Adventure Beyond Time

The vibe of this game is reminiscent of Meridian 157, perhaps not quite as sinister, although I realize this one came much earlier than those. The juxtaposition of artifacts from various historical eras is a compelling plot device. It is a sprawling experience which unfolds gradually and pleasantly for the most part as puzzles are solved and more parts of the island are unlocked. As others have pointed out, having a camera and/or map feature would improve the user experience. My biggest gripe is with the inventory management as empty blocks are left when objects are used for the final time, meaning you have to scroll through a lot of dead space as more items are accumulated. Was hoping for a little more payoff at the end, all of the possible choices seem to lead to the same sendoff. Very impressive for what appears to be a very small development team...I'll be checking out the rest of their titles.

The clues are very involved and the steps needed to complete the clues require one to have to write them down, as there are so many specific steps one is required to complete. For example, one has to place a lever on the ship’s throttle, and then turn the lever in various directions; followed by specific turns on the ship’s steering wheel. They have to be completed in a specific order or it doesn’t work. When I placed my finger to direct either the steering wheel or the lever, it would erratically respond by going in the opposite direction of where I was directing it. Then you are suppose to start all over again which I gave up on out of complete frustration since it would just malfunction again. The lever and steering wheel are placed too close to each other, which further complicated one being able to have the app respond as directed.

I've played a lot of these types of games and this is seriously the best one I've played. The story is not too distracting from the fun of the game, the clues are wild but do connect and make sense. The hint feature is optional and when used basically makes a puzzle piece into easier pieces. I loved this game from start to finish. I didn't find myself rushing through or utterly stumped, great pacing. You should get this game if point and click is your thing. Most other apps are going to pale in comparison after this.