Casual Friday: Update for February 20 – 26, 2010

Lots of games out this week, and lots of variety too! Sadly, no Mac games, but there were some last week so hopefully that should take the sting out of it.

As for the other games, it seems like all the developers and distributors got together and decided to make this “trapped alone in a deserted location” week. Three of the four casual games released this week place the player in situations where the lead heroine is trapped and alone, and must find answers to what’s going on and escape or survive. Two of the games, Secret Mission: The Forgotten Island and Escape from Lost Island are even set on deserted islands. Though not the same deserted island, because that’d be really awkward.

This week’s best bets are: Millenium 2: Take me Higher (PC), Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches (PC) and Youda Fairy (PC).

Millenium 2: Take Me Higher
Genre: RPG
Availability: Big Fish Games, Aldorea Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $13.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Marine’s quest to unite the 12 warriors and overthrow the government of Mystock continues in the second entry of a three part adventure. If you haven’t played the first entry, it’s probably best if you pick up Millenium: A New Hope too.
Demo Available: Yes

Empress of the Deep: The Darkest Secret
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Anna’s awoken underwater in a maze-like crypt and temple. But why was she placed there? She can only learn the truth by investigating the area, collecting Royal Relics and escaping.
Demo Available: Yes

Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches
Genre: Adventure
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: It’s not often we see a new casual adventure game, so let’s treasure it! Chris is house sitting for the Sullivan family at the Ty Pryderi manor. The family has to go away for a while, as their daughter Rhiannon has been traumatized by the house and unusual things happening there. Is Rhiannon faking it, or could there be something strange going on at Ty Pryderi?
Demo Available: Yes

Secret Mission: The Forgotten Island
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Scientist Chanel Flores has been called upon by the military and government to take part in a secret mission. She must investigate an island in the Bermuda Triange that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. However, while heading there she finds herself crash-landing there and trapped.
Demo Available: Yes

Escape from Lost Island
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, GameHouse, Harmonic Flow, Awem
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7
Premise: After a cruise ship sinks, a passenger who was last off the ship is now alone and stranded on an island. You must help her survive and explore her new environment, and hopefully get rescued.
Demo Available: Yes

Youda Fairy
Genre: Action and Simulation
Availability: Harmonic Flow, Awem
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: A forest wizard is retiring, and he has chosen you to become the new forest wizard. You must learn how to protect the forest and its fantastic residents from an evil witch and her minions.
Demo Available: Yes

Editor’s Note: Due to so many casual games sites offering game plans or preferred member prices, which can cause a game to have multiple price-points, the games’ average retail prices is mentioned in Casual Friday.

Site [Big Fish Games] Site [PlayFirst] Site [GameHouse] Site [eGames] Site [Alawar Games] Site [Amazon] Site [Reflexive Arcade] Site [Harmonic Flow]