rainworm's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.5
- Helpful Votes:5,106
- Reviews Submitted:133
- First Review:October 4, 2012
- Most Recent Review:October 20, 2018
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Recover the artifact that contains the secrets of H.E.L.P.'s past.
Overall rating
4
/
5
48 of 79 found this review helpful
Back to the roots?
PostedFebruary 9, 2018
rainworm
fromAgain in Germany? The castles seem the best there.....
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It is the 16th Hidden Expedition with the usual ingredients: the organization HELP, where we belong to as an agent and a secret mission. This time we shall get an artifact at an auction, the Golden Wheel, which is the key to the event, that led to the foundation of HELP. Luckily we get it right away but only after leaving the auction room, it is stolen by someone, who must have been as interested in getting it, as we were. Of course, we fast find out, who that thief is: a renegate agent of HELP, whose ancestors are the lords of Graunstein Castle in Germany.
The artifact may hold the key to the origins of the HELP organization, so we need to get it back. At the castle we make good progress, find the room, where the golden wheel had been brought. But they soon notice, we are on site and take steps…..
This game has more of a spy thriller, after we arrived at the castle. The beginning is not very spectacular, we just learn our task, bid at a auction and loose our price as soon as we had it. HOS and puzzles are not too many and fit in the task, we are fulfilling at the time. The castle is by nature an old building but high tech has moved in and we have to go around security locks and the like. When the demo ends, the others are chasing us but it is realistic to expect, that we will succeed in the end, get hold of the golden wheel and uncover the secret.
The artifact may hold the key to the origins of the HELP organization, so we need to get it back. At the castle we make good progress, find the room, where the golden wheel had been brought. But they soon notice, we are on site and take steps…..
This game has more of a spy thriller, after we arrived at the castle. The beginning is not very spectacular, we just learn our task, bid at a auction and loose our price as soon as we had it. HOS and puzzles are not too many and fit in the task, we are fulfilling at the time. The castle is by nature an old building but high tech has moved in and we have to go around security locks and the like. When the demo ends, the others are chasing us but it is realistic to expect, that we will succeed in the end, get hold of the golden wheel and uncover the secret.
I recommend this game!
Save the town and free your husband from a witch's vengeance.
Overall rating
3
/
5
54 of 107 found this review helpful
I don’t know, what it means, that I am so sad….or the magic of love?
PostedFebruary 7, 2018
rainworm
fromA Love Story? Or the witch and the nobleman? Or another Loreley variant?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
The place chosen this time is an island in the river Rhine: the Loreley Rock near St. Goartshausen (Germany). Loreley, the beautiful blond girl, who combs her hair and sings on a rocky island in the Rhine river and all men, who listen and see her, die in the wild waters of the river. The tale is well known and has clearly inspired the story of the blond witch, who charmed the young nobleman of the castle of the nearby town, to leave his home and live with her on the island. But not enough, a couple comes to the island some day, by chance or intentional and the man will be bewitched as well.
We play as the wife of that man, disappearing from our side, as soon as we set foot on the island. From the very beginning we are searching for him and trying to find out, what is behind his magical take off. When reaching the town on the opposite bank, people hint at tales of men, who went with the magical woman and never returned. At the castle we learn about the nobleman and the witch and meet his father, who is desperate but cannot help. The witch comes over as a two-sided character: on the one hand she asks for our help, on the other, she seems to be the ‘evil’ witch. But we are not helpless. As expected, we have sort of an amulet in our fight against the supernatural. We do this via a puzzle. This is not very challenging and of course a returning feature. Other puzzles are more entertaining and varied, though not too difficult. HOS vary as well, partly the story is told in the ‘find-items-in-a-picture’ or in text, which uncovers part of the possible method, we have, to overcome witchcraft in this game.
We play as the wife of that man, disappearing from our side, as soon as we set foot on the island. From the very beginning we are searching for him and trying to find out, what is behind his magical take off. When reaching the town on the opposite bank, people hint at tales of men, who went with the magical woman and never returned. At the castle we learn about the nobleman and the witch and meet his father, who is desperate but cannot help. The witch comes over as a two-sided character: on the one hand she asks for our help, on the other, she seems to be the ‘evil’ witch. But we are not helpless. As expected, we have sort of an amulet in our fight against the supernatural. We do this via a puzzle. This is not very challenging and of course a returning feature. Other puzzles are more entertaining and varied, though not too difficult. HOS vary as well, partly the story is told in the ‘find-items-in-a-picture’ or in text, which uncovers part of the possible method, we have, to overcome witchcraft in this game.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the young starlet from the wicked doll's curse?
Overall rating
4
/
5
46 of 74 found this review helpful
The never ending show has its 13th performance
PostedFebruary 2, 2018
rainworm
fromHow many puppets are in this game? Is their a prize for those, who have the correct number at the end?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Before we even start, we get a warning ‘game contains puppets and dolls of all kinds’ – would have expected puppets in a puppet show….
But there are some real people as well: we play as cousin to Angela, an actress at Katzenberg theatre and about to play the leading role as Ophelia. She was about to do so, when she was attacked and since then lies in a coma. Leroy, had asked for our coming. Something supernatural is about Angela’s state, she is covered with symbols and remains unconsious.
There are rumors about the Ophelia role. All, who play it, are cursed. They get a doll before their first performance, the symbol of the curse, which in the end kills the actress. Leroy and we hurry to the theatre to find out more about the masked man, who attacked Angela and about the doll, which must have something to do with the strange events. Nobody really believes in black magic or a curse, a very real culprit must be behind all this. And real enough: In a shed we find the masked man, have a fight and he turns out as the girl, who thinks of herself as the one, who should play the Ophelia……
As usual, artwork is stunning and we have lots of puzzles and HO s. Pace is quite good. The doll, symbol of the curse, mutates to a helper, who brings items, which are out of reach. So is it all about a girl, who is jealous of a colleague getting the star role, which she thinks she is born for? But the town of Katzenberg seems to have a dark history, so it is quite possible, there are more secrets to discover.
But there are some real people as well: we play as cousin to Angela, an actress at Katzenberg theatre and about to play the leading role as Ophelia. She was about to do so, when she was attacked and since then lies in a coma. Leroy, had asked for our coming. Something supernatural is about Angela’s state, she is covered with symbols and remains unconsious.
There are rumors about the Ophelia role. All, who play it, are cursed. They get a doll before their first performance, the symbol of the curse, which in the end kills the actress. Leroy and we hurry to the theatre to find out more about the masked man, who attacked Angela and about the doll, which must have something to do with the strange events. Nobody really believes in black magic or a curse, a very real culprit must be behind all this. And real enough: In a shed we find the masked man, have a fight and he turns out as the girl, who thinks of herself as the one, who should play the Ophelia……
As usual, artwork is stunning and we have lots of puzzles and HO s. Pace is quite good. The doll, symbol of the curse, mutates to a helper, who brings items, which are out of reach. So is it all about a girl, who is jealous of a colleague getting the star role, which she thinks she is born for? But the town of Katzenberg seems to have a dark history, so it is quite possible, there are more secrets to discover.
I recommend this game!
Can you survive the island and save your brother?
Overall rating
5
/
5
36 of 60 found this review helpful
The Shadows are Alive
PostedFebruary 1, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
After the first Shadowplay, a psychological thriller, starting at an asylum, the second one was more of an adventure game, spiced with a touch of supernatural. This time we go to Ambrose Island, a forsaken place. Due to a failed research project high levels of toxicity had been set free, all employees of the facility were missing after the incident, presumed dead. Lately the rescue beacon had sent signals and we shall find out, who sent them. Our expedition is commissioned by the research company (CorpTex).
It is personal, as one of the presumed dead scientific staff was our brother Mark. Though we don’t really see a chance of finding him, we are on our way.
It is assumed, there is still toxicity, so we wear protection gear. On the island (abandoned, ruins, plants overgrow buildings…..) a shadowy alien looking figure appears, attacks and breaks my visor, thus I realize, the air is clean again. But our mission is still dangerous, we need to stick together. At the CorpTex facility building, one of us is attacked, he is dead. The attacker, a creature, not sure yet, what it is. The beacon was activated, so somebody must have done it. Looking for that somebody, we enter the building, which is still secured, and search it. With a found walkie-talkie we can comminicate but are soon attacked by shadowy alien creatures again. Suddenly there is Mark. But he avoids any touch and leaves only a slip of paper with a map, the advice to look for an USB stick with all information on it. But after reaching the boardroom, finding and reading the info on the USB stick, something unexpected happens……
It is personal, as one of the presumed dead scientific staff was our brother Mark. Though we don’t really see a chance of finding him, we are on our way.
It is assumed, there is still toxicity, so we wear protection gear. On the island (abandoned, ruins, plants overgrow buildings…..) a shadowy alien looking figure appears, attacks and breaks my visor, thus I realize, the air is clean again. But our mission is still dangerous, we need to stick together. At the CorpTex facility building, one of us is attacked, he is dead. The attacker, a creature, not sure yet, what it is. The beacon was activated, so somebody must have done it. Looking for that somebody, we enter the building, which is still secured, and search it. With a found walkie-talkie we can comminicate but are soon attacked by shadowy alien creatures again. Suddenly there is Mark. But he avoids any touch and leaves only a slip of paper with a map, the advice to look for an USB stick with all information on it. But after reaching the boardroom, finding and reading the info on the USB stick, something unexpected happens……
I recommend this game!
Donna’s childhood friend is overwhelmed by a cursed tree that poisons everything it touches!
Overall rating
5
/
5
75 of 109 found this review helpful
A green thumb can sometimes be dangerous
PostedJanuary 26, 2018
rainworm
fromSome villains work with everything, they can lay their hands on.......
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the second installment of Donna Brave. In the first game we could greet Donna as a new hobby detective, whose mission to help her uncle was mastered quite professionally.
In the Deathly Tree, Donna hurries to help her old schoolmate Kathi Wagner, who sent a letter, urging her to come immediately. When Donna arrives at the manor, surrounded by a beautiful park, she is not a minute too late, as the friend is being attacked by the roots of a tree. Before this happened, Kathi could shortly summarize: One evening a sapling was left on the threshold of the manor. She planted it in the garden and it grew into a tree fast. By now it has mutated into a sort of killer plant and there are its leaves: finding one, you know, you are marked for death.
Even after releasing her, Kathi is deadly ill now and we, playing as Donna, need to investigate who is behind the corrupted tree and tries to kill the Wagners and their friends. In the villa are Kathi’s father Leon, her fiance Stefan and in the dining room an employee and cousin Trudi. Whereas Leon and Stefan care for Kathi, the other two seem distant and lack empathy. Suspicious? Leon is afraid, he could be to blame, as he did something years ago, which he regrets now and he wants to tell us all about it, but before he can get to the point, he gets caught by the roots, which draw him out of the window. We are on our own and can only gather clues and link hints from the past to the current events in order to find the culprit.
Again we have tools in this game: the medaillon, known from the first adventure, and a special box, which reveals parts of the background story in riddles. Both help understanding the current events in the game and come in quite entertaining. The medaillon uncovers the history of an object, when put into it. We learn about Kathi’s 12th birthday – and the consequences…..
A masterly told crime story.
In the Deathly Tree, Donna hurries to help her old schoolmate Kathi Wagner, who sent a letter, urging her to come immediately. When Donna arrives at the manor, surrounded by a beautiful park, she is not a minute too late, as the friend is being attacked by the roots of a tree. Before this happened, Kathi could shortly summarize: One evening a sapling was left on the threshold of the manor. She planted it in the garden and it grew into a tree fast. By now it has mutated into a sort of killer plant and there are its leaves: finding one, you know, you are marked for death.
Even after releasing her, Kathi is deadly ill now and we, playing as Donna, need to investigate who is behind the corrupted tree and tries to kill the Wagners and their friends. In the villa are Kathi’s father Leon, her fiance Stefan and in the dining room an employee and cousin Trudi. Whereas Leon and Stefan care for Kathi, the other two seem distant and lack empathy. Suspicious? Leon is afraid, he could be to blame, as he did something years ago, which he regrets now and he wants to tell us all about it, but before he can get to the point, he gets caught by the roots, which draw him out of the window. We are on our own and can only gather clues and link hints from the past to the current events in order to find the culprit.
Again we have tools in this game: the medaillon, known from the first adventure, and a special box, which reveals parts of the background story in riddles. Both help understanding the current events in the game and come in quite entertaining. The medaillon uncovers the history of an object, when put into it. We learn about Kathi’s 12th birthday – and the consequences…..
A masterly told crime story.
I recommend this game!
A time-traveling killer is taking out the Gray family, one by one.
Overall rating
5
/
5
24 of 45 found this review helpful
Time traveling Aunt Gray meets another one…..
PostedJanuary 25, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
When Anna Gray acquired her ability to go back in time, she thought of it as a more or less unique quality. But this game will teach her better. The Grays and McGrays are in great danger. A killer is on the loose who intends to wipe out the whole family and he is more than mysterious, he is intangible, as he is a time traveler too.
On her way to her cousins Elizabeth and James McGray, Anna has an accident or was it a murder attack? Not sure first, but Richard jumps in or better makes his appearance, explaining, that a figure jumped in the way of the car. At the McGray’s mansion, all are dead, must have been poisened. Playing as Anna, it is our task now, to investigate. The killer could well be the same person, who caused the accident on the road. Richard, as always my ghostly partner now, has a suspicion, this all could be ‘this creature’s doing’. As the attacker believes me dead, I can go back, prevent the McGrays murder and then catch the killer. During the investigation of the house, the garden and the rest of the premises evidence brings us nearer to the perpetrator’s identity. We have found a note, in which the killer outs himself as the demon from the past with the mission to wipe out the Gray and McGray familiy to avenge his own parents’ death.
Since an episode in which Richard made his first appearance, he has become a partner of Anna Gray. He is helpful in her investigation, reports on contexts and hands her the one or other needed item. Of course, doors are closed, keys missing, emblems have to be found……. But all these obstacle are overcome with puzzles and varying HOS. We have lots of collectables and morphing objects. The story is more thrilling, the game feels like an episode in a crime series with supernatural elements.
On her way to her cousins Elizabeth and James McGray, Anna has an accident or was it a murder attack? Not sure first, but Richard jumps in or better makes his appearance, explaining, that a figure jumped in the way of the car. At the McGray’s mansion, all are dead, must have been poisened. Playing as Anna, it is our task now, to investigate. The killer could well be the same person, who caused the accident on the road. Richard, as always my ghostly partner now, has a suspicion, this all could be ‘this creature’s doing’. As the attacker believes me dead, I can go back, prevent the McGrays murder and then catch the killer. During the investigation of the house, the garden and the rest of the premises evidence brings us nearer to the perpetrator’s identity. We have found a note, in which the killer outs himself as the demon from the past with the mission to wipe out the Gray and McGray familiy to avenge his own parents’ death.
Since an episode in which Richard made his first appearance, he has become a partner of Anna Gray. He is helpful in her investigation, reports on contexts and hands her the one or other needed item. Of course, doors are closed, keys missing, emblems have to be found……. But all these obstacle are overcome with puzzles and varying HOS. We have lots of collectables and morphing objects. The story is more thrilling, the game feels like an episode in a crime series with supernatural elements.
I recommend this game!
Can you find your sister and save the kingdom?
Overall rating
4
/
5
55 of 92 found this review helpful
You are not alone this time, princess - but don‘t think, it is easier
PostedJanuary 19, 2018
rainworm
fromIn the first of the series I could understand, young princess had still her nanny, but now, at 2xxx?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This Spirit of Mystery comes over much different from the other games in that series. As if it wouldn't be part of it. Still, we have the nanny figure and we are a princess, but all other circumstances are quite different, as if the developer has invented another world for this game. The introduction tells us a story about the Fire Kingdom and the birth of twin daughters, who were sent away directly after. We are given a short background to the new ways, this game wants to go. A new aspect in gameplay is: we are a twin and our first task is to find and free our sister, as only together with her, we can restore the kingdom‘s lifeforce: the Great Fire. In this story the old characters like Mortis and Isa don‘t have a place anymore - which is refreshing as it adds to originality. Apart from the nanny, not many other characters play a role at first. We meet a fire spirit who helps to remove one of the obstacles on the way to our sister. The last one, the Sulfur giant, will have to be defeated by ourselves with fire magic. But even after this fight is won, we still haven‘t reached the goal: reunite with our sister…..
Gameplay is much better, than usual for the developer, pace is not as slowly as it used to be. Artwork is great, though colors are more held in grey. Some of the HOS are quite creative and we have numerous puzzles of medium difficulty (some more on the easy side).
I recommend this game!
The Kingdoms of Lanceya and Winterhelm are in peril!
Overall rating
5
/
5
62 of 83 found this review helpful
Some are not too good at aging.....
PostedJanuary 17, 2018
rainworm
fromNever believe what your mirror tells you.....
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Meet Snow White and her prince in this wintery game and beat the witch queen, who is after her and her new found love. In this variation of the tale only the purest heart can break the aging curse for witch queen Nivella, as her mirror tells her. She needs to destroy the bearer of this pure heart, Lily, Princess of Winterhelm. Winterhelm had already been defeated and Lily found refuge in a hut in the kingdom of Lanceya. Nivella is still after her, as the mirror told her, where to seek for the princess: in the kingdom of Lanceya, where William is king.
We play two roles, as always. Starting as Lily, we meet the wounded king William and help him with a potion. But he and his people are threatened as well, as he has given shelter to refugee Lily. So, very soon after their first meeting, William has to leave for his castle. There Nivella has already taken action.
With numerous entertaining puzzles and HOS, the story unfolds quite fast paced. It may be an adaption of Snow White, but after the introduction scene with Nivella and her mirror, we do not follow the original tale. Lily and William as protagonists are both sovereigns of their realms, Lily already defeated, William trying to protect his people. Nivella doesn't fight with an open visor, of course, as a witch she uses her supernatural powers.
All you need in this winter season: a charming story with challenging features (puzzles are optional hard or easy), a magical atmosphere, which drew me in at once and the varied gameplay in 2 roles. A must-have not only for fans of the series and of course for me.
We play two roles, as always. Starting as Lily, we meet the wounded king William and help him with a potion. But he and his people are threatened as well, as he has given shelter to refugee Lily. So, very soon after their first meeting, William has to leave for his castle. There Nivella has already taken action.
With numerous entertaining puzzles and HOS, the story unfolds quite fast paced. It may be an adaption of Snow White, but after the introduction scene with Nivella and her mirror, we do not follow the original tale. Lily and William as protagonists are both sovereigns of their realms, Lily already defeated, William trying to protect his people. Nivella doesn't fight with an open visor, of course, as a witch she uses her supernatural powers.
All you need in this winter season: a charming story with challenging features (puzzles are optional hard or easy), a magical atmosphere, which drew me in at once and the varied gameplay in 2 roles. A must-have not only for fans of the series and of course for me.
I recommend this game!
When detective Gingertail is called home by ex-girfriend Barbara, he could never imagine it would be the investigation of his life... and her death.
Overall rating
5
/
5
114 of 136 found this review helpful
My name is Fox....
PostedJanuary 13, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
When I played the beta some time ago, I found a good, exciting crime story with animals as characters, so I felt reminded of a fable. Now there is still an entertaining crime story but the characters are humans now, though still bearing slight marks of the fable character, they could stand for.
The intro shows a scene, as if taken out of an older gangster movie: the boss of a gang orders a murder. The victim will be a lady, whom private eye Alfred Fox some time ago could help in a case of threatening letters. Subject to numerous articles in the yellow press, she seems to be an It girl. Both, Fox and she had a short love story, on her side more of an affair but they remained friends afterwards. When the hired killer arrives at her place, she is able to call Fox, but it is too late. When he arrives, she is already dead. Fox calls the police. Waiting for them, he is attacked by Barbara’s murderer, who was still in the house. A fight, which he loses. As friend and private investigator he cannot leave the case to the police but wants to investigate himself. After clearing himself of the suspicion to be the killer, he is on his way. There were some clues in Barbara’s living room, one of them a half burned photo of her and a possible lover, where you still can see the ringed hand of the man.
The story gives me the feeling of watching an old crime movie – charming, with a clear characterization of the figures. The bad ones are bad, the victim was sort of diva but the beauty with a good heart, the private investigator Fox a clever guy, who will surely win the race against the police and find the culprit. HOS and puzzles are creative and entertaining. All in all a surprisingly good game with an old but never boring story.
The intro shows a scene, as if taken out of an older gangster movie: the boss of a gang orders a murder. The victim will be a lady, whom private eye Alfred Fox some time ago could help in a case of threatening letters. Subject to numerous articles in the yellow press, she seems to be an It girl. Both, Fox and she had a short love story, on her side more of an affair but they remained friends afterwards. When the hired killer arrives at her place, she is able to call Fox, but it is too late. When he arrives, she is already dead. Fox calls the police. Waiting for them, he is attacked by Barbara’s murderer, who was still in the house. A fight, which he loses. As friend and private investigator he cannot leave the case to the police but wants to investigate himself. After clearing himself of the suspicion to be the killer, he is on his way. There were some clues in Barbara’s living room, one of them a half burned photo of her and a possible lover, where you still can see the ringed hand of the man.
The story gives me the feeling of watching an old crime movie – charming, with a clear characterization of the figures. The bad ones are bad, the victim was sort of diva but the beauty with a good heart, the private investigator Fox a clever guy, who will surely win the race against the police and find the culprit. HOS and puzzles are creative and entertaining. All in all a surprisingly good game with an old but never boring story.
I recommend this game!
The contract must be fulfilled, but your girlfriend will pay the price!
Overall rating
5
/
5
89 of 117 found this review helpful
Music can take you everywhere
PostedJanuary 11, 2018
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is the 5th installment of Cadenza. Music accompanied us over the games, starting in New Orleans with good old jazz and bringing us to contemporary rock music in the last game. Always combined with murder mysteries, this time violin sounds will lead us through a strange course of events with a magical music machine, a contract with some mysterious man with supernatural powers and our bride to be, who has been taken somewhere, we cannot easily follow.
You are about to propose to Elaine, who is waiting together with her brother Theo, a musician, in the restaurant, they reserved for this special event. But on your arrival your joy soon changes to dismay and shock, when you see a masked man threatening both, your girlfriend and Theo, insisting on some contract being fulfilled. The unwilling Theo and Elaine vanish together with him, when he forces you out of the restaurant, which overgrows with plants as soon as you are out of the room. Before he had exclaimed, the eternal dance would have its claim. So it is your task to find out what this eternal dance may be and find and free Elaine and Theo.
Your investigation starts in the restaurant after working your way in again, then goes on in Theo’s appartment. He left a note in the restaurant, saying, if he at some point would disappear without a trace, one should look at his piano. Behind the instrument you find a secret room, where a mysterious book gives the clue to go on with your search in Harmony Cliff. A strange abandoned place with a hut, a boat, the shore. On a hill a music machine, in front of it the masked man. He won’t stay and explain but vanishes again, leaving you to find out more in the hut and finally repairing the machine to enter the realm, where Elaine has been taken.
As in all Cadenza games, music and musicians play a role. Theo has found out, his mother must have signed a contract long ago and left her family to go to the Eternal Dance. The music machine on the hill in Harmony Cliff is more a time machine than a mechanical piano. Playing it, places the applicant into a ballroom with couples, swaying to the sounds of a speric music: an eternal dance. It is the instrument, here the music machine, that causes the change, same role as in the last game, where the guitar did the magic.
Title and plot don’t go together much till the end of the demo. Then we will be brought into the ballroom by the music machine and meet Elaine again – and the masked stranger. A cryptex is given us in the restaurant, as a helpful tool and combined with returning puzzles, variying in difficulty. HOS are fairly creative, partly combined with puzzle elements. Pace is relatively fast, best of all here, at least for me, is the story.
You are about to propose to Elaine, who is waiting together with her brother Theo, a musician, in the restaurant, they reserved for this special event. But on your arrival your joy soon changes to dismay and shock, when you see a masked man threatening both, your girlfriend and Theo, insisting on some contract being fulfilled. The unwilling Theo and Elaine vanish together with him, when he forces you out of the restaurant, which overgrows with plants as soon as you are out of the room. Before he had exclaimed, the eternal dance would have its claim. So it is your task to find out what this eternal dance may be and find and free Elaine and Theo.
Your investigation starts in the restaurant after working your way in again, then goes on in Theo’s appartment. He left a note in the restaurant, saying, if he at some point would disappear without a trace, one should look at his piano. Behind the instrument you find a secret room, where a mysterious book gives the clue to go on with your search in Harmony Cliff. A strange abandoned place with a hut, a boat, the shore. On a hill a music machine, in front of it the masked man. He won’t stay and explain but vanishes again, leaving you to find out more in the hut and finally repairing the machine to enter the realm, where Elaine has been taken.
As in all Cadenza games, music and musicians play a role. Theo has found out, his mother must have signed a contract long ago and left her family to go to the Eternal Dance. The music machine on the hill in Harmony Cliff is more a time machine than a mechanical piano. Playing it, places the applicant into a ballroom with couples, swaying to the sounds of a speric music: an eternal dance. It is the instrument, here the music machine, that causes the change, same role as in the last game, where the guitar did the magic.
Title and plot don’t go together much till the end of the demo. Then we will be brought into the ballroom by the music machine and meet Elaine again – and the masked stranger. A cryptex is given us in the restaurant, as a helpful tool and combined with returning puzzles, variying in difficulty. HOS are fairly creative, partly combined with puzzle elements. Pace is relatively fast, best of all here, at least for me, is the story.
I recommend this game!