Problem solvers will like 'Keane'

"JACK KEANE AND THE DOKKTOR'S ISLAND," for PC Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista, rated T for teen, reviewer's rating 7 (out of 10)

Jack Keane, a broke ship captain, takes on a secret mission to earn some cash and escape debtors in London. Each chapter in this story line game contains a series of problems Jack must solve, using dialogue and items he finds along the way, to move on to the next phase.

Graphics: Colorful cartoon graphics are reminiscent of earlier PC games.

Audio: Good. The dialogue is the main audio component.

Parents' take: OK for kids, if they're patient and problem solvers. There's no blood or gore but some cartoon-style bops.

Final take: From the first chapter, when Jack must figure out how to escape thugs sent by a loan shark, this problem-solving game has some hints to help you navigate through. It's OK to experiment as the game won't let you make a fatal flaw — at least I didn't find one. It may take some time to work through the various problems, though, as gamers are required to come up with creative uses of items, sometimes combining them with other items to make them work.

There are also bonus features you can unlock throughout the game. At times, the steps required seem a bit tedious. It is also sometimes difficult to properly align the item you're trying to use.

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com