Review: Supermarket Management 2

Type: Time Management
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games

Kate starts having strange dreams where disasters always seems to hit the supermarket manager. Her grandmother thinks it is time for her to run her own supermarket.

Gameplay
In this game, you are the manager of a supermarket. You start off with a few tasks, like keeping the shelves stocked, ringing up the purchases and putting the trolleys back in place. As you progressed through the levels, there will be additional counters which served as mini games. You will be able to purchase upgrades like bigger shelves and assistants to make your job easier.

Thoughts
I felt that this is a pretty decent game, fun to play but nothing earth-breaking. There is no difficulty setting in Supermarket Management 2 but overall it feels easier than Cooking Dash 3: Thrills and Spills. It never gets so hard that I cannot proceed to the next stage. I noticed that there is a 3D mode option available. I wondered if it means that the game can be played in 3D? But my monitor does not have the 3D function so I can't test it.

Verdict ★★★★
Game page for PC and Mac

Review: Cooking Dash 3: Thrills and Spills

Type: Time Management
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 for the game or USD 13.99 for the Collector's Edition from Big Fish Games

The latest installment of the popular Cooking Dash/Diner Dash series starts with grandma and Flo visiting Mr Big's theme park. It reminds grandma of the time when a teenage Flo worked at the rundown theme park restaurants. The Collector's Edition includes an exclusive venue, a strategy guide, wallpapers and screensaver. The Collector's Edition is available for PC and Mac.

Gameplay
You sit the customers in the restaurant by dragging them to the tables. If you manage match the customers with the same color seat, you will get an additional bonus. The customers will then take a few seconds to read the menu before deciding on what to he/she wants to order. It is then up to Flo to cook and/or serve the dishes to the customers before the hearts run out. Some of the dishes are ready-to-serve while others will need you to cook them first.

Cooking dishes takes at least two steps. You have to bring the raw ingredients to the stove or grill or fryer, depending on the type of restaurant. Then halfway through the cooking process, you have to click on the stove again to flip the dish that is cooking. Although this action is optional, as in the dish will still be cooked regardless of whether you remember to flip, there are benefits if you remember to do it so you should try to flip the food if you can.

Before each stage, you can play a mini game. How well you do in the mini game will determine how many of a certain type of dish you have that is ready to serve at the start of the game.

Thoughts
This game is the latest in the Cooking Dash series, so it is nice to see that the developers have improved the graphics in the game. The visual style is still there but the lines look cleaner and neater. It's all just subtle differences but it's nice when you notice it. Each restaurant has its own theme look, theme song and theme dishes. It keeps the game interesting even though I am still doing more or less the same actions.

This game is still as addictive and fast paced as ever. My main problem with Cooking Dash games is that at some point, it will become too hard for me to continue on playing. This game is as difficult or as easy, depending on your skill level, as other games in the series. I still have to handle a lot of things at the same time and it's rather overwhelming in the later stages. It didn't help that most of the dishes cannot be prepared beforehand as they will get burnt or lose their freshness.

Verdict ★★★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Letters from Nowhere

Type: Hidden Object
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games

Audrey has to find her missing husband with help from mysterious letters from an unknown sender.

Gameplay
At each chapter of the game, you are given a few locations to choose from. Each location is a hidden object game where you have to find items on the list. There will be at least one item which requires an additional action to complete eg. putting bread in the toaster to make toast. One of the locations will contained one of the mysterious letter which will open a a new location. The new location will contain a puzzle and an artifact. To help you in the search, you can purchase four types of power ups from the points you have earned.

Thoughts
I like the beautiful graphics and the intriguing plot. Even though evil is in the air, it is not a terribly spooky game. It is not easy to find the hidden items because some of the items are covered so that only part of it can be seen. The items are also clearly hidden and sometimes instead of telling me what to look for, the game only gives me a clue eg. head cover or 2+3.

The puzzles are pretty simple and won't cause anyone to tear their hair out. There is a helpful "Solve Puzzle" button which will activate after a few minutes, unlike another game which took such a long time to activate the button that you would have better luck solving it yourself.

Verdict ★★★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: 2 Tasty

Type: Hidden Object
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games

After graduating from cooking school, Libby agreed to be the chef at Cole's newly bought shop.

Gameplay
In 2 Tasty, you cook dishes by finding the ingredients hidden around the messy kitchen. At later stages, you will have to look more than one area for the ingredients you need. A list of ingredients will appear beside each customer's orders. Each dish needs different ingredients and different cooking equipment. The amount you earn is based on how fast you can find the ingredients, so don't take too long! The money earned can be used to purchase better equipment to help you in your cooking.

Thoughts
Having customers' orders to fulfill makes this feels different from other hidden object games. I enjoy finding the ingredients and seeing them turning into delicious-looking dishes. There is also a help button to press when I have trouble finding the ingredient I need. The game will then find one of the ingredient on the list for me but everything always happened so fast that I didn't know where the ingredient was located. Interestingly, as I progress past the stages, I get to unlock real recipes to try. However 2 Tasty isn't the only game which provides real recipes. Hell's Kitchen is another game with real recipes.

There is a little romantic story in the game between the shy Cole and the oblivious Libby. It is amusing to see how the story develops. The two characters are likable and the general atmosphere is cheery. There is no villain in the game, just how these two friends achieve success and maybe, love.

However, despite all its charms, the game feels a little buggy. There are also slight grammar mistakes and some of the pictures during the cut scenes are too low-res.

Verdict ★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Great Migrations

Type: Strategy
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games

This National Geographic branded is based on the great migrations of animals.

Gameplay
Migrating creatures will appear in the lower left corner of the screen. You have to maneuver them past obstacles and predators to their goal in upper right corner of the screen. Clicking on a creature will caused it to change color. For example, clicking on a Monarch Butterfly will turn it golden. This golden butterfly is now the leader and other butterflies around it will start to follow it. Click and drag on the leader to create a path. Depending on how you draw the path, sections of it may turn red, indicating that the creatures will take a longer time to travel through that area. You can also apply power ups to increase the speed or slow down the predators. The effects of the power ups are limited to a small area.

Thoughts
This game teaches about the migration of creatures and shows the different terrains and dangers they face. It is educational but not very fun. The creatures appeared one by one and keeps moving so I have to spend quite a bit of time making the leader move back and fro around the lower left corner to pick up new recruits until I get a big enough group. Despite successfully guiding the butterflies to their goal, I did not feel any satisfaction. Graphics are more towards the realistic and there are photos of the creatures on the title screen. However, the photos are not hi-res and appear pixelated on my 1920 x 1080 screen when the game ran in fullscreen.

Verdict ★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Paradise Beach

Type: Building Management
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games for PC and Mac

The rich Mr Gates is looking for someone to look after the management of his beach resorts.

Gameplay
In Paradise Beach, you build facilities to keep the customers happy, These facilities are your main cash earners and have to be maintained to keep earning money. The facilities can also be upgraded. There are also many other decorative items you can add to the beach. You can also hire employees to assist you in keeping the resort in tiptop shape. Increase the rating of your beach resort to unlock new items. Each stage also has certain objectives which must be met before you can progress on.

Thoughts
This game is for those who like to build and decorate. There are no designated plots of land for building. I love the freedom to be able to place things wherever I want. Unfortunately I can't rotate anything so all the items are facing the same direction. There are many types of decorative items available for me to decorate my beach resort to my heart's content, if I'm that kind of gamer. Unfortunately I'm not. But if you are, you can choose to keep playing after the objectives are made and continue to build your beach resort.

Despite not being much of a decorator, I found this game fun to play. A problem with most building games is that after I have built everything and met all the objectives except for one, it is just a matter waiting for the game to meet that one objective so I can pass the stage. It get boring while waiting for that one objective to be met. But in this game, the more I build, the more people visit and the more people visit, the more things they demand. The visitors will also ask for your help periodically in finding their lost items or saving them from drowning. Some of these requests usually have a time limit so it a good thing that the game pops up an alert.

The tutorials are pretty clear and teaches the basics of the game. It doesn't teach everything though and I have to explore some of the more advance functions myself. But no fear, Mr Gates or his granddaughter will frequently pop up to explain when I click on something for the first time. The maps are frequently bigger than what is shown on the screen so I have to keep scrolling. Despite the game saying that I have to hold my left mouse button and drag to scroll, I find that I can scroll simply by placing my mouse at the edge of the screen.

Verdict ★★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Hospital Haste

Type: Time Management
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games for PC and Mac

Sally graduated from nursing school. Her dream is start her own hospital to treat people but first, she has to work at various hospitals to earn her certificates.

Gameplay
In Hospital Haste, patients with various illness will arrive at the hospital and it's your job to assign them to their rooms and make sure that they get their medicine and treatment. Sally has a trolley which she wheels around and collects items to bring to the patients. Chaining the same actions together will net you a bigger bonus.

Later in the game, you will encounter different people representing different illnesses. Sometimes the same illness may need different amounts of medicine and time needed to recover. Patients will also start arriving from different entrances. After each stage, you can use the money earned to buy upgrades which makes things easier while playing the game. You can also use the hearts earned from happy patients to purchase equipment for Sally's hospital.

Thoughts
Playing Hospital Haste reminds me of another game as the gameplay is very similar. I have to move between different floors to deliver items and collect dirty laundry to bring to the washing machine. The first few stages are tutorials where they will run through the basic gameplay. Almost every stage has some new addition to the game but everything is explained clearly so I don't feel lost.

This is not a serious game despite dealing with diseases and illness. I enjoy the strange and funny diseases that the patient suffers from, like having bunny ears and slowly turning into rabbits. Sadly, quirky illlnesses such as this does not appear often and most of the time it's mundane illnesses like coughs and dizzy spells. It is satisfying to see happy patients and to see the empty hospital fill up with equipment I bought. So it's kind of letdown that when I move on to the next hospital, I lose all the upgrades I have bought previously and have to start from the beginning again.

Verdict ★★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Spa Mania

Type: Time Management
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games for PC and Mac

Jade is against the use of animals in the cosmetics industry. After being challenged by Madame Dubois, the owner of such a cosmetic factory, Jade decided to start her own earth friendly spa. With the help of her friend, Jake, she starts first by learning the ropes.

Gameplay
Jade's journey will take her through ten different spas. There are five stages in each spa so altogether there are 50 stages for you to win. You start with three stations in the first spa. You have to drag customers to the correct station of their choice. At some stations, you will have to perform an addition action, maybe choose the correct facial mask, before it can be considered complete. After each stage, you have to option to spend your hard-earned money on upgrading the spa.

As you progress through the stages, you will unlock mini games. These mini games will have an impact on the spa, whether it is the replenishing of products the spa offer or enabling Jade to perform her actions better. You will also unlock new colors and designs for Jade's outfit.

Thoughts
The difficulty increases gradually and it isn't overwhelming for a new player. I do wish that the customers would move on to the next station automatically instead of having me to drag them. The variety of mini games keep it interesting. As far as I can tell, the mini games are optional and there is no need to play them after every stage. My main complain is that you have to tell the assistant every time you need him to do something; click on the changing room to get him to clean it, click on the tub to get him to refill it. The most help he'll give on his own is by waving his hand in the air to alert you. What's the point of having an assistant then? Fire him, I say!

The graphics are cartoony and cute and will appeal to the young and old. It is nice to have a storyline and a villain. I am more motivated to continue playing the game because I want to see how it turns out. By simply having a brief write-up when a new customer type appears ensures that they are not faceless and generic. If you look closely, you may see a figure looking suspiciously like Madame Dubois pacing outside the spa and taking notes.

Verdict ★★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Farmers Market

Type: Building Management
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games

Build stalls and run your own Farmers Market.

Gameplay
There is a limited number of free plots in each market for you to build stalls. There are three kinds of stalls - farmer, vendor and special stalls. Farmer stalls provides the raw materials eg. flour or corn. Vendor stalls sells products made from the raw materials, eg. bread or hot dog. Special stalls are stalls which do not directly make money but will have an impact in the running of the market eg. bandstand or drinks. Each stage has a few objectives you have to fulfil to pass it. It may be selling a number of a certain item or building certain stalls.

Thoughts
I like that there are two modes of play. Depending on your preference, you can pick either the challenge mode, which has a time limit, or the relaxed mode, which does away with the time limit. Most casual game have only one difficulty setting.

I like the chalkart map and the animation of the chalk checking my objectives when I meet them. I also like the music in Farmers Market. It has a country banjo twang to it which suits the game.

Verdict ★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)

Review: Love Ahoy

Type: Memory Match
Platform: PC and Mac
Price: USD 6.99 from Big Fish Games

Most websites listed Love Ahoy as a time management game, while a few categorized it as a action game. After playing the game, I felt that it is neither a time management game or an action game. I decided to call it a memory match game because it seemed to be the closest to describing the game.

Gameplay
Remember those game where you get a bunch of cards lying face down and you have to turn over two at time to match them? That's what this game feels like. As a staff on board a cruise ship, you have to create romances between couples by matching them according to their interests.

Each day, you will be presented with the passengers on the cruise ship. When you click on one passenger, depending on the theme, you will see either their favorite drink, their favorite pet, their favorite musical instrument etc. You will have to match them with a passenger of the opposite gender. In the later stages, you will be give certain restrictions, such as making a match only in certain areas of the ship.

At night, you will have to pair up couples on the dance floor. The best result happens when you have a couple where all their interests are a match. However, it will be hard to get a good match for all of them. At times when you ended up with a couple who have totally no common interests, you will need to serve them a drink before they will accept and dance with each other. Sounds like a case of beer goggles?

Thoughts
To play this game well, you will need to use your memory. The first few stages are easy to get through because there are less passengers and less interests to match up. When there are more passengers and interests, you will need to use your memory to decide whether to pair them up. Should you pair up Pamela with Kenny? Or should you wait because you remember that she has a perfect match in James? If you don't have a good memory, get a pen and paper when you play. Trust me, you'll need it.

Graphics-wise, it's the typical big heads, little bodies people which is supposed to be cute but it is not always so. In this case, I don't find them cute, more like a little ugly. It is hard to feel anything for them because they have no personality. There's none of the patient and slow granny or the fussy tipper that populate other time management games.

Verdict ★★★
Store page (PC and Mac)