Amy's Adventure
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| Amy's Adventure

Gym membership, getting off the bus one stop early, and saying no to that last piece of Easter egg are just some of the measures we go to in order to stay trim. It's a right old rigmarole and, if we could find some sort of magic elixir, say, that would keep us young and fit forever, we'd be more than a little interested.

Whether we'd be sufficiently motivated to explore the dark recesses of an ancient Egyptian pyramid to find such a potion would, we suspect, depend on the likelihood of encountering large spiders, marauding mummies and devious traps and puzzles.

So we're happy to leave matters in the hands of Amanda Goldberg, the titular Amy in Amy's Adventure. Half Indiana Jones and half Lara Croft, Amy's searching for the mythical fountain of youth in Egypt, only to be trapped inside a pyramid with a German archaeologist who's after the same thing.

Playing by turns as Amy or the German professor, you're tasked with solving various puzzles and riddles in order to make your way through the labyrinthine tombs. This largely boils down to collecting objects you find on your travels and then using them at the right moment and in the right combination.

For example, early on you're stuck in a darkened room and need a light. Utilising your cigarette lighter combined with a staff and some old rags you picked up earlier, you can fashion a crude torch. That's an easy example but others will leave you flummoxed; the ability to think laterally is crucial if you're to have any chance at making progress.

If that doesn't sound like the sort of thing that pickles your pharaoh, Amy's Adventure might still boast enough charm to drag you in. With cel-style visuals reminiscent of a cartoon and an amusing, if occasionally corny, storyline to string the set-piece rooms together, it's enjoyable even when you're banging your head against a large piece of sandstone.

Given the complexity of the puzzles, it's a relief that it's so easy to control. You can move Amy in only two directions (left and right) and when you get to where you need to be in a room, such as in front of a carving or a treasure chest, you press one of your phone's softkeys to open the action menu.

You can opt to examine the object, pick it up or use it in conjunction with an item from your inventory. And that's all there is to it; the focus of the game is placed firmly on working out the devilish puzzles.

In some instances this does mean that you're left with no option but to scroll randomly through your inventory, trying to combine various items in the hope you stumble across the solution you need. Since there's only one way of solving the majority of the puzzles, you can quite literally sit staring at the screen for half an hour, wondering what to do next.

But then that's what Amy's Adventure is all about (and at least with a mobile phone game you can always pop it back into your pocket until inspiration strikes). Should you prefer something a little faster paced, look elsewhere: Silverfin, which we reviewed recently, will probably be more to your liking.

If, however, you're looking for a slow-burner that'll keep you intrigued until the final screen, Amy's Adventure will provide an enjoyable challenge that'll make time fly.

Amy's Adventure

Full of Middle Eastern promise, this is one adventure puzzle fans should sign up for
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