Gamertell

This week is filled with announcements. First,RealArcade and GameHouse have joined forces. So now there’s just GameHouse. If you have a RealArcade account, don’t worry. It’s been transferred over to GameHouse and you can still use it.

Second, Cute Knight Kingdom and Gyromancer are out! Both are highly anticipated games. One’s a Princess Maker style simulation from independent developer Hanako Games, the other is a puzzle RPG collaboration between Square Enix and PopCap. Gamertell even reviewed Cute Knight Kingdom yesterday.

Third, there were more than just four or five hidden object games released this week! Still no new Mac games, but plenty of new PC games making their debut!

This week’s best bets are: Cute Knight Kingdom (PC), Gyromancer (PC, Xbox Live Arcade) and Delicious: Emily’s Holiday Season (PC)

Murder She Wrote
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: “Has there been a murder?” Sorry, after watching Craig Ferguson for years, I couldn’t resist. There has indeed been a murder, and in this hidden object game based on Murder, She Wrote, you help Jessica Fletcher solve it.
Demo Available: Yes

Cake Shop 2
Genre: Simulation (Time Management)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Run a roadside cafe that specializes in tasty cakes and try to become a success.
Demo Available: Yes

Cute Knight Kingdom
Genre: Simulation / RPG
Availability: Hanako Games, Harmonic Flow, Amaranth Games
Retail Price: $19.95
Platform: Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7
Premise: The sequel to Hanako Games’ insanely popular and successful Cute Knight is now available! If you liked the Princess Maker games and Spirited Heart, you’ll love the Cute Knight series. You help an orphan girl make her way through life, helping her decide what jobs to take, what classes to attend, whether to search dungeons or not, who to make friends with and so on. Depend on how her life goes, she’ll get one of many endings, maybe get married and perhaps even find out who she really is.
Demo Available: Yes

Asguaard
Genre: RPG
Availability: Aldorlea Games
Retail Price: $28.99
Platform: Windows PC (The site doesn’t give specific system requirements - test the demo to see.)
Premise: Asguaard is a relatively peaceful fantasy world. The only thing is, the Pandora Box has been opened and plagues are starting to overwhelm their world. The Asguaard fairies decide there is only one thing to do, summon a creature with something they don’t have to their world so it can be saved. Now a human has come to Asguaard, and will be tasked with saving it.
Demo Available: Yes

The Time Machine: Trapped in Time
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $9.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: Professor Einwin created a time machine and used it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very careful when he did. He tampered with the past, with dire results. He destroyed the time machine, after seeing what he did. Now you must find the pieces, rebuild it and fix his mistakes.
Demo Available: Yes

Gyromancer
Genre: Puzzle RPG
Availability: Steam
Retail Price: $14.99 / 1200 Microsoft Points
Platform: Windows Vista and XP, Xbox 360
Premise: Help Rivel and Laska get through puzzle stages based on Bejeweled Twist as he searches through Aldemona Wood to try and track down his bounty, Qraist.
Demo Available: Yes

Escape the Museum 2
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: An earthquake has hit, separating David from his family. He must find a way to get back to his wife and daughter safely.
Demo Available: Yes

Delicious: Emily’s Holiday Season
Genre: Simulation (Time Management)
Availability: GameHouse, Harmonic Flow, Reflexive Arcade
Retail Price: $9.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7
Premise: Emily has been hired to work at a lodge, planning parties and catering. She also gets to spend time with family, choose one of two men to become her boyfriend and take part in winter activities and games.
Demo Available: Yes

Natalie Brooks: Mystery at Hillcrest High
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Alawar Entertainment
Retail Price: $9.95
Platform: Windows PC
Premise: The Black Cat Gamg are planning a massive heist, and its up to Natalie to find out what they’re up toand prevent it from happening by searching for hidden objects and playing minigames.
Demo Available: Yes

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] Site [Harmonic Flow]