 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Drawn: Trail of Shadows
Common Sense Media says
Pretty game melds hidden object, adventure, and puzzle play.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Drawn: Trail of Shadows is a downloadable game for Windows PCs and Mac computers that combines aspects of hidden object, adventure, and puzzle games. Content is pretty tame -- there’s nothing spookier than a trip through a large, dark tree hollow, and sexuality and profanity are completely absent -- but the tasks and puzzles can be pretty tricky, even for adults well acquainted with games of this type. Its challenging nature means it will likely prove unsuitable for many kids, especially those who become easily frustrated. However, they may enjoy playing cooperatively with a parent.
What's it about?
Players journey through the pages of a storybook while exploring a rich fantasy world composed of beautiful paintings in DRAWN: TRAIL OF SHADOWS. Their goal is to find an evil wizard who is after a boy possessed of the power to turn pictures into portals. Strange creatures such as fawns and talking shrubs offer riddles that force players to examine their environments for clues and hidden objects. Some of these objects are necessary to solve certain puzzles, many of which involve coloring or painting in clever ways. Many of the puzzles are set in a picture book filled with moving elements with which players interact by pulling paper tabs. Hints are provided via optional text clues, and typically provide useful guidance without spoiling the puzzles.
Is it any good?
Drawn: Trail of Shadows expertly melds several types of traditional casual game activities, including seek-and-find scenes, adventure-style investigative tasks, and clever puzzles that require a bit of thought. The pastel colored pictures are beautiful and often highly interactive, and the puzzles, while challenging, are fair and rewarding. One of our favorites involves selecting stencils to create layers of color on eggs in an effort to identically reproduce complex pictures. Such conundrums require both creativity and reasoning skills and prove quite engaging.
Note, though, that while the fantasy characters and storybook settings may seem geared for young children, the game’s difficulty makes it an experience better suited for slightly older kids and grownups. They may not always be easy, but solving these puzzles can make for a highly satisfying gaming experience. This is a perfect game for a parent and child to explore together.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the importance of perseverance and the rewards it offers. Do you appreciate something more if you have to work hard for it? Do you feel a greater level of satisfaction if the obstacles you overcome are truly challenging?
Families can also discuss the appeal of fantasy games. The notion of being able to step into a painting is patently silly, and yet it sets our minds to wondering at the possibilities. Why do we like to imagine such far-fetched things? Do you think this is something you’ll ever outgrow?
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, fairy tales |
| Platforms: | Windows, Mac |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Developer: | Big Fish Games |
| Release date: | October 1, 2011 |
| Price: | $9.99 |
| ESRB rating: | NR for NA |
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