Does anyone remember way back when I said Saqqarah was for your mom?  Well if you don't, let me freshen your memory.  This was said to be the casual game that would attract not only mothers, but their hardcore gaming children.  They were tight-lipped back then, but now we have the full insider access to this game. 

Saqqarah is an interesting puzzle based game set in a large underground Egyptian tomb.  It is not just any tomb but a place where an evil god was sealed away.  Now the seal is breaking and the only way to stop him ffrom rising to power is by completing the challenges set forth by the original gods that sealed him away.  Fear not for you will have a magical aide in your quest that will help you clear the boards as they get harder.

Graphics - 90%  - Clean and smooth due to no moving parts.

You know what?  I loved these graphics, and with just cause.  They were incredibly smooth and detailed.  I never once felt like I was playing something drawn crudely or anything.  The artwork was simply fantastic as were the simple animations.  Sometime during play, I noticed that I was in the "high detail graphics" mode.  Switching to lower detail did not seem to bring the quality down much.

Sound - 90% - Clear and crisp, but nothing epic.

Just like the graphics, the sounds are clear and presentable.  The mood of this game is further set by the audio.  The Egyptian feel that the artwork provided was accentuated by the themed tones presented to my ears.  Nothing pleases me more than sound that is fitting and done well, and this does just that!

Gameplay - 90% - No skilled hands required, only minds.

Simply put, Saqqarah offers a variety of puzzles revolving around the same base element of jewels.  This actually surprised me when I reached the second set of puzzles, I thought it was all going to be the same.  When in fact, each puzzle is housed in a temple of its own.  The goal differs for each temple but ultimately comes down to lighting up lines and then lighting up the entire board.  For example, one temple may require that you swap the jewels so that each are arranged separately while other temples will have you move the jewels in a certain way in order to clear the board.  Playing through about six or so unlocks the next temple but to really put a perspective on it, there are 12 stages for each temple.  Each stage progressively gets harder so, as you become better skilled you have a challenge worthy of you.  If you play though the stages you will help furnish magic abilities to your guide which help you towards your objective.  Be warned, the more you gain power the more of a challege the game gives you.

Controls/Interface - 90% - There to just be looked at.

The entirety of the game is point and click.  In fact, the only way this could get easier is if the game clicked for you.  In the main area of the game, all your trophies show for immediate self-glorification. 

Summary - 90% - A casual game at its best.

Yeah, CodeMinion did this game up right.  It easily takes the top spot in my best casual game category.  The little jokes here and there are the icing on the cake for me.  The next thing I plan to do with this game is install it on my mother's computer and really put it to the test.  After all, it is for my mom, isn't it?

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