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Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? #936358
01/21/14 03:55 PM
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Just curious about HOG games that have a series of issues, like the Mystery Trackers and Mystery Case Files and the like. Do they all tend to be comparable in quality and interest? I have tried reading up on them, but it is so time consuming to read reviews on every single game, and it would be nice to think that if you really liked Dire Grove or one of the Dark Parables games, that you could just buy the others in that series and be happy. I know . . . too much to ask?

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936370
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Reenie, I would use the same advice I gave you Here. It is best to check the comments on each game thread to see what people think.


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Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: BrownEyedTigre] #936372
01/21/14 04:29 PM
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Yeah, I tried to do that, but there are SO many games. It is too overwhelming. Just hoped someone in this Forum had some other insights and experience to share.

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936379
01/21/14 05:15 PM
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I would say that the Dark Parables games are all pretty equal in quality. wave

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Marian] #936381
01/21/14 05:18 PM
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Thanks, Marian! I played two of them, and was thinking about buying the other two. You've helped me make up my mind. happydance

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936384
01/21/14 05:47 PM
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I think you will enjoy them, Reenie. I don't recall any striking differences in gameplay or quality among the games in the series. smile

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Marian] #936403
01/21/14 08:33 PM
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On that same line, is is reasonable to assume that a company won't release a "Collector's Edition" on a game unless it was well received in its first edition? Or is the CE edition just an attempt to get more people to buy ANY game, even a sloppy or dull one?

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936419
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The fact that it is a Collector's Edition is a stand alone one and has nothing to do with how well a previous game sold. In order for a Publisher to make it a CE it has to be a cut above the rest. Sloppy and dull are generally not terms used to describe a CE.


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Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: BrownEyedTigre] #936443
01/22/14 02:52 AM
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What I was trying to ask was, do game companies issue a Collector's Edition after the original has come out because the original was good enough to merit adding the Bonus Play, etc. That would be my assumption, and I was wondering if it were true. If not, are the shorter version and the CE being issued at the same time? I usually buy the CE because of the extra game play.

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936504
01/22/14 11:02 AM
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The Standard Edition of a game is released about a month after the Collector's Edition has been released. wave

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Marian] #936512
01/22/14 12:45 PM
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Wow, I never knew that. I just assumed a game was released, was a hit, and then a followup was issued with more content. Thanks for the info!

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936529
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I thought the same as Reenie, if the game sold well, the developer added a bonus chapter and other extras and released the CE. To me the process seems backwards. But I am not a game developer, I just enjoying playing the games. smile


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Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: kazzmo] #936547
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Me, too, Kazzmo! I shunned HOGs for many, many years. Just looking for needles in haystacks did not have any appeal for me. Then some companies began to expand the game concept, adding genuine Adventure elements, quests, characters, story lines, and good puzzles. Now, some of them are more like Adventure games with an occasional HOG than they are an HOG. Finding the good ones is the challenge, though, in a field still full of needle-in-haystack HOGs. It is overwhelming how many there are!

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936550
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YOu can always do a search of the forum using the search term Lite and you will find casuals that are adventure with no HOG's.


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Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936560
01/22/14 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: Reenie
Now, some of them are more like Adventure games with an occasional HOG than they are an HOG. Finding the good ones is the challenge, though, in a field still full of needle-in-haystack HOGs.


I'm replaying a really good one right now; the title is Shiver: Poltergeist. There are some HOG scenes, but it feels much more like an adventure game. yes wave

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Marian] #936571
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Yes, I liked both the Shiver HOGs, Marian. I've also enjoyed the Dark Parables series and have played three of those already. The Otherword series is decent, too. Mystery Trackers and Mystery Case Files are uniformly good. The Surface games weren't bad, but not great. But in my book, you can't beat the 1000 Doors series! Those are my favorites (long play, creative puzzles, good map, and clear graphics). Those few series have set a new standard for the genre. I am a convert.

What I am doing now is trying to thread my way through the vast dark forest of inferior HOG games and withered hangovers from the needle-in-haystack genre to find the future redwoods. I've been burned on a few that are way too short, rely totally on HOG scenes with laughably silly and simple puzzles, and sometimes the graphics are so dreadful you can hardly tell what the objects are in the the HOG scenes. It is a tough job, this search, but somebody's got to do it! LOL

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936598
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A series that I feel maintains a good quality is "House of 1000 Doors".
I've enjoyed every one of those games and would certainly recommend them yes


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Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Mad] #936611
01/23/14 12:05 AM
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Me, too, Mad. I'm playing Serpent now, in that series. Terrific.

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936612
01/23/14 12:08 AM
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I'm hoping there will be another House of 1000 Doors game; I recently replayed Serpent Flame. smile

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936918
01/25/14 04:00 AM
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I found the Puppetshow series to be really good, each game being enjoyable with good puzzles.

There is quite a lot of dross out there in the HOG game world so I love finding a game I like and then playing the others in the series. I am rarely disappointed in the follow-up games. The Dark Parable series, House of 1000 doors, Mystery Trackers, Mystery Case files, I agree, are other examples of good quality games series that are enjoyable to play.

I wonder if Gameboomers should vote for a list of "turkeys" - games that they have found boring or glitchy or otherwise not worth playing. It might be helpful, though maybe not a very polite thing to do?

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: meryl] #936991
01/25/14 01:45 PM
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Yes, I love all those games you mentioned, Meryl. I have worked my way through those series. The puppet series was a bit creepy, but the puzzles in those games are excellent.

The HOG genre is huge in terms of output, but good games are quite thin on the ground. It doesn't seem like the other game genres have quite that same situation going on, does it? It might not be "polite" to create a list of stinker HOGs, but hey, Rotten Tomatoes does it with films, and lots of folks find it valuable. LOL Even if we didn't call the inferior HOGs turkeys, we could at least label them as "Unchallenging" or "HOG Heavy."

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #936993
01/25/14 01:57 PM
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We will stay away from making a list of bad games, but you all are invited to participate in Favorites list here.

Ana wave


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Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: BrownEyedTigre] #937683
01/29/14 08:06 PM
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BTW, I have enjoyed this thread exchanging comments and feedback with casual gamers. Hope to see more like this! Most posts on this forum seem to involve mentioning a new casual game issue.

I just finished playing another of the Otherworld series, "Shades of Fall (Collector's Edition)." Second one I've played. Just wanted to report in. It is a good game with scope, interesting mini-games (albeit too easy for my taste), fine artwork, good map, and logical tasks. The characters, such as they are, are flat and uninteresting and there is absolutely no character development, either. Inventory is easy to use and usually logical, but there were a couple of times that I had to stretch my mind to figure out what I could do with a sponge or how to light a candle -- and they made me laugh out loud when I figured them out. The game has long playing time, which I appreciated. The bonus game at the end added to the story line, and didn't feel like stuff cut out elsewhere and tacked onto this story. I also like the change of venue (to Asia) with all the novelty of graphics and icons and style that comes with that. Can't wait to play the next Otherworld.

Last edited by BrownEyedTigre; 01/29/14 09:53 PM. Reason: combined stacked posts
Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #937687
01/29/14 08:39 PM
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I am glad that you enjoyed the game, Reenie. Thanks for the input. wave

Re: Games in a "Series" -- usually all comparable or not? [Re: Reenie] #937693
01/29/14 09:56 PM
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Just an FYI, if you post your opinions in the official game thread of that game (even if its an older thread) it helps others looking for opinions on that game when they look it up.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Ana wave


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