The Great Unknown: Houdini's Castle HD

I'm glad I came across this game while searching for types of this genre through the App Store. The storyline was interesting enough to hold my attention; I like the twist on Houdini and his adopted son as the villain. The graphics were sharp and clear; the artwork contained brighter textured colors and details creating an almost realistic portrayal of the environment. Unfortunately, I had no choice of difficulty even after checking my options. Most developers understand that players expect customizable settings to fit their preferences. You had a great journal to read the story as you progressed, and it also recorded clues to solve puzzles. The inventory was labeled but not interactive. The map transported you to any location; however, there were no tasks or objectives indicated. You still had to jump around to find something to do. There was a hint button, and there were directional back arrows. You also are given a Strategy Guide. The HOS are two types: word lists with mild interaction and a fun association type where you put objects into the scene, such as giving a carrot to a rabbit. The puzzles are varied, simple, and fun; there were rotational types, as well as sequence or order based types. The bonus game had some new scenes as well as recycled ones. The reasons I took off two stars were the following: 1. You could not zoom up in the HOS making it hard at times to identify the objects. 2. Loading between scenes was delayed by a few seconds. 3. The map should indicate tasks or objectives. 4. No difficulty modes offered. 5. Throw in some collectibles to spice it up a bit. 6. I was thrown out of the game several times, and I have updated software. 7. The price should be no more than $3.99. Other developers offer games for less money, and I think the length of the game was average. It moved very fast. Even with the aforementioned issues, the game still deserves a solid salute! It was fun to play.

I purchased the game because I thought it was fun to play and it was. Great puzzles. Good story. Got close to then end and crashed. Says it lost my external profile. Started me over from the beginning of of the story. Now whenever I play after a short while it. Crashes and starts over. Don't buy. Too buggy.