Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor

Year: 2009
Genre: Puzzle, Action
Website: http://tigerstylegames.com/Spider/tsobm/

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Lee:

• Platform: Android
• Hours logged: 8.5
• Playthroughs: 2
• Rating: 8/10

Shane:

• Platform: Android
• Hours logged: 4.5
• Playthroughs: 1
• Rating: 5/10

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Notes and Discussions:

• Lee (2/26/2014): This was another favorite from the first Humble Bundle Android pack that Shane and I picked up. I was intrigued by the game mechanics and delighted by the ease with which one can build large webs to catch bugs. It was also satisfying that the game introduced new bugs to catch every few levels, with new techniques being required to take down each bug. For example, you had to chase the mosquitoes into a web, the hornets needed to be taken down out of the air, and scoring a firefly required a mid-air grab with a shove into a web.
  
  This gradual "easing me into the game" made the first playthrough very captivating and enjoyable. However, when I started the game over, the second playthrough offered no new content, and my interest in the game suffered a bit. Replayability is huge consideration for me from a hedonic rating standpoint. Much like Ridiculous Fishing, Spider got dinged for replayability, but from a value standpoint, I got many hours of great entertainment out of another game that cost about $1.
  
  One of the only things about the gameplay that disappointed me was that when you knocked hornets from their nests, they would escape the level if you didn't chase them down in time. It was very difficult to catch them all, which meant that it was also very difficult to get a 100% completion for every level. I was intrigued enough to keep trapping bugs after achieving the percentage required to open each level's portal (to the next level), but I wasn't about to grind each level containing a hornet nest to get the full completion.

• Shane (11/15/2014)  I also logged a playthrough of this game, and once again, I was surprised when Lee told me how much he enjoyed it.  I remember being in the middle of the platformer/adventure game Swordigo (same Humble Android Bundle, if memory serves) and not really feeling like I had time for this one.
  
  Don't get me wrong, it was neat.  It just didn't thrill me.  I remember wondering why I should care about this spider.  I cared even less about the big house the spider was (inexplicably) moving through.  If I tried it again now, I might have a different take on it, but back then, it wasn't what I wanted to do.
  
  All of that being said, it was very pretty, it had neat controls, and the different bugs did different things.  I give thumbs up on all of those points.  Otherwise, I guess I don't have all that much to say for Spider.