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Discover the secret of the strange papyrus in Dale Hardshovel. Solve the puzzles and collect stones to find clues to translating the papyrus. Get the "Bloomstone" and discover the answer.

Use the mouse to grab the artifacts. When the artifact pieces are matched, they disappear. Match all the artifacts to advance to the next level. Artifacts can only go sideways and down. Obstacles stand in the way. Mud immobilizes the artifact, while moving green spikes destroy an artifact. Building blocks and moving platforms aid in the quest. The help option explains the game in little movie sections. The score is determined by how fast the puzzle is solved.

The cartoon strip is highly detailed and holds high promise. The help movies flow smoothly and are very short. The background of the pyramid is a nice detail. The grabbing hand works nicely in grabbing an object. The little explosions are a little disappointing in the detail department.

The music is very forgettable and gets lost in the background. At least there is appropriate comments from Dale Hardshovel. The music is not the least bit conducive to pyramid solving puzzles.

The opening scenes promise some unique characters but all that is present is Dale Hardshovel. The other characters disappear after the opening cartoon. Instead of playing in a pyramid, the background is actually outside the pyramid. The game is bright and sunshiny, while giving the impression it is going to be played in a dark and spooky pyramid. There are no mummies, or surprise traps. The artifacts are not particularly Egyptian containing mostly of rings and eggs. More interaction with the main characters is badly needed. Starting a new game will erase the old game and the scores associated with it.

The puzzles do get harder as the levels progress. The game can be played by older children and can help in development of problem-solving skills. Some of the puzzles may need adult assistance to figure out. The levels can be replayed or reset back to the original format. This is highly useful when a mistake is made.

Dale Hardshovel gives off high expectations at the beginning. The puzzles are well thought out and executed. But everything else is missing from this bright, sunny game. No available hints make this game a little frustrating especially when stuck on a puzzle. It is adequate for the problem-solving child. This is a game I would not buy. I rate this game a 3 out of 5.

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