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Xiama

Score: 80%
ESRB:
Publisher: Mulawa
Developer: Peter Hewitt
Media: CD/1
Players: 1
Genre: Puzzle

Graphics & Sound:

If you are a lover of nature photography, you are in for a treat with Xiama. Over 100 scenes take to you to some of the most beautiful scenery that the Australian rain forest has to offer. I am tempted to call the game's creator, Peter Hewitt to find out how I can visit the National Park at Alligator Creek. Then I am going to call my travel agent! The sound incorporates many atmospheric sounds such as birds, running water, etc and some puzzles have a musical track which is an Australian folk song named Waltzing Matilda.

Gameplay:

Have you turned your brain today? If not, you better before you start to play Xiama. Xiama takes the player into the Australian rainforest to solve 24 different puzzles which are scattered around your surroundings. You will be asked to solve many different types of puzzles, including three 'turtle' puzzles, which I found most challenging. Not all of the puzzles will be available during your first trek through the rain forest; some of them are not unlocked until you solve the others. The last puzzle won't be unlocked until you solve all of the rest of them.

Difficulty:

The overall game is not difficult until you start trying to solve some of these puzzles. The skill level needed ranges from 'What a piece of cake!' to 'I will give up my first born child if somebody would just help me with this!'.

Game Mechanics:

This is the one spot where a little more documentation could have helped you along. You are walking along the rain forest and you come across a puzzle, lets say one of the three turtle puzzles. You click on the area of the screen to activate the puzzle and it comes up. There are no instructions or anything to even get you started in solving this puzzle. I have never encountered a turtle puzzle before, so I was lost. Never fear though, a solution was at hand. On the back of the jewel case was a web site address at

-Wickserv, GameVortex Communications
AKA Eric Wickwire

Minimum System Requirements:



Direct X 6
 

Test System:



GX-450xl running Windows 98, 256 RAM, Creative Sound Blaster 64CPCI with Boston Acoustic Digital Media Theatre, STB Velocity 4400 with RIVA TNT chip, DirectX 7, 32 Mb RAM, 6X24 DVD-ROM.

Windows Wild Wild West GameBoy Color/Pocket 102 Dalmations:Puppies to the Rescue

 
Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated