Spell Caster is an isometric fantasy game in which the player takes on the role of a wandering mage, learning new spells and using them to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. The background is that the player is on the search for a long lost artifact that could boost their powers immensely and unlock a lot of the mysteries of the world. The player will be able to choose from several characters, each of which focus in a different school of magic e.g. destructive, healing, telekinesis and illusion. Spell Caster can be played solo but is best played as a co-operative game so players can utilize as much of the spells to solve puzzles and fights as easily possible.
There is no mana or magic bar to determine how many spells can be cast, the speed of the players typing and their accuracy when typing are the only factor in whether or not a spell gets cast. Spells are learn one of several ways, by encountering them in spell tomes out in the wilderness, learning them as the player levels or by typing in random words that the player thinks will be a potential spell.
In order to cast a known spell, the player must click on their target and type the name of the spell on the keyboard. Some spells will not require targets and radiate in an area of effect from the character damaging, healing or moving everything within the radius.
There will be a long list of spells to choose from, each with a different effect from the last and it is up to the player how they approach each problem. The character the player chooses determines how effective their chosen school is in all aspects. For example, a player who chooses the destructive mage will have increased damage and impact force on all of the destructive spells.
The schools will each have different uses in different situations: destruction is focused on combat and moving some objects, healing is to heal/buff players and NPC's, telekinesis is focused solely on moving and manipulating objects and has some combat use while illusion is a useful all-rounder, although it doesn't cause damage it allows players to create objects and confuse enemies. There is the potential to improve the amount of schools to allow further flexibility of game play.
Players will also travel through towns and meet NPC's who will attempt to enlist the players in side quests or give information as to the potential whereabouts of the artifact they seek and may provide spells that the characters cannot learn normal means.
Image Attribution: images retrieved (1 September 2015) from http://www.destructoid.com/elephant//ul/27886-ystt-02.jpg and from http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2011/02/magicka2.jpg
The Things Behind the Wall is a first person, non-combat game not unlike Myst (Ubisoft, 2005). You and your little brother have been playing a game of hide and seek in the enormous, restored 1800's mansion your family is on holiday at. After a few minutes and alternating seeker and hider you hear your brother squeal in excitement. You finish counting down to zero and yell "Ready or not! Here I come!", though no matter how you search, you can't find him anywhere. You realise that you've lost him. Rather than going to your parents and telling them that you lost your brother and risk getting scolded or having them panic, you decide to set off to the area you were last together: an extended corridor with extravagant red and white wallpaper and gaudy picture frames with old photos inside line the wall. You open the first door on your left and you are greeted by an open world of lush green, vibrant trees and warm sunlight. You see a human sized rabbit who smiles and beckons you over.
In The Things Behind the Doors it is your duty to explore the many lands behind the doors down this magical hallway to find your little brother. As you make contact with strange and wonderful animals, the decisions you make in conversations will lead to you making friendships with them. If they like you enough they will offer hints, advice and even come to your aid if you come perilously close to danger.
Enjoy a game with rich story, engaging dialogue, strange, but friendly animals, stunning scenery, open world landscapes and invigorating hints to close the distance between yourself and your lost brother.
Image Attribution:
Image of Myst V Planet:Retrieved (29 July 2015) from: http://cyan.com/wp-content/uploads/home_mystv-1024x640.jpg
Image of Rabbit from Winni the Pooh: Retrieved (29 July 2015) from: http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140929002633/disney/images/3/3f/Rabbit-garden-hoe.jpg
Ubisoft, Myst V (2005) Image of Myst V Landscape: Retrieved (29 July 2015) from: http://www.riftenabled.com/files/uploads/1367773159.jpg
In this puzzle adventure game, you take control of an adventurous explorer who roams through undiscovered islands in the early 1900's. Your character, Jonas, Is a middle aged male, struggling to make ends meet as a busking juggler on the mean streets of New York. unbeknownst to everyone else you know, this is just a cover for your real job: stealing ancient treasures and selling them to the highest bidder. In Undiscovered: puzzle Adventures you will travel between undiscovered islands, searching through ancient Mayan, Roman, Amazonian and even Egyptian ruins among many other scenic locations in your hunt for treasure.
While exploring these islands, be prepared to treat with any natives to ensure your safe passage, avoid them entirely, or if the worst should happen, fight them. Not only are their natives on the islands to worry about, there is also the local wildlife to be wary of: from monkeys to wild boars, you will have to make sure they don't impede your progress, be careful though, if roaming natives spot dead animals, they will begin searching the area.
After making your way through the wilderness and into a ruin, you will be challenged in varying difficulties to solve puzzles, starting out easy then progressively harder as you progress. Traps, moving platforms, mind bending frustration and more await you within, can you escape with your treasure while remaining alive? If you do and manage to get back to the streets of New York, you must find a dealer who will take your treasures from you for a previously agreed upon price. If you feel the danger was not worth the treasure gained, you may try to convince him to part with more money, but this may result in complete refusal to purchase the treasure or even hostility.
Be careful when you barter with people, you have a reputation to uphold. if you anger too many buyers or informants, you may end up with only the most desperate of people contacting you for the most meager of rewards. if this happens, you must work hard to find your way back into a sterling reputation.
Once you have amassed a wealth beyond compare you may elect to retire and win the game.
Key Features:
-A scenic exploration phase
-Unique haggling system
-Competent and brutal AI
-Varying degrees of challenging puzzles
Image Attribution:
Photo of Times Square: Retrieved (28 July 2015) from https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=indiana+jones&cl...:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1280&bih=913&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI37b9jan8xgIVoiOmCh0P1AOz#channel=fflb&tbm=isch&q=1900%27s+New+York&imgrc=gp32bsBMyTF8jM%3A
Photo of Indiana Jones: Retrieved (28 July 2015) from http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Indy.jpeg
Photo of Mayan Ruins: Retrieved (28 July 2015) from http://images.boomsbeat.com/data/images/full/14439/belize-maya-ruins-1-jpg.jpg
