At completexbox we are very much community driven, and welcome guest articles, opinion pieces and reviews. This Review is written by the very talented IM Dave Angel
“It’s Malibu Stacey and she’s got a new hat!”
The game Dreamland Solitaire 3: Dark Prophecy is part of the Dreamland Solitaire series available on Xbox. Developed by a team that seems to have a penchant for whimsy, this game offers a unique twist on Spider Solitaire. Let’s split the deck and see what is inside, shall we….
So what is Spider solitaire anyway?
If you are reading this review, chances are that you know the rules or playstyle of Spider solitaire. But if you are not, then the aim of the game is to pick up all the cards in front of you, by following the number of Ace to nine, through the jack, queen and finally King.
There are obstacles that are placed in your way, including vines, ice, fire, fog and more. Luckily for us, the game comes with powerups to remove these obstacles (Axes, water, lanterns and the like). The only new addition is scissors, which remove strings.
The game features 280 puzzles, which is a significant increase from the usual 200 in previous titles.
Just like its predecessors, Dark Prophecy combines card gameplay with a story. In this case, a witch has unleashed a noxious purple gas across the kingdom, and it’s up to you (alongside a fairy and a wizard) to confront her.
As you progress through the puzzles, you’ll build palaces and outfit boats. However, the connection to the deck of cards remains somewhat tenuous. Removing cards from the play area occasionally reveals purple potions, which can be used for intermediary missions, as well as repairing your villages.
So the game has plenty of variety?
With the larger number of puzzles, there seems to be a sense of padding. You’ll find yourself constructing the same elements repeatedly, which can feel monotonous.
The game also introduces a sense of grind. Accumulating potions to continue your quest becomes more onerous, especially compared to the previous installment, Dragon’s Fury.
So, all is rosy in the world of Dreamland Solitaire?
Sadly, there are some problems which mainly stem from the fact that the game is a straight PC port of the same game. This criticism is aimed at not just this game but the other games in this series.
The controller left stick has been mapped directly to the mouse pointer, which means the controls can lack some accuracy which normally comes from the comfort of using a mouse on PC.
If some thought had been put into the control system, using the stick or Dpad to move from card to card directly, this would speed the feel of play up and make it less laboured.
Also, all dialog boxes have the Close X in the top right corner, which means you have to move the mouse the pointer up to and press A to close it. Most games have streamlined control systems with a button to save settings and usually B to cancel. This would be a more accurate, more user-concentric way of taking some care when the game is ported over to the Xbox.
VERDICT
If you’re a fan of Spider Solitaire and have exhausted the first two Dreamland games, Dark Prophecy is worth picking up.
However, if you’re not craving more solitaire, it can comfortably sit on your wishlist for now.
Overall
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CX Score - 45%45%
Summary
PROS
- This is Spider solitaire as we know it well from our days playing it on PC or mobile.
- Graphically, it’s a pretty offering
- Offers a greater number of puzzles compared to previous games in the same series.
CONS
- The game is sadly a lazy adaptation of any Spider Solitaire game.
- The need to grind through some levels to get potions can be long and tedious one.
- No adaptation of the controls for console, whatsoever. At least give us the equivalent of OK and Cancel mapped to two buttons and use the Dpad to move from one screen element to the other.