Alphabear: Hardcover Edition

Unfortunately, the game breaks at Chapter 4 Stage 14 for me. I have it unlocked, but I can't actually attempt it. Clicking on the stage just causes the game to softlock. It behaves the same way on both Mac and PC. Really wish I could recommend this game.

[b]Alphabear[/b] resembles [b][i]that[/i] board game[/b] you played a couple of times before you left it to [b]rot on the shelf[/b]. [b]Dull[/b], [b]mechanically simple[/b] and [b]with [i]little[/i] pull[/b] beyond [b]cutesy graphics[/b] and a [i]potential[/i] desire to [b]collect [i]all[/i] ability bears[/b]. To make matters [i]worse[/i], the [b]random generation engine[/b] feels [b][i]exceedingly[/i] unfair[/b], even when equipped with [i]strategically[/i] picked bears and, consequentially, the [b]gameplay[/b] becomes [b][i]less[/i][/b] about your [b]skill as a wordsmith[/b] and [b][i]more[/i][/b] about your [b]willingness to [i]grind[/i][/b] for a set score. Honestly, not even [b]adorable, rectangle-shaped bears in costume[/b] could persuade me to recommend it.

Don't know if you want to read this review, but even if you don't, just grin and bear it. I've been in hibernation this winter so far and needed the entertainment. After having second thoughts about rummaging around garbage bins and seeing what leftover deliciousness my fellow humans left, I turned my attention to computer gaming. Yes, weird, I know. After you eat something to fill your belly, you need something to feed your mind too, you see. I happened to find this computer game inside one of the local pawn shops (don't ask how I got in,) and decided to take a paw to it. Anyhow, after playing AlphaBear: Hardcover Edition, I decided to dedicate my life to becoming a half human-half bear hybrid. I really need to start growing more fur, as some of the locals told me eating raw fish would help with that problem. Never you mind the game itself, you see. There's so many bears of different types and lifestyles contained there that one could virtually fill a library with them. There's "De Bear," who, when he arrives, gives you all kinds of D to play with on your board. Hmm. I want to clarify a point a couple of reviewers have made here that is simply incorrect. At least one person has mentioned the bears do not add anything to the game, but this is simply untrue. Some bears give you bonuses for using words of a specific length. The trick here is that some boards only give you five letters at a time. If that happens, don't you think it would be wise to use those five letter words to your advantage? Sure it is! There's also bears that give point advantages to using specific letters in your words, and the more of those you use, the higher your score will be. Although if you clear the entire board, only one bear is used, I believe the game uses the bear that gives you the highest final bonus. Points are calculated and used at the time of word creation, so they are not "replaced" by the final bear's occupation on the playing field. There's a hidden level of strategy here that can't be grasped until you *really* put your thinking cap on and think about the game as having more than one layer. Whew. Sorry for roaring on for so long. ;) There's boards of varying styles, and you pretty much just put letters up and make as many words as possible. You're attempting to reach a preset score so you can clear the level and move to the next. Many levels feature bears as awards, or as I call them, my friends, who will help you get bonuses for using certain letters, or for creating words of a certain length. I like long words. Don't judge me. The game's single player campaign boasts 115 levels, each with their own challenges and unique play styles. Some boards are small, some boards medium sized, and others large. The beginnings of the game are fairly simple and not difficult to advance through, but the progression of difficulty in the game ramps up pretty quickly. I have managed, somehow, to reach Chapter 6, based on "The House," which is a themed chapter featuring my bear friends living in my homestead. Milk Bear and Box bear live here, but Box Bear is kind of shy and only comes out once you've shown your ability as a lexicographer. Make words, earn points, advance. Simple enough, right? Except letters only last so many turns and lose point values each turn they're not used. Some boards have skull and crossbone tiles that activate immediately once a letter next to them is used, and they only last for one turn. How's that for sadism? Better get out your Scrabble Player's Dictionary and start roaring and standing on your front two legs. You've got to get a clear picture here. You can also compete against your friends in paw-to-paw matches and fisticuffs, or whatever. I haven't tried it because I try to live a solitary life. But if that's your thing, hey, go ahead and dive in. There are only a couple of complaints here--the first being that the music is a bit repetitive with the same tune playing over and over in the menus. Secondly, the background design for each board in every single level is exactly the same. I could have used the variation in design to spruce things up a bit. Every bear likes to look at a new garbage bin once in a while. Anyhow, I think I've given you enough information. I'm off to eat some berries.

Honestly, this is better than the mobile version. I really like how I can control the pace instead of it being controlled for me. It's good fun figuring out how to best utilize the letter tiles or to strategize what bear to use and when. But you know me! I really love word games so no surprise I would praise a title like this! Also the use of a snapshot at the end with a bear selfie trying to use the words you made into some type of Mad Lib is really cute and sometimes nonsensical and funny. I definitely have fun scrolling through community posts seeing what they've said! XD

It's super cute. I may be weird for liking something like this as an adult but it helps with my childhood issues and lets me feel like a kid for a bit. *shrugs* It's just cute and when I had the app, I loved it.

Me encanta Alphabear. He jugado muchísimo a la versión para Android y esta para Windows es ostensiblemente mejor, por el sencillo motivo de cargarse de un plumazo las microtransacciones. Es cierto que, debido a su formato, el juego es perfecto para dispositivos móviles. Pero pese a ello el juego es enormemente disfrutable en escritorio.

Alphabear: Hardcover Edition is a very good word/puzzle game. English is not my native language and I did play without difficulties and I did learned some new words I didn't knew. The graphics are really cutes and the ambiant is cozy. I highly recommend it!!! 💗

I play a lot of word games, and I've found this one to be innovative, uniquely challenging (sometimes you'll want to make shorter words depending on the layout of the board, which is something I've never run into before), and genuinely visually appealing (it's truly hard to find word games online that are not just... the ugliest things imaginable)—I like playing it! It's neat! My only complaint is that the drop rate for the rarest bears is [i]way[/i] too low, and I've spent more time than I care to admit grinding just to get ONE of them in some chapters. I imagine this was a mobile game before it was adapted for Steam, and I'm begging for developers (not just these ones) to keep in mind that people pay up-front for these on Steam. You do not gain any additional benefit for retaining the incredibly frustrating gacha rates and mobile game mechanics! You can change them! Please change them!