Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Whoa! Santas Missing?...Christmasville!
Jingle bells, jingle bells....goodness me. Is it just me, or are the holidays a lot more fun when you're under 12? With turkey dinners to prepare, presents to buy, lights to hang, and trees to decorate – Christmas is hard work! Hmph. Maybe its best to take a moment and really enjoy the season, instead of all the hustle and bustle. Kids have no problem doing this, because they always live in the moment. So...I'm making a commitment to putting my feet up and getting immersed in more holiday cheer.
Christmasville is a holiday story to enjoy...that is, if you're not put off by the fact that Santa is suffering from senior dementia, the Abominable is a pacifist, the lead Elf has a Napolean complex, and the head Reindeer is, well, rude. This game is packed – literally stuffed – with humorous quips, jokes, and silliness. It's really very funny, suitable for adults and teens. The little ones might question things a bit, so it might be a good idea to play it yourself first before sharing with your Christmas believers.
Speaking about the game play, Christmasville is exactly like it's sister, Mysteryville. It's a hidden object hunt, where you find stuff in suitably cluttered rooms. The objects are always changing, and sometimes things must be found in sequence. The mess is usually explained by Santa's unfortunate “ailment.” Despite a lot of positives, comparing it to other hidden object games, its probably middle of the road. Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate is a lot more challenging for experienced players.
What's particularly fun is that there are lots of “excursions” that break up the mood. For example, you are asked to “spot the difference” between two images, and piece together scrambled word puzzles. Everything you are asked to do is integrated with the story and actually makes sense, so I really felt immersed in the game.
It's nice to find holiday games for grown-ups, especially with Christmas vacations coming up. Too often, it seems like Christmas games are made with only the little ones in mind. This one is amusing and designed for adults. I'm halfway through, and plan to enjoy the rest of the game with some eggnog. Cheers!
Lisa
Great holiday game. Thanks for posting about it!
Posted by: Dan | December 16, 2007 at 10:45 AM