Ice Cream Dee Lites is a time management game that takes place in an ice cream store. Like every other ice cream game, you serve ice cream cones (and other ice cream type novelties) to customers. I didn't like this game nearly as much as other ice cream themed games. While there are a lot of upgrades you can buy, the game just doesn't seem 'right.' Maybe it's the graphics for the ice cream machine dropping the ice cream scoop onto the cone. There seems to be something missing but I can't put my finger on what. Give it a try yourself. Maybe you can tell me what I'm missing.
Game review: Airport Mania: First Flight
When I first saw Airport Mania: First Flight, I thought the graphics were too cutesy to make the game any good. I was so extremely wrong. The gameplay is easy. Planes are flying into your airport. It is your job to land them, get them to their terminals, unload the passengers, reload the passengers and get them back into the air. In the later levels, you will also need to refuel and repair some planes. The simplistic approach to the gameplay and the very cute graphics make this fun and interesting to play. You can buy upgrades but you don't have to buy all of them in order to move onto to the next level. I can't wait to play more of this!
Music review: Stone Temple Pilots - Creep
Artist: Stone Temple Pilots
Members: Scott Weiland (vocals), Robert DeLeo (bass, vocals), Dean DeLeo (guitar), Eric Kretz (drums)
Album: Core
Release date: 9/29/92
Video link: Via YouTube
Lyrics: Forward yesterday Makes me wanna stay What they said was real Makes me wanna steal Livin' under house Guess I'm livin', I'm a mouse All's I gots is time Got no meaning, just a rhyme
Take time with a wounded hand 'Cause it likes to heal Take time with a wounded hand Guess I like to steal
I'm half the man I used to be This feeling as the dawn It turns to gray I'm half the man I used to be This feeling as the dawn It turns to gray
Feelin' uninspired Think I'll start a fire Everybody run Bobby's got a gun Think you're kinda neat Then she tells me I'm a creep Friends don't mean a thing Guess I'll leave it up to me About the song: I wonder how many people committed suicide while thing song was playing. Not only is it really slow and depressing but the lyrics even say the singer is a loser. I'm not really sure how this became a popular song. It must have been riding the coattails of Plush, another song from the album.
Game review: Sherlock Holmes: Mystery of the Persian Carpet
Like many new hidden object games today, Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Persian Carpet tries to make the genre harder than it should be. While there are some hidden object properties to the game, it tries to add more puzzles to make the player think harder. This is something that should be expected of a game with the Sherlock Holmes name on it but it should be filed under a different genre. For the most part, the game was fun. However, some of the puzzles are extremely difficult. In fact, they may require you to read a walkthrough for the game. If you are looking for something harder, this would be the game to try. If you are looking for a traditional hidden object game, look somewhere else.
Game review: Pets Fun House
Yet another pet-themed time management game! Sadly, Pets Fun House isn't nearly as much fun as Pet Shop Hop was. In this game, you own a pet shop of sorts. You not only sell pets but you also sell pet food and other items. However, it is the pet part that is annoying. Instead of selling already-grown pets to customers, you must raise each pet from a puppy/kitten. You also must decide which breeds will be popular (based on "market information" they give you) so you will have the correct breeds at the correct age when a customer wants them. This is impossible. If the game tells you that dalmations are popular and you stock with mostly dalmations, customers will demand cats. And you can't change the breed on the fly since you have to raise them to an appropriate age.
I'm sure the developers were looking to mix a Sims game with a time management game. It just doesn't work here. Unless you have enough slots to have at least one of each breed on hand at all times (and you don't), it's impossible to keep your customers happy. They should choose which type of game they wish to make and stick with it. Mixing genres doesn't always work and this game is proof.
Music review: Ken Hirai - Pop Star
Artist: Ken Hirai
Album: Ken Hirai 10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection '95- '05
Release date: 11/23/05 (album), 10/26/05 (single)
Video link: Via YouTube
English translation: I wanna be a pop star and be more to you I’m lifted from the ground in a daze A sparling pop star I spread my wings and do my magic just for you
When I’m with you I’m so happy but then I’m so sad when I’m not Taking each other’s hands we run straight into a love affair I can’t fly to the sky but I can sing my song of loneliness at night if that would bring a smile to your cheeks When I held you close for the first time It was as if God himself came down upon me Now my destiny is to be a hero, just for you
*I wanna be a pop star and be more to you I’m lifted from the ground in a daze A sparling pop star I spread my wings and do my magic
**I wanna be your pop star try harder for you so come here so I can hold you A sparling pop star I spread my wings and do my magic just for you
I want to hide in darkness and have you pick up me gently If I’m imporatant to you, then hold me tight I keep walking this road, towards the light Using my right hand to protect you from pain so that I can hold you with my other hand
You’re gonna be my pop star and be more to me You smile in a daze A sparling pop star In your eyes, I do my magic
You’re my only pop star try harder for me Hold me, and don’t let go A sparling pop star Right now, in your eyes, I do my magic
As you fall in love anybody can be anyone’s pop star As God himself came down upon me Ny destiny was to be a hero, just for you
*Repeat **Repeat About the song: POP STAR is most famous for its video where Ken Hirai plays every role. It is a very catchy song and I can guarantee that once you hear it, it'll be very difficult to get it out of your head. All I can really say is listen to it. I hope you'll love it as much as I do.
Game review: Pet Shop Hop
Lately, a lot of pet-themed time management games have relied on grooming pets. You wash a dog, cut its hair then give it back to the owner. Pet Shop Hop is a pet-themed time management game but it is completely different from the others. Instead of grooming a pet, you are trying to sell them. However, you still need to feed each type of animal and clean their cages/tanks/pens. At the same time, you need to make sure you find the right pet for each customer. It sounds like there is a lot of work involved in playing this game. There isn't really. Your character doesn't move for the feeding and cleaning actions so there isn't time being wasted with her just wandering around the store. She only moves when she is preparing an animal for a customer. While this may seem like it's not a big deal, it is. Most games force the player's character to wander around the "game board" for every single action. This usually ends up making the player aggravated because the character doesn't move fast enough to fit everything in within the alloted time. Customers get angry because your character is busy in the corner feeding the fish or something. By allowing the feeding and cleaning to be done by the player without the character moving, the player can accomplish those tasks while the character is moving to a tank or cage to prepare an animal for the customer. We don't have to wait for the character to do something.
I did enjoy playing this game a lot. It's a slightly different take on the time management type of game but it makes all the right changes to keep it interesting and fun instead of aggravating.
Game review: Solitaire Hop!
I am really not good at games that require a lot of thought. Well, no. That's an incorrect assessment. When I play a video game, I'm usually doing it to relax so I don't want to play something that requires a lot of thought. However, I received an email asking me to try Solitaire Hop. I love receiving game suggestions so I gave it my best. My best sucked a lot.
Here is the game's description: Your favorite elements of Solitaire and Sudoku come crashing together in Solitaire Hop! You'll need lateral thinking and strategy to master "Solitaire Hop!"'s simple mechanic. Take 30 seconds to learn the rules and you'll be hooked!
I love Solitaire. I tend to break it out whenever I'm really bored. Sudoku though? Not so much. It's an OK game but I have other things I'd rather waste my time playing. But I'm not a terrible Sudoku player so I figured this wouldn't be too bad. As it turns out, I am so not the target audience here.
Let's see if I can describe the game. You are given a spread of cards. In order to clear the spread, you need to "hop" the cards next to each other but whether a card is "hoppable" depends on the card's value. You can only hop a card of equal or lower value than your selected card. This is where my problem lies. I can easily find cards of equal or lower value but then you get stuck if you have a card with nothing next to it. So instead of clearing the spread, I end up with an array of cards that aren't next to each other so they can't be cleared. It's just too much thought for my little brain. Perhaps I'd enjoy it if I was a bigger fan of Sudoku. (Sudoku fans? Give the game a try and let me know what you think!) I'll probably poke at the game some more over the next few days but I can't imagine that this will be something I'd add to my list of favored games.
Music review: Do As Infinity - Remember The Hill
Artist: Do As Infinity
Members: Tomiko Van, Ryo Owatari, Dai Nagao
Album: Boukensha Tachi (single)
Release date: 9/5/01
English translation: It's all right, I haven't forgotten about That dream from then. I know that hill, that light, About how I shone there more than anything -- I'll walk straight ahead...
Continuing to sigh, shivering a little, I knew that reality Wasn't going to be that easy.
It's all right, I haven't forgotten about That dream from then. I'm sure there's no way I'll be satisfied If it's something I can easily get right away, A path that only I can open.
Even though it seems I'm pressured By loneliness and worries, I keep a balance that seems like it's going to break.
If I'm sad for whatever reason, And end up without confidence, I'll once again remember that day, And the hill that holds your promises... The day of that refreshing wind...
A storm of despair with rain striking down... A dream full of tears...
It's all right, I haven't forgotten about That dream from then I know that hill, that light, About how I shone there more than anything...
If I'm sad for whatever reason, And end up without confidence, I'll once again remember that day, And the hill that holds your promises... I'll walk straigth ahead... About the song: It's easy to tell why this is a B side song. While there are some interesting string instruments being used, the song is still boring. The chorus parts are drawn out while the verses use a normal pace. It leaves the song feeling a little uneven. If they had left out the slow chorus parts, the sound would have been a bit better. Though I think it would still have a bland feeling to it.
Game review: The Hidden Object Show
The Hidden Object Show is exactly what it sounds like. A hidden object show dolled up as a television game show. Sadly, the game is on the difficult side and the premise just isn't interesting. During the hidden object section, dark objects are frequently hidden in shadows. While I know that developers do this to make the game a "challenge," it's just annoying. There are just too many hidden object games out there to waste time playing this one.