Ocean Express Review

Written by: David Laprad Published: May 10, 2006 Ocean Express is the latest casual offering to build on the idea of placing game pieces into a larger shape until it's filled. As in Arctic Quest and Puzzle Inlay, you grab various objects from a queue at the bottom of the screen, rotate them using your mouse until they match a part of the shape that needs filling and snap them into place. Though the gameplay is anything but original, the developers at HipSoft came up with a clever idea for the setting: you're responsible for placing various packages onto shipping barges. The goal is to cram as many bundles as possible onto each one in order to make as much money as you can. As you progress, you earn tokens with which you can unlock more exotic destinations. Lucrative bonus packages for these ports then appear in subsequent stages. Although the graphics in Ocean Express aren't showy, the three-dimensional boats and realistic water ripples as you ship off will catch your eye. Moreover, the puzzle shapes are fun and the user interface is clean. The audio is pleasant, too, from the crying of seagulls as you place game pieces to the booming of your ship's horn when you haul off. You can even create new puzzles using a simple editor and submit them to HipSoft. Relaxing and addictive, Ocean Express would be a solid addition to any casual gamer's collection. Scoring (out of five dragon heads): Graphics: Ease of use: Gameplay: Difficulty: Sound effects: Music: Final analysis: Click here to download the free trial version of Ocean Express.