When the green mummy lets you off with a warning, don't argue.
This offering from Xider is by no means going to become a classic on the DS or the definitive click-and-point adventure game. But it is a very likeable game with a lot of good qualities which make it a solid if not spectacular game to try.
AceGamez: " I've noticed a resurgence of point and click graphical adventures recently, aimed at a range of age groups. The Ankh series began on PC, where it has gained some success by combining humour with a reasonably difficult puzzle-solving element; despite the level of challenge, this is one adventure series that doesn't take itself too seriously. I really hope that the resurrection of point and click games will continue but, for now, let's see if Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King is a hidden gem that's found a new home on Nintendo DS.
If you've ever played a point and click adventure game then you'll feel totally at home with the control system utilised here; you move yourself around using either the stylus or d-pad and the camera angle employed could be described almost as a top down isometric 3D perspective. The top screen is used to display items that have been selected whilst any objects you pick up are conveniently placed at the top of the lower screen.
The story beings with Assil (that's you) landing himself in a world of trouble after desecrating a mummy's tomb. The mummy, disturbed by the raucous behaviour in his resting place, awakens to find seven urns smashed by your brave self. Six smashed urns would have resulted in a mere warning but seven is enough to land you with a death curse; from here it's a race against time as you guide Assil through the craziest adventure of his life - and given how bad his luck is, you might be surprised to learn that this is actually Assil's fifth adventure!"
Ian Osborne writes:
"When things work, they work very well, but it's a pity the move to the small screen wasn't as smooth as it needed to be, introducing an element of frustration into what would otherwise be a really good game. Its recommended for adventure fans who can tolerate such foibles and idiosyncrasies, but if you're the sort of person who's likely to throw your DS against the wall when you miss the obvious through no fault of your own, leave it alone."
