Entertainment

Missing girls, strange behaviour and tales of witchcraft are just some of the elements that can be found in a game based on Salem in the late seventieth century.

It all began, as can sometimes happen, with the act of a simple favour. But I am getting ahead of myself with a tale of magic and hidden object adventure game play.

Having recently been introduced to Lenco, I was given the opportunity to test a DVD player while on my travels.

This is the latest offering from TVonics, the 500GB machine has what some would describe as a bare interface with the front showing up to three pin hole LED’s these appear in different combinations of red and green.

When casting the role of Robin Hood, who would you select? The developers of this next game obviously would have a different take on the matter.

Sometimes a product’s title can leave you completely in the dark as to the functionality offered. Take for example the PIS4.

One of my often visited locations is that of Egypt. I hasten to state that all these visits have been of the virtual kind and have involved numerous game titles that have been based on this particular geographical area. Taking on the role of tour guide on more than one occasion has been the Luxor series. The latest such excursion has involved Luxor 5th Passage.

If you have a PC or Notebook with poor speakers then your normal option is to lump it or use headphones/earbuds, here some rather nice headphones – great for privacy – but also a second option is external speakers.

While the description Hidden Object Adventure has a nice ring to it, sometimes a better description for a game would be Adventure with Hidden Objects.

Rescuing captured fairies and defeating a pirate named BlackLore is the name of the game with a title developed by BC Soft Games.

The first is somewhat unusual in that it is battery operated and stated to give up to 20 hours between charges. The second a far more conventional unit being a pair of speakers requiring mains power, both can have a useful place.

It is time for another dip into the bag of hidden object games as you investigate a large house with an air of mystery.

I certainly remember a radio that had this retro look many years ago; of course it was not DAB. In fact the View Quest Retro DAB radio has most modern controls, easily implemented and of course it has an iPod/iPhone dock but it just has the retro look.

With this next title you get two games that involve mechanical puppets, hidden object sessions and puzzle solving.

I am told there is an earlier model that did not have the DAB radio. This has it all and just for good measure an external speaker and bed shaker for those who never seem to hear the alarm go off, this you will not be able to ignore.

Match-3 titles have been around for quite a while using different methods of creating matches and various types of layouts. This next game allows you to pick and choose from these different features.

With so much of our favourite music being stored digitally, it makes sense to include a speaker system as part of your computer set-up.

Time travellers need to be extra careful otherwise their actions could cause ripples that spread throughout time and produce inconsistencies that increase the ripple effect.

While most seem happy to say ‘YES’ when completing a 1000 piece puzzle – me included – I started my quest before Christmas on two larger offerings a 3000 piece one eventually completed, meant time to start a 5000 piece offering.

Ever fancied a job as a shelf stacker at your local supermarket? Maybe this next game will give you an indication as to your suitability for this particular task.

A recent delivery at the Fereday household saw the arrival of three new headphone sets from Panasonic which might be of interest.

With a desert island, a castaway and a man called Friday, it can only be a title based on Robinson Crusoe.

Having looked at two earlier models that were only available from Amazon.Com, here – after a very long wait – I get to sample the joys of the latest sleek offering that at long last is available from Amazon in the UK.

Sometimes a knock on the door or a ring of the doorbell can bring a pleasant surprise. However this is not the case when Sam Hunt answers a knock at the door in Alawar’s Stray Souls: Dollhouse title.

Ever since taking a look at the Sony Pocket Reader I have made a conscious effort to watch out for similar devices being used in public areas instead of traditional books and other reading material. Currently these sighting stand at just two instances – admittedly over a fairly quiet period with regards to excursions. In neither case was the observed device being the Sony Touch Reader which is the subject of this review

Are the adventure-style games of yesteryear about to make a comeback? This next title obviously feels it is a possibility.

Adding to its range of products for the iPod family and Mac and PC users, iLuv has released a set of earphones that come with a lead that claims not to tangle.

I remember getting these tiny speakers early last summer but for a multitude of reasons it was 2011 before they got tested. The earbuds are from Altec Lansing more normally known for their speakers so a good match?

Bringing together the various elements of your home entertainment facilities is a task that can be carried out by a media streamer unit. Acting as a centralised hub, this type of device can link together such items as a television, computer, digital recorder, MP3 player and other types of media peripherals while also including Internet, network and storage access in the mix.

With a title not too dissimilar to that of a film many regard as a classic, Mumbo Jumbo has released a game that combines hidden object game play with a degree of detection skills. The game is Unlikely Suspects.