Hoyle Word Games 2001 (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Tim Soete
• Reviewed on: 12/13/2000
• Updated on: 05/17/2006
• Released on: 11/14/2000
• Originally published on GameSpot: Hoyle Word Games 2001 (PC) Review

If you enjoy a good game of scrabble on a rainy day or a challenging crossword puzzle with your morning scone and coffee, then you'll probably have fun testing your verbal skills with Sierra's latest edition of Hoyle Word Games. The CD features nine different games that together should appeal to wordsmiths of all ages. It's not much different from the previous installment, but it's a good value if you don't already own a version of the game.

Many classics are represented in Sierra's package in one form or another. Wordox is a simplified version of Scrabble that is just about as fun and challenging as the real thing. Both players select from the same set of letter tiles to form words on the board. When the coveted triple-point squares are finally reached, the board is cleared and the game resumes. Another very fun game is Word Yacht, which is Hoyle's version of Yahtzee played with lettered dice. Like Yahtzee, Word Yacht has you complete a checklist with various spelling and word-formation requirements. When the dice are rolled, you have but a few minutes to make as many word combinations as you can while fulfilling the checklist items. The words you type appear in a separate list, and simply right-clicking on one brings up the full Webster's dictionary definition.

You'll also find classic diversions such as hangman, word searches, and cryptograms in the game. Some 500 Dell crossword puzzles have also been included for you to exercise your brain with. No erasers are necessary: Just type in the word, right-click to change from vertical to horizontal, and backspace to erase. For cheaters, there's an option to solve the word you're on and even an option to solve the whole puzzle. And as with most of the games, you can save and come back at any time.

Sierra has tried to liven up the games a little by enhancing their presentation. For example, enigma - the Hoyle version of cryptograms - is played from an interface that resembles a World War II message decoder. The setting for hangman looks like a sandy beach, with letters, gallows, and a man inscribed in the sand as you play.

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