New Software To Be Reviewed Review

I enjoy time management games but if you play them long enough, many seem like nothing more than variations on a theme. The graphics, setting and characters may change but once you get into the rhythm of the game, it becomes nothing more than remembering a series of motions… click A, B, C, D… A, B, C, D.

Beach Party Craze breaks the mold a bit providing more interesting gameplay with a greater variety of actions and tasks. You do repeat certain actions, of course, but it is not as predictable as some games.

Characters move around as they relax, swim, rent diving equipment and buy souvenirs among other things. It becomes more challenging to keep track of everyone than if they were going through the same motions over and over or staying in one place for the entire game.

In addition to earning cash, there are tasks that must be accomplished each day. Tasks progress from simply serving drinks to, among others, building shops and renting diving gear to a certain number of people. Some tasks require good timing. Some require selecting the correct item from several choices. Nothing is difficult but I had to train myself to be aware of everything... people's whereabouts, supplies running low, the need to clean up, the availability of hired help. I also had to review the task list so I didn't waste time on unimportant details.

Upgrades can be purchased before each level. You are told if you need a specific upgrade to complete a level I think some experimenting is needed to determine which of the other upgrades will be the most helpful. You can replay any level if you think you can improve your score and I appreciate the fact that the game has replay value in going for expert scores and trophies.

The graphics are well-done. Some of the audio is annoying. I had to turn off the music and some of the sound effects had me telling some of the characters to hush up. On the other hand, the ambient sounds of waves crashing on the beach was very pleasant and relaxing.