One-Hour Review: Snapshot Adventures
Ah, Spring. That time of year when the sun is shining, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and people are itchy to get outside and PLAY. I never give up hope that Mother Nature will bring new life after a dormant time, but is there new life in PC casual gaming or is it deeply buried under all the clones? What better way to answer that question than to spend an hour in virtual nature, hanging out with birds and birding geeks.
SIGNS OF LIFE
Spring has sprung in Snapshot Adventures: Mystery of Bird Island, the newest game created by the talented people at Large Animal Games and published by iWin. At first glance, it looks like a variation on popular hidden object games like Mystery Case Files, but that perception changes quickly once you start to play — Snapshot Adventures can’t be described with a comparison to other casual titles.
GONE TO THE BIRDS
In Snapshot Adventures, the goal is to travel around the U.S. photographing birds while gathering clues to solve a mystery surrounding the plane crash and disappearance of your grandfather, a famed naturalist.
At each location you receive photography assignments from one of your grandfather’s quirky colleagues. As the game progresses, items are earned that assist your ability to photograph birds. There’s a limit to how much gear you can schlep, so choices are made depending on time of day and objectives for the assignment. Once the required shots are taken, photographing additional birds will earn bonus points. The assignment is repeated if you fail to take the required photos before time or film runs out.
Along the way, pieces of the mystery are revealed through non-interactive storytelling screens drawn in a sketchbook style. Unlike many casual games, the map used to track your journey doesn’t show progress relative to completing the overall story, but perhaps the reason for this approach will reveal itself beyond the one-hour mark.
In addition to completing your assignments, you must fill your field journal with photos of 111 species in stationary and flying shots. Photos are scored based on a set of criteria cleverly called PEEP (Process for Equitable Evaluation of Photos). From within the field journal you can also share your bird photos via email.
At the end of each assignment, new shots are scored, added to the field journal, and new birdsongs are unlocked. Duplicates shots are eliminated by selecting the best composition, hoping your eye for photography matches the PEEP. Although the game’s judgment is debatable at times, the selection process is fun and evokes a feeling that nature photography is in your blood.
Early in game play, an additional module is unlocked that allows you to create fantasy birds, download new birds from the wilds of the Internet, and photograph them in locations across the fantasy map. I was too immersed in the story mode to spend much time in this module, but was impressed with the added dimension and the ability to feel connected to other players through their creations.
Overall, the game’s production values meet or exceed the highest standards in downloadable games. The visuals, while simple in comparison to some of the higher-end casual games, are well-balanced to support game play and evoke feelings of nature using multiplane animation, subtle movement of trees, and great attention to authentically detailed birds and bird sound effects. The acoustic guitar music is distinct, enhancing the game’s feel without being intrusive.
TIME’S UP
I’m feeling optimistic about my career as a bird photographer and determined to find out what happened to my eccentric grandfather. While I’d much rather be outside in Mother Nature’s world, on those days when April showers are nurturing May flowers I can escape to a virtual world and gain a greater understanding of the varied species of birds that make the *real* world a magical place.
As for our virtual Mother Nature, her sun is shining, birds are chirping, and flowers are blooming in Snapshot Adventures. $18.47 is a small price to pay in support of new life in the world of PC casual gaming.
:: DOWNLOAD THE FREE TRIAL OF SNAPSHOT ADVENTURES ::
Disclaimer: One-Hour Reviews are pure editorial fun, unbiased by anything other than the B-Labber’s perspective as a fan of casual games and a media professional.
