Gamertell

It’s been a very slow week in the casual game world. But even so, there are still a handful of new casual games just waiting to be purchased and played. Besides, better to have a few new games to choose from than none at all.

It’s also one of those weeks where two of the biggest casual game genres received almost all the attention. The only new titles out this week are all either hidden object puzzles or time management strategy simulations. If it hadn’t been for PopCap’s release of its word game Bookworm Adventures Volume 2, we wouldn’t have seen games from any other genre.

This week’s best bets are: Burger Shop 2 (PC, Mac) and Bookworm Adventures Volume 2 (PC).

Defenders of Law: The Resendale File
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Mss. Rosendale has been murdered, and it is up to you to prove that your client is falsely accused and innocent by solving hidden object puzzles.
Demo Available: Yes

Mystery Masterpiece: The Moonstone
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Time to play detective again. the Moonstone jewelry piece has been stolen by a person in a mansion, and you must find out who took it and where it is.
Demo Available: Yes

Burger Shop 2
Genre: Strategy (Time Management)
Availability: Big Fish Games, PlayFirst, Harmonic Flow, GameHouse
Retail Price: $19.95
Platform: Windows 98, 2000, XP and Vista and Mac 10.3.9, 10.4 and 10.5
Premise: The fast food restaurant business is unexpectedly rough and dangerous. After finding unprecedented success in Burger Shop, the player begins Burger Shop 2 in a dumpster with amnesia and the restaurant empire gone. You have to rebuild your burger empire yet again.
Demo Available: Yes

Club Control
Genre: Simulation (Time Management)
Availability: GameHouse, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $5.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Kattie has inherited her Uncle Johnny’s bar, and she’s taken it as an omen that it’s time to ditch her boring day job and turn that bar into a dream club. You get to help her play through 50 levels, managing a club to make it the best possible.
Demo Available: Yes

Marooned
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: GameHouse, RealArcade, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $19.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: Players are trapped with amnesia on what may be a deserted island. You solve hidden object puzzles to survive and find the truth. It’s also the first in a trilogy and there’s a contest to win $10,000 for those who beat the game.
Demo Available: Yes

Superior Save
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Alawar Entertainment
Retail Price: $19.99
Platform: Windows
Premise: When you arrive at work, something doesn’t seem quite right. Could it be, your boss is missing? Yup. At least, that’s what the voicemail he’s left says. He’s been kidnapped, but the police aren’t doing anything because there’s no proof he’s been kidnapped. Well, aside from the phone call, but I guess they aren’t accepting that. So you have to search hidden object puzzles to find proof and your boss.
Demo Available: Yes

Bookworm Adventures Volume 2
Genre: RPG and Word Puzzle
Availability: PopCap Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $19.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: Lex the Bookworm must once again show off his extensive vocabulary to save the world! Characters from all sorts of books are escaping into the real world and the Great Library. Lex must go into books, Fractured Fairytales, The Monkey King and Astounding Planet to be specific, and do battle against the residents within. If he succeeds, he can keep the characters locked in the books where they won’t harm anyone. Various powerups and literary assistants will also help Lex throughout his journey.
Demo Available: Yes

Diamon Jones: Eye of the Dragon
Genre: Adventure and Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Diamon Jones, a treasure hunter and daring figure, is setting off to find another priceless treasure. This time, it’s the Eye of the Dragon, hidden away somewhere in China. Players join and assist him on his quest.
Demo Available: No

Editor’s Note: Due to so many casual games sites offering game plans or preferred member prices, which can cause a game to have multiple price-points, the games’ average retail prices is mentioned in Casual Friday.

Site [Big Fish Games] Site [PlayFirst] Site [GameHouse] Site [eGames] Site [Alawar Games] Site [Amazon] Site [Reflexive Arcade]