If you are among the VERY limited target audience, there is definitely enough fun here to keep you entertained.
Fashion Solitaire, as it is appropriately named, combines the worlds of fashion design and traditional solitaire to create a unique gameplay system focused on building fashionable wardrobes from the pieces provided. Players can choose from eight "signature collections", or themed decks of cards, each containing a different theme of clothing ranging from timeless classics to more adventurous party or club attire.
During each level, your goal is to dress a certain amount of models using the random arrangement of cards that are given, and you have the option of dressing up to three models at a time. Each model must be dressed in the basic essentials before you can move onto the next, with those essentials consisting of a hairdo, shirt, bottom, and pair of shoes. You can also add accessory items like jewelry and glasses to each, but these aren't mandatory.
Each card contains one individual item. That is, even though your models can wear both a pair of glasses and carry a purse, each will be put on via their own separate card. This single item at a time method allows for great customization in your models' overall appearance, but at the same time also increases the challenge you'll face when you're desperate for a card containing a pair of pants and are instead drowning in accessories.
Which items you place on which model is completely up to you, but if you"re like me, you'll probably mix-and-match polka dots, stripes and plaids just for the sake of saving time, without thinking about how much each item coordinates with the next. If, however, you wish you create the ultimate in coordinated fashion, the option is definitely there.
Now, the game may be played with cards, but that's not the only tie it has to the concept of traditional solitaire. Instead of suits, cards are instead identified based on the category of item they represent, with shirts, jackets, skirts, and pants being just a few of the categories in the game. As with the basic suits of classic solitaire, only cards of the same category can be stacked on top of one another, adding even more challenge to the gameplay system here.
During most of the game's 48 levels, you'll find that there are fewer piles of cards than categories, meaning that if you're frantically clicking through each pile looking for the last piece needed to complete one of your models, and all of your piles are already dedicated to a particular category, you may very well find yourself out of moves. This is where what I liked to call the "semi-discard" bin comes in.
Like in games of Alchemy or Free Cell, for instance, where you are offered a certain amount of "throwaway" pieces before you actually lose from having no more available moves, this "semi-discard" pile allows you to move a certain amount of cards (the amount varies depending on the level) out of the way, in the hopes of finding whatever item you need underneath their previous locations. Instead of losing them permanently, these cards can be removed from the pile at any time, that is, once you eliminate the factor that necessitated their being there in the first place.
Adding even more depth to the title, in later levels, some models come equipped with specific requests. These requests come in the form of the model simply requiring an item of a particular color or pattern, or may be more complex, requiring that the model wear a jacket or other very specific item of clothing before moving on. You can skip these requests if you like, but you are rewarded for your efforts if you choose to follow them.
At the end of each level, you're given a certain amount of money, depending on how many models you were able to dress without running out of cards. This money can be used to purchase new items to add to the various decks within the game.
Other than simply purchasing new items to add to your decks, Fashion Solitaire also allows you to create your own by offering a unique clothing editor mode that consists of a very intuitive interface with options for not only clothing color, but also the ability to add new patterns, change the size of said patterns, choose from various fabrics and so on.
And while this create-a-fashion feature does offer a lot of depth, only those who are truly interested in fashion design will probably find the urge to interact with it. And unfortunately, that's really what can be said about the whole title. Even though the gameplay is simple enough that anyone could jump right in and play it, the fact that the game's theme revolves around such an acquired taste significantly limits its potential audience.
In terms of the actual graphics of the game, I was disappointed to see such a cartoony look to a game that tries to be this modern and realistic. If I had to quickly compare the look of Fashion Solitaire to something most people are familiar with, I'd say that the graphics here are very reminiscent of the Sims - full of bright colors and fun patterns, sure, but nothing to be blown away by.
Furthermore, the sound department isn't very impressive, with incredibly repetitive elevator music playing throughout, and very little sound effects to accompany it. Not that I was expecting monumental scores and mind-blowing sound effects, as, granted, this is just a casual solitaire game after all, but it is disappointing that I continually found myself playing with the music off.
In the end, if you're even remotely into fashion, the gameplay here is creative and challenging enough to definitely be worth trying, but if becoming the next Balenciaga or Hilfiger isn't on your to-do list, it's probably best to not spend the cash for this one.
Review part of GrrlGamer.com. Full review and screenshots at: http://www.grrlgamer.com/review.php?g=fashionsolitaire