Heroes of Hellas

Well, puzzles are back in fashion... because there are not too many casual games that have nice graphics... well, at least not the graphics that I like.

This week's game is called Heroes of Hellas and for some reason, the majority of puzzles I see have at their base Greek Mythology. I know that it's a very nice one, but for once I would like to see an ancient Egypt or a mystic Japan. Or maybe the Japan part is spoiled by all those mahjong games.

Anyway, this week's entry is a well known 3-in-a-row gem-swapping game, but at least it's played in a different way and so, you can at least enjoy it for a while.

Unlike the last Greek-Mythology-game-based I reviewed, Heroes of Hellas has a story. They say that someone has stolen the scepter of Zeus which has the ability to control Heaven and Earth, (or the Sky and Earth and the Heaven and Hell).

Your mission is to travel through the ancient Greece and then into Hades and summon the help of some very well known heroes like Hercules, Icarus and Perseus and many others. With their help, you will find the thief and return the scepter to the almighty ruler of Mount Olympus.

Slightly different from a 3-in-a-row gem swap game, Heroes features a few differences that are very welcomed: you'll actually learn about the Greek mythology, you'll play mini-games and also help build a beautiful palace - of course with the help of Hephaestus, the god of the fire of blacksmiths.

The game-play will start with the presentation of a unique-shaped grid that basically resembles a 2-D beehive and this just because it's made up of hexagons. Insides each of these shapes there are colored items (the gems, coins and arrows).

This time you will click only one item and hold the mouse over a specific object - but the same as the one you clicked - and move the mouse so that it connects with at least three identical other shapes.

When you will let go of the mouse button, the chain of items you've just made will disappear, thus making room for new ones that will fall like a cascade of jewels on your table... Ah, so poetic! Now comes the part when everybody can ask how does a level end? Well, it's very simple. Behind some of these items, you can find golden plates. These can be removed once the gem is removed with the chain. When all gold plates are removed from the board, the player finishes the level. But this is not necessarily easy, because you will race against time. If you don't clean up the board in the time you're given, you lost a level and you will have to start all over again.

The power-ups are not that many, but they come in handy and pretty often. You will see them in the shape of lightning that can clean up other near items, or you can see them as hourglasses that will add more time to your level (usually 15 seconds more). These power-ups can be gained by linking them into the chain of items you form. But these power-ups have their opposite too. The exact opposite is when we have the obstacles in the shape of stone locks and roped items. The stones will be removed by swapping items around them, as for the locks and roped items, they will disappear once you will connect them in a chain.

The red semiprecious stones are a bit of a pain, but not that much, because you must collect those. These gems must be taken to the end of the screen to an open spot and will be added to your collection. Then you have the coins, that you can link in a chain of items. These coins will help you buy construction material and blueprints for your palace that you must build. Finishing a main level will reveal to you the portrait of a Greek hero, who can help you in your quest.

It's good to know that after a hero is unlocked you will be able to play a sliding tile mini-game. After you finish this puzzle, you can use the image you got as a Windows wallpaper - a feature that I never got to see before in a casual game.

Also during the game you will be rewarded with different trophies, all this depending on your performance in the game. But, of course, we must look at the bad parts of this game. One was that with all the heroes I ended up having, I never needed their help. Then the game features only one game mode, so even if you are in a situation when you have no further moves, the pieces will automatically shuffle in order for you to win. And do not worry, you will never run out of time...

All in all, the game is not great, but not bad either. Very good for big egos (because you can't lose) and starter players... or just a really huge boredom state of mind... Enjoy!