Finding those connections and solving the puzzle is rewarding, and usually made me feel much smarter than I actually am. Sometimes you just need to solve a straightforward slide puzzle to unlock a clue, but other times The Eyes of Ara will task you with taking note of specific environmental clues in one room and applying a logic from that to a puzzle in a different room. It ramps up gradually as you make your way deeper and deeper into the castle. It is functional, though.Ĭontrol issues aside, this game is no slouch in the puzzle department. There is an alternative to this so you can play the game in docked mode where you use the Joy-Con’s IR sensor to point at the screen and use a cursor in place of your finger, but despite my issues with the touch control-scheme, this just slowed the game way down. It’s by no means a deal breaker, but know what you’re signing up for (especially if you’ll be playing on the bulkier Switch). Even on the Switch Lite I had to hold it in one hand and tap repeatedly and then put the system on a table because my hand got tired of awkwardly holding the system that way. Where on PC you could click around with relative ease, the Switch was simply not designed to be played exclusively as a touch screen. It also means that most of your time playing The Eyes of Ara will involve you ceaselessly tapping every pixel on your tiny Switch screen looking for the one clue or hidden collectible you missed.īefore I delve deeper into the puzzles and setting, this is where this Switch version really falls behind the PC version. This allows the game to really play with perspectives and hide things in places it knows will be deliberately obscured. You can swivel your perspective in all directions, but you are planted in one spot tapping on a door or distant hallway will transport you to a different scene to investigate. Navigating this labyrinthine castle involves simply tapping around the screen. The puzzles are the meat of this experience, though, and they don’t disappoint (for the most part). It’s generally well told and intriguing throughout-at least enough to propel me through the various head-scratching puzzles. That story is told through letters and diary pages scattered all around the castle. Along the way you’ll learn about the mad scientist occupant, his family, and their connection to his bizarre creations. The premise is initially fairly straightforward you are sent to investigate a remote, abandoned castle to stop this persistent radio signal emanating from the place. ![]() The transition from mouse and keyboard hits some major stumbling blocks, but if you don’t have a PC and are looking for some satisfying brain teasers on the go, you could do much worse. ![]() ![]() It initially released on PC in 2016 and is only now making its way to Switch. The Eyes of Ara takes clear inspiration from games like Myst: it is set in an oppressive and isolated environment, there’s a central enigmatic mystery driving you through, and the puzzles are devious and well-constructed.
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![]() The idea of managing a spell list like players do in Magic: The Gathering, Yugioh, or Pokemon decks makes this frantic game really interesting to me. Personally, I spent 95% of my time playing just watching my character’s feet so I was not in a square that had danger on it all while casting spells indiscriminately until there was only one enemy left. The gameplay really takes some getting used to unless you are a previous player and fan of Mega Man Battle Network, Slay the Spire, etc… This is super fast-paced and rounds can end within a matter of seconds if your randomized rolls are done right. This may not be for all players, but those who enjoy something that will take practice will love it. ![]() One Step From Eden has a level of difficulty and a learning curve that really hit the spot for me. Not to mention that each playthrough is mostly randomized so each run will not be the same. I believe that players are likely to have really fun and fast experiences in each playthrough. It’s fun, really wild in co-op, and holy moly the final boss fights. ![]() It’s my kind of challenge too! One Step From Eden drew me in with the fun pixel sprites and great fan art that I started seeing circulating around which caused a much deeper dive into this universe. I never played Battle Network before, mostly because I did not own the system for it so I was pretty excited to give One Step From Eden a go. I had no idea anything about it and a card-type game on a grid-like this was new for me. I wish I had Gunner.Īlex introduced me to the idea of playing this game for review. I have two or three characters I have not unlocked still, but I have watched gameplay of them several times on YouTube and Twitch. I have yet to beat the final boss though, this game is hard as hell. I have played 13 hours so far and I plan to sink in many more. ![]() There are four different sets of outer space bingo boards. Just refer your friends or coworkers to this post so they can download their own copies! You are not licensed to redistribute the files or printouts to others for use with activities they are organizing. Feel free to use them for scouts groups, summer camps, and other similar activities as long as you are personally organizing the activity and not selling the boards/charging specifically to play. These bingo boards are available for personal and classroom use. The one on the right was printed on plain cardstock. You can’t see the difference as well in this photo as you can in real life, but the mermaid bingo board on the left was printed on presentation paper. If I’m going to use my colored ink, I want my printables to look their best! ![]() Presentation paper is a heavyweight paper with a special coating for crisp, vibrant images. I always print colorful printables like bingo boards on presentation paper and laminate them. You can also play variants like making an X, needing all four corners, or making a specific shape (like a U or a square).
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