GamingUnion.net: "So, what sort of redeeming quality is there in A Christmas Carol? Well, there really isn't any. On a side note of the game being only roughly one hour of boredom, there were also multiple crashes that caused a forced restart of the game. In reality there is probably much more enjoyment to be had in the film, and its runtime is 96 minutes - a whole 30 minutes longer than the game itself. Even taking age groups into consideration, there isn't anything but the exception of the story for kids to learn if they haven't already heard of the novel. Besides, if this game is more of a teaching tool, then it isn't exactly much of a game, or a very good teacher."
VRFocus - During Halloween 2014 plenty of scary experiences were released for the Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) via the Oculus VR Share software portal. You would expect that, for this time of year, a lot of Christmas-themed experiences to be released. One such experience by indie developer Grapevine Forge has recently launched. Named A Christmas Carol, the piece doesn't adapt the classic story by Charles Dickens, but does create an atmospheric holiday experience using it.
If you're one of those people who likes to start their holiday shopping early, or if you've got a special birthday coming up, or even if you're just looking for something to kill a little time, a new Nintendo Ds game is always a great option. And when you can get that game for less than a ten-spot, it's even better. Check out these steals that'll have them (or you) hugging their stockings tight.
Holy Shovelware, Batman!
Want some decent cheap DS games?
9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors ($15)
Ace Investigations: Miles Edgeworth ($18)
Chrono Trigger ($20)
Dragon Quest IV ($20)
Ghost Trick ($15)
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn ($20)
Final Fantasy IV ($20)
Nostalgia ($10)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney ($15)
The World Ends with You ($20)
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 ($18)
Valkryie Profile: Covenant of the Plume ($10)
(all priced at Amazon)
Any one of those games is superior to EVERY game on this article's list combined.
The minigames are varied but neither hard or that well-executed; the pointing 'n' clicking oscillates between obvious and maddening. Scrolling sections have you doing things like bestowing good cheer on beggars. Odd. It's a packed cart that includes the text of the book as well as 'advent calendar' puzzles that unlock in the run-up to Christmas (fiddle with the DS' internal clock if you must). It's a bumper festive parcel, but one full of fruit rather than chocolate.
The game that should have stayed a movie that should have stayed a book that really is EXTREMELY overrated.
Bah! Humbug!