When presented with the game “Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island”, a brief synopsis of the game itself, and instructions for download, I was excited and eager to get started. The name itself is catchy, and as I would find out after playing for a few rounds, so is the game! The download itself is small, a mere 50 megabytes, and took less than a minute to download on a cable Internet connection.
The installation instructions were concise and clear, and the installation itself was quick and painless. Within five minutes of receiving the download instructions, the game was installed and ready for play. The initial start-up of the game brings you to an activation screen that requires Internet access, however once the game has been activated it can be played without the Internet connection.
Ready to begin play, I activated the game and within moments was presented with a screen of vibrant and rich color, which was crisp and easy on the eyes. This was the main menu. Here, I was given many options, the first being the creation of my user profile. Typing in my name, the main menu changed to include the now active profile name. From this menu you can play in story mode, create your own bird, email photos you’ve taken to a friend, view your field journal, or even offer feedback to the developers of the game!
Each screen fluidly shifts based on your menu choices, animations are clean and smooth. The game is brought to you by Large Animal Games and published by iwin.com. Having seen the caliber of games iwin.com is known to put out, I can say with all honesty I am impressed with this one.
Story mode starts with a background as to why you’re playing. In the game your grandfather has gone missing from a plane crash, as both a newspaper article and a letter from the coast guard tell you. Six months later you find a shoebox containing a field journal, a camera, and a map of the United States. An odd message from your grandfather is revealed within, and investigation of the map gives you the name and address of several individuals. It is here that your quest, and the game, begins.
Your first mission is to capture five pictures of a robin. This is your first chance to use your camera to earn points and complete game objectives.
I found the camera interface to be quite easy. It’s point and click, and the capture area is a square that zooms in automatically. Moving your mouse over the screen, the capture area shows you a closer view and once you’ve got the bird you’re trying to take a picture of in that square you simply left-click and the picture is taken.
The scoring system is based on the bird’s position within the picture, whether the bird is facing the camera or not, and whether or not the bird is centered in the shot, so you have to be precise and aim your shot well. Bonus points are awarded for things such as catching the bird you need shots of in flight, singing, or catching extra birds in the frame. If you happen to take a photo that is either too dark or cuts a part of the bird out of the frame, you’ll lose points.
The game play is technical, but each aspect is explained clearly so it’s hard to mistake any function of the game.
As you play, there is background music, which is both cheery and soothing. The birds make their own distinctive sounds, which I find to be a clever and a helpful addition to game play.
As you finish each round of play, you are given the option of selecting photos to fill your portfolio. This is where you get to weed out the less favorable photographs based on the criteria you’ve learned earlier. The better the shots you keep, the more points you score. With each new bird you take pictures of, you earn their song as well.
Through game play you earn camera upgrades, which means the ability to take better pictures, but that’s not all. Unwittingly, someone who plays this game is learning about different birds at the same time. In a delightful fashion, I found myself remembering the names of the different bird types that were featured as round goals. I have to give the game developer kudos for sneaking in a learning experience with a pleasant and relaxing game.
Aside from the story mode portion of the game, you have the option of creating your own bird. This option is unlocked once you’ve begun play in story mode, and is just as much fun as story mode. Here you’re given the controls to change each facet of a bird’s appearance, from color to size and markings to wingspan. Choosing from over a dozen varieties of birds, the sky’s the limit. The custom birds are saved to a “fantasy” map, which you can visit at any time after you create your first bird.
As you progress in the game, you’re faced with challenges of memory, skill, and luck. Throughout it all, the graphics remain smooth, and play can go on for hours without becoming overly repetitive. The other characters you interact with give you items upon completion of the rounds of play, and after a few rounds the game lives up to it’s name, becoming a true “Snapshot Adventure”.
Having played the game through many rounds before writing this review, it is the opinion of this reviewer that this will be one game that stays. I would suggest this game for all ages, as entertainment for those of us who are a little older, and a fun and exciting learning tool for children. Is anyone ready for a “Snapshot Adventure”? I know I am.
Technorati Tags: Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island, casual game, PC Game
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Written by Kizzie - Visit Website
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