Game Review by Josh Komon
Game Rating = 3/5
This is by no means one for the ages, but Dale Hardshovel and the Bloomstone Mystery is a passable puzzle game, likely to be enjoyed for a short period of time by fans of the genre.
THREE REASONS TO BUY
-$9.99 is about as low a price as one can expect to pay for any video game.
-The puzzles are most certainly challenging.
-The annoying parts of the game are easy to skip or ignore.
THREE REASONS NOT TO BUY
-Production quality is lacking.
-Those who are easily frustrated will not enjoy this game.
-The story is not enjoyable.
There is a growing trend in downloadable video games of puzzle games trying to have a plot. Fans of puzzle games do not generally play these games because they like the story. They play because they like to be challenged. Dale Hardshovel and the Bloomstone Mystery provides plenty of challenge. Unfortunately it also provides plenty of story line.
GAME PLAY
In a completely forced, hackneyed, and quite frankly, lame attempt at being mysterious, players take on the role of Dale Hardshovel as he works his way through a mysterious pyramid, trying to find the Bloomstone. Thankfully, with a couple of quick clicks, players can blast through the still shot cut scenes, and get right to the meat and potatoes of the game, which are the puzzles that compose each stage.
Each room of the pyramid has artifacts scattered throughout it. It is up to Dale Hardshovel to move like items so they are grouped together, in order to make them disappear. Once two are next to each other or on top of each other, they will go away. When there are three of an item, players need to be careful not to let two of them combine before all three can be lined up. At first, the game is easy to the point of boredom. Very quickly, the puzzles get much harder, often requiring multiple attempts to get right. At that point, players who are not easily frustrated will likely enjoy playing this game, and exploring the new additions that accompany later stages.
GRAPHICS
The menus and cut scenes of Dale Hardshovel and the Bloomstone Mystery look decent, but without any movement, there is little evidence of effort by the graphic designers. during game play, the graphics only look as good as they have to in order for players to be able to enjoy it.
AUDIO
The music is droning, and somewhat enjoyable, but repetitive comments made by Dale during the puzzles will force players to turn the volume off.
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Pairing objects in a puzzle game is nothing new. Including a story line has also been done. Still, there is just enough different about sliding these pieces around, that players will find this game to be not quite like any other played before.
