Hi all.
Last weekend, I browsed the Mac app store, and found a text adventure which was pretty cheep. I took the chance and purchased it, and the game is fully accessible, until you have to walk in the game. All those buttons aren't labeled. Voiceover just says "Button" so you don't know where you're going unless you're counting.
I got pretty sad about this, and contacted the developer regarding this issue. I haven't heard from him yet though.
Later, I searched the app store on my iPhone by looking up the same developer, and to my surprise, I noticed that he have made lots of text adventures. I bought the same game as I bought to my Mac, and hoped the best.
To my big surprise, I found the game more accessible on the iPhone. The navigation buttons aren't labeled correctly, but they are at leased labeled so it's a bit more accessible than on the Mac.
So, I got addicted to the game pretty quickly, and I played for hours.
Here are all the information I have figured out so far:
The developer is called: greg Chaffins
the website is:
http://nerdbeach.com
the game which has been released both for Mac and IOS is called: Escape from the Maidens Curse.
There are sounds and music in the Mac version, but not on the iPhone. The volume for the sounds effects and music is fully accessible on the Mac.
This game is not the newest game he has made, so I don't know why he have chosen to release that, and only that for Mac
The frustrating part of the game:
The way the navigation works on the iPhone is confusing and frustrating with VOiceover. It is frustrating the heck out of me, and I got so frustrated a few times, so I was about to delete the game and forget all about it. It gets more worse, more floors you unlock.
I'll do my best to explain how the navigation system works:
When you're in a room, the unlabeled button brings up the navigation controls. I always swipe, because I find it difficult to find the buttons and text manually in this game. So I'm talking about the very first unlabeled button at the top of the screen.
The button called "X" closes the navigation controls, and takes you back into the room you're in.
the button called "X spot" means you haven't visitted this place before. (I just noticed that a few minutes ago, and it would be handy to have known that before. )
the button or buttons called "Y" means the way to an other room.
So, why is this navigation system so frustrating? Because there are many rooms, many hallways and many places in generel, so if you don't count and memorise what every button do, you'll get stuck very easily. So, you both have to remember what the next room or hallway leeds you to like you always have to do in those games, and you also have to remember what button to use, because the game doesn't tell you, and the buttons aren't labeled. I don't think it's possible to label those buttons, because they are called the same. So, if you call one of the buttons west, you might end up most buttons are called west. I haven't tested that though.
I'll say that this navigation makes the game so much frustration, so you're about to throw your phone out of the window.
So, why even spend one single minute on the game? Because, all other things in the game are awesome. The story is not bad, the puzzles are great and the game is unbelievable long. I have played for more than 5 hours the whole weekend, and I haven't finnished the game yet. this game is a big channelge for every gamer. So if you have a lot of patience and if you're able to handle this frustrating navigation thing, this game is really worth the money. This will give you so many hours of gameplay.
As I'm writing this, I haven't checked the other text adventures he have made. He have made one for IOS last year, which is more than 200 mb. Damn what a huge text adventure. I haven't checked the other games, so I don't know if they are less or more accessible than Maidens Curse.
I hope you'll enjoy this, and please let me know if you have any questions.
Feel free to contact me privately if you have something in mind. If you do so, then please send me a mail instead of using the private message on the forum, since I don't check those very often.
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