Blackthorn Castle

I’ve been teaching myself how to program over the last 5–10 years, and when it comes to really mapping out an application, especially in mobile development, I always have a hard time really visualizing the layout. I’ve had programmers tell me they pretend it’s a little cartoon town and all the scenes, classes, and functions are all part of their little town. I can see how that helped but, as a right brain thinker, I just couldn’t seem to find something that really stuck. I know it sounds stupid, but clicking on the map layout of this game has basically hit me in the head with a brick, seeing how they managed the scenes and break them down into paths, I think it was the perfect lightbulb I needed right now to drive me through the next steps. I’ve used every type of UML and mind map you can imagine, so I’m not sure why this layout is finally what made it click for me, but I just had to comment on it. Thanks a ton Syntaxity! As for the game itself, it seems to have been inspired by “The Room”. Took me a few hours to beat. I got stuck a couple times but quickly figured it out. The paid hints or teleports are a solid IAP item. Whereas you don’t have to pay if you don’t care about the convenience, but it doesn’t force you to pay to solve it.

Puzzle adventure is one of my favorite genres. This is a nice compact one. Puzzles are not hard. Clues are there and pieces make sense. No guessing or logic are really required. You just have to find the right clue/answer. There’s quite a bit of back and forth but I enjoyed it. Thought about paying for the fast travel feature but I ended finishing and I don’t think the hint feature is necessary. You’ll really only encounter a problem if you miss picking something up and those pieces aren’t that hard to find/see. The map is nice to remember where you need to go! Couple of times I couldn’t remember where a specific room was! Nicely done. Sound effects and music were good. I will very likely the other games in this series. If this is your sort of game (puzzles, no conversations with characters and no fighting elements...also, not a hidden object puzzle...there are things to find but not like that) I recommend you try this one!

You know when I first started on these apps I had never heard of the manufacturer and had a few criticisms. However since then I have tried other adventure games similar to this one and none are as involved, challenging and long as these. The others I’d usually end up abandoning for some reason or an other. However I have covered ALL of yours and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Now I believe I have completed them all, if not then rest assured I will, but please make more. I could really stand to see others. Once I get started on one I cannot seem to stop, so-if you are working on more or contemplating it, please. You have my full support. They are worth every penny. I don’t like using free apps. I’d rather download those that have a price as they are generally better. Thank you, Candy

I found this to be an engaging point-and-click type of puzzler. Very nice graphics. I admire the creativity and imagination of the developers; it would take a lot of skill in order to make such an attractive, involved and expansive world. Impressive and well done. I have only a few complaints. The map jumping seemed a bit excessive without the Fast Track purchase, which I did not buy, as I happened to have the time to go back and forth. The game clues also worked without a purchase for me, but again, I had the time to spend on them. One of the solutions was a bit annoying, and seemed like a real stretch to me; it seemed to be presented as an information/logic puzzle, when in fact, some luck seemed to be involved in that solution. But overall, this was an enjoyable game, and, unlike some people, I certainly don't hold it against the developers for including purchases within the game.

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When I originally purchased this game, unlocking hints and fast travel were both included in the price. Now, although I have owned this game for a long time, it wants to charge me for both fast travel and unlocking hits. I have tried to “restore purchase“ but that did not solve the problem. I understand if developers need to make money, but that is why this was a paid app in the first place. It is wrong to charge for something, collect your money, and then go back later and charge more for for things that were previously free. This is wrong and does not treat your paying customers correctly. This developer makes great games, but their business model is flawed, and they need to take into account and have respect for their current customers who have already paid for the features in their games. It should not be possible for a developer to charge for features that were previously included after you have bought a game. In protest, I cannot recommend this developer’s games until they address this major oversight. This goes for all of the games that I own by this developer which at least three games. They have done this to each and everyone of their games. I want all of my content restored.