Strategy Guide: Royal Envoy 2!

This strategy guide will show you how to beat each level of Royal Envoy 2 with 3 stars (and a gold seal). NOTE: I have not listed solutions for levels 1-5 because I don't think you will need them.

Just follow each level walkthrough step by step.

When you are collecting something like rent payments, or wood from a forest, or gold from a mine, it is assumed that you will keep doing this in the background.

If I say, "Open a treasure chest," it is assumed that you will collect what comes out of the treasure chest.

If I say, "Buy food" or "Buy wood", it is assumed that you know where to buy it (Market and Sawmill).

So, here's to your success! I hope this guide provides the answers you've been looking for!

For help with the first Royal Envoy game, see my strategy guide.

---

Level 6

1. Open all treasure chests.
2. Shovel the snow on the right.
3. Build 1 Cottage under the Castle, and 2 Cottages in the bottom right.
4. Repair the Bridge.
5. Send Workers to all 3 bunches of trees on the left, and keep them constantly harvesting.
6. Keep sending a Worker to shovel snow until it is all cleared.
7. Build a Market in the lower left.
8. Buy 100 food.
9. Build 2 more Cottages on the right.
10. Buy 100 food.
11. Build Cottages in the last 2 slots.
12. Buy 100 food.
13. Upgrade all Cottages.
14. Buy bunches of 250 food whenever you have enough money.
15. Open the treasure chest behind the last chopped-down tree, and collect the food.

Level 7

1. Clear the snow.
2. Build a Market and a Sawmilll.
3. Buy 250 food.
4. Buy 250 wood.
5. Clear the next 2 snow piles.
6. Repair 3 Forestries.
7. Shovel the last snow pile.
8. Buy 2 Workers.
9. Assign 1 Worker each to 3 of the Forestries.
10. Build 2 Cottages.
11. Repair the 4th Forestry.
12. Add 1 more Worker to 2 of the Forestries.
13. When you have 1000 money, buy 100 food.
14. Buy 2 more Workers for a total of 8.
15. Put 1 Worker in the 4th Forestry.
16. Build a Cabin or Cottage in the last empty slot.
17. Put 1 more Worker in the 2 Forestries where there is still a spot. Now all Forestries should have 2 Workers.
18. Keep collecting wood until you're done!

 

Level 9

1. Repair the 2 visible Lanterns.
2. Send 2 Workers into the Forestry.
3. Buy 100 wood from the Sawmill.
4. Repair the center Lantern.
5. Demolish the Sawmill.
6. Repair the right and left Lanterns.
7. Build a Market where the Sawmill was.
8. Repair the next layer of Lanterns: left, center, and right.
9. Start clearing out the fallen branches in the road.
10. Repair the last Lantern, on the right.
11. Once you have 1000 gold, buy 100 food.
12. Build 2 Cottages in the empty slots on the left.
13. Buy 50 or 100 food. You only need 50.
14. Demolish the Cabin on the right.
15. Build a Cottage where the Cabin was.

Level 10

1. Repair the 2 visible Lanterns.
2. Repair the top Lantern.
3. Build a Market in the bottom slot.
4. Assign 2 Workers to the Forestry.
5. Buy 250 food.
6. Repair the middle and bottom Lanterns.
7. Once you collect your 250 food from the Market, demolish it.
8. Save 100 wood.
9. Build a Bank in the slot where the Market was.
10. Build a Cottage in the empty bottom slot.
11. Collect 50 wood and repair the bottom Lantern. 
12. Collect 50 wood and repair the Lantern by the bridge.
13. Build a Cottage in the bottom slot. Soon you'll have 10,000 gold.

Level 11

1. Collect the wood piece.
2. Repair the Lantern by the "THIS WAY" sign.
3. Send a Worker to collect wood from the trees.
4. Once you have 50 wood, complete the next Lantern down the path to the right.
5. Keep Workers collecting wood from all 3 bunches of trees until all wood as been collected.
6. Repair the 3 Lanterns on the left.
7. Build a Sawmill in the empty slot on the left.
8. Send Workers to collect all of the food from the trees at the top.
9. When you have 100 food, build a Bank in the bottom slot.
10. When you have 2500 gold, buy 250 wood from the Sawmill. Do this until you have 500 wood.
11. Repair the bridge.
12. Make sure you have 100 wood. Use the Sawmill if you need to.
13. Repair the Lanterns on both sides of the bridge.
14. Demolish the Sawmill.
15. Assign 2 Workers to each Farm.
16. Build a Market where the Sawmill was.
17. Buy bunches of 250 food until you have 1300 food.
18. Make sure to keep collecting food from the Farms.

Level 12

1. Repair both Lanterns in front of the Castle.
2. Demolish the accessible Bank.
3. Once the Lanterns are completed, demolish 2 more Banks.
4. Repair the Lantern by the bridge.
5. Build a Cottage in each slot where you demolished a Bank (3 Cottages).
6. Repair the bridge.
7. Upgrade all Cottages.
8. Repair the Lanterns on the right side of the bridge.
9. Send Workers to collect money from the gold deposits until they're all used up.
10. Assign 2 Workers to the Farm.
11. Buy 250 food.
12. Buy 250 food.
13. Feed the Glutton.
14. Repair the Lantern at the bottom, and collect all gold until you have 20,000 gold.

Level 13

1. Collect the pieces of wood.
2. Repair the left and bottom Lanterns.
3. Send a Worker to the woods and keep him there collecting wood.
4. Do the same thing with the lower section of trees.
5. Repair the other 2 visible Lanterns.
6. When you have 200 wood, repair the bridge on the bottom left.
7. Repair the Lantern on the left side of the bridge.
8. Send Workers to collect all of the gold from the gold deposits and treasure chests.
9. Build 2 Sawmills.
10. Keep processing batches of 250 wood at both Sawmills until you have 2300 wood.
11. Repair the bridge.
12. Demolish both Sawmills.
13. Repair the 2 visible Lanterns.
14. Assign 2 Workers to each Farm.
15. Repair the bottom Lantern.
16. Collect the gold from the treasure chests.
17. Build 2 Markets.
18. Keep buying batches of 250 food from both Markets until you have 4000 food.
19. Feed the Glutton.
20. Demolish both Markets.
21. Build 3 Cabins.

Level 14

1. Collect the wood.
2. Repair the 2 visible Lanterns.
3. Send a Worker to the woods and keep him working until the woods are depleted.
4. Repair the bottom Lantern.
5. Repair the other 2 bottom Lanterns.
6. Repair the Lantern by the water.
7. Demolish 2 Cottages.
8. Build a Sawmill and a Market.
9. Buy 250 food.
10. Feed the Glutton.
11. Upgrade all 3 Cottages.
12. Repair the Lantern.
13. Buy 250 food.
14. Buy 5 Workers, and assign 2 to each Forestry.
15. Buy 250 food.
16. Buy Workers until you have 14.
17. Assign 7 Workers to the ship-building as you hire them.
18. Process batches of 100 wood whenever you can.

Level 15

1. Send Workers to collect all food from all trees.
2. Demolish 3 Banks.
3. Feed the Glutton as soon as you have 300 food.
4. Build 3 Cottages.
5. Collect all gold from the gold deposits.
6. Upgrade all 3 Cottages right after they've paid rent.
7. Add Gardens to all 3 Cottages right after they've paid rent.
8. Demolish the last Bank while you wait for the next round of rent payments.
9. Pay the Pirate.
10. Build a Cabin where the Bank was.
11. Buy 250 food.
12. Add a Garden to the Cabin.
13. Add Gardens to the Cottages on the right.

Level 16

1. Send Workers to collect all wood from the palm trees.
2. As soon as you have 300 wood, repair the bridge.
3. Assign all 3 Workers to the Farms.
4. When you have 50 food, buy another Worker and assign him to the last Farm slot.
5. Keep using food from the Farms to buy Workers until you have 7 Workers.
6. Build a Sawmill and a Cottage as soon as you can.
7. Add a Garden to your Cottage right after a rent payment.
8. Buy 250 wood once you have 2500 gold.
9. Build a Cottage and a Bank.
10. Add a Garden to the second Cottage after a rent payment.
11. Pay the Pirate as soon as you have 1500 gold.
12. Buy 250 wood (or two batches of 100).
13. Build 2 Banks.

Level 17

1. Dig up the treasure next to the Castle.
2. Send only 1 Worker to chop all trees at the bottom. Continue until they're gone.
3. While you're still collecting wood, build 3 Cottages along the bottom.
4. Add a Garden to each Cottage after it pays rent.
5. Upgrade each Cottage after it pays rent.
6. When the trees are gone, dig up the treasure on the right.
7. Pay the Pirate as soon as you have 10,000 gold.
8. Dig up the treasure at the top.
9. Clear out the tree in the middle.
10. Buy 250 wood.
11. Build a Market next to the Sawmill.
12. Buy 250 food.
13. Build 2 Cottages in the top row.
14. Buy 100 food.
15. Upgrade both Cottages at the top.
16. Demolish the Market.
17. Build a 2nd Sawmill where the Market was.
18. For the rest of the level, buy 250 wood from both Sawmills whenever you can.
19. Demolish the Bank.
20. Add Gardens to both top Cottages.
21. Build a Cottage where the Bank was.
22. Add a Garden to the new Cottage.
23. Keep buying wood until you have 2000.

 Level 18

1. Collect all food from all trees.
2. Collect all wood from palm trees below the Castle.
3. Build a Market.
4. Buy 100 food.
5. Feed the Glutton.
6. Send Workers to open the treasure chest and harvest wood across the bridge. Keep them chopping until all wood has been collected.
7. Buy 100 food.
8. Repair the top bridge.
9. Upgrade both bottom Cottages.
10. Buy 250 food.
11. Build 1 Cottage at the top.
12. Upgrade the new Cottage.
13. Build a Bank at the top.
14. Pay the Pirate.
15. Upgrade the Cottage at the top.
16. Build and upgrade another Cottage at the top.
17. Keep collecting rent until you have 30,000 gold.

Level 19

1. Send Workers to gather food from the fruit trees, and to collect wood from the fallen trees.
2. Buy Workers until you have 7.
3. Assign 2 Workers to the Forestry.
4. Upgrade both Cottages.
5. Add Gardens to both Cottages.
6. Build a Bank.
7. Pay the Pirate when you have 3500 gold.
8. Dig up all treasures and chop all trees on the left.
9. Demolish the Bank and both Cottages.
10. Build 3 Sawmills.
11. Keep buying batches of 250 wood until you have 3500 wood.

Level 20

1. Clear trees off roads, and send a Worker to chop the palm trees.
2. Keep
• 1 Worker digging gold at the bottom
• 1 Worker digging up treasure at the top
• 1 Worker chopping palm trees
• 1 Worker in the Forestry
3. Have the first available Worker pay the Pirate.
4. Send the next available Worker to the Forestry.
5. Build a Market.
6. Buy 250 food.
7. Build a 4th Cottage with the others.
8. Buy 2 Workers.
9. Build a Bank.
10. Upgrade 2 Cottages.
11. Buy 250 food.
12. Upgrade the other 2 Cottages.
13. Buy 2 Workers (total of 8 now).
14. Buy 250 food.
15. Add Gardens to all Cottages.
16. Restore the Rum Factory.
17. Keep buying batches of 250 food constantly.
18. Assign 7 Workers to the Rum Factory. You'll need to pull one from the Forestry.
19. Keep collecting rent and buying 250 food until you have produced 20 barrels of rum.

 Level 21

1. Open both treasure chests, and send Workers to chop down all of the trees.
2. Build a Market near the Castle on the right side.
3. Assign 3 Workers to each Forestry.
4. Start ordering batches of 1000 food, and keep it going.
5. Build 3 Chalets.
6. Upgrade all 3 Chalets.
7. Add Gardens to each Chalet.
8. Build Gramophones in the 2 leftmost slots.
9. Repair the bridge.
10. Build Flowerbeds in the 2 empty slots.
11. Feed the Glutton.

Level 22

1. Send a Worker to collect wood from the trees. Keep him working there.
2. Assign 3 Workers to each Gold Mine.
3. Restore the 3 broken Chalets.
4. Demolish 1 Chalet on the left.
5. Build a Sawmill.
6. Buy 1000 wood.
7. Demolish the Sawmill.
8. Start upgrading all Chalets.
9. In the meantime, build a Market, and keep buying batches of 1000 food repeatedly.
10. Start adding Gardens to all Chalets.
11. When you have 2000 food, feed the Glutton.
12. Build a house of any kind. I chose a Chalet.
13. Upgrade and add a Garden to the new house.
14. In the meantime, build Fountains in every slot.

Level 23

1. Send a Worker to chop down the trees next to the Castle.
2. Assign 2 Workers to the Farm.
3. As soon as you collect the first 200 food from the Farm, dismiss one of the Farm Workers.
4. Build a Chalet.
5. Build another Chalet.
6. Add Gardens to both Chalets.
7. Pay the Pirate.
8. Send a Worker to chop down the trees at the bottom.
9. Build a 3rd Chalet and add a Garden to it.
10. Send a Worker to cheer up the Leprechaun.
11. Send the other Worker back to finish chopping the trees at the bottom.
12. Assign 2 Workers to the Farm. It will have 3 Workers now.
13. Send 1 Worker to chop down the trees on the other side of the bridge.
14. Build 2 Chalets.
15. Add a Garden to 1 Chalet. Only 1 Chalet won't have a Garden.
16. As soon as you have at least 750 food, build a Dragon Statue in the upper left corner.

Level 24

1. Clear both brambles near the Castle.
2. Repair the upper bridge on the right.
3. Send Workers to the brambles, both fruit trees, and both fallen trees to gather resources.
4. Open both treasure chests at the top.
5. Build 2 Chalets and a Sawmill.
6. Add Gardens to both Chalets.
7. Cheer up the Leprechaun on the right top.
8. Chop all fallen trees at the top.
9. Open the treasure chest.
10. Assign 3 Workers to the Gold Mine.
11. Buy 1000 wood at the Sawmill.
12. Repair the bottom right bridge.
13. Clear the brambles and send Workers to the fruit trees.
14. Build a Chalet, and add a Garden.
15. In the meantime, upgrade your other 2 Chalets.
16. Upgrade the new Chalet.
17. Buy 2 batches of 1000 wood as soon as you can.
18. Repair the bottom left bridge.
19. In the meantime, buy 1000 wood.
20. Build a Chalet, and add a Garden.
21. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
22. Buy 1000 wood.
23. Upgrade the newest Chalet.
24. Build a 5th Chalet on the left.
25. Upgrade the last Chalet.

Level 25

1. Send 2 Workers to chop the fallen trees.
2. Send 1 Worker to demolish 2 Fountains.
3. Send 1 Worker to the Forestry.
4. Send the other 2 Workers to the Forestry. If you get them there quickly, you'll have 1000 wood right away!
5. Once you have 1000 wood, send a Worker from the Forestry to repair the right side bridge.
6. Send 1 Worker to the Forestry.
7. Open the 3 treasure chests.
8. Build 2 Chalets.
9. Upgrade both Chalets.
10. When you have 5000 money, pay the Pirate.
11. Assign 3 Workers to the Farm.
12. When you have 1000 wood, repair the left side bridge.
13. Repair the Bank.
14. Build a 3rd Chalet.
15. Upgrade the Chalet.
16. Start building Fountains in the 2 middle slots.
17. Pay the Pirate.
18. Build a Fountain.

Level 26

1. Send Workers to
• chop down trees
• pick all fruit, and
• cheer up the 200 Leprechaun in the lower right.
2. As soon as the Leprechaun is cheered up, assign 3 Workers to the mine.
3. Build a Statue.
4. As soon as you have 5000 gold, build a Sawmill.
5. Cheer up the 400 Leprechaun.
6. Assign 2 Workers to the second mine.
7. As soon as you have 10000 gold, buy 1000 wood.
8. Build 2 more Statues.
9. Pay the Pirate.
10. Cheer up the 100, 450, 600, and 800 Leprechauns.
11. Buy 1000 wood.
12. Build 5 Flowerbeds in the middle.
13. Buy 1000 wood.
14. Demolish a Gramophone in the middle.
15. Build a Flowerpot in that slot.
16. Cheer up the 900 Leprechaun.
17. Buy 1000 wood.
18. Repair the bridge.
19. Demolish the Gramophone and Fountain in the middle, and build 2 Flowerbeds.
20. Cheer up the 500 Leprechaun.

 Level 27

1. Send all 4 Workers to collect the gold in the lower right corner.
2. As soon as you have 5000 gold, send 2 Workers to build a Market while the others keep digging for gold.
3. Buy 1000 food.
4. Feed the Glutton.
5. Send all Workers to collect all of the gold.
6. As soon as you have 5000 gold, build a Sawmill while the other Workers keep digging.
7. As soon as you have 10000 gold, buy 1000 wood.
8. Send 2 Workers to repair the Railway.
9. Buy 1000 food and 500 wood.
10. Build 2 Chalets.
11. Start sending all Workers (except for 2) to repair the abandoned mine.
12. Buy Workers until you have 7 total (5 at the mine).
13. Upgrade both Chalets.
14. When you have 10000 gold, buy 500 food and 500 wood.
15. Add Gardens to both Chalets.
16. Buy 250 food.
17. Build 2 Fountains.
18. Send your 2 remaining Workers to the Abandoned Mine.

(I admit this isn't the best way to solve the level, but it leaves plenty of time.)

Level 28

1. Send 4 Workers to collect food and wood from the accessible trees at the top.
2. As soon as you have 250 food and 250 wood, build a Villa at the bottom.
3. Build another Villa as soon as you can.
4. Upgrade both Villas immediately after they've paid their first rent.
5. Send a Worker to open the treasure chest at the top.
6. Add a Garden to bot Villas after they've paid rent a second time.
7. Pay the Pirate.
8. Collect food and chop brambles on the right.
9. Build a Sawmill and a Villa.
10. Buy 500 wood.
11. Collect rent from the new Villa, then add a Garden to it.
12. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
13. Buy 1000 wood.
14. Send 4 Workers to collect food from the trees on the left.
15. Demolish the Cabin.
16. Build 3 Villas.
17. Upgrade 3 Villas.

Level 29

1. Build a Sawmill.
2. Send both Workers to a pair of trees to collect food. There are 4 accessible pairs.
3. Buy 4 Workers (for a total of 6).
4. Buy 1000 wood.
5. Repair the Bank.
6. Keep 2 Workers constantly collecting food until all trees have been used up.
7. Construct the Beehive on the left.
8. Build 2 Villas.
9. Buy 1000 wood.
10. Build a 5th Villa.
11. Add Gardens to each house.
12. Buy 500 wood.
13. Pay the Pirate.
14. Construct the 2nd Beehive.

Level 30

1. Chop all 3 fallen trees.
2. Restore the Forestry.
3. Restore the Chalet.
4. Assign 3 Workers to the Forestry.
5. Restore the Bank and 1 Cabin.
6. Demolish 2 Cabins.
7. Restore the Market.
8. Buy 500 food as soon as you can.
9. Build 2 Villas.
10. Upgrade the Villas and Chalet right after a rent payment.
11. Buy 500 food.
12. Start adding Gardens to all houses.
13. Buy 500 food.
14. When you have 20,000 gold, pay the Pirate.
15. Construct the Beehive.

Level 31

1. Demolish 1 Chalet on the left.
2. Build a Market on the left.
3. Buy 250 food.
4. Demolish the other Chalet on the left.
5. Add Gardens to both Chalets right after a rent payment.
6. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
7. Send Workers to collect food from the trees.
8. Open the treasure chest.
9. Build a Sawmill on the left, by the Market.
10. Buy 1000 wood.
11. Demolish the Market.
12. Build a Villa.
13. Add a Garden to the Villa.
14. Buy 1000 wood.
15. Repair the bridge.
16. Construct the Beehive.
17. Buy 500 wood.
18. Repair the Palm Nursery.
19. Buy 500 wood.
20. Build a Villa.
21. Send 5 Workers to the Nursery.
22. Buy 2 Workers.
23. Add a Garden to the Villa.
24. Send 2 more Workers to the Nursery.
25. Click the drips as they appear on the right.
26. Buy 1000 wood whenever you can until you have 3000 or more.

Note: There may be a more efficient way to do this level, in which you repair the Nursery earlier. But I didn't figure one out.

Level 32

1. Send Workers to chop down all accessible trees. There are 3 sets.
2. As soon as you have 250 wood, send 2 Workers to restore the Farm.
3. Assign 3 Workers to the Farm.
4. Collect food, then build a Villa.
5. Collect food, and build another Villa.
6. Add a Garden to each Villa right after it pays rent.
7. Pay the 10,000 Pirate.
8. Dismiss 1 Worker from the Farm right after it delivers a batch of food.
9. Repair both top Chalets.
10. Send a Worker to chop down the new batch of trees at the top.
11. Add Gardens to both top Chalets.
12. Pay the 20,000 Pirate.
13. Restore both bottom Chalets.
14. Build a Statue.
15. Add Gardens to both bottom Chalets.

Level 33

1. Dig up the hole at the top.
2. Restore the Villa and Chalet.
3. Build a Villa.
4. Add Gardens to all 3 houses.
5. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
6. Dig up the hole that the Leprechaun was blocking.
7. Build a Sawmill.
8. Demolish both Fountains.
9. Buy 1000 wood at the Sawmill.
10. Repair the bridge.
11. Dig up the new hole.
12. Feed the Glutton.
13. Dig up the Glutton's hole.
14. Pay the Pirate.
15. Dig up the Pirate's hole.

Level 34

1. Demolish both Villas.
2. Build a Well between the 2 Chalets.
3. Build a Market and a Sawmill at the top.
4. Buy 500 wood.
5. Restore both Broken Chalets in the middle.
6. Buy 500 food.
7. Add Gardens to all 3 Chalets after they pay rent.
8. Buy 500 wood.
9. Repair the bridge.
10. Build a Well at the bottom.
11. Buy 500 wood.
12. Start building 2 Chalets at the bottom.
13. Buy 250 wood.
14. Buy 500 food.
15. Add Gardens to both bottom Chalets.
16. Build a Fountain.

Level 35

1. Cut all nearby logs, and repair the bottom bridge.
2. Restore both Villas.
3. Send Workers to dig up all accessible holes and chop all accessible logs.
4. Restore the Sawmill.
5. Buy 500 food.
6. Buy 500 wood.
7. Add Gardens to both Villas after a rent payment.
8. Repair the upper bridge.
9. Chop logs and brambles at the top right area.
10. Build a Well.
11. Buy 500 food.
12. Build a Cabin and a Fountain.
13. Buy 500 wood.
14. Add a Garden to the Cabin.
15. Buy 500 food.
16. Build 2 Fountains.

Level 36

1. Demolish the Bank.
2. Open all treasure chests (4).
3. Repair the bridge.
4. Open the 4 new treasure chests.
5. Chop the brambles.
6. Buy 250 wood.
7. Build 2 Wells: 1 at the bottom, 1 on the right side.
8. Restore both broken Villas.
9. Buy 500 wood .
10. Add Gardens to all 3 Villas after a rent payment.
11. Build a Well in the top left.
12. Build a Villa.
13. Buy 500 wood.
14. Build a Villa.
15. Buy 1000 wood.
16. Upgrade all Villas.
17. Keep buying batches of 1000 wood whenever you can.

Level 37

On this level, there are 3 sections:

• left side
• right side, and
• bottom.

It is best to keep Workers busy in different sections. For maximum efficiency, try to assign each Worker to a task in his area immediately after he finishes his current task. Try to keep each one in his own area to avoid wasting time running around.

1. Hack all 4 logs surrounding the happiness sign.
2. Repair the center bridge to free the first Worker.
3. Send 1 Worker to work on the left side. Send the other Worker to work on the right side.
4. Once you have 500 wood, send the right-side Worker down the path to free the 3rd Worker.
5. Send 1 right-side Worker to clear out the right side, and the other Worker to clear out the bottom.
6. Repair bridges whenever you have 500 wood.
7. Build the Statue once you have chopped all logs and dug up all holes.

Level 38

1. Chop the log and brambles.
2. Build the bridge.
3. Assign the 3 new Workers to the Farm.
4. Send 2 Workers to open the treasure chests.
5. Send Workers to build Flowerbeds in every happiness spot.
6. Build a Sawmill.
7. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
8. Send 3 Workers to each Gold Mine.
9. Chop the brambles.
10. Collect money from both Gold Mines.
11. Buy 500 wood.
12. Send Workers to demolish all but 7 Flowerbeds.
13. Build a Well between the house lots.
14. Start buying batches of 1000 wood at the Sawmill. Keep it going!
15. Pull all Workers out of 1 Gold Mine. We want them to help build.
16. Build 2 Cabins.
17. Add Gardens to both Cabins.
18. Build a Statue.
19. Build 3 Fountains.
20. Build 5 Gramophones.

Level 39

1. Send Workers to chop the 2 logs right outside of the Castle.
2. Repair the top bridge and keep chopping logs.
3. Repair the bottom bridge.
4. Dig up the hole at the top, and keep chopping logs and brambles.
5. Send 2 Workers to the Farm.
6. Build a Sawmill in the bottom left slot.
7. Build a Well.
8. Build a Villa.
9. Collect rent, then add a Garden to the Villa.
10. Collect rent again, then buy 250 wood.
11. Build a Fountain next to the Castle.
12. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
13. Send 3 Workers to the Gold Mine.
14. Buy 3 Workers (total of 8 now).
15. Buy 1000 wood.
16. Repair the 1000 bridge.
17. Buy 1000 wood.
18. Build 2 Wells.
19. Build a Villa.
20. Send 1 of the Farm Workers to buy 1000 wood, then send him back to the Farm.
21. Build another Villa.
22. Send 1 of the Gold Mine Workers to repair the top bridge.
23. Add Gardens to both Villas. (NOTE: You should pull everyone out of the Gold Mine, even if they haven't collected all of the gold yet.)
24. Buy 1000 wood.
25. Build 3 Fountains.

Level 40

1. Send 3 Workers to the Gold Mine.
2. Build a Sawmill and a Market.
3. Buy 500 wood as soon as you can.
4. Repair the middle bridge (by the Bank).
5. Demolish the Bank.
6. Buy 500 wood.
7. Build a Well in the middle slot.
8. Buy 500 wood.
9. Build a Villa next to the Well.
10. Repair the bottom bridge.
11. Demolish the Market you just exposed.
12. Buy 500 food.
13. Build a Well in the bottom slot.
14. Buy 500 wood.
15. Build a Villa in the bottom slot.
16. Buy 500 wood.
17. Repair the top bridge.
18. Demolish the Sawmill.
19. Build the top Well.
20. Upgrade both bottom Villas, after a rent payment.
21. Buy 500 wood.
22. Build a Villa in the top slot.
23. Buy 500 food.
24. Buy 500 wood.
25. Upgrade the top Villa after a rent payment.
26. Build a Bank.
27. Buy 500 food.
28. Add Gardens to 2 Villas. Don't worry about rent. Just build.
29. Buy 250 food.
30. Add a Garden to the 3rd Villa.

Level 41

1. Chop all logs and brambles.
2. Build 2 Wells (next to the Villas).
3. Build a 4th Villa next to the Well at the top.
4. Upgrade all Villas.
5. Build a Market and Sawmill in the lower right.
6. Buy 1000 food.
7. Add Gardens to each Villa after a rent payment.
8. Buy 500 food and 1000 wood.
9. Build a Bank.
10. Send 5 Workers to the Reservoir.
11. Buy 1000 wood.
12. Buy 1000 food.
13. Buy 1000 wood.
14. Buy batches of 1000 food until you have 5000.
15. Feed the Glutton.
16. Keep buying batches of 1000 food, and keep buying Workers until you have 11 Workers.
17. Send every Worker except for 1 to the Reservoir.
18. Keep buying batches of 1000 food until the end of the level.

Level 42

1. Restore the broken obelisk.
2. Open the treasure chests.
3. Build a Sawmill next to the Castle.
4. Restore the second obelisk.
5. Buy 2000 wood.
6. Restore the 3rd obelisk.
7. Restore the 4th obelisk.
8. Repair the bridge.
9. Pick all fruit and chop all wood while you continue with the next step.
10. As soon as you have 500 wood, restore the 5th obelisk.
11. Build a Bank in the top left corner.
12. Add a Garden to each Villa after a rent payment.
13. Pay the Pirate at the bottom when you have 30000 gold.
14. Restore the 6th obelisk.
15. Buy 1000 wood.
16. Build a Mansion, and restore the 7th obelisk.
17. Chop the log on the right path.
18. Buy 1000 wood.
19. Add a Garden to the first Mansion.
20. Add a Garden to the second Mansion.
21. Pay the Pirate at the top.
22. Restore the last obelisk.

Level 43

1. Collect all wood from the trees by the Castle.
2. Restore the 2 nearby obelisks as soon as you can.
3. Dig up the newly-exposed hole.
4. Restore the newly-exposed obelisk.
5. Dig up the 2 new holes.
6. Send a Worker to collect all wood from the trees in the lower left corner.
7. Build a Mansion.
8. Restore the new obelisk.
9. Send Workers to chop down the 2 new batches of trees.
10. Restore the next obelisk.
11. Dig up the new hole.
12. Restore the Market.
13. Build another Mansion.
14. Dig up the hole and restore the obelisk behind the trees near the middle of the screen.
15. Upgrade both Mansions after rent payments.
16. Buy 500 food.
17. Build a 3rd Mansion and upgrade it after a rent payment.
18. Pay the Pirate. (Your gold timer should be just below midway.)
19. Dig up both new holes.
20. Buy 2000 food.
21. Feed the Glutton.
22. Repair the bridge.

Level 44

1. Restore the bottom obelisk.
2. Send 2 Workers to collect the gold from the gold deposits.
3. Build a Sawmill as soon as you can.
4. Buy 1000 wood.
5. Demolish the Sawmill.
6. Restore the obelisk on the right.
7. Build a Market close to the Castle.
8. Chop the tree in the road at the bottom.
9. Restore the next obelisk to the right.
10. Collect all of the wood from the trees in the lower right corner. Chopping the trees will expose a hole.
11. Send a Worker to dig up the hole while the other Worker keeps chopping.
12. Buy 2000 food.
13. Build 3 Villas.
14. Add a Garden to each Villa after a rent payment.
15. Restore the obelisk next to the Castle.
16. Buy 1000 food.
17. Feed the Glutton.
18. Send Workers to chop down all trees at the top.
19. Build a 4th Villa.
20. Restore the next obelisk at the top.
21. Send a Worker to chop the new trees.
22. Buy 1000 food.
23. Add a Garden to the new Villa.
24. Restore the next obelisk.
25. Build a Dovecote.
26. Buy 1000 food.
27. Buy 500 food.
28. Send a Worker to buy 5 doves in a row.

Level 45

1. Restore the 2 obelisks below the Castle.
2. Demolish the Cabin.
3. Restore the next obelisk to the left.
4. Build a Sawmill next to the Castle.
5. Assign 4 Workers to the Gold Mine.
6. Buy 1000 wood.
7. Restore the next obelisk to the right of the Sawmill.
8. Buy 1000 food.
9. Build a Mansion in the middle slot at the bottom.
10. Buy 1000 wood.
11. Restore both bottom obelisks.
12. Buy 1000 wood.
13. Buy 1000 food.
14. Build 2 Mansions at the bottom.
15. Add a Garden to a Mansion after a rent payment.
16. Buy 2000 food.
17. Demolish the Mansion next to the Castle after a rent payment.
18. Add a Garden to the other 2 Mansions at the bottom after a rent payment.
19. Buy 1000 wood.
20. Build a Dovecote next to the Castle.
21. Buy 1000 food.
22. Buy 2 doves.
23. Buy 1000 food.
24. Buy 3 doves.

Level 46

1. Send 2 Workers to dig up gold.
2. Send 2 Workers to repair the 2 obelisks.
3. Build a Sawmill while digging up the rest of the gold deposits.
4. Buy 2000 wood.
5. Restore all obelisks up the right side, and the one at the bottom left.
6. Dig up the hole by the inspectors and the hole on the left.
7. Assign a Worker to the Bush of Fertility and keep him constantly working.
8. Buy 1000 wood.
9. Restore the next obelisk going up the middle.
10. Hire 4 Workers (total of 8).
11. Restore one of the obelisks in the middle.
12. Buy 1000 wood.
13. Dig up the new hole.
14. Restore the other obelisk in the middle.
15. Build a Mansion.
16. Buy 1000 wood.
17. Dig up the new hole.
18. Build 2 Mansions.
19. Add a Garden to each Mansion after a rent payment.
20. Buy 2000 wood.
21. Upgrade each Mansions after a rent payment.
22. Buy 2000 wood.
23. Buy 1000 wood.
24. Repair the bridge.
25. Restore the obelisk on the left.
26. Buy 2000 wood.
27. Chop the tree in the road.
28. Feed the Glutton.
29. Demolish the Sawmill.
30. Build a Dovecote.
31. Buy 5 doves.

Level 47

1. Restore both visible obelisks.
2. Chop down the trees by the Castle.
3. Send a Worker to chop the new batch of trees at the bottom.
4. Restore both obelisks on the top path.
5. Demolish one of the Mansions in the top middle.
6. Send a Worker to chop the trees at the top right.
7. Repair the bridge on the left.
8. When you have 10,000 gold, build a Market.
9. Once you have at least 5000 gold, demolish the other 3 Mansions along the top.
10. Buy 500 food.
11. Build a Cabin in each empty slot.
12. Demolish the Market.
13. Build a Cabin.
14. Add Gardens to each Cabin. Don't worry about rent.
15. Cheer up the Leprechaun as soon as 3 Gardens have been built.
16. Build a Statue in the upper left corner.
17. Demolish the Mansion next to the Castle.
18. Restore the next obelisk at the bottom.
19. Demolish the last Mansion.
20. Build a Cabin.
21. Build a Statue.
22. Build a Cabin.
23. Add a Garden to each Cabin as quickly as you can. (You should be a little past halfway on the gold time.)

Level 48

1. Restore the 3 visible obelisks.
2. Send a Worker to chop down the trees on the left.
3. Send a Worker to chop down the 2nd set of trees.
4. Restore the top obelisk.
5. Restore all 3 Mansions and the Villa.
6. Build a Market next to the Castle.
7. Restore the obelisk on the left.
8. Buy 1000 food.
9. Build a Bank.
10. Upgrade each Mansion and Villa after a rent payment.
11. Buy 2000 food as soon as you can.
12. Feed the Glutton.
13. Demolish the Market.
14. Send 3 Workers to collect the food on the left.
15. Add a Garden to each house after a rent payment. (TIP: Keep only 1 Worker at the fruit trees during this step!)
16. Build a Sawmill.
17. Buy 2000 wood as soon as the Sawmill is completed.
18. Restore the obelisk at the bottom left.
19. Buy 2000 wood.
20. Send Workers to the new fruit trees, and collect all of the fruit.
21. Restore the next obelisk.
22. Buy 2000 wood. (NOTE: By now, all houses should have Gardens.)
23. Send 6 Workers to the Temple.
24. Buy 2000 wood, then 2000 wood, then 1000 wood. You should have 5000 wood before now.
25. Keep collecting rent until they're done building the Temple.

Now for the Runes level (there is no time limit):

1. Restore both visible obelisks.
2. Dig up the hole.
3. Restore the left obelisk
4. Dig up the new hole.
5. Restore both visible obelisks.
6. Restore both new obelisks.
7. Dig up the hole.
8. Read the Rune.
9. Build the bridge.
10. Restore the obelisk on the left side of the bridge.
11. Read the Rune.
12. Restore the next obelisk.
13. Restore the left obelisk.
14. Repair the bridge.
15. Restore the obelisk on the left side of the bridge.
16. Dig up the hole.
17. Now, restore the obelisk in the middle of the screen.
18. Proceed to restore all obelisks to the upper right.
19. Dig up the hole at the end of the path.
20. Restore all other obelisks and read all Runes.

Level 49

1. Send Workers to shovel the snow and chop the trees next to the Castle.
2. Repair the first bridge.
3. Restore the Chalet.
4. Send Workers to shovel all accessible snow.
5. Pay the Pirate in the middle after the Chalet pays rent.
6. Send 1 Worker to chop the trees at the top and 1 Worker to shovel the snow.
7. Build the bridge that leads to the fruit trees.
8. Send Workers to collect food from the fruit trees.
9. Build a Mansion in the middle.
10. Demolish the Chalet.
11. Build a Mansion.
12. Pay the 10,000 pirate.
13. Send Workers to dig up all holes.
14. Repair the bottom bridge.
15. Build a Dovecote.
16. Shovel the snow on the second slot.
17. Start buying doves (you'll need 5).
18. Build a Mansion.
19. Cheer up the Leprechaun.

Level 50

1. Demolish the broken Villa.
2. Build the 2000 bridge.
3. Build a Sawmill.
4. Buy 1000 wood.
5. Repair the 1000 bridge.
6. Buy 500 wood.
7. Repair the 1500 bridge.
8. Buy 500 wood.
9. Restore the Bank.
10. Pay the Pirate once you have 15,000 gold.
11. Buy 500 food and 500 wood.
12. Build a Mansion.
13. Buy 1000 wood.
14. Upgrade the closest Mansion.
15. Buy 1000 food and 1000 wood.
16. Build a Dovecote.
17. Demolish the Bank and Sawmill.
18. Buy 2000 food.
19. Start buying doves (you'll need 5).
20. Build 2 Cabins.

Note: There may be a quicker way to solve this level, but I didn't figure it out.

Level 51

1. Shovel the snow right outside the Castle door.
2. Demolish all 3 Statues and buy 2 Workers as quickly as you can.
3. Shovel all available snow.
4. Repair both Villas.
5. Upgrade both Villas.
6. Pay the Pirate. You should be at 1/4 time on the timer.
7. Build 2 Flowerbeds and 1 Gramophone.
8. Cheer up the Leprechaun, and shovel all available snow.
9. Start chopping down all trees at the top and middle.
10. Dig up the hole at the bottom.
11. Demolish the Flowerbeds and Gramophone.
12. Build a Dovecote.
13. Repair the bridge.
14. Dig up the new hole.
15. Buy 5 doves.
16. Build 3 Statues in the meantime.
17. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
18. Demolish the Dovecote, and shovel any remaining snow piles.
19. Build a Sawmill.
20. Buy 2000 wood.
21. Restore both Mansions.
22. Upgrade both Mansions.

Level 52

1. Buy 500 wood.
2. Build a Chalet.
3. Buy 500 wood as soon as possible.
4. Repair the bridge.
5. Open the chest.
6. Buy 500 food and 500 wood.
7. Build a Mansion.
8. Buy 1000 food.
9. Buy 2 Workers.
10. Buy 1000 wood.
11. Demolish the Sawmill and the Bank.
12. Build a Mansion.
13. Buy 1000 food.
14. Build a Dovecote.
15. Buy 1000 food.
16. Start buying doves (you'll need 5).
17. Buy 1000 food.
18. Buy 1 Worker, and start construction on the Snow Arena.
19. Once the Snow Arena is built, you'll have to do the tournament. I win by clicking everywhere as fast as I can.

Level 53

1. Chop down the trees, and open the treasure chest.
2. Build a Dovecote and 2 Cabins.
3. Buy 5 doves.
4. Cheer up the 100 Leprechaun.
5. Build a Cabin.
6. Cheer up the 150 Leprechaun.
7. Build a Cabin.
8. Cheer up the 200 Leprechaun.
9. Send Workers to chop all trees and collect all fruit at the bottom.
10. In the meantime, demolish a Cabin close to the Castle.
11. Build a Dovecote.
12. Buy 5 doves.
13. Cheer up the 300 Leprechaun.
14. Build a Cabin.

Level 54

NOTE: This level must be taken very quickly to achieve Gold time.

1. Build a Villa in the bottom slot in the middle, and upgrade it immediately.
2. Send a Worker to repair the bottom right bridge as you're building the first Villa.
3. Send 3 Workers to the Gold Mine.
4. Build a Sawmill in the top middle slot as soon as you have at least 10,000 gold.
5. Buy 1000 wood.
6. Repair the upper left bridge, and buy 1000 wood at the same time.
7. Send 3 Workers to the new Gold Mine.
8. Build a Villa and upgrade it immediately.
9. Buy 1000 wood.
10. Repair the upper right bridge, and buy 1000 wood at the same time.
11. Build a Villa, and send 3 Workers to the new Gold Mine at the same time.
12. Demolish the Sawmill.
13. Build a Market.
14. Buy 2000 food.
15. Upgrade the Villa on the right.
16. Buy 2000 food.
17. Buy 1000 food.

Level 55

1. Buy 1000 food.
2. Buy 1 Worker.
3. Build a Mansion.
4. Buy 1 dove.
5. Buy 500 food.
6. Buy 3 doves.
7. Buy 500 food.
8. Buy 1 dove.
9. Send 2 Workers to the Fishery.
10. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
11. Send 3 Workers to the Forestry.
12. Buy 1000 food.
13. Buy 1 Worker, and send him to the Fishery.
14. As soon as you have 750 food and wood, build a third Mansion.
15. Buy 1000 food.
16. Buy 2 Workers and send them to the Fishery.
17. Buy 1000 food.
18. Buy 2 Workers and send them to the Fishery.
19. Repair the bridge.
20. Buy 2000 food.
21. Build a Dovecote.
22. Buy 1000 food, and simultaneously start buying doves at the second Dovecote until you have 5.
23. Buy 1000 food.
24. Buy 500 food.
25. Demolish the Market.
26. Send 3 Workers from the Forestry to the Fishery.
27. Buy 5 Doves.

Level 56

1. Chop down all trees, and collect all fruit at the bottom.
2. As soon as 3 Workers are free, build a Dovecote.
3. Start buying doves (you need 5).
4. In the meantime, build 2 Cabins with Gardens.
5. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
6. In the meantime, demolish the Cabin next to the Castle.
7. Buy a Worker.
8. Send 4 Workers to dig for gold.
9. Build a Market. (Pull 2 Workers away from the gold.)
10. Buy 1000 food.
11. Demolish the Market.
12. Buy 2 Workers.
13. Build a Sawmill.
14. Buy 2000, 2000, and 1000 wood.
15. Repair the Lava Levee.
16. Demolish the Sawmill.
17. Build a Cabin.

Level 57

1. Chop all 6 trees in the road.
2. Construct the beehive in the lower left corner, and buy 1000 food.
3. Build 2 Mansions: 1 above the Castle, and one below the Castle.
4. Buy 1000 food.
5. Add Gardens to both new Mansions, and demolish both old Mansions.
6. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
7. Restore the Bank, and send a Worker to the trees.
8. Build a Sawmill.
9. Buy 1000 wood.
10. Upgrade both Mansions.
11. Buy 1000 food.
12. Build a Dovecote.
13. Buy 2000 wood.
14. Buy 2 doves.
15. Buy 1000 food.
16. Buy 3 doves.
17. Buy 2000 wood.
18. Start repairing the Lava Levee.
19. Demolish the Market.
20. Build a Cabin, and add a Garden.

Level 58

NOTE: This is a speed level, so click quickly, and try to keep each Worker in his own area to avoid unnecessary travel time. This level is very difficult. You might have to do it a few times to achieve the gold time.

1. Chop the 2 trees next to the Castle.
2. Chop the 2 trees farthest to the right.
3. Chop the next 2 trees over to the left.
4. Chop the next 2 trees over to the left again.
5. Repair the bridge, and keep one Worker chopping trees to the left.
6. Send 1 Worker to chop the tree in the middle, and keep him moving down from there.
7. Keep the other 2 Workers opening treasure chests.
8. Once all chests have been opened, send 1 Worker to feed the Glutton, and 1 Worker to chop access to the mines.
9. Open the treasure chest in the lower left, and send 4 Workers to the first available Gld Mine.
10. As soon as possible, send 4 Workers to the second Gold Mine.
11. Pay the Pirate.
12. Repair the Lava Levee.

Level 59

1. Repair the bridge.
2. Collect all wood and food from the 6 available trees.
3. As you gain food, buy Workers until you have 8 total.
4. Dig up the holes behind the pine trees once they're visible.
5. Build a Mansion with a Garden, then upgrade it.
6. In the meantime, demolish a Villa and replace it with an upgraded Mansion with a Garden.
7. Do the same thing with the other Villa.
8. Demolish the Cabin.
9. Build a Mansion, and upgrade it.
10. Pay the top Pirate as soon as you have 25,000 gold.
11. Send 2 Workers to chop the trees and dig up the hidden holes.
12. Pay the 50,000 Pirate, and repair the Lave Levee.
13. Build a Cabin, and add a Garden.
14. Pay the 70,000 Pirate.
15. Add a Garden to the last Mansion.
16. Build a Cabin, and add a Garden.

Level 60

1. Send 4 Workers to the Farm.
2. Dig up the hole in the lower right.
3. Build a Sawmill right under the Castle.
4. Buy 1000 wood.
5. Build 2 Mansions at the bottom.
6. Immediately add Gardens to both Mansions.
7. Buy 1000 wood once you've collected enough rent.
8. Repair the bridge.
9. Open the treasure chest.
10. Pay the Pirate.
11. Chop all fallen trees.
12. Buy 2000 wood.
13. Build a Dovecote next to the Sawmill.
14. Start buying doves (you need 5).
15. Build 2 Cabins with Gardens.
16. Buy 1000 wood.
17. Build 3 Statues.
18. As soon as you buy your 5th dove, cheer up the Leprechaun.
19. Build a Cabin.

Level 61

1. Chop all trees in the lower right corner.
2. Repair the bridge.
3. Restore the Broken Villa, and assign the other 3 Workers to pick all fruit.
4. Add Gardens to both Villas.
5. Pay the 15,000 Pirate.
6. Send 3 Workers to keep chopping down trees until all wood has been collected.
7. Build 3 Mansions.
8. Add a Garden to each Mansion.
9. Upgrade each Mansion.
10. Pay the 70,000 Pirate.
11. Buy a Worker.
12. Repair the Lava Levee.

Level 62

1. Upgrade the Mansion in the lower right corner.
2. Repair the broken Mansion.
3. Upgrade the second Mansion after its first rent payment.
4. Add a Garden to the first Mansion after a rent payment.
5. Pay the 10,000 Pirate.
6. Send 4 Workers to the Forestry.
7. Open the treasure chest.
8. Build a Market next to the Castle.
9. Repair the bridge.
10. Add a Garden to the second Mansion after a rent payment.
11. Build a Mansion in the upper right corner and immediately upgrade it.
12. Buy 2000 food.
13. Add a Garden to the 3rd Mansion.
14. Build a Dovecote.
15. Buy 1000 food.
16. Start buying doves (you need 5).
17. Buy 2000 food.
18. Demolish the Market.
19. Build 2 Statues.
20. Build a Cabin with a Garden.
21. Cheer up the Leprechaun.
22. Demolish the Cabin, Dovecote, and Statues.
23. Build a Sawmill next to the Castle.
24. Buy 2000 wood.
25. Repair the Lava Levee.

Hello again, gamers!

I just got level 56 added to my Royal Envoy strategy guide! Enjoy!

What's happening at AGFE?

To all of you who keep checking A Game For Everyone despite my infrequent posts: thank you.

I have several reviews I'm eager to write, and I want to keep working on my Royal Envoy strategy guide since so many people seem to find it useful. Life has kept me constantly busy, so I haven't had the opportunity to post everything I want to.

In the meantime, I've been trying to post deals as I find out about them.

As you know, I carefully seek out the best games on the market, and I think I've found a good batch of recommendations for you. Once I can find time, I'll get some reviews posted.

Thanks again!

Update - Royal Envoy strategy guide - level 57!

For those of you struggling with level 57, I've finally added it to my Royal Envoy strategy guide.

I hadn't remembered how tricky this level was until I tried it again. I should have added this to the strategy guide earlier.

I hope this helps. Enjoy!

Update - Royal Envoy strategy guide - level 58!

I added the level 58 walkthrough to my Royal Envoy strategy guide this morning!

Enjoy!

Update - Royal Envoy strategy guide - level 59!

I've added level 59 to my Royal Envoy strategy guide!

More to come...

Review - Drawn: Dark Flight!

After playing Drawn: The Painted Tower at the end of last year, I was very impressed (Read my review!). The unfinished story left me wanting more - more of the same immersive gameplay and the same magical world. Finally, Drawn: Dark Flight was released later in 2010. But did it live up to the greatness of the first game? That's what I'll tell you in today's review!

What I liked Same whimsical setting Fitting music Engaging puzzles Smooth gameplay Fascinating atmosphere What I didn't like I can't think of anything

Quick Plot

Picking up where the first game left off, you need to use art, magic, and puzzle-solving skills to help Iris overcome the dark evil that holds power over the city!

Mechanics

Adventure: This game falls solidly into the adventure category. You are traveling around, solving puzzles and picking up inventory items.

What pleased me so much is the fact that the game doesn't leave you clueless or floundering at any point, which is a guarantee in most standard adventure games. In this game, you typically have a pretty good idea about what to do, even if you get hung up for a short time.

Non-HOG: I highlight this because I was so glad this game wasn't a HOG. Most games on the casual scene these days are HOG-Adventures. In Drawn: Dark Flight, you're free from cluttered rooms and item lists. Ahhhhh.

Highlights

Puzzles: This game contained some of the most enjoyable puzzles I've ever encountered in an adventure game - and I've encountered a lot in my years as a gamer. Several puzzles are original in concept, which is exceedingly rare these days. So, puzzle fans, get ready for some fun.

Graphics/Atmosphere: The graphics and mood are the same as they were in the first Drawn game. The fanciful locations will take you to another time and place, where magic is real and anything is possible. The hand-painted art style is masterfully crafted, and the cold, sad atmosphere is easily felt.

Music: As in the first game, the swelling, dreamy music does it's job to accompany you on your mysterious journey. The themes and instrumentation adequately convey the mood and emotion of the game and it's various scenes.

Issues

Puzzle bug: The only issue I ran into was a little bug. During a puzzle in which you have to shift and align a number of rotating pieces, some of the pieces became strangely oriented (perhaps between exiting the game and starting it again?), and I could never find a way to reorient them. I don't know what caused this, but solving the puzzle became impossible, forcing me to skip the puzzle.

When my wife played this puzzle on her game, the pieces all stayed oriented just as they should, and she was able to solve the puzzle. I just happened to get a glitched save game, I guess.

Suitable for the family?

The game had great draw for both my wife and me.

The kids were a little nervous about one or two characters and scenes - it's a pretty solemn and shadowy game, after all. Still, they enjoyed watching, and appreciated various elements of the story and scenery.

The fantastical elements will be attractive to children: things like gnomes, woodland creatures, and flying books.

The family man's final ruling

Excellent. Big Fish Studios has put excellent work into one more brilliant game. I was thrilled to be free from hidden object scenes in what turned out to be a pure adventure game - following clues, using inventory, and solving puzzles while experiencing an interesting story.

The graphics are finely painted. The lighting, music, and ambience manage to pull you into Iris' magical world. Certain scenes made me pause and say, "Whoa." I also like the way that they worked music into the game as a story theme.

Perhaps best of all were the puzzles. The puzzles were original, engaging, and very fun to solve. Ever since the golden age of adventure games (with titles like 7th Guest, Obsidian, Black Dahlia, and Tex Murphy), great puzzles have been hard to come by. Most puzzles now are repeats of the same thing you've done in all of the other games. But in this Drawn sequel, you'll experience fresh, challenging new puzzles that will have your mental gears turning happily.

I liked this game even more than the first Drawn game. It was that good.

Here you have one of the best games of 2010, if not THE best. Get it, and prepare to be immersed in an artistic world of good and evil.

You'll like the game if... You liked Drawn: The Painted Tower You like adventure games You're tired of HOGs You like solving good puzzles You like magical stories You like a dark, somber atmosphere You won't like the game if... You don't like adventure games

My rating:

Update - Royal Envoy strategy guide - level 60!

Level 60 has been added to my Royal Envoy strategy guide! Enjoy!

Update - Royal Envoy strategy guide - level 61!

I've added level 61 to my Royal Envoy strategy guide!

It was a real challenge finding a solid, surefire method of achieving the gold seal on this one, but I finally came up with a solution for finishing the level with a bit of juice left in the timer. Enjoy!

Update - Royal Envoy strategy guide - level 62!

Level 62 has been added to my Royal Envoy strategy guide!

Updated my Royal Envoy strategy guide!

My Royal Envoy strategy guide seems to be helping people, so I've decided to add more levels to it as I have the opportunity. Today, I added level 63, the last level of the game. I'll probably continue working my way backward from there. "What is this...Royal Envoy?" you may ask. Read my review to find out!

How minor flaws can ruin a casual game.

I have tested scads of casual games. New games are released every single day, and yet I buy very few of them. I have identified a category of game that I call "Great game, if it didn't have this minor flaw." Many are the times when I was close to purchasing a game, but decided against it on account of a minor flaw. Minor flaws have amazing power. They can make or break the purchase, and can often be the difference between satisfaction and agony. What do I mean when I say, "minor flaw"? I mean, some feature that is small in scope or principle. This is contrasted with big flaws, such as "way too short" or "terrible artwork." Let me give you some examples that I thought of this morning. I'll begin with the king of all tragic minor flaws.

My Kingdom for the Princess 1 and 2

Here was a game with interesting mechanics and nice graphics, with some strategy and time management. But it wasn't long before I cringed at the realization that you can't chain your actions. Many time management games build in a chaining feature, so that you can plan ahead while your character is carrying out her actions. But this game, which so obviously needs chaining, lacks this feature. A few levels without this feature had me bailing and uninstalling what was otherwise a pretty cool game. Then, they released a sequel. "Maybe they heard the complaints from the community and allowed chained actions this time!" we all thought. But it was not to be. Again, they denied us the sweet freedom of chained actions. How could they make this blunder twice in a row? Was the feature that hard to build in? For this reason, I bailed on both games.

Robin's Quest: A Legend Born

There are many games that fall into this category, but Robin's Quest is the first game that came to mind. The flaw: The game is too easy. The game was beautiful, with nice music, a clean interface, and a variety of tasks to accomplish. But there was very little challenge. If I'm going to spend money on a game such as this, I want it to make my mind work. Breezing through a game doesn't offer the kind of mental challenge that I'm looking for. The puzzles should have been more plentiful and more difficult. With a bit more difficulty, this game could have been really cool.

A second little quibble: It certainly didn't help that Robin was a woman either. I'm not against female characters - I've played dozens of games in the female protagonist role, which is fine with me. But this is a Robin Hood story, so it should be about a man. But this developer wanted to conform to the feminist culture in which we live, casting Robin's husband as a helpless whelp trapped in prison, while his heroic wife escapes from prison and works to save him. In a culture that feminizes and degrades men enough as it is, this game certainly doesn't help matters.

Enlightenus II: The Timeless Tower

I liked the first Enlightenus game (read my review), but was disappointed when I played the sequel. The flaw: The game was too much like the first game. I was hoping for some changes and twists to make the sequel fresh. But the developer didn't deliver. Sure, there were some tiny differences, but the game was mostly just an extension to the first game. The mechanics felt just the same, and even the music was recycled. I didn't feel like continuing with more of the same old stuff, so I abandoned this game.

There are cases where doing the same thing over again works out wonderfully, as long as appropriate changes are made. For example, Luxor 3 was an awesome marble popper. Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife was mechanically very similar, keeping every good element from Luxor 3. But they changed things like story, how the marketplace looked, and how you traveled around the map. They even added a battle mode. This is how sequels should work. The Drawn series also did this very well.

Farm Frenzy 3 Series

I loved Farm Frenzy and Farm Frenzy 2. Those games did everything right. Even Farm Frenzy Pizza Party was fun, if you didn't mind a rehash of FF2. Then, Farm Frenzy 3 was released. They had updated the graphics and interface with some new polish, and would eventually start moving into more unique and varied settings. The game also introduced a new female protagonist who would remain the focus of a storyline, which had never been a part of previous FF games. (Need I explain why the developer would introduce this new character? Or why the character was young, blonde, and female? Sex sells, folks. Even on the farm, apparently. *sigh*) This new Farm Frenzy game engine spawned numerous FF3-based sequels, including:

• Farm Frenzy 3: American Pie
• Farm Frenzy 3: Ice Age
• Farm Frenzy 3: Madagascar
• Farm Frenzy 3: Russian Roulette, and
• Farm Frenzy: Gone Fishing.

But there was one minor flaw: incredibly long load times. As much as I've wanted to enjoy these new FF games, the load times are longer than they need to be. When you're testing a demo and counting the minutes, you can't sit there waiting...waiting...waiting... I also noticed that the game will sometimes hang for just a split second when a bear is about to fall into the scene. Little glitches like that, and the introduction of the nubile female character (read: cheap marketing strategy), have kept me from investing in these games. So, what about you? Have you ever run into ruinous little flaws in games that would otherwise be good games?

Luxor: 5th Passage - tragic disappointment!

Yesterday morning, I posted about how excited I was to discover that a new Luxor game had been released. So, last night, I finally had the increasingly rare opportunity to sit down and spend a few minutes gaming. I fired up Luxor: 5th Passage, ready to enjoy some excellent gaming. I was very disappointed, and a bit shocked. To me, Luxor 3 and Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife were as close to perfect as any casual game can get. They abandoned the mediocre marble popping of the first three Luxor games, and made the enterprise into something really special. Now, imagine that these two games had never been released. Imagine that the developer (MumboJumbo) had never upgraded their programming, style, and presentation to create the awesomeness that we saw in these last two Luxor games. Well, for a reason that I can't fathom, on this new game, the developers chose to revert to the old-school production values of the first three Luxor games! From the moment that the game opened to the menu screen, I could tell that something was wrong. It looked half-baked from the get-go. This game uses the old versions of

• the marbles
• the interface
• the scarabs that push the marble chains, and
• the look of the levels.

The music, sound effects, and graphics have lost their shine, as if they were created 2 years ago (with the exception of some of the standard sound effects that never change). They even brought back limited lives! It's like I'm playing the first game in the series. What was MumboJumbo thinking?! They even tried to cover up their slop by introducing new power-ups and a new Blast mode. They also incorporated some levels from previous Luxor games that are thought to be player favorites. None of these features save the game. Additionally, they scrapped the Puzzle mode, which was one of my favorite features of the previous two games. I couldn't play more than 3 or 4 levels before I quit and opened Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife just to remind myself that the series used to be excellent. Why does this matter so much to me as a gamer? A few reasons:

1. I have a detailed and picky eye for quality, and this game lacks it.
2. I had come to trust MumboJumbo, and they didn't deliver. I imagine that with the current economic struggles, they wanted to cut costs, and so reverted to the old, unpolished style, hoping fans wouldn't notice.
3. The graphics look grainy, and you can't adjust the resolution.
4. The controls feel jerky and hesitant.
5. When marble chains are approaching the exit, the marbles don't load into the shooter in as nice of a pattern as before.

So, if you loved Luxor 3 and Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife like I did, I advise you to skip this new game. To see why I loved the previous two games so much, read my reviews:

• Luxor 3
• Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife

Review - The Fifth Gate!

I like when a game has a really unique set of mechanics, which is why I bought and played The Fifth Gate. Although, I have to admit, as unique as these mechanics are, this wasn't the first game to employ them. In fact, this game ripped off an older game: Magic Farm, which I reviewed a while ago. Because of the similarities between the two games, I think this review will be more of a comparison than a standard review. I'll attempt to identify the positives and negatives of The Fifth Gate's approach to this style of flower husbandry.

What I liked Lovely scenery Addictive gameplay Potion making Interesting plants What I didn't like No experience system Weak story Forced advancement

Quick Plot

Plant and harvest flowers to create potions to give to a witch lady who is forcing you to work for her. Oh, and you play young Jane Seymour (not really, but doesn't that girl look like her?).

Mechanics

Time Management: This game is a fast-clicking time crunch. I'll summarize it like this:

1. Start the day.
2. Harvest flowers as they bloom.
3. Water the plants as they become thirsty.
4. Attack pests as they come to eat your plants.
5. Do all of this as quickly and completely as you can before the day ends.

In between levels, you may:

1. Take on new quests from the witch lady.
2. Use your harvested flowers to make potions.
3. Sell potions for gold.
4. Use gold to buy
• upgrades for your fountain, watering can, flower basket
• new plants, or
• magic potions (power items that give you a boost when the pressure is on).

A standard level. Water and gold in the lower right. Timer and flower basket in the upper left. Fountain in the lower left.

Of course, as the game progresses through the 5 gardens, the difficulty will increase. More numerous and difficult pests will arrive, and you'll find yourself planting, harvesting, and watering more plants at a more rapid-fire pace. The game will certainly keep you on your toes. Well, maybe not your toes, but it will make you sit up in your chair. Okay, maybe not, but it will at least make your shoulders tense up.

Comparisons to Magic Farm

In Magic Farm...	In The Fifth Gate...
You have a pet who helps you.	You don't have a helper.
You gain experience points to improve.	There is no experience system.
You receive quests from various characters.	You only receive quests from the witch lady.
You can complete quests on your own schedule.	You have to complete quests according to the witch lady's schedule.
There is no "expert" goal for quests.	You can complete each quest quickly to achieve an "expert" goal for that quest.
The mood and music are chipper and bright.	The mood and music are more somber and new-agey.
The English is very awkward and poorly written.	The English is fine.
You almost never get to keep your earnings from one garden to the next.	You never get to keep your earnings from one garden to the next.
Late in the game, you can no longer return to some of the earlier gardens.	You can always go back and repeat any quest for any garden.
The story is fleshed out, with ups and downs.	The story is relatively vapid and minimalistic.
You use your flowers to make bouquets.	You use your flowers to make potions.
You are limited to choosing from 4 available bouquets at a time.	You are limited to choosing from 10 available potions at a time.
You get good graphics.	You get better, shinier graphics.
You earn trophies by accomplishing various feats.	You earn trophies by accomplishing various feats.

The level map. The mirrors at the bottom represent the levels for the garden you're on.

Highlights

Addictive: This game is hard to stop playing. It'll be late at night and you'll be saying, "Just one more level." even though you've already said that 13 times. I wonder if the addiction factor is related to the short levels? Or the reasonable goals you are always working for? Just a couple more of a certain flower and you'll be able to finish that sweet potion you've been working on. Just two more levels and you'll move onto the next garden. A little more gold and you'll be able to upgrade your flower basket. And on it goes.

Potion making: I don't know why this is so fun, but it is. You decide which flowers go into which potion. But even if you don't have every flower you need, that's okay. You can use up as many as you have, and the potion will fill up part way. This means you don't have to keep lots of flowers in your basket, taking up valuable space. In between levels, you can use up most of your flowers on partial potions. Once you finish a potion, it'll go on your sale shelf and you can earn gold for it. The potions look cool, and have weird or silly magical names like "Sneezing Potion."

The potion-making room.

Plant types: There was some cool plants in this game. You could buy a watering plant that gives you extra water every time it blooms. One great plant was this crystal that, when you click it, all of the pests are immediately drawn in and frozen in ice, so they're easy to destroy all at once. There's a butterfly plant that allows you to increase the maturity level of one of your plants (although, you still can't use this unless the next level for that plant has been unlocked....). There are also some great magic potions you can buy to help you work. One of these is a destroy-all-pests potion. One is a water-all-plants potion. The other is a harvest-all-plants potion. All of these are extremely helpful. You can only have 2 at a time. They each have something like 6 uses. And you have to pay for the slots to store them in your garden. But they're worth it, once you can afford them. And they are essential late in the game.

The trophy room.

Issues

Big bug: My wife ran into a technical bug on her game. During the last garden in the game, the game started taking all of her gold away, making it impossible to water her flowers or do anything else. Big Fish had no fix for the issue. Other people have reported the same issue. If this happens to you, contact Big Fish support to see if they have a fix yet. If not, they might compensate you in some other way. Story: The story in this game is nearly absent. And even what little story exists is boring and silly. Forced progress: In Magic Farm, you could take your time and pursue various quests at your own pace. If you wanted to build up your farm for a while, you could. And you could receive quests from multiple people at a time. In this game, you receive quests from one lady, and you are really forced to keep moving. It's just not as fulfilling. No experience system: In Magic Farm, you earned experience for everything you did on the farm, and you could advance both your skills, and the skills of your dragon familiar. This growth factor was good incentive to play well. It offered improvement. In this game, there is no experience system. They simplified the mechanics of Magic Farm without offering many beneficial additions (except maybe graphics).

Suitable for the family?

My wife liked the game until it glitched. The children gladly stood by, calling out when I needed to attack a particular pest. They like anything with little creatures, and this game is no exception. There's a witch in the game, but she is supposed to look deceptively attractive, I think. So there's nothing scary in the game. There are no voice-overs or scary sounds either.

The family man's final ruling

I have a hard time settling on a rating for this game, honestly. I found plenty of nitpicks, but the game really was engaging and kept me busy for a long time. The same mechanics that were fun in Magic Farm are fun in this game. And I did like the graphical presentation even more in this game. I also liked the way potion-making worked more than I liked how bouquets worked in Magic Farm. So while part of me wants to give the game 3 stars because it isn't quite as good as Magic Farm, I also want to give it 4 stars because it was a fun game. But it didn't have all of the qualities of a 4-star game, so I think I have to go with 3 stars. This means the game is average in terms of fun. There are great things about it, but also flaws. I recommend the game, but I recommend many other games more.

You'll like the game if... You liked Magic Farm You like fast-clicking time management You like gardening games You like games that you can play in short bursts You won't like the game if... You get stressed out by tracking lots of things on the screen simultaneously You don't like time pressure

My rating:

Review - Enlightenus!

I can imagine the game designer sitting down with his developer buddies one afternoon:

Designer: "Hey guys, I have a sweet idea for a new game. It'll blow your minds."

Developer buddies: "Oh yeah? Enlighten us."

Designer: "Wait a minute....Enlighten us. Enlightenus. Finally, a title for my game! w00t!"

If you're bored with the endless supply of half-baked HOGs, this game should offer you the change you've been looking for. So read on, and see what Enlightenus has to offer!

What I liked Excellent graphics Solid music Adventure game elements Object placement What I didn't like Repeated scenarios Lackluster story

Quick Plot

Travel to somewhat magical places, collecting scattered fragments of some dude's books.

Mechanics

Object placement: This is the first game on the market to reverse the functionality of a cluttered scene. In your standard hidden object game, you're given a list of items to seek out with your eyeballs. In this game, you are instead given the objects, and your job is to place them correctly into the scene. You are given a row of items at the bottom of the screen. When you mouse over an item, it displays the item's name. Clicking on an item will pick it up. Then, when you hover the mouse over various areas and objects in the scene, names for those areas are displayed. In this way, you are assisted in finding matches. For instance, maybe I pick up the item called "steak" and then move the mouse around the screen. I see that the wolf in the scene is called "hungry wolf", so I click the steak on the wolf and *POOF* - they combine. Once you do this sort of matching for every item in your inventory, the scene is completed, and you earn an emblem token that will be used on a puzzle somewhere nearby.

These item placement scenes make up the bulk of the game. You find them by walking around the environment, as you would in any other first-person adventure game. When you see a sparkling piece of paper attached to something, you click on it to play the item placement scene. Each scene is named after one of the author guy's stories. You will visit each "story" a few times, with a different set of items each time (as in many HOGs). The game is easy enough that you'll rarely need to use hints. But if you want them, you can find two in each scene. They show up as hidden cards with an "E" on them. Each one of these cards counts as one hint in your reserve, and they don't ever expire or refresh; you get to keep them until you use them. Puzzles: You will have to solve a number of simple, but amusing, puzzles. I always enjoyed when one of these showed up. Many of them involve some form of connection-making, such as memory matching or deciding which items go with which season. Inventory: You'll have an inventory containing items that you pick up in one location and use in another location. This is a standard adventure game feature.

Highlights

Graphics: This game scratches my adventure game itch in its overall presentation. The graphics are much like those of the old first-person adventure games of the 90s. You walk around in ambiently lit locations, where fascinating visuals greet you at each new turn. The environments were obviously designed with care and skill. Also, there are a number of paintings in the game. I thought the artwork on these was excellent. There were clearly some pro artists on this game.

Music: Is the music great? No. Does it work well for the game? Yes. The music has a synth orchestra vibe to it, but unlike many casual games, it sounds like the composer was someone who knows what he's doing. The tranquil underscore, I think, complements the gameplay in a satisfying way.

Issues

Repeated scenes: I can't dock the developer too many points for this one, because most HOGs do this same thing: take you back to the same scenes you've already scrutinized. They think that changing the list of items will make it more bearable. After all, they spent all that time designing the scenery, so it only makes sense to get a little mileage out of it, right? Personally, I get tired of repeated scenes in this sort of game. Let me soften this gripe by saying that I didn't mind it in this game quite as much because of the item placement mechanic. In this game, it can actually be fun to place items into those spots that you didn't get to interact with the first time through a scene. But still, 3 or 4 times through the same scene is just too many for my taste. Story: "The heck?" This is my response to the story in many games, including this one. I admire the writer for trying to come up with something somewhat fantastical and literature-themed, but the execution left me bored. I think I kind of understand what happened. Or maybe not. You see? I don't like that kind of story. I want to have a clear understanding of exactly what happened, how it worked out, and why my part in it was significant. I am admittedly slow in the mental department sometimes, but I'm pretty sure this story wasn't tied together very well. You may disagree. I hope you get more out of it than I did.

Suitable for the family?

Sure. My kids stood by watching, and enjoyed some parts of the game. There's nothing scary, shocking, or offensive. I can imagine your whole family appreciating this one. It'll appeal more to older kids, I think. There aren't many bright colors or cute things to watch, so little kids might lose interest more quickly. But that's good, right? Shouldn't they be out playing anyway?

The family man's final ruling

This game was a welcome change for me. HOGs these days are so yawn-inducing that the item placement mechanic of Enlightenus was very welcome. I think if there was more diversity in the item placement scenes, and in the music, then this game would have been even better. Then, hire a professional writer to make the story compelling, and you could have a really great game. I recommend this above most HOGs, even the newer, shinier ones. So, while it loses points for lack of variety, the game was still beautiful, innovative, and kept me playing through to the end. And, if you end up really liking this one, there is a sequel! It plays exactly like the first game in terms of mechanics and music, but with a new story and new scenery.

You'll get to solve many of these disc placement puzzles.

You'll like the game if... You like HOGs You like first-person adventures You like a mellow gameplay experience You won't like the game if... You get bored by matching items with other items

My rating: