Awakening: The Golden Age Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

234 of 287 found this review helpful

I Thought It Was Over But It's Just Begun!!!!

PostedNovember 1, 2014

pennmom36

fromWhew, I thought I'd have to stay asleep forever!

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Before Queen Sophie was even thought about, the humans lived in prosperity of the Golden Age. It's about to get ugly folks, General Blacktail has led his army of minotaurs into the village and is taking every human as a prisoner in his search for Prince Cedric. The minotaurs are claiming that the humans are responsible for starving the minotaurs, how is this possible and why do they blame the ...Show more

Before Queen Sophie was even thought about, the humans lived in prosperity of the Golden Age. It's about to get ugly folks, General Blacktail has led his army of minotaurs into the village and is taking every human as a prisoner in his search for Prince Cedric. The minotaurs are claiming that the humans are responsible for starving the minotaurs, how is this possible and why do they blame the Prince? I have a feeling the Prince just may be Sophie's royal baby daddy, or perhaps her grandpa, either way I'm super thrilled that the Awakening series has returned back to it's roots, this is hands down one of the best continuing saga series out there. Don't worry if you haven't played any games in the Awakening series, each game can be played separately, but I suggest you start at the beginning to understand the entire story, you won't be disappointed.

Awakening has come a long way in the graphics department, the cartoonish, hand drawn graphics of yesteryear no longer apply. This game has moved up to the big leagues with sharp, crisp graphics, and beautifully detailed scenery. My favorite feature in this game is collecting the hidden fairies, let me tell you, some fairies are very difficult to find. There is a fairy in every scene and they certainly don't stick out like a sore thumb, they are blended into the scenery with alike color schemes. I found myself staring at some of the scenes for a couple of minutes determined to find that elusive fairy before doing anything else! Sophie's wise old owl hasn't been born yet so we hatch a Hoopoe bird, give him a name and he's along for the ride, ready to assist you with any questions you may have, a.k.a. a hint icon. You also have an Amulet that let's you "see" areas that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Use the All Seeing Pendant amulet when you come across an eye symbol to expose doorways and passages that have been magically sealed. Some of the items have plus signs indicating that further action is required with that item before using such as opening the item, assembling the item or combining that item with another inventory item.

The Hidden Object Scenes are varied, some are Fragments to find to complete a single inventory object. There are also HO's that are slightly interactive list finds where you click on something to move it out of the way, zoomed in areas usually have a mini game such as clicking on 5 celestial symbols in a bas-relief or changing symbols so that there is a different symbol on each row and column. Some objects expose a fragment when found that will complete a crest when all frags have been collected. Awakening has never been about the Hidden Object Scenes, Awakening is however the mini game King known for an abundance of clever and entertaining mini games. The game I enjoyed the most was putting together the map I would use for quickly traveling to that location. Clues would be given in order to place landmarks such as a village lays west of the crops and there are forests to the east and west of the village.

This Collectors Edition has Wallpapers, Soundtracks, replayable mini games, Cutscenes, Achievements, Concept Art, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter. Personally, I opted to purchase this edition just for the collectible fairies alone, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+181points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

38 of 41 found this review helpful

Excellent Addition To the series! Don't listen to bad reviews!

PostedJanuary 5, 2015

TabithaMoon

fromUSA

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Family, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Awakening: The Golden Age Collector's Edition

(57)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

The first thing I do before trying a game is read the negative reviews. I don't always trust 5 star reviews because developers rate their own games, so I look at "Lowest Ratings" first.

The first five or so negative reviews I read seemed way too harsh to believe. I have played all of the Awakening series before now, and I couldn't believe it could go so bad after being so good.

I was right not ...Show more

The first thing I do before trying a game is read the negative reviews. I don't always trust 5 star reviews because developers rate their own games, so I look at "Lowest Ratings" first.

The first five or so negative reviews I read seemed way too harsh to believe. I have played all of the Awakening series before now, and I couldn't believe it could go so bad after being so good.

I was right not to listen to the negative reviews!

Honestly, "boring," "sexist," "no villians," ... These people did not play this game.

It was in no way boring. The entertainment was as fast paced as the others, with games inside of games. Even the bonus chapter was interesting and thought-provoking. It wasn't a quickly added segment.

I have no idea where one person gets the idea that the heroine is mindless or helpless. She is the hero of the story! She helps everyone! She even helps the strong minotaurs! All of the men look to her for help and wisdom. There was no male hero on a horse. That just didn't happen at all. This person clearly did not play this game.

No villains? Um, yeah, there certainly WAS a villain and who it is becomes a mystery to solve.

After this experience, I am going to reconsider taking negative reviews seriously. I wish we had to verify that we played the game before reviewing it because these people obviously lied about the game.

Having said all that, THE POSITIVES:

I am so thrilled with this addition to the awakening series!

1. The art is still gorgeous! The colors are vibrant and blended so well. The people are believable and the creatures are creatively rendered.

2. I always love the sound to this series, and this addition did not disappoint. This isn't the first time I wished there would be a soundtrack. Beautiful music and sound effects that did not intrude on game play.

3. The Level of challenge was superb! It wasn't too difficult but not too easy, either. There was a degree of thought and problem solving with each game. The HO scenes were fun. They weren't annoying and illogical. They weren't just lists, either, which can make a HOG seem monotonous.

4. The storyline does a remarkable job of tying into the rest of the series. This is a prequel -- it takes place a century before the others in the series. It fits perfectly and lets you see how it ties into the others in the future. I absolutely loved the friendships made throughout the game and the teamwork between both sides.

Honestly, if you liked any of the Awakening series, you will love this game. It won't disappoint! It's exactly what you expect from the creators.

Also, I want to say that this was the first time I ever received ALL achievements! I'm so proud of myself! Show less

I recommend this game!

+35points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

81 of 101 found this review helpful

What is causing the Minotaur's drought?

PostedNovember 1, 2014

MSBAM100

fromTampa, FL

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management

Current Favorite:

Myths of the World: Black Rose Collector's Edition

(57)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

The Awakening series always has beautiful graphics and a great story. You don't have to have played any of the previous game to thoroughly enjoy this one, but you might want to go back and try them -- they are all quite good.

This story precedes Princess Sophia and her family. You are the human, Sasha, who escapes your city before the Minotaur Army arrives. With your friend Caity and Prince ...Show more

The Awakening series always has beautiful graphics and a great story. You don't have to have played any of the previous game to thoroughly enjoy this one, but you might want to go back and try them -- they are all quite good.

This story precedes Princess Sophia and her family. You are the human, Sasha, who escapes your city before the Minotaur Army arrives. With your friend Caity and Prince Cedric, you investigate what a captured Minotaur Longhorn, the healer - with a wonderful voice! - tells you about their drought. It seems the minotaurs believe Prince Cedric has blocked their shared river with a building, that has caused all the minotaur crops to die. You free the minotaur, and go to investigate the blockage. When you free the river, strange trees suck up the water, a dragon arises -- and the demo ends!

Each human has a magical trait -- you have a magical pendant that brings up hidden elements you need to solve. You find a map that you need to "draw" following clues. The HOPs are lists with embedded mini-games, or easy FROGs, or find the items in the story type. Not hard, but the variety certainly adds to the fun. The mini-puzzles are unique, but quite doable -- I do not think I had to skip any.

There are 46 fairy collectibles, but I only found one so they are well-hidden. You have 9 achievements as well, and 3 modes of play. The game is filled with nice touches, like the "Squabbit" - a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit - that you give a carrot to, in order to get a clue.

This is a charming game, with no violence so far, but the story and the puzzles keep you quite occupied. Try it and see if you like it! Show less

I recommend this game!

+61points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

39 of 48 found this review helpful

Based on the Demo ...

PostedNovember 3, 2014

MmeMoxie

fromDouglasville, GA

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Marble Popper, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Awakening: The Golden Age Collector's Edition

(57)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

AWESOME! I can't wait, to complete the game and move on with the Awakening series. I dearly love, the previous series with Queen Sophia. Now, we get to see what happened and why it happened.

I agree, with other commenters ... The graphics have very much improved. They are more inline, with today's games. I know, that the graphics have improved steadily, with each game in the Awakening series, ...Show more

AWESOME! I can't wait, to complete the game and move on with the Awakening series. I dearly love, the previous series with Queen Sophia. Now, we get to see what happened and why it happened.

I agree, with other commenters ... The graphics have very much improved. They are more inline, with today's games. I know, that the graphics have improved steadily, with each game in the Awakening series, but, this game ... The graphics just seem to shine.

One of my favorite things about the Awakening series, is the investigative game! You are trying to solve the mystery and yet, you have a great story line, along with some great HOs and Mini games! In the Demo version, I played the Casual game.

I prefer, playing in Casual mode. However, I do believe that I could very easily play in the Advanced mode. Knowing this series, so well, I know that as the game advances, the HOs and especially, the Mini games get harder. So, that is why, I mainly stay with the Casual mode.

I am so glad that Boom Zap, has decided to continue with the Awakening story. There are so many players, that simply love this series, I know that I love it. Another great aspect to this game, is that this one is the first, in this series. You don't have to have played all of the other Awakening games, to play this one. I can't wait to see, what is coming down the pipeline, from Boom Zap, regarding the Prequel Awakening series.

Try the demo and I think, you will agree with those of us, who truly love the Awakening series ... They are very good and fun to play. Show less

I recommend this game!

+30points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

59 of 82 found this review helpful

A Wonderful Prequel to the Awakenings Series. A Must Have Game!

PostedNovember 1, 2014

biscuitsmama

fromCalifornia, USA

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

In a new Awakenings game our story begins long before Princess Sophia was born. It was a time when the human kingdom lived in peace but as our story begins that peace and harmony is soon to be shattered as Minotaur warriors arrive at your village looking for the Human Prince. With the help of your new ranger friend Cedric, you and Caity narrowly escape the Minotaurs and reunite with the convoy of ...Show more

In a new Awakenings game our story begins long before Princess Sophia was born. It was a time when the human kingdom lived in peace but as our story begins that peace and harmony is soon to be shattered as Minotaur warriors arrive at your village looking for the Human Prince. With the help of your new ranger friend Cedric, you and Caity narrowly escape the Minotaurs and reunite with the convoy of villagers who escaped. Soon you learn that all is not as it appears and everyone has their secrets.

The graphics are beautiful in Awakenings: The Golden Age. Not only do we have a new storyline that is more of a prequel to the previous games but, IMHO, the graphics seem so much better as well. The overall soundtrack for the game is very good with excellent voiceovers that are unfortunately not lip-synced. The options for gameplay are very basic with not a lot of customization offered as far as settings.

Very early in the game we acquire our magic map that will help us navigate the kingdom. You have other tools at your disposal as well, one of them being the All Seeing Pendant that helps you find hidden magic. You also receive a bird early on that becomes your hint button. During the demo I didn’t receive any “special” help from the bird, although we do name him, but I don’t think it officially qualifies as a pet helper.

There are various types of interactive HOPs, some are the standard list type and others are find matching pairs or hidden items in a story scenario. The puzzles do not seem overly difficult and are much the same as ones we have seen quite often although they have their own spin or presentation on the standard theme. Overall the puzzles and HOPs are entertaining and well done with an emphasis on more mini puzzles than HOPs in the game.

There is very little aside from the bonus chapter and the strategy guide that would make this game an exceptional CE value, although we can replay the HOPs and puzzles as part of the bonus content once we complete the main game, and there is a wonderful assortment of wallpapers included as well.

Overall the Awakening series is not one of my favorites but I am finding this new storyline very good and one I am enjoying. It is only my opinion but everything from the HOPs to the puzzles, gameplay, story, and the visual presentation combine perfectly to make this a game that is perfect for me but, as always, I recommend that you at least try the demo to see if this game is your cup of tea. Show less

I recommend this game!

+36points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

34 of 47 found this review helpful

And I thought it was over...

PostedNovember 2, 2014

beach777

fromMaryville, TN

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

What a joy to find another in the Awakening series! This prequel is very well done - I bought it straight off the bat and played it straight through wo/ stopping. Beautiful graphic as usual from BoomZap, excellent story line and fun game play throughout. Love the entire series and was so sad to feel it was over despite the satisfying resolution in the last game. I love this so much for being an ...Show more

What a joy to find another in the Awakening series! This prequel is very well done - I bought it straight off the bat and played it straight through wo/ stopping. Beautiful graphic as usual from BoomZap, excellent story line and fun game play throughout. Love the entire series and was so sad to feel it was over despite the satisfying resolution in the last game. I love this so much for being an unexpected treat in addition to its fine story, game play, graphics and, as always, perfectly suited music. Kudos to Boom Zap. Show less

I recommend this game!

+21points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

18 of 23 found this review helpful

New Awakening

PostedNovember 15, 2014

HOAdventureFan

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This is a truly wonderful game to play, with a fantastic story line, characters, and games!! My only advice would be to skip the SE version and wait for the regular version to come out if you purchase. The SE does not really offer anything that would make it worth the cost (unless you like collecting fairies and want the - unnecessary - strategy guide).

I recommend this game!

+13points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

38 of 61 found this review helpful

Boom Zap Shines - Awakening Prologue

PostedNovember 1, 2014

possumb

fromMoorooka, Queensland, Australia

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Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Grim Facade: The Artist and the Pretender

(20)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Where would we be without Awakening and Boom Zap? Much poorer. This Golden Age game gives us the final and first [?] chapter of this marvellous adventure series. I just started but the quality is there - perhaps even improved - if that is possible. This game has arrived to us from a hand of a master - I love it - be enchanted.

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

22 of 34 found this review helpful

I loved this game!

PostedNovember 2, 2014

Sweetjuli

fromchapin SC USA

Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

it was a fun game! the hos was fun, the puzzles were fun

I recommend this game!

+10points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

4 of 4 found this review helpful

Great balls of fire! Who needs matches when you've got Prince Cedric!

PostedAugust 23, 2015

Italia47

fromUSA

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Large File, Strategy, Word, Mahjong, Family

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Thus far, I'm lovin' this prince guy! LOL! I'm halfway through this CE version and I must report that this, too, deserves a 5-star rating. (Gosh, this makes three five-star games in a row for me; that's a first! Big Fish aims to please!) I'm having a wonderful time playing this particular game. Very pleasing to the eye! Delightful, beautiful artwork, a wonderland of forests, crystals, dragons, ...Show more

Thus far, I'm lovin' this prince guy! LOL! I'm halfway through this CE version and I must report that this, too, deserves a 5-star rating. (Gosh, this makes three five-star games in a row for me; that's a first! Big Fish aims to please!) I'm having a wonderful time playing this particular game. Very pleasing to the eye! Delightful, beautiful artwork, a wonderland of forests, crystals, dragons, minotaurs, humans, easy to challenging mini-games, awesome HOS. Depending upon the level you play some of the instructions, (if any), are incomplete or unclear, but that's what makes it challenging. Even with the inconsistencies, I rate this game a five-star. If you need help, though, you have your hint button and the guide. I do like figuring things out myself but at least you have those options.The go-to map is wonderful. Everything about this game is wonderful. It's my favorite of the Awakening series, to be honest. I, too, check the negative reviews first and highly rely upon them because after all, discount or no discount, it's my money and I don't want to waste it on a bad game; but in lieu of the fact that we each have our own tastes in game-play, flow, organization, rationale, and may be at different levels, Awakening:The Golden Age will satisfy most gamers, I'm sure! Try it and draw your own conclusions. Oh, don't forget to collect all your fairies, too! Now back to the game I must go! Show less

I recommend this game!

+4points

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