It’s Christmas, which should be a time of joy but, unfortunately, a hard year has zapped everyone’s Christmas cheer. The only hope is a young boy named Jacob who, with the help of a taxi driver named Nick, must spread the Christmas spirit, and remind everyone what the holidays are about.

If this story sounds familiar to you, it’s because it’s been done to death. Everyone’s lost the meaning of Christmas and has to be reminded of it through charitable deeds. In this case, the person who helps everyone is a young boy who writes letters to Santa yet sounds like a teenager. Yes, Nick is supposed to be Santa Clause which is not a spoiler because anyone with a brain can figure that out. H*ll, anyone with a brain can figure out the entire plot the minute you open the game, even if you are just beta testing it. However, this doesn’t mean that I automatically hate it. There’s a reason this is a popular holiday plot and that’s because it’s comforting. No matter how hard life gets, knowing that there’s one holiday that can bring joy into our lives does make us feel better. Sure, the holiday in this game is Christmas but, even if you celebrate Hannukah, Kwanza, or even Solstice, you can still find joy in that one day, or those few days, of celebration.

As for the game play, I actually enjoyed it. I liked the scenery with Christmas decorations and snow, which made me feel much cooler. Trust me, with the heat being as crazy as it’s been, I needed it. Not just that, but I enjoyed looking for items and using them in the right places. I also liked the hidden object games where I collected everything on the list for one item. The game play felt remarkably similar to Crossroads, where you’re not only collecting objects but also having to assemble them together. Just make sure to check the map for anything you might have missed.

This game seems predictable but entertaining. I might buy it when it comes out which, hopefully, will be around the holidays.