Solid point and click adventure
Thu Aug 27 2020 Kroz HogJust like the other Syntaxity games, this one provides a few hours of hunting, searching, and puzzle solving. Nothing annoyingly tricky here puzzle-wise, but enough to scratch that puzzle solving itch. I like that the Syntaxity games make an effort to have the game tell a story, even if they are a tad silly. I also really appreciate that the games don’t revolve around darkness, psychological scariness, blood, and gloom as seems to be the trend with some in this genre. This is just me, but I prefer to solve puzzles without the lurking threat of zombies, mutants, monsters, and evil cabals (which is why I’m such a fan of the House of DaVinci games).
Longer and more complex than the original Blackthorn Castle (which I also liked), if you enjoyed others in this series, you’ll get your money’s worth on this one. The Enchanted Worlds and Rescue the Enchanter are my other faves from Syntaxity.
As with all of their games, this one does offer hints, but you shouldn’t need them, if you’re patient. This game, like all the others, also offers an ability to zip around the expansive map (over 100 different locations in this one), if you want to spend an extra $.99 for that feature (I don’t particularly mind tromping back and forth, since a second, third, or fourth look at a location often reveals something I missed the first time).
Good addition to the lineup.
Great game
Fri Apr 16 2021 fidhlear59Updating from my previous review - thanks to the developer for the speedy fix to the hints bug; the hints now work perfectly again. You’re awesome!
But it appears that the hints - which I *paid* for - are now gone. The “link” to a video, which is offered instead, doesn’t even go to a video for this game - the video appears to be for Blackthorn Castle, not Blackthorn Castle 2. And even if it was for the correct game, sending the player outside the game, rather than within, is *not* an improvement - it’s an annoying distraction. If this is the change intended to make the hints free, then I want the extra money I paid for hints *back.*
However, what I’d really prefer is to have the in-games hints I paid for, back. Help me with that and I’ll bump my rating up to 5 stars. :-)
A pleasant distraction
Tue Oct 18 2022 s2aMost everything relevant has already been noted by previous reviews, and evidently the annoyances have already been addressed or fixed accordingly.
What I enjoy the most is the fact that nearly all the puzzles demand your attention and a pleasing amount of thought, without becoming overburdened or impossible to complete. I would note that one or two “puzzles” did seem to be absent any discernible logic (but it be fair, it might just be me), but all were eventually solvable.
Thank you to all devs involved for crafting a series(?) of light games that are fun and ultimately enjoyable, absent any lasting frustrations. There’s always room to pick nits, but overall a fair investment for the enjoyment afforded.
Thumbs up
Sat Sep 16 2023 Mumz1kOne of a very few developers that make such creative and well made point and click escape games. Every aspect of each game is thoroughly thought through. Mini games are fun and challenging. Wonderful “fast travel” option helps not to get lost in wondering around the locations while trying to find the clues or return to them, as well as does the “snap shots” option. I’ve given the same 5 star review to every Syntaxity game I have played as they are all excellent!
Enjoy these...HOWEVER...BUYER BEWARE!
Sun Sep 20 2020 sicamore6I like to play these but the puzzles are the same from one game to the next. Once you’ve played one, you’ve played them all.
I wish that the company wasn’t so greedy to stick it to the loyal buyers who have bought their games for many years, and helped them stay in business.
After paying the $4 for the game, you must then pay an additional $1 for an extra feature (which should be included as part of the game)....once you move, it comes to a scene and notifies you that you’ve unlocked a scene used for “Fast Travel”....but then to get to use “Fast Travel” (allowing you to jump to sections of the paths, where you can skip having to constantly be tapping the same screens to go back & forth after you’ve found an item you need -but need it on the far opposite side of the landscape map),you’ve got to pay up the extra $1.....! C’mon guys! So ridiculous!
I understand charging a $1 for unlocking “Hints”....many companies do that. But the feature of Fast Travel -if you’re going to put it up as a feature, it SHOULD NOT be an additional cost. If you want to just flat out charge $5 for you game, then do that.
Fun diversion with many puzzles and locations
Sun Dec 27 2020 xjowxxOverall, I enjoyed this game and would recommend it. Most of the puzzles weren’t very hard but were fun, and there are many new locations to visit and solve. My two complaints would be that sometimes I felt that items were spread far apart just to make the game last longer. There’s a lot of time traveling between locations if you don’t buy the fast maps. And on the subject of additional purchases, I think the game should offer three free clues and/or the opportunity to view ads to get clues instead of requiring an additional purchase. Again, overall a fun adventure.
It’s hard. And the 8’s puzzle needs explanation
Wed Aug 26 2020 BlichtyI just finished and it took a week playing - a few hours at a time. It’s definitely hard, but I will say that all but one puzzle can be solved without a hint and that was the 8s puzzle - I managed to solve it randomly and then watched the walkthrough afterward and I still have no idea what the logic was. But again, the other puzzles are all solvable and make sense.
As well in most scenes there isn’t much to interact with nor collect which isn’t an issue, but you may pass by a needed item in the two or three scenes they decided to sneak one in which was frustrating going back and forth to look for sure.
A note for the devs, once you establish that the user doesn’t have to click much to locate items, you can’t then halfway through the game hide something with a very small tap radius in a scene.
Anyway, I was happy to play a game from this dev that was more challenging than their other offerings.
Pay for everything-separately- for an okayish game
Sat Sep 19 2020 SolrisenDisappointed. It's a fairly solid point and click, nothing special-but you have to pay for everything, and there's no option to pay once and be done with it. Fast travel? Pay a dollar. Hints? Pay separately. It's just disappointing. The game would be worth the price if you didn't have to pay separately for each and every element.
It’s extra strange because it tells you, “fast travel location added” every time you reach one, but the option isn’t available without paying. So I guess I paid for the game just to be able to write this review. I won’t be buying any more of their games; There’s lots of great games out there where they don’t use this model and I’m voting with my wallet here.
