
Mark Twain needs your help. A demon is after him, but he doesn’t know why. And what does William Shakespeare have to do with all this?  
 
Midnight Mysteries is a popular series of hidden object/point-and-click detective adventures featuring prominent literary figures. Now ported to the iPad, the first installment came last year with Midnight Mysteries: Salem Witch Trials which landed on appSIZED’s list of top 10 games for 2010. Continue reading