Spirits of Metropolis

#44

This is not a technical post -- downloaded, installed, & game works fine -- but rather I have some comments hopefully of a constructive nature.

First, since this is a time limit game, I would appreciate the ability to change the color of the diamond gems with my mouse wheel instead of using the color palate. It takes too much time to select a color and then apply it.

Second, I find the additional time allotments almost useless, except maybe the first allotment which, IMHO, should be longer. When the additional allotments get down to under 15 seconds they are useless as there is not enough time to change very much, particularly if you have to select a color as well. So the last couple of additional time allotments of a couple of seconds are more of an annoyance than help as there is no easy way to just cancel them and move on to begin a round again.

Third, consider leaving the unfinished board which falls short of the minimum points or tasks the same instead of generating a new board each time. This would lower the FQ -- Frustration Quotient.

Fourth, consider having a relaxed mode with no time limit. Most of the puzzles are difficult enough that for an old guy like me, I would likely stay with the game longer before abandoning it. As it is I have been playing level 2.3 for a couple of days and am not likely to solve the puzzle in the allotted time. I can only guess what will be in store as if I ever get past the "easy" levels. As it is I would not recommend the game for purchase in its present form.

Fifth, there seems to be inconsistency of creating an explosion bar when building a group of three on the end of a newly created explosion bar. Any group of three should work according to the tutorial as you chain out, but in practice that does not seem to be the case. So the chain algorithm either needs to be explained in more detail or fixed so as to allow for any and all possible configurations of any and all new groups of three. It is easy to create examples of this by creating large group of the same color building off of an explosion bar.

Finally, congratulations on a fine game! The graphics and layout of the game are excellent. This is a novel game by any account. Good job.

This is not a technical post -- downloaded, installed, &amp; game works fine -- but rather I have some comments hopefully of a constructive nature.

First, since this is a time limit game, I would appreciate the ability to change the color of the diamond gems with my mouse wheel instead of using the color palate.  It takes too much time to select a color and then apply it.

Second, I find the additional time allotments almost useless, except maybe the first allotment which, IMHO, should be longer.  When the additional allotments get down to under 15 seconds they are useless as there is not enough time to change very much, particularly if you have to select a color as well.  So the last couple of additional time allotments of a couple of seconds are more of an annoyance than help as there is no easy way to just cancel them and move on to begin a round again.

Third, consider leaving the unfinished board which falls short of the minimum points or tasks the same instead of generating a new board each time.  This would lower the FQ -- Frustration Quotient.

Fourth, consider having a relaxed mode with no time limit.  Most of the puzzles are difficult enough that for an old guy like me, I would likely stay with the game longer before abandoning it. As it is I have been playing level 2.3 for a couple of days and am not likely to solve the puzzle in the allotted time. I can only guess what will be in store as if I ever get past the "easy" levels.  As it is I would not recommend the game for purchase in its present form.

Fifth, there seems to be inconsistency of creating an explosion bar when building a group of three on the end of a newly created explosion bar.  Any group of three should work according to the tutorial as you chain out, but in practice that does not seem to be the case.  So the chain algorithm either needs to be explained in more detail or fixed so as to allow for any and all possible configurations of any and all new groups of three.  It is easy to create examples of this by creating large group of the same color building off of an explosion bar.

Finally, congratulations on a fine game!  The graphics and layout of the game are excellent.  This is a novel game by any account.  Good job.

Save | Cancel

Reply | Comment by Jack – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#43

Downloaded without problem WindowsVista64. Also installed it on another pc running XP. Both pcs had major problems after I closed the game and tried to reopen it later. Ran REVO, but it could not find Spirits. Add & Remove Programs could not find it. Short-cuts & files kept reappearing after I deleted them. Continual "file corrupted" messages. Finally ran REVO uninstaller and it did show up. Ran SpyBot & it showed even more files left behind. System restored to point prior to download of Spirits, and everything seems to be running fine.

Reply | Comment by Connie – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#42

I downloaded late last night. This is a nice game and more complicated than most of the match 3 games that I have played.Install was smooth and I haven't had any errors. One thing that I noticed. There wasn't an obvious warning on the countdown when it is reaching a danger point such as ten seconds. Also although the graphics are nice, I spend 10 hrs a day at work staring at a screen so a little more contrast on the game information that you place on that beautifully done frame would help with the possible eye strain of players who would play this for hours on a rainy day. Very nice developer & thank you GOTD

Reply | Comment by Luri – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#41

I've been trying to install this since last night around 11.30pm GMT and I keep getting the same message 'Failed To Connect Try Again Later'

...........................Moderator Comment......................

The giveaway for that game is now passed. you have to install it before the 24 hours in up. When that message appears it usually means you need to reboot your modem and/or router and sometimes clear out your internet cache. (the cookie associated with the giveaway page may have become corrupted). I've had the problem you mention loads of times and doing one or all of the above cures the problem for me. rebooting the computer also helps.

Reply | Comment by Andy – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#40

Re: Everything runs smooth on my Vista 32 and it looks great but how do I get the dots to go away? I line them up. I watched the tutorial. What’s up with that?

………………………Moderator comment……………………………

Not sure exactly what you mean James?

I will try to better explain. Isn't the goal of the game to create dot chains of the same color to eliminate them? I line up the dots and create chains but they do not disappear......nothing happens.

I'll get back to you later... busy at the moment.

Reply | Comment by James – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#39

I think this game could have been a pleasure to play if it wasn't for the fact that I can't turn the sound off. As I normally listen to my own music or the BBC when playing games this one is a no go just for that reason, the game seems nice. Pity

Reply | Comment by cryptq1 – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#38

Installed, tried, deleted = garbage

...............................Moderator comment..............................

Hi Prinzessin, could you explain why you think the game is garbage? There's nothing wrong in posting such a comment, but it would help the community to decide whether this game isn't for them and and it would give the developer some ideas as to how to improve the game. Thanks. :)

Reply | Comment by Prinzessin – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#37

Everything runs smooth on my Vista 32 and it looks great but how do I get the dots to go away? I line them up. I watched the tutorial. What's up with that?

...........................Moderator comment.................................

Not sure exactly what you mean James?

Reply | Comment by James – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#36

I'm also on the "activation" box but no install list- I've seen someone else has this problem. I'm using windows 7, 32bt on a 8gRam, 500g hd dell laptop. I've had this problem now with three GAOTD and GGOTD. I've even turned firewall off to install- nothing seems to help. (yes I cleaned cache, and yes, I also ensured the install was extracted properly). The size of the file shows as 44mb, but I only get the Activation confirmation message. The install begins I get a "do you want to install" box, then the orangy Activation box, then nothing. NO install happens. Nothing.

Reply | Comment by ratmando – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#35

Installed on Vista 32 as Admin, but when trying to run Windows tells me program did not install correctly. Windows says Journey to the Stars above in a new take on puzzle genre. has stopped working. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available. Re-installed, same thing. Run as admin, same thing.

Reply | Comment by RichU – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#34

I installed it 3 times. It activates it, but there is no game there. Vista 32.
C/Program Files/spirits of metropolis has one folder. Save game...
Owell, I'll try it on the XP machine.

Reply | Comment by Comobu – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#33

Sorted it; it was a flash update that I needed to restart to properly apply. Even though flash-based things worked ones using my graphics didn't.

..........................moderator comment.....................

Thanks for the info. It may help others to get the game working properly. :)

Reply | Comment by Phart – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#32

It would be helpful if you specified the video requirements. I tried running "Spirits of Metropolis" only to be told to check that my video card meets minimum requirements. the program never fully initialized

.........................Moderator comment........................

Hi chuck. As mentioned in the review aove I din't have time to include such info. A quick look yielded no rsults w.r.t. system requirements.

Reply | Comment by Chuck Brotman – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#31

Well, after turning everything off except the sound and music, the flashy is still there. I wish it just lit up :( I've had to uninstall it.

...............................Moderator comment.............................

Sorry you've had to do that. I was sure the flashes could be muted?????

Reply | Comment by Distraida – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#30

Works on Win7 64 bit. Seems like a quiet and intelligent game. Not my style especially, perhaps because I like my games to be a bit more mindless, to just relax with for a minute between thoughts. But for those who like a little challenge, this game should be appealing.

Reply | Comment by Davidrs – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#29

Can't get it to work on Windows 7. It says my graphics card isn't good enough along with 'Failed to initialise drawing surfaces'. It's a Geforce 8500 Gt. It can handle Doom 3 very nicely. Tried compatability settings but nothing.

Reply | Comment by Phart – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#28

Stephen: Is it possible to install this game giveaway on a computer which DOES NOT have any Internet access?

My wife loves match-3 games (GAK why!) and she has a laptop which is DELIBERATELY not connected to the Net and never has been. All that laptop is used for is FreeCiv and one or two other non-taxing applications.

All help appreciated: and I'll understand if the answer is just 'NO.' :)

Thanks in advance.

...................................Moderator Comment............................................

Hi Cad, no there isn't. you need a connection to activate the game. However I may be ble to help; I have a bought copy that I'd be appy to give you. It's one of those games I've purchased twice so I'm sure the developer wouldn't mind me passing on the spare game. Contact me via PM in the giveaway forums. (seeing as the Email you provided isn't a usable one). You do need to be registered to post PM's

Reply | Comment by Cad Delworth CEng MBCS CITP – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#27

A very kind thank you to David Galindo for offering yet another of his excellent games. Before this game was offered commercially, I made a post on the demo for it in the free games project over a year ago. I'm not typically a match 3 person, but this one definitely held my attention. My deep condolences to Diane (Dragonlair) for not getting a chance to play this game. Perhaps David will come out with a newer version of Spirits like he did with Shellblast HD that will help remedy the slow speed some of us have experienced.

Once again, a sincere thank you to my friend David and to GOTD for another great game.

Reply | Comment by wizzard_of_ozz2004 – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#26

OK got it to run but couldn't move the cursor around much. Very slow and lagged badly. I am sure it is a great game but just won't play on my computer. With 4 gigs of ram and an Intel Quad I would think it would run...

Reply | Comment by Woody – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#25

Installed on Linux Ubuntu 10.04 with Wine, and the game is working nicely. The installation required running 'winetricks vcrun6' first.
Thanks for the nice game!

Reply | Comment by Jenneth – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#24

Installed the game OK, went to run it and it hangs. Win 7 comes and asks if I want to close the game or check etc. Says it is not responding in Task Manager. :(

Reply | Comment by Woody – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#23

ACK! Flashy warning! I was able to turn the game off before I had a problem, but be warned: There is a white light that pulsates on the screen as you make chains longer. If you have any seizure activity caused by flashy lights, *be careful*.

Is there *any* way to turn this flashy off? Please help? I can get my friend to turn it off for me if there is.

.....................Moderator Comment............................

Yes you can turn those flashy effects off via the options menu. See my review above. i've posted an image of the options menu.

Reply | Comment by Distraida – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#22

Re : #13 mtafro :
"Are any of the games you give away able to be used on my MacBook Pro? I switched to Mac several months ago & have been afraid to download any games.

……………………………..Moderator comment………………………….

Not sure about that, but you could try installing it? Why don’t you install the games via a sandbox. I’m sure there are sandbox programs for Mac, but not ever having owned one I wouldn’t know for sure?"

www.codeweavers.com "Crossover Games" utility works very well pretending to the games that your Mac is a Windows box.
VirtualBox (www.virtualbox.org) will run just about anything on just about any computer with almost any operating system.
And of course there's the usual Wine, Parallels and Bootcamp.
hth,

Reply | Comment by HerTechSupport – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#21

RE my previous comment: no, the game doesn't install. And no, there's no C:\Program Files\Spirits of Metropolis v1.10

Reply | Comment by Lilith01 – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#20

The game is totally different from what I expected - it will take some time to learn how to play.

I would say to try it - you will be surprised. After all, the price is right so no complaints here!

Reply | Comment by RayLinStephens – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#19

The installation seemed to go very well, however every time I try to start the game I will get a small picture saying it is loading, than the screen goes black with only the toolbar visible and within seconds the computer restarts :-S

I love match3 games but I can't start it. Anyone an idea what could cause this? Normally the pc runs without any problems on XP

Reply | Comment by Irene – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#18

Ah, whiterabbit... still giving your great, conclusive reviews, I see... and I'm definitely giving this one a try! Thanks, WR and GGAOTD!

............................Moderator comment.............................

Hi Midori, missed you over on the forums. I'll be posting several excellent games this coming week as it's the second years anniversary of the free games project. There are still hundreds of games to post. :)

Reply | Comment by midori – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#17

When trying to install, I get the activation pop up, then the successfully activated popup and upon closing this later one, the browser opens on page
http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/spirits-of-metropolis-07-10/?activate
and the page says:
Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.

What gives?

............................Moderator comment.........................

Nothing! your browser will always open after installing a game giveaway. there's nothing untoward about it. You say "when trying to install". Which implies you had problems installing the game - did you get the game to work or is there a problem?

Reply | Comment by Lilith01 – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#16

I get a Win32/AdwareClickTeam!generic Malware infection alert when I try to install it.

................................Moderator comment...........................................

My AV software gives it a clean bill of health, plus the giveaway team put the file through several checks using different malware programs. No one else has yet mentioned such an infection, so it's etither a false positive or your system was already infected with the virus. you don't mention which software you use to detect malware.

Reply | Comment by Ninjitsumo – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#15

I was a little wary of this game when I downloaded it (just nervous for nothing...), but after playing just the tutorial, I am very happy with the game. I can already tell that it will provide hours of gameplay and it is a lot of fun. Thanks for the game!

Reply | Comment by Soulflare3 – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#14

Have played this great game frequently since the last offer; endless pleasure. Only one regret: there were not more "drop" plays offered.

Is it possible to install this version and keep the present one?

.............................Moderator Comment..........................

Provided you don't install to the same folder you can install todays game. Make sure you re-label the shortcut if you intend placing it in a common folder.

Reply | Comment by Caroline – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#13

Are any of the games you give away able to be used on my MacBook Pro? I switched to Mac several months ago & have been afraid to download any games.

...................................Moderator comment...............................

Not sure about that, but you could try installing it? Why don't you install the games via a sandbox. I'm sure there are sandbox programs for Mac, but not ever having owned one I wouldn't know for sure?

Reply | Comment by mtafro – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#12

Excellent game due to the excellent tutorial, graphics and challenging gameplay. Nice to see DLC in a game of this price range. Please improve in the next version:

*Load time unusually long on Vista 32 system. (4gig, quad core)
*Allow for capital letters for user names.

Reply | Comment by Adam – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#11

I love match 3 games, mainly because I use them as mindless entertainment when I'm too tired to concentrate on what's happening on the screen.
This one challenges the mind far beyond the normal match 3, and is interesting to me, but will have to wait for later today when I'm more awake and less bleary eyed, to give it a fair trial.

Reply | Comment by Joe – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#10

Classy, sophisticated graphics. Great tutorial and help. And all the different modes make it like a whole bunch of different games in one. Puzzle games aren't usually my favorite, but somehow the combination of genres works well here. I agree; it's a keeper, and I may even be downloading the extra puzzle packs (highly unusual for me!).

Reply | Comment by Delilah – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#9

I downloaded and installed spirits of Metropolis and it said it installed but I can't find it on my computer even with search. Any clues as to where it went.

....................................Moderator comment..............................

Try reinstalling it. At the beginning of the installation wizzard it will show you where the game installs to. It should reinstall to the same place it installed to previously. If you check my review I do mention where the default installation path is;

i.e.

C:\Program files\Spirit of Metropolis v1.10

If you still don't get shortcuts installed to the desktop just follow the path above and create your own from the executable. If you like start menu/programs shortcuts check out the post in the game discussion forums. It's on the front page in the stickies list. :)

Reply | Comment by Kay – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#8

Is this the same version of the game that was offered here previously? On some Vista systems, it plays VERRRRRRRYYYY slow. The developer was notified but did not know how to correct it. He said it had to do with the software he was using to build the game.

.....................................Moderator Comment......................

Yes, we got v1.10 last year. The main difference is that we now have access to several free puzzle packs that add to the 50+that we already get with the game. you can see what they are called via my review above.

Reply | Comment by Diane – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#7

Thank you for bringing this game back.
I downloaded it the last time we got it here, and I lost it.
It's a very nice game and it's even better with all the free game packs
http://www.vertigogaming.net/blog/category/spirits-of-metropolis-packs/

Thanks GGOTD and Vertigo Games and WR for the review.

graylox

Reply | Comment by graylox – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#6

Running the setup.exe fails.
Gives "Failed to connect" error.

................................Moderator comment.......................

Try rebooting your computer, your moden and/or your router. clean out the internet cache 9if you're still using I.E. then right click on the internet icon ans select internet properties. You can delete the cache via the window that pops up. :)

Reply | Comment by nirnir – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#5

This is a nice little game, and definitely a unique match-3 style of play. Add in all the free bonus levels you can get and it's a bargain at $9.99, and a total steal for free! Be sure to grab this one. :)

Reply | Comment by Kevin – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#4

Well worth trying this game it is very different to what I have tried before and has a very good tutorial to help understand the game.

Reply | Comment by ros – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#3

Fun. Easy to follow directions. An interesting change from the average match three game I am used to playing. The music was pleasant and relaxing. The download was flawless. Thanks GOTD.

Reply | Comment by Ally – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#2

The only Vertigo game i didn't buy lol :P

Reply | Comment by Mark – 14 years ago – Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)

#1

Spirits of Metropolis

Login Page

Installation:

The downloaded zip file is 44.3Mb. The file unpacks to two files; a read me and dual setup and activation module. The game comes with a full installer and installs desktop and start menu shortcuts. . The default installation path is:

C:\Program Files\Spirits of Metropolis v1.10 (assuming your root directory is the C: drive).

The installed game is 45.2Mb.

Introduction:

There will be no full review from me today apart from a little info about what you get with this game plus the authors description of the game, a recommended review by the author, some videos, loads of images (via the slideshow link) and a couple of links to user reviews, one positive and one negative. I was having too much fun playing Left 4 Dead and the new add-on to ArmA II, , plus I wasn’t really in the mood to write a full review last night; (feeling a bit jaded) .

The Game:

Journey mode - in game

From the main menu you can access extra content that includes links to free downloadable content such as the puzzle packs. At the moment there are seven puzzle packs available for free and include the following;

Fred the Monkey
SOG (Sandbox of God)
Shellblast HD: Day 3
Patriot
Cubed (see image via the slideshow)
Spring Meridian
Abstract

Free DLC - Puzzle Pack - Cubed

The author intends to have made available ten packs as DLC’s (downloadable content) before the end of the year, so if you really enjoy this game it will pay to make a bookmark of the link I’ve posted below (reference to the authors review) so that you can check back. It seems there’s one every month being released. July’s puzzle pack is called Sandbox of God. Though that is not the recently released re-mastered game of the same name, just a theme based off of the game

You can also access the tutorial at any time which is also a compulsory part of the Journey mode when you start the game. As new modes are unlocked more tutorials will be added to the tutorial menu. You access tutorials via the star next to the name of the tutorial. At the start of the game there is only one tutorial available.

There’s also a tips and hints link, but none are available until you’ve started winning medals or unlocked milestones. There are five pages of these; each one requiring a specific number of medals or milestones. For example to unlock the fifth page of hints and tips you have to win ten medals or pass 10 milestones. I’ve posted an image of page one of these tips, which is relatively easy to win. It’s right at the end of the slideshow, which contains 51 images. If you want to skip the slideshow just hover your mouse near the bottom of the page. Then click on the grid button. That will bring up all the images posted on one page. You can zoom in slightly, but to see individual images just click on it. You have to complete level 1 and 2 before the first medal is awarded, then you can access page one of the tips and hints

End of Level 2 - Medal Awarded

Page 2 of Medal awards

There are 36 medals to win during the game Once you’ve completed the compulsory journey mode tutorial, the puzzle mode will be unlocked. There are over 50 puzzles to play, or you can create your own via the puzzle editor, you can also download more puzzles via the following link;

http://www.vertigigaming.net/blog/category/spirits-of-metropolis-packs/

You’ll find the above link via the puzzles menu so you don’t need to copy it into your bookmarks/favorites. As mentioned elsewhere there are seven puzzle packs available to add to the 50 + that you already have and more are supposed to be uploaded sometime soon.

The options menu, which is accessible from the mai menu contains several toggles which enable you to customise the graphics or improve the look of the game via Anti-Aliasing, V-sync, or changing the color of the gems for colorblind mode. you can also turn off the visual effects and city spotlight. 9This may be necessary if the game runs slowly on your system. You can also change the look of the gems as well.

Options Menu

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Authors introduction

When I first started to design this game, I had one goal: create a title unique in a genre that was flooded with unoriginal, me-too casual games. That genre was the match-3 gem genre, one that has been dominated by such casual titles as Bejeweled and Puzzle Quest.
Over a year later, I think we've succeeded in bringing a totally new type of game that's unlike any puzzle game out there. Being that this was our first major commercial game (we have made over a dozen titles previously for PC over the last seven years) we wanted to make sure to start out with a bang. Not only does this game have over 120 levels, but it has ten unique game play modes that completely changes the nature of the way the game is played, with three difficulty settings each. Spirits of Metropolis also has a puzzle level editor to make and play custom puzzles, and not only does this game have an assortment of options, it has a colorblind editor that allows you to change the color of each gem to your preference, including an option to use shapes. The colorblind editor was actually designed with help from colorblind gamers, making sure that it would have maximum effectiveness.

Puzzle mode level map

Puzzlelicious Review posted by the author:

When I first saw a screenshot for Spirits of Metropolis I have to admit that I thought Oh god, not another Bejeweled clone. You can't blame me if you've seen the game. It features multi-colored gems arranged into patterns, and the purpose is to eliminate them in lines. Sound familiar? The only difference seemed to be a late-night aesthetic, the kind you find in techno clubs and jazz joints. Luckily, I was wrong. So very wrong. Spirits of Metropolis is a unique experience, and an excellent one at that.

Spirits is a puzzle game, predictably enough. You need to eliminate lines of gems. The difference between this game and all the others, however, is that this requires just as much strategic thinking as it does speed. True, you need to move quickly, but you also need to plan out your line eliminations carefully the more points you get, the more time you get. And time, in this game, isn't nearly plentiful enough.

All play revolves around a white crystal. It constantly puts out pulses of light through the strings of surrounding gems. Those pulses only persist, however, if you line the gems up according to color: like a string of Christmas lights, if one bulb/gem doesn't work/isn't the right color, the rest down the line won't light up. Fortunately, this problem is offset by the fact that every third gem will explode when the time comes to set the lines off, transferring its power to all the surrounding gems. Build more strings off each exploder and you'll score major points. Somewhat like Tetris, strings are built by laying down gems, and the game's kind enough to display upcoming gems.
Matters would get boring with just that over and over, naturally, so Spirits throws in roadblocks to keep itself interesting. The time limit is usually the biggest obstacle, and can prove a quick killer in some levels. It's so limiting, in fact, that you might throw the game down before giving Spirits the chance it deserves. Beyond the timer there's also set limits on moves, black gems on the board that need to be filled, unchangeable gems and boards that get smaller and smaller.

Level Editor

I thought for sure the pleasing look of Spirits would wear off or, at best, mask a mediocre game. I'm happy to say now that Spirits is an excellent experience with a lovely face on it. The menus, the game board, even the background is nice to look at, with an early morning city passing slowly by in the distance. You'll quickly realize that the exploding gems resemble streetlights, and suddenly the whole thing makes a lot more sense.

Supporting this is the real star of this game, the soundtrack. With one or two exceptions I LOVE the music in Spirits of Metropolis. Ranging from techno thumping to some beautiful guitar work, Spirits has a diverse selection of tracks that you'll never want to turn off. This goes to show that having a smaller budget than the big leaguers doesn't stop a game from pleasing the ear.

Slick, beautiful, charming. The only fault I find in Spirits is an unforgiving difficulty level in the first few stages. Other than that, this is a fantastic game, and I highly recommend trying it. I'd buy it. 4.5/5

Reference: http://www.vertigogaming.net/game/spirits Accessed 22nd July 09

Other reviews worth reading:

Positive Review:

http://www.helium.com/items/1289378-downloadable-game-review-spirit-of-metropolis

Negative Review:

http://www.helium.com/items/1289217-rating-of-spirit-of-metropolis

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Features:

• Over 120 levels spanning ten different modes of play.

• Colorblind editor allows you to change the shape of gems, as well as change their color value.

• Puzzle Editor allows you to create and share your own brain-bending levels.

• Medals & Milestones system awards you with fresh content by beating challenges and progressing through the game.

• Ranking Mode allows you to compete for the high score in a variety of modes.

• Journey lets you experience all the different modes of Spirits of Metropolis as you choose your own paths throughout the game.

• High quality soundtrack that lets you change music on the fly.

• Support for multiple profiles, visual options and lots more!

Journey Mode Level Map

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Video:

http://www.vertigogaming.net/blog/2009/07/15/spirits-of-metropolis-dlc-update/#more-298

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/debut-trailer-spirits-of/44298

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbXW25mFZAA&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--bgAjmqTAQ

Slideshow showing tutorials menu screen plus some in game images:

http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss160/Whiterabbit04/Spirit%20of%20Metropolis/?albumview=slideshow

Googled Images:

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Spirits+of+Metropolis&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=

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Conclusion:

From playing the demo for a short time I was impressed by the interactive tutorial and the number of modes you have available. The graphics remind me a little of ShellBlast, but the game play is totally different. I’m not overly enamored by match three games. They usually have to have something special about them to hold my interest, for example Treasures of Montezuma or Puzzle Quest. This one definitely intrigues me, but I’ve not played it long enough to justify giving it a score out of 10. That would be unfair. That said I am impressed enough to continue playing it, so will keep it in my library at least on a temporary basis until I’ve had the time to explore the game further.

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Additional Information:

Music:

If you wish to change the in game music you can do so by converting the music you choose to ogg files. You can download several audio converters to do this from the giveaway freeware library. Audacity can also be used;

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/cat/Audio_Video_Audio_Encoders_Converters/

or

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/cat/Audio_Video_Rippers_Converters/

You’ll find the ogg files located via the following path - assuming you have your operating system installed to the C: drive (mine is installed to the F: drive):

C:\Program Files\Spirits of Metropolis v1.10\oggfiles

Ensure the files you replace have the same name as the original files. I’d also recommend backing up the files just in case you want to revert back to the default music. If you forget to do this you can always download the demo and transfer the ogg files from the demo as they should be the same.

Problems:

If you have problems running the game or need to ask questions once the giveaway is over i've also posted this review in the game discussion forums, which you can find via the following link.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/7955

If the game runs slow try installing Game booster, which is free from Iobit. It turns off all the unecessary windows programs that are running in the background plus also enables you to specify other programs that you may have installed other than windows applications. It works very well and once you've finished playing your game you can revert to normal windows functioning by clicking on the return button. you can get it via the following link:

http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html

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Free games similar to today’s game:

If you like match three games there’s loads of commercially available games that are being given away over at Gametop and Freegamespick. I’ve posted a thread over in the forums that specifically deal with Match three games though I’ve not updated it in several months. You’ll find Gametop have extended their catalogue of match three games to include such titles as Around the world in 80 days, Atlantis Quest and Lost Treasures of Eldorado plus a few new additions called Voyage Puzzle and Aboo. You can find a list of several via the first link below, plus the entire match three catalogue from Gametop via the second link, which number more than 26 if you count the online variety. Gametop have started to include toolbars and in some gases browser hijacks, so do watch for the tick boxes to ensure they aren’t installed. Also if you don’t have your pop up blocker set to medium or high, you’ll get the emicons popups. As always I must remind you that all Gametop and Freegamespick games will open up your browser when closing the game down, but that is innocuous. There’s no malware installed. I’ve tested all the games I’ve downloaded from Gametop and all come up clean using the latest Kaspersky antivirus program:

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3846#post-41420

http://www.gametop.com/category/match3.html

There’s 43 match 3 games at MyPlayCity:

http://www.myplaycity.com/free_match3_games/

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Spirits of Metropolis

Login Page</ul></blockquote>

Installation:

The downloaded zip file is 44.3Mb.  The file unpacks to two files;  a read me and dual setup and activation module.  The game  comes with a full installer and installs desktop and start menu shortcuts.  .  The default installation path is:

C:\Program Files\Spirits of Metropolis v1.10  (assuming your root directory is the C: drive).

The installed game is 45.2Mb.

Introduction:

There will be no full  review from me today apart from a little info about what you get with this game plus the  authors description of the game, a recommended review by the author, some videos,  loads of  images (via the slideshow link)  and a couple of links to user reviews, one positive and one negative.  I was having too much fun playing Left 4 Dead and the new add-on to ArmA II, , plus I wasn’t really in the mood to write a full review  last night; (feeling a bit jaded) .

The Game:

Journey mode - in game</ul></blockquote>

From the  main menu you can  access extra content that includes  links to  free downloadable   content such as the puzzle packs.  At the moment there are  seven puzzle packs available for free  and include the following;

Fred the Monkey
SOG  (Sandbox of God)
Shellblast HD: Day 3
Patriot
Cubed (see image via the slideshow)
Spring Meridian
Abstract

Free DLC - Puzzle Pack - Cubed</ul></blockquote>

The author intends to have made available ten packs as DLC’s (downloadable content) before the end of the year, so if you really enjoy this game it will pay to make a bookmark of the link I’ve posted below (reference to the authors review) so that you can check back. It seems there’s one every month being released. July’s puzzle pack is called Sandbox of God. Though that is not the recently released re-mastered game of the same name, just a theme based off of the game

You can also access the tutorial at any time which is also a compulsory  part of the Journey  mode when you start the game.  As new modes are unlocked   more  tutorials will be added to the tutorial menu. You access  tutorials via the star next to the name of the tutorial.  At the start of the game there is only one tutorial available.

There’s also a tips and hints   link, but  none are available until you’ve started winning medals or unlocked  milestones.  There are five pages of these; each one requiring  a specific number of medals or milestones.  For example to unlock the fifth page of hints and tips you have to win  ten medals or   pass 10 milestones.   I’ve  posted  an image of  page one of these tips, which is  relatively easy to win.  It’s right at the end of the slideshow, which contains 51 images.  If you want to skip the  slideshow just hover your mouse near the bottom of the page.  Then click on the grid button.  That will bring up all the images posted on one page.  You can zoom in  slightly, but to see individual images just click on it.   You  have to  complete level 1 and 2  before the first medal is awarded, then you can access page one of the tips and hints

End of Level 2 - Medal Awarded</ul></blockquote>

Page 2 of Medal awards</ul></blockquote>

There are 36 medals to  win during the game Once you’ve completed the compulsory journey mode tutorial,  the puzzle mode will be unlocked.  There are over 50  puzzles to play, or you can create your own via the puzzle editor, you can also download  more puzzles via the following link;

http://www.vertigigaming.net/blog/category/spirits-of-metropolis-packs/

You’ll find the above link  via the puzzles menu so you don’t need to  copy it into your bookmarks/favorites. As mentioned elsewhere there are  seven puzzle packs available to add to  the  50 + that you already have and more are supposed to be uploaded  sometime  soon.

The options menu, which is accessible from the mai menu  contains several  toggles which enable you to customise the graphics or improve the look of the game  via Anti-Aliasing, V-sync, or   changing the  color of the gems   for colorblind mode.  you can also turn off the visual effects and city spotlight.  9This may be necessary if the game runs   slowly on your system.  You can also change the  look of the gems as well.

Options Menu</ul></blockquote>

Authors introduction

<blockquote>When I first started to design this game, I had one goal: create a title unique in a genre that was flooded with unoriginal, me-too casual games. That genre was the match-3 gem genre, one that has been dominated by such casual titles as Bejeweled and Puzzle Quest. 
Over a year later, I think we've succeeded in bringing a totally new type of game that's unlike any puzzle game out there. Being that this was our first major commercial game (we have made over a dozen titles previously for PC over the last seven years) we wanted to make sure to start out with a bang. Not only does this game have over 120 levels, but it has ten unique game play modes that completely changes the nature of the way the game is played, with three difficulty settings each. Spirits of Metropolis also has a puzzle level editor to make and play custom puzzles, and not only does this game have an assortment of options, it has a colorblind editor that allows you to change the color of each gem to your preference, including an option to use shapes. The colorblind editor was actually designed with help from colorblind gamers, making sure that it would have maximum effectiveness.</blockquote>

Puzzle mode level map</ul></blockquote>

Puzzlelicious Review posted by the author:

<blockquote>When I first saw a screenshot for Spirits of Metropolis I have to admit that I thought Oh god, not another Bejeweled clone. You can't blame me if you've seen the game. It features multi-colored gems arranged into patterns, and the purpose is to eliminate them in lines. Sound familiar? The only difference seemed to be a late-night aesthetic, the kind you find in techno clubs and jazz joints. Luckily, I was wrong. So very wrong. Spirits of Metropolis is a unique experience, and an excellent one at that.

Spirits is a puzzle game, predictably enough. You need to eliminate lines of gems. The difference between this game and all the others, however, is that this requires just as much strategic thinking as it does speed. True, you need to move quickly, but you also need to plan out your line eliminations carefully the more points you get, the more time you get. And time, in this game, isn't nearly plentiful enough.

All play revolves around a white crystal. It constantly puts out pulses of light through the strings of surrounding gems. Those pulses only persist, however, if you line the gems up according to color: like a string of Christmas lights, if one bulb/gem doesn't work/isn't the right color, the rest down the line won't light up. Fortunately, this problem is offset by the fact that every third gem will explode when the time comes to set the lines off, transferring its power to all the surrounding gems. Build more strings off each exploder and you'll score major points. Somewhat like Tetris, strings are built by laying down gems, and the game's kind enough to display upcoming gems. 
Matters would get boring with just that over and over, naturally, so Spirits throws in roadblocks to keep itself interesting. The time limit is usually the biggest obstacle, and can prove a quick killer in some levels. It's so limiting, in fact, that you might throw the game down before giving Spirits the chance it deserves. Beyond the timer there's also set limits on moves, black gems on the board that need to be filled, unchangeable gems and boards that get smaller and smaller.</blockquote>

Level Editor</ul></blockquote>

<blockquote>I thought for sure the pleasing look of Spirits would wear off or, at best, mask a mediocre game. I'm happy to say now that Spirits is an excellent experience with a lovely face on it. The menus, the game board, even the background is nice to look at, with an early morning city passing slowly by in the distance. You'll quickly realize that the exploding gems resemble streetlights, and suddenly the whole thing makes a lot more sense.

Supporting this is the real star of this game, the soundtrack. With one or two exceptions I LOVE the music in Spirits of Metropolis. Ranging from techno thumping to some beautiful guitar work, Spirits has a diverse selection of tracks that you'll never want to turn off. This goes to show that having a smaller budget than the big leaguers doesn't stop a game from pleasing the ear.

Slick, beautiful, charming. The only fault I find in Spirits is an unforgiving difficulty level in the first few stages. Other than that, this is a fantastic game, and I highly recommend trying it. I'd buy it. 4.5/5</blockquote>

Reference:  http://www.vertigogaming.net/game/spirits  Accessed 22nd July 09

Other reviews worth reading:

Positive Review:

http://www.helium.com/items/1289378-downloadable-game-review-spirit-of-metropolis

Negative Review:

http://www.helium.com/items/1289217-rating-of-spirit-of-metropolis

Features:

•	Over 120 levels spanning ten different modes of play.

•	Colorblind editor allows you to change the shape of gems, as well as change their color value.

•	Puzzle Editor allows you to create and share your own brain-bending levels.

•	Medals & Milestones system awards you with fresh content by beating challenges and progressing through the game.

•	Ranking Mode allows you to compete for the high score in a variety of modes.

•	Journey lets you experience all the different modes of Spirits of Metropolis as you choose your own paths throughout the game.

•	High quality soundtrack that lets you change music on the fly.

•	Support for multiple profiles, visual options and lots more!

Journey Mode Level Map</ul></blockquote>

Video:

http://www.vertigogaming.net/blog/2009/07/15/spirits-of-metropolis-dlc-update/#more-298

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/debut-trailer-spirits-of/44298

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbXW25mFZAA&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--bgAjmqTAQ

Slideshow showing tutorials  menu screen plus some in game  images:

http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss160/Whiterabbit04/Spirit%20of%20Metropolis/?albumview=slideshow

Googled Images:

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Spirits+of+Metropolis&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=

Conclusion:

From playing the demo for a short time I was impressed by the interactive tutorial and the number of modes you have available.  The graphics remind me a little of ShellBlast, but the game play is totally different.  I’m not overly enamored by match three games.  They usually have to have something special about them to hold my interest, for example Treasures of Montezuma or Puzzle Quest.  This one definitely intrigues me, but I’ve not played it long enough to justify giving it a score out of 10.  That would be unfair.  That said I am impressed enough to continue playing it, so will keep it in my library at least on a temporary basis until I’ve had the time to explore the game further.

Additional Information:

Music:

If you wish to change the in game music you can do so by converting  the music you choose to ogg files.  You can download  several audio converters to do this from the giveaway freeware library.  Audacity can also be used;

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/cat/Audio_Video_Audio_Encoders_Converters/

or

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/cat/Audio_Video_Rippers_Converters/

You’ll find the ogg files located via the following path - assuming you have your operating system installed to the C: drive (mine is installed to the F: drive):

C:\Program Files\Spirits of Metropolis v1.10\oggfiles

Ensure the   files you replace have the same name as the original  files.  I’d also recommend backing up the files just in case you want to revert back to the default music.  If you forget to do this you can always download the demo and  transfer the ogg files from the demo as they should be the same.

Problems:

If you have problems running the game  or need to ask questions once the giveaway is over i've also posted this review in the game discussion forums, which you can find via the following link.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/7955

If the game runs slow try  installing Game booster, which is free from Iobit.  It turns off  all the unecessary windows programs that  are running in the background plus also  enables you to  specify other programs that you may have installed  other than windows applications.  It works very well and  once you've finished playing your game you can revert to normal windows functioning by clicking on the return button.  you can get it via the following link:

http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html

Free games similar to today’s game:

If you like match three games there’s loads of commercially available games that are being given away over at Gametop and Freegamespick.  I’ve posted a thread over in the forums that specifically deal with Match three games though I’ve not updated it in several months.  You’ll find Gametop have extended their catalogue of match three games to include such titles as Around the world in 80 days, Atlantis Quest and  Lost Treasures of Eldorado plus a few new additions called Voyage Puzzle and Aboo.  You can find a list of several via the first link below, plus the entire match three catalogue from Gametop via the second link, which number more than 26 if you count the online variety.  Gametop have started to include toolbars and in some gases browser hijacks, so do watch for the tick boxes to ensure they aren’t installed. Also if you don’t have your pop up blocker set to medium or high, you’ll get  the emicons popups.  As always I must remind you that all Gametop and Freegamespick games will open up your browser when closing the game down, but that is innocuous.  There’s no malware installed.  I’ve tested all the games I’ve downloaded from Gametop and all come up clean using the latest Kaspersky antivirus program:

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/3846#post-41420

http://www.gametop.com/category/match3.html

There’s 43 match 3 games at MyPlayCity:

http://www.myplaycity.com/free_match3_games/

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