catbag8717's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:8,793
- Reviews Submitted:584
- First Review:April 27, 2012
- Most Recent Review:September 23, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Is Martha really a werewolf - or has she been wrongly accused?
Overall rating
4
/
5
17 of 19 found this review helpful
Good Gameplay, Confusing Story!
PostedAugust 18, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED STANDARD EDITION GAME
I'm well aware that there were 3 previous isntallments of the Shadow Wolf Mysteries series, but I never actually sat up and took notice of it until this game. This is one of the best games by ERS. I was intrigued from the beginning, and will be surely replaying this in the not-too-distant future.
NOTE:
Unfortunately, I cannot go in to detail about my thoughts on the story without giving away some possible SPOILERS. You have been warned.
Unfortunately, I cannot go in to detail about my thoughts on the story without giving away some possible SPOILERS. You have been warned.
What initially attracted me to this game was its story. It had quite an interesting concept and, to begin with, was executed well. There were dramatic scenes at just the right moment, and there were quite a few nice twists. However, towards the end of the demo, things got a bit confusing. I shrugged it off after a good end, and purchased the game.
After the demo, the story got much, much better. There were a lot of brilliant twists and turns, and I assumed the confusing elements were gone. We started definitely ruling out suspects, meeting new ones, and acting like a true detective. Kudos to the developers for putting in some brilliant twists!
But then, our old friend confusion came back. There was a big lump towards the end of the game where everything just got so confusing it was bordering on ridiculous. First, we were definitely sure it was someone, then we definitely sure it was someone else, and then someone entirely different was revealed as the culprit! All this happened in about 5 minutes. Just as I was starting to wrap my head around the fact that someone was definitely our culprit, the game would throw me a “nope, now it's them,” curveball. This was not the only confusing thing about this story (there were many others), but it was definitely the most prominent. Confusing stories are so frustrating for me as a player because they take away the enjoyment. I wanted things to flow logically, and this game did not do that for me.
After the demo, the story got much, much better. There were a lot of brilliant twists and turns, and I assumed the confusing elements were gone. We started definitely ruling out suspects, meeting new ones, and acting like a true detective. Kudos to the developers for putting in some brilliant twists!
But then, our old friend confusion came back. There was a big lump towards the end of the game where everything just got so confusing it was bordering on ridiculous. First, we were definitely sure it was someone, then we definitely sure it was someone else, and then someone entirely different was revealed as the culprit! All this happened in about 5 minutes. Just as I was starting to wrap my head around the fact that someone was definitely our culprit, the game would throw me a “nope, now it's them,” curveball. This was not the only confusing thing about this story (there were many others), but it was definitely the most prominent. Confusing stories are so frustrating for me as a player because they take away the enjoyment. I wanted things to flow logically, and this game did not do that for me.
One thing I was impressed with was the story's length. Every time I thought “wow, I'm almost done,” the game would take a new direction and I'd be nowhere near the finish. This game was definitely the longest I've seen in a while.
Let's talk now about the ending. I didn't like it at all. Once all the confusing stuff was done and things started making sense, I realised I was almost at the end, so I was expecting a great ending. Unfortunately, I didn't get that. Don't get me wrong, it is 100% conclusive, but compared with the rest of the story, it was just so poorly done! I think, before releasing, ERS should have taken the time to go over their story. If they had, they would have realised it was sub-par and changed it for the better.
Overall, a decent story with some fantastic twists, but it was somewhat marred by all the confusion. For their next game, ERS needs to make sure that everything makes sense and they aren't just throwing in things for shock value. I have honestly never seen a more confusing story in my life.
The gameplay was quite good. The HOS were good, but weren't anything new. One thing I was impressed with was the many varieties of HOS. The HOS came in these forms:
Misplaced items- In your inventory there would be several items which needed to be put back in the scene. Probably the most challenging HOS of all. It was quite fun, but I did need to use the hint a few times.
Silhouette junkpile- Like word list junkpile, but with silhouettes of the items instead.
Word-list junkpile- included extra step objects. Probably the easiest of them all.
Group junkpile- in these HOS, you had to find either a large number of the one item, or match two of the same item together. Very simple, but enjoyable.
Misplaced items- In your inventory there would be several items which needed to be put back in the scene. Probably the most challenging HOS of all. It was quite fun, but I did need to use the hint a few times.
Silhouette junkpile- Like word list junkpile, but with silhouettes of the items instead.
Word-list junkpile- included extra step objects. Probably the easiest of them all.
Group junkpile- in these HOS, you had to find either a large number of the one item, or match two of the same item together. Very simple, but enjoyable.
I did thoroughly enjoy all HOS. There were quite a few in this game, but they were spaced out evenly. Some scenes were visited twice, others only once. Overall, ERS has done a great job with the HOS. However, I did not enjoy them as much as usual. It was partly due to all these different ones. Sometimes, I found myself yearning for just an interactive word list.
The puzzles were very much the same old, nothing we haven't seen before. I really enjoyed attempting them. They varied in difficulty; some easy, some hard. As a result, I had to skip a few of them. Like the HOS, the puzzles are spaced out very well and there were a fair few in the game. ERS has done a fantastic job of balancing out the HOS and puzzles, and for that, they must be commended.
As far as extra gameplay features go, this game has some great ones. There are two additional gameplay features here, and they are very relevant to the detective theme of the game.
One of these features is the magnifying glass minigame. Every time you met someone (a new suspect, or an old one after a dramatic event), the scene went grey and a magnifying glass appeared. Then, you had to move the magnifying glass over until you found pieces of evidence, which revealed something new about the character. The number of evidence pieces would vary. I loved this feature for two reasons: not only was it extremely fun, but it also made me feel like my character was actually a detective, and not some citizen wandering around saving people for fun. This feature appeared a few times in the game, and its appearances were spaced out.
The other gameplay feature was the Analyser. It was a new feature and a good one. Similar to the other gameplay feature, the Analyser made me feel as if my character was an actual detective. The way this minigame worked was you put an “unknown” item (marked in red) in to the analyser box and had to answer a series of questions about it. These were questions such as “is it toxic?” or “what state is the product in?” This was fairly simple and straightforward, but still fun. My issue with this is that it was rarely used after the demo. It was used three times in the demo period and about five times for the rest of the game. I would have liked to have seen the Analyser used a lot more than it was. What's the point in having such a great feature if it rarely gets used after the demo period?
One of these features is the magnifying glass minigame. Every time you met someone (a new suspect, or an old one after a dramatic event), the scene went grey and a magnifying glass appeared. Then, you had to move the magnifying glass over until you found pieces of evidence, which revealed something new about the character. The number of evidence pieces would vary. I loved this feature for two reasons: not only was it extremely fun, but it also made me feel like my character was actually a detective, and not some citizen wandering around saving people for fun. This feature appeared a few times in the game, and its appearances were spaced out.
The other gameplay feature was the Analyser. It was a new feature and a good one. Similar to the other gameplay feature, the Analyser made me feel as if my character was an actual detective. The way this minigame worked was you put an “unknown” item (marked in red) in to the analyser box and had to answer a series of questions about it. These were questions such as “is it toxic?” or “what state is the product in?” This was fairly simple and straightforward, but still fun. My issue with this is that it was rarely used after the demo. It was used three times in the demo period and about five times for the rest of the game. I would have liked to have seen the Analyser used a lot more than it was. What's the point in having such a great feature if it rarely gets used after the demo period?
The basic gameplay features have been done quite well. There is a diary, which has two separate tabs for the story and evidence; there is a map, which is very helpful, as well as a working hint. I was impressed that ERS went through the effort to make the navigation easy.
As far as level of challenge goes, this game is basically standard, It isn't too easy (I used the hint quite a few times, actually), but it isn't too hard. The hardest element of this game for me was the puzzles. I don't know if expert players will like this game though, because it does not offer that much of a challenge.
The graphics are standard ERS. They are hand-drawn with some nice detail and very life-like character designs. The colours are nice and are well-suited to the game's atmosphere. Scenes are clear. Unfortunately, there is no lip-synching in this game.
I have one issue with the voice-overs. For a game set in France, there were some very “American” mispronunciations. My main criticism is with the character of the Undertaker, Jacques. Not only was his voice very annoying, he frequently mispronounced things. He pronounced “Jacques” (pronounced Jark) as “Jakwees”. This took away from the French feel of the game and was just downright laughable. If you're going to set a game in another country, you should definitely do some research on how to pronounce things!
I have one issue with the voice-overs. For a game set in France, there were some very “American” mispronunciations. My main criticism is with the character of the Undertaker, Jacques. Not only was his voice very annoying, he frequently mispronounced things. He pronounced “Jacques” (pronounced Jark) as “Jakwees”. This took away from the French feel of the game and was just downright laughable. If you're going to set a game in another country, you should definitely do some research on how to pronounce things!
FEATURES
3 modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced and Hard. I was very disappointed to see a lack of Custom mode, especially since it has been appearing in almost every other game these days by not only this developer, but all others too. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary was useful for keeping track of important events. There were two separate tabs: one for story, one for evidence, which was great.
Map- The map was very helpful. It let you know where you had a task to solve and when each location was complete.
Magnifying Glass game- used to collect evidence against suspects. Great feature.
Analyser- The Analyser was used to examine unknown substances and really added to the detective feel of the game. Not used often after demo. Still a great feature.
3 modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced and Hard. I was very disappointed to see a lack of Custom mode, especially since it has been appearing in almost every other game these days by not only this developer, but all others too. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary was useful for keeping track of important events. There were two separate tabs: one for story, one for evidence, which was great.
Map- The map was very helpful. It let you know where you had a task to solve and when each location was complete.
Magnifying Glass game- used to collect evidence against suspects. Great feature.
Analyser- The Analyser was used to examine unknown substances and really added to the detective feel of the game. Not used often after demo. Still a great feature.
WHAT DO I MISS OUT ON IF I BUY THE SE?
Bonus Chapter- not needed. Game ending is 100% conclusive.
Built-in Strategy Guide.
Achievements
Collectibles- all different things, not just one set.
Music
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Screensavers
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Bonus Chapter- not needed. Game ending is 100% conclusive.
Built-in Strategy Guide.
Achievements
Collectibles- all different things, not just one set.
Music
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Screensavers
Replay HOS & Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
Most definitely the SE. There's not a lot of Bonus Content in there at all. The Bonus Chapter is not needed, and then all you're left with is just the usual stuff. Save money, go the SE.
Most definitely the SE. There's not a lot of Bonus Content in there at all. The Bonus Chapter is not needed, and then all you're left with is just the usual stuff. Save money, go the SE.
Overall, this earns a four star rating from me. The reason this isn't getting a five star rating is because of some very confusing parts to the story. Had the story been better, I would have given it a five.
Either way, still a very good game.
Either way, still a very good game.
ON THE GAME LENGTH
This game was very lengthy. It was much longer than any others I've seen these days. I'd estimate at least 3 ½ hours on Casual mode, which is a very good game length for me.
This game was very lengthy. It was much longer than any others I've seen these days. I'd estimate at least 3 ½ hours on Casual mode, which is a very good game length for me.
I recommend this game!
Beyond the Unknown: A Matter of Time Collector's Edition
It’s time to solve the secret of this mysterious island!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
if This Game is So Bad, Why Did I Enjoy It So Much?
PostedAugust 16, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO (50 minutes)
For some reason, this game received mixed to negative reviews. I don't know what everyone's problem is, because this is quite a good game! I enjoyed it a lot, and will purchase the SE.
For those who don't know, ERS scrapped their original plan for the story and changed it completely. They even gave it a new title. I'd say that plan worked well, because the story is quite good! It has an interesting concept (even though the story has been done a few times) and was executed well. For some reason, I've always been attracted to the “travel back in time to save your family” type stories, and this is no exception. The story coasted along as I expected it to for the most part, but it did have a couple of really interesting twists in there that made it a lot more exciting. The opening scene was very good; it drew me in and made me want to play on. The story progressed nicely and logically. I enjoyed the characters, but felt they could have had a bit more depth added in to them. For now, they just seem like the standard run-of-the-mill, no personality game characters. I like to feel like I know the characters; I like characters that stand out from the crowd; I like to remember the characters. Next game, ERS should work on character personalities. It will make the story a whole lot more enjoyable!
Other than that, the story was good. I enjoyed the villain, and the limited appearances it made. There's nothing worse in a game than your villain appearing in every cutscene, like “hey, everyone, look at me! I'm the villain! Helloooooo?” so ERS have done a good job maintaining the villain here.
Other than that, the story was good. I enjoyed the villain, and the limited appearances it made. There's nothing worse in a game than your villain appearing in every cutscene, like “hey, everyone, look at me! I'm the villain! Helloooooo?” so ERS have done a good job maintaining the villain here.
This game also had a backstory, which was told through someone's diary. In order to get the next part of the story, you had to assemble the next page. The backstory was not really that good, to be honest. I found myself not looking forward to the next installment.
Overall, this story wasn't brilliant, but it was a good story to go with good gameplay. It had a great concept and was executed well. My only concern, however, is the length. There was a thing in the GPS-map which told you how far you were in to the game, and it said I was up to 35%. I'm not sure if that's accurate or not, but if it is, that's a little scary. I checked the online walkthrough and discovered I was at the end of chapter 2 after the 50 minute demo. There are 5 chapters. I'm still purchasing this game, but those looking for a long one best be careful.
In the “More Games” section, the first game shown is Maestro: Music from the Void. That game was released as a CE about a year and a half ago, so my guess is the developers started making this game around then. For some reason though, it wasn't released until now. The gameplay in this game is very similar to games released in that time, which is probably why it's not getting high reviews. That being said, I did enjoy the gameplay very much. The HOS are your standard word list junkpile with some extra-step objects. They are very easy, but also quite nice. I found 3 in the demo, and enjoyed playing every one of them. For those who don't like HOS, there is an option to play Match 3, which is also quite fun.
The HOS are spaced out evenly. I didn't even encounter one until I got to the scene with the thicket you had to cut with the garden shears. Even saying that, there were a good number in the demo. This gives me the impression that there will be a few in the game.
The HOS are spaced out evenly. I didn't even encounter one until I got to the scene with the thicket you had to cut with the garden shears. Even saying that, there were a good number in the demo. This gives me the impression that there will be a few in the game.
I liked the puzzles too. I was able to solve most of them. They didn't involve much thinking, and were all the same as we've seen before, but they were still good. Similar to the HOS, there were a good number of them, and they were spaced out evenly. I get the feeling there will be a good number of them.
In terms of additional gameplay features, there are only a couple, but they are good ones. The main feature is an animal helper. This comes in the form of a Jack Russell Terrier dog that you get to name (for those interested, I called mine “Atticus”). I love animal helpers, but what I especially liked about this one was that it was more helpful than most. There was the usual “get stuff that's hard to reach” kind of thing, but as well as that, there were some items with a paw over them. You had to drag these items over to your dog (also in inventory) and it would help you. The dog was used quite a few times in the demo, but the paw items were not. I hope that, as the game wears on, there will be more of it.
The other additional feature was the photos. Similar to Dark Tales 6, sometimes you picked up a black and white sketch of a certain scene. When you placed the sketch on the scene, it changed to a zoom location and you could collect an item from it. I loved this feature in Dark Tales 6 and I like it here too. My only concern is that there aren't enough. I would have liked a couple more in the demo and hope that there are more as the game goes on.
The other additional feature was the photos. Similar to Dark Tales 6, sometimes you picked up a black and white sketch of a certain scene. When you placed the sketch on the scene, it changed to a zoom location and you could collect an item from it. I loved this feature in Dark Tales 6 and I like it here too. My only concern is that there aren't enough. I would have liked a couple more in the demo and hope that there are more as the game goes on.
The basic gameplay features, for the most part, are done well. There are 4 modes of difficulty, as well as a diary. My problem is that the map was not very helpful. It was a good concept, but not done well. Sometimes, the map would not indicate where there was a task to perform, which was really annoying. To add to my frustrations, you don't even get the map at the beginning of the game, which meant there was quite a bit of backtracking until I acquired the map.
Overall, the gameplay was pretty good, even though it wasn't challenging. I think this game focuses more on adventure than HOS & Puzzles, which makes a nice change.
The graphics are the same ERS we see time and time again. They're uniquely drawn with some good colours and nice detail. The character desings are very lifelike, and there is lip-synching again! WOOHOO! I don't like it when developers don't use lip-synching, so I was glad to see it back here.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. Custom lets you set the game the way you like. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary is good for keeping track of events. Also holds tasks.
Game completion tracker- lets you know how much of the game you have completed.
Map- I'm sorry, but the map wasn't helpful at all. Sometimes it wouldn't show where there were active tasks. You do not get the map at the beginning of the game either.
Sketches- These were sketches of a scene. Each time you placed a sketch on the scene, there would be a zoom location and you would earn an item. These were good, but not enough in the demo.
Animal Helper- Very good. Used quite a bit; a lot more helpful than most.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. Custom lets you set the game the way you like. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary is good for keeping track of events. Also holds tasks.
Game completion tracker- lets you know how much of the game you have completed.
Map- I'm sorry, but the map wasn't helpful at all. Sometimes it wouldn't show where there were active tasks. You do not get the map at the beginning of the game either.
Sketches- These were sketches of a scene. Each time you placed a sketch on the scene, there would be a zoom location and you would earn an item. These were good, but not enough in the demo.
Animal Helper- Very good. Used quite a bit; a lot more helpful than most.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- unsure if needed, but can never tell with this developer.
Strategy Guide- Shows location of collectibles and gives step by step solutions for puzzles. Does not show HOS screenshots.
Achievements
Collectible clocks (20)
Wallpapers (5)- Not very nice looking. Would not use them on my desktop.
Music- 4 tracks
Screensavers (5)
Concept Art (20)
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Bonus Chapter- unsure if needed, but can never tell with this developer.
Strategy Guide- Shows location of collectibles and gives step by step solutions for puzzles. Does not show HOS screenshots.
Achievements
Collectible clocks (20)
Wallpapers (5)- Not very nice looking. Would not use them on my desktop.
Music- 4 tracks
Screensavers (5)
Concept Art (20)
Replay HOS & Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I 100% advise you to go for the SE. The CE bonus content is incredibly weak and just not good enough. There was not one decent feature in the bonus content. It was just full of the standard stuff. It really is not worth the extra money. The SE will be a much better experience. I don't know about you, but I don't want to pay an extra $10 for that.
I 100% advise you to go for the SE. The CE bonus content is incredibly weak and just not good enough. There was not one decent feature in the bonus content. It was just full of the standard stuff. It really is not worth the extra money. The SE will be a much better experience. I don't know about you, but I don't want to pay an extra $10 for that.
I've got no idea why I enjoyed this game so much, but it was enough to put this game on my purchase list. This earns a solid four stars out of five for me. I can't wait to finish the game.
I recommend this game!
Witch Hunters: Full Moon Ceremony Collector's Edition
Defeat the evil witches and save the world from eternal darkness!
Overall rating
1
/
5
10 of 12 found this review helpful
Boring, Easy, Confusing... And The List of Negatives Goes On.
PostedAugust 11, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
There was next to nothing likeable about this game. Probably one of the worst of the year. Luckily the demo was so short, because if it had been longer, I probably would have fallen asleep.
Well, let's start with the story. The story had a very interesting concept and a very well-done, verging on frightening, opening cutscene and I was beginning to get excited. However, my excitement was short lived, as what followed from then on was a disjointed, confusing bore. I get the feeling that the story was just chucked together without any thought at all. As I played along, witches and that servant guy would just appear without any explanation. Because of that early stumble, any supposedly “unexpected” twist just left me raising my eyebrows in confusion. Because of this confusion, I was unable to show any interest in the story and was glad when the demo ended. Even that was bad. The demo is supposed to end on a cliffhanger, but that was not the case at all with this one. Overall, an absolutely terrible effort story-wise.
Another concern for me, story wise, is that the game is probably going to be very short. I don't care about length, but for anyone who does, this may be an issue. The demo ended after... wait for it... 30 minutes. This is using no skips, and only using the hint in the HOS. I'd advise players to be careful.
I hate to say it, but the gameplay wasn't much better either. Top Evidence Studio has made absolutely no progression since 2011.
The HOS were just the standard interactive junkpile. And even the interactive objects weren't interactive. They mainly just involved pulling drawers open or moving stuff out of the way. There was no assembling stuff, which is what we usually see. As a consequence, the HOS were so easy. The one good thing I can say about the HOS was that there were a good number of them. I played three in the demo, which indicates there will be a few. They are spaced out evenly.
And the puzzles... oh my word. They were even easier than the HOS. The puzzles had absolutely zero challenge to them and I was able to solve them very quickly. I found it ridiculous that they included noughts and crosses (what the Americans call tic tac toe) in the game. What are we, six? What's even more laughable is that was the most challenging puzzle I faced.
The HOS were just the standard interactive junkpile. And even the interactive objects weren't interactive. They mainly just involved pulling drawers open or moving stuff out of the way. There was no assembling stuff, which is what we usually see. As a consequence, the HOS were so easy. The one good thing I can say about the HOS was that there were a good number of them. I played three in the demo, which indicates there will be a few. They are spaced out evenly.
And the puzzles... oh my word. They were even easier than the HOS. The puzzles had absolutely zero challenge to them and I was able to solve them very quickly. I found it ridiculous that they included noughts and crosses (what the Americans call tic tac toe) in the game. What are we, six? What's even more laughable is that was the most challenging puzzle I faced.
And the gameplay just gets worse and worse, because... that's it. There are absolutely no additional gameplay features whatsoever. There isn't even any + objects. There's just nothing; HOS, Puzzles and BAM! You're done. When we're in the year where there are so many games with new and exciting features, this really does not cut it. In 2011, I might consider this game, but in 2014?
Overall, a dismal effort in terms of gameplay. Once again, there is absolutely no challenge here. This developer has not improved since 2011. I found the game extremely easy to navigate and complete. The only issue I have is that there were multiple locations; some you had to go left or right, instead of up and down. I found this confusing, as I sometimes couldn't remember which location was where. I did eventually get the hang of it though.
I seriously hope the developers are reading these reviews and take the criticism on board. I expect their next game to be so much better than this.
I seriously hope the developers are reading these reviews and take the criticism on board. I expect their next game to be so much better than this.
It's so sad that I have to say this, but the best bit about this game was the graphics. They had a sense of antiquity about them, which was what I enjoyed the most. The scenes were drawn well and the colours were nice.
Voice-overs were standard. I have no issue.
Voice-overs were standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficlty I selected. Hint works well outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events.
Map- Quite useful. Set out differently from others, but still quite good. Lets you know where there are
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficlty I selected. Hint works well outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events.
Map- Quite useful. Set out differently from others, but still quite good. Lets you know where there are
CE EXCLUSIVE
(note: Bonus Content is locked; so I can't really give a full analysis)
Bonus Chapter- Unsure if needed.
Built-in Strategy Guide- didn't need to use it, so can't comment on its helpfulness.
Achievements
Concept Art
Wallpaper
Replay Puzzles
(note: Bonus Content is locked; so I can't really give a full analysis)
Bonus Chapter- Unsure if needed.
Built-in Strategy Guide- didn't need to use it, so can't comment on its helpfulness.
Achievements
Concept Art
Wallpaper
Replay Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
Definitely the SE. I wouldn't buy this game if you paid me, but recommend the SE for anyone who wants to play it. The Bonus Content is extremely weak.
Definitely the SE. I wouldn't buy this game if you paid me, but recommend the SE for anyone who wants to play it. The Bonus Content is extremely weak.
Overall, a very dismal effort. As I was writing this, I was tossing up between a 1 and a 2 star rating and... I think I'm gonna go with the 1. This game was terrible all-around, the only good thing being the graphics. That's not enough for 2 stars. This game was ridiculously easy and simple. Here's a word of advice: if you want to sell a game in 2014, don't use the same gameplay from 2011. I expect a huge improvement on the next game.
I don't recommend this game.
A Mayan god is turning people into jaguars! Can you stop him before the world falls into chaos?
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 10 found this review helpful
So Fun, But So Easy!
PostedAugust 9, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
Elefun have always been a C-student-type developer. They make some decent games, but have never actually done anything outstanding. This has now changed! This was a great game, and I will be sure to purchase the SE.
Now, everyone knows that I'm not really the type for fantasy stuff (y'know, evil spirits from another world, someone trying to revive someone else, evil animals, etc.), but I quite enjoyed this story. It was the perfect mix of fantasy and creepy. I was intrigued by the opening cutscene. The dialogue was written exceptionally well, which made things more interesting.
This story is somewhat connected with the previous two installments, but if you haven't played them, don't worry. The game provides you with a brief summary of their happenings. Content wise, the story was very enjoyable. It started off well and maintained its pace. There were only a couple of twists, but they were good ones. I was very impressed with their early twist involving Fernando. It was totally unexpected (at least for me), and it made me want to dig deeper. The connection with Fernando also served as the backstory, which was told in little snippets of paper. Again, this was fairly interesting.
The story was good, but occasionally my interest did waver. For the most part, it coasted along the way I expected. I'm hoping the story gets better as I go along.
This story is somewhat connected with the previous two installments, but if you haven't played them, don't worry. The game provides you with a brief summary of their happenings. Content wise, the story was very enjoyable. It started off well and maintained its pace. There were only a couple of twists, but they were good ones. I was very impressed with their early twist involving Fernando. It was totally unexpected (at least for me), and it made me want to dig deeper. The connection with Fernando also served as the backstory, which was told in little snippets of paper. Again, this was fairly interesting.
The story was good, but occasionally my interest did waver. For the most part, it coasted along the way I expected. I'm hoping the story gets better as I go along.
What I was really impressed with was the gameplay. I had quite a lot of fun playing this game, and was happy to see that Elefun has stepped up their gameplay experience.
The HOS for instance, were pretty good. They were a mixture of junkpile word-list and junkpile silhouette with lots of interactivity. But that's not all- some of the HOS were jazzed up a bit. In some of the scenes, you had to assemble one object by finding all the others. This was great fun and added to my enjoyment. What I also liked was there were quite a few there, but not too much to drive me mental. I think I found about 5 in the demo. This indicates to me that there will be quite a lot in the game. The HOS are spaced out evenly so there is not one in every scene. I found the HOS to be quite easy, but that did not matter to me.
The HOS for instance, were pretty good. They were a mixture of junkpile word-list and junkpile silhouette with lots of interactivity. But that's not all- some of the HOS were jazzed up a bit. In some of the scenes, you had to assemble one object by finding all the others. This was great fun and added to my enjoyment. What I also liked was there were quite a few there, but not too much to drive me mental. I think I found about 5 in the demo. This indicates to me that there will be quite a lot in the game. The HOS are spaced out evenly so there is not one in every scene. I found the HOS to be quite easy, but that did not matter to me.
I also enjoyed the puzzles. They were not new, but were still fun to attempt. However, like the HOS, they were quite easy. There were similar numbers to the HOS. I only had to skip one and use the SG for the other. While they were fun, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of a challenge. This will turn away expert players from a good game.
Where Elefun has improved big time is their additional gameplay! There are two great features here that made the game so much more enjoyable. One of these features was + objects, which are items you must interact with to complete. The items are indicated with small + signs. If I'm not mistaken, this is a first from Elefun. I'm glad they've caught up with the times here.
The second feature is an animal helper, which comes in the form of a jaguar. This was a fantastic feature and I enjoyed every time I got to use it, which was quite often. Dialogue ensured that I always knew when to use it. The animal helper was used a bit differently here- there was one time we used him to fight off another jaguar. I liked this as it meant our animal helper was more involved in the game.
The second feature is an animal helper, which comes in the form of a jaguar. This was a fantastic feature and I enjoyed every time I got to use it, which was quite often. Dialogue ensured that I always knew when to use it. The animal helper was used a bit differently here- there was one time we used him to fight off another jaguar. I liked this as it meant our animal helper was more involved in the game.
Where the game falls flat is the lack of challenge. Having been playing HOPA games for roughly 2 years now, I'm pretty seasoned. Because of this, I'm expecting to be challenged, and that will take quite a lot more than it used to. Unfortunately for me, this game was extremely easy. HOS were easy, as were the puzzles. I was never stuck; the only time I had to use hints was in the HOS. It was easy to figure out what to do next. Again, this will bore expert players. I think that Elefun needs to work on making their games a little harder. This was mainly what prevented this from being a five star game. I'd say this would be a good game for beginners to start off with.
Elefun has done a good job of basic gameplay features here. There are 4 difficulty modes (custom included). I felt that custom mode was quite restricted, which was a pain. Other features included a diary (hallelujah!) and a map (which was very helpful).
The graphics were quite good, but not as detailed as others I've seen. Everything was clear and there were some nice colours in there which fitted well with the atmosphere of the game. Character designs were realistic. Next game, I would like to see more work on the graphics.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I didn't like the custom difficulty as it felt restricted. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary is useful for keeping track of events.
Map- the map was quite helpful. It let you know where there were active tasks to perform. Does not appear until partway through the demo.
+ objects- These are items you must interact with to complete. There were quite a few in the game. + signs change when item can be used.
Animal Helper- This came in the form of a jaguar. It was used quite a lot.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I didn't like the custom difficulty as it felt restricted. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary is useful for keeping track of events.
Map- the map was quite helpful. It let you know where there were active tasks to perform. Does not appear until partway through the demo.
+ objects- These are items you must interact with to complete. There were quite a few in the game. + signs change when item can be used.
Animal Helper- This came in the form of a jaguar. It was used quite a lot.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- not sure if needed
Built-in Strategy Guide- this was useless. It did not show me step-by-step solutions to puzzles, so had to work off screenshots.
Achievements- some story based (free the manatee), some gameplay based (finish one HOP in under a minute).
Morphing objects
Collectible birds (25)- did not find any other than 2.
Mayan Horoscope- I've got no idea what this is.
Wallpapers (9)
Music (11 tracks)
Concept Art (9)
Screensavers (3)
Bonus Chapter- not sure if needed
Built-in Strategy Guide- this was useless. It did not show me step-by-step solutions to puzzles, so had to work off screenshots.
Achievements- some story based (free the manatee), some gameplay based (finish one HOP in under a minute).
Morphing objects
Collectible birds (25)- did not find any other than 2.
Mayan Horoscope- I've got no idea what this is.
Wallpapers (9)
Music (11 tracks)
Concept Art (9)
Screensavers (3)
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The CE does not have any enticing extras, so I will be happily waiting for the SE. I advise you do the same. I reckon the SE will be much more enjoyable.
The CE does not have any enticing extras, so I will be happily waiting for the SE. I advise you do the same. I reckon the SE will be much more enjoyable.
Overall, this is a great effort from Elefun. They have truly earned the “fun” part of their name. Due to lack of challenge, I give this four stars out of five. From someone who never liked any of the previous Mayan Prophecies games (and even skipped the second one completely), this was a great game to play.
I recommend this game!
Can you and Detective Dupin uncover the dark secrets of this mysterious estate?
Overall rating
4
/
5
8 of 10 found this review helpful
This is More Like It!
PostedAugust 7, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED STANDARD EDITION GAME
The previous Dark Tales game is one of my favourite games of all time, so the sequel had some huge shoes to fill. While those shoes weren't quite filled, this is still a very good game in its own right and I really enjoyed playing it.
The story was fantastic. While I admit I wasn't as drawn to it as its predecessor, it was still a very solid. The concept was intriguing and was executed very well. The basic story goes like this: You have been called to investigate the disappearance of Madeleine Usher and soon discover that something far more sinister is going on in the house.
What I loved about this story was that it kept my interest for the entire time. Unlike most stories, which start off well and then drop off towards the middle of the game, there was never a dull moment. Every plot twist that there was was an unexpected delight. As the game built up, I was getting more and more eager for the ending. The ending was fantastic, ended conclusively, and delivered justice to the game.
What I loved about this story was that it kept my interest for the entire time. Unlike most stories, which start off well and then drop off towards the middle of the game, there was never a dull moment. Every plot twist that there was was an unexpected delight. As the game built up, I was getting more and more eager for the ending. The ending was fantastic, ended conclusively, and delivered justice to the game.
From a technical side of things, this story was great. I was intrigued by the villain, and discovering their motives was partially what kept me going. I was also impressed with how the developers decided to get Dupin involved a lot more. He had a lot more dialogue and was actually attacked in the game. It was quite good to see that, this time, he wasn't just an observer. What I was most impressed by though, was that this had all the elements of a mystery and was done extremely well. This is one of ERS's best games, story wise, in a long time.
I have mixed feelings about the gameplay. It was good in some parts, but problematic in others. The HOS was a prime example of this. A few of them were very confusing and unclear. One of the scenes asked me to find “shovel x 12”. I went around looking for 12 shovels, only to discover it was 12 PARTS of the ONE shovel. ERS should have made this a lot clearer, as it took enjoyment out of the game. Even worse, these HOS made 2 more appearances.
Other than that, though, the HOS were awesome. They were nothing new, but were very fun to play. I enjoyed them quite a lot, especially the riddles one at the beginning. The HOS were spaced out evenly and there were a decent number of them in the game. This part of the game was done very well by ERS.
The puzzles were good for the most part. I enjoyed attempting and solving them. They were quite easy, given they were nothing we haven't seen before, but were still enjoyable.
However, like the HOS, the puzzles were also problematic. I ran in to this clump of about 3 at the end of the game that was very confusing and poorly explained. The one I really hated was the one in Estelle's room. There was no skip button and no info, and the hint did not work at all, so I was just left dumbstruck. I had absolutely no idea how to complete the puzzle. ERS, please never ever do this again! It will turn many a player off your games! I nearly quit out of sheer frustration, which would not have earned a positive review.
Like the HOS, the puzzles were spaced out evenly and there were a decent number of them.
Other than that, though, the HOS were awesome. They were nothing new, but were very fun to play. I enjoyed them quite a lot, especially the riddles one at the beginning. The HOS were spaced out evenly and there were a decent number of them in the game. This part of the game was done very well by ERS.
The puzzles were good for the most part. I enjoyed attempting and solving them. They were quite easy, given they were nothing we haven't seen before, but were still enjoyable.
However, like the HOS, the puzzles were also problematic. I ran in to this clump of about 3 at the end of the game that was very confusing and poorly explained. The one I really hated was the one in Estelle's room. There was no skip button and no info, and the hint did not work at all, so I was just left dumbstruck. I had absolutely no idea how to complete the puzzle. ERS, please never ever do this again! It will turn many a player off your games! I nearly quit out of sheer frustration, which would not have earned a positive review.
Like the HOS, the puzzles were spaced out evenly and there were a decent number of them.
There are a couple of nice extra gameplay features here, both of which are quite unique. One of these features was the photos. There would be various photos of locations scattered around the game, and each time you picked one up, part of the background story would be told. Each time you used a photo on the location, it would turn in to a zoom scene. These were a great feature, and there were quite a lot of photos. My only criticism is it made the background story a little hard to track. I found myself struggling to remember bits of the story at times.
That being said, still a wonderful feature that I hope makes its return in future games.
The other new feature here is “The Reborn One”, which we pick up at the beginning of the game. The Reborn One can bring to life any stone creature with golden veins. It turned out to be very useful. This was an incredibly fun feature and was used quite a lot of times. I enjoyed every time I got to use it. I hope this makes its return in future games. ERS have done a wonderful job of additional gameplay features here.
That being said, still a wonderful feature that I hope makes its return in future games.
The other new feature here is “The Reborn One”, which we pick up at the beginning of the game. The Reborn One can bring to life any stone creature with golden veins. It turned out to be very useful. This was an incredibly fun feature and was used quite a lot of times. I enjoyed every time I got to use it. I hope this makes its return in future games. ERS have done a wonderful job of additional gameplay features here.
One other thing that I need to comment on, although it wasn't a gameplay feature, is the rat. The rat serves no purpose; it is just a little thing to entertain you while you play. Well, it worked! I enjoyed having the rat there. It was so cute when he fell of the perch a couple of times! Great move on making a darker game a little light-hearted, ERS!
For the most part, the basic features are done well. There are four modes of difficulty (including a custom mode, which was great). There is a diary, which keeps track of events and stores important findings so you can read them later. There is a map, but it wasn't very helpful.
Overall, the gameplay is decent, but problematic. That being said, still a solid effort from ERS.
Overall, the gameplay is decent, but problematic. That being said, still a solid effort from ERS.
The graphics are pretty good; just the classic ERS we see time and time again. I appreciate what they're doing here- everyone has loved the graphics for so long and they haven't made an effort to change them. As the old saying goes “if it's not broke, don't fix it.” The graphics are drawn with some good detail, and the character designs are quite life-like. The colours matched the feel of the game, so it felt more realistic.
The voice-overs are standard. One thing I will comment on is that Dupin's voice has changed since the last installment. It was very strange at first, but I feel the character's dialogue in this game suited the new voice actor better. I can't imagine the old one getting angry!
The voice-overs are standard. One thing I will comment on is that Dupin's voice has changed since the last installment. It was very strange at first, but I feel the character's dialogue in this game suited the new voice actor better. I can't imagine the old one getting angry!
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences in the difficulties are standard. Custom lets you set the game settings as you desire. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected, so it wasn't super-long, but it wasn't so quick that the game could hold my hand either.
Diary- The diary is good for keeping track of important events.
Map- The map is not as helpful as I would have liked. I had some difficulty getting to certain locations. There is a red exclamation mark which indicates to you that there is a task to perform in that area.
Photos- A great feature. This told you the background story of the game, as well as unlocking zoom locations when you placed the photo on the area.
Reborn One- Again, this was an awesome feature. It's kind of similar to an animal helper. It was used many times in this game and I enjoyed using it.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences in the difficulties are standard. Custom lets you set the game settings as you desire. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected, so it wasn't super-long, but it wasn't so quick that the game could hold my hand either.
Diary- The diary is good for keeping track of important events.
Map- The map is not as helpful as I would have liked. I had some difficulty getting to certain locations. There is a red exclamation mark which indicates to you that there is a task to perform in that area.
Photos- A great feature. This told you the background story of the game, as well as unlocking zoom locations when you placed the photo on the area.
Reborn One- Again, this was an awesome feature. It's kind of similar to an animal helper. It was used many times in this game and I enjoyed using it.
WHAT DO I MISS OUT ON IF I BUY THE CE?
Bonus Chapter- The bonus chapter is not needed; the game ends conclusively.
Built-in Strategy Guide.
Coin minigame- In the CE, there were small houses placed at random points in the game. When you clicked on it, you played a minigame where you had to find all the hidden coins with a magnifying glass. I loved this feature and was disappointed it wasn't in the SE, but can understand why it wasn't.
Lab- The coins you collect from the minigame can be used to buy stuff for here. Similar to the office in Dark Tales 5.
Achievements
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Concept Art
Screensaver
Story- I've got no idea what this is.
Bonus Chapter- The bonus chapter is not needed; the game ends conclusively.
Built-in Strategy Guide.
Coin minigame- In the CE, there were small houses placed at random points in the game. When you clicked on it, you played a minigame where you had to find all the hidden coins with a magnifying glass. I loved this feature and was disappointed it wasn't in the SE, but can understand why it wasn't.
Lab- The coins you collect from the minigame can be used to buy stuff for here. Similar to the office in Dark Tales 5.
Achievements
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Concept Art
Screensaver
Story- I've got no idea what this is.
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I went for the SE and was extremely happy. There was nothing in the CE to excite me. Lack of collectibles swayed my decision. I would definitely recommend the SE.
I went for the SE and was extremely happy. There was nothing in the CE to excite me. Lack of collectibles swayed my decision. I would definitely recommend the SE.
Overall, this was a very, very enjoyable game. I'm giving it what I call a “strong four”. It was extremely good, but I don't feel it was good enough to give a five star rating. This is due to the problematic HOS & Puzzles. If that had been fixed, it would be a five star rating for sure. This is more like a four and half.
This game took me back to the old-school ERS that I knew and loved. I hope this is the beginning of a new trend... I would love more games like this!
This game took me back to the old-school ERS that I knew and loved. I hope this is the beginning of a new trend... I would love more games like this!
I recommend this game!
A mysterious artifact has been uncovered, opening a portal to another world!
Overall rating
3
/
5
12 of 17 found this review helpful
Great CE Extras, Boring Game
PostedAugust 4, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I bought the second Amaranthine Voyage and regret doing so immensely, so I did not have high hopes for this game. While this game is better than I expected, I will not be buying. However, I know that people who like this sort of game will enjoy it.
The story did not appeal to me; it did have some impressive moments, but overall I found it a bit messy and unexplained. Let's take the beginning for example: Out of nowhere- BAM! Someone's threatening us with a gun. This was not explained during the demo and made the story confusing.
The concept of this story is essentially the same as the last- there is a prophecy in another world and you are set to fulfill it- but the story itself could not be more different. However, this is not a good different. Unlike its predecessor, Shadow of Torment did not excite me very much at all. I found the plot very boring, and the supposed plot twists were just not that appealing. Some, I'd even go as far as to call stupid. Overall, a very weak story that I did not enjoy one bit. The demo is very short (I did not even reach 40 minutes), but for once, I am glad. I have no doubt that I would not have finished the demo had it been longer.
The concept of this story is essentially the same as the last- there is a prophecy in another world and you are set to fulfill it- but the story itself could not be more different. However, this is not a good different. Unlike its predecessor, Shadow of Torment did not excite me very much at all. I found the plot very boring, and the supposed plot twists were just not that appealing. Some, I'd even go as far as to call stupid. Overall, a very weak story that I did not enjoy one bit. The demo is very short (I did not even reach 40 minutes), but for once, I am glad. I have no doubt that I would not have finished the demo had it been longer.
What I really, really enjoyed about this game was the gameplay. I really liked the HOS: They were a mixture of new and old; a mixture of junkpile silhouette and word lists. I am glad that Eipix is catering for all HOS players here. In the HOS, there is also an alternative; bubbleshooter. I did try the bubbleshooter game, and I really enjoyed it. I used it for one entire scene, which is incredibly rare for me. As far as frequency goes, I think I ran in to 3 during the demo. This is a good number for me, as it means that there are equal parts of HOS, Puzzle and Adventure. The HOS are spaced out nicely too.
The puzzles were a bit of a mixture for me: Some were hard and some were easy. Either way, they were nothing we haven't seen before. What I liked about the puzzles, though, was that some were split in to three parts. This meant that, even if they were a little hard, we could still solve one part and feel like a genius. Good job on this, Eipix!
The puzzles were a bit of a mixture for me: Some were hard and some were easy. Either way, they were nothing we haven't seen before. What I liked about the puzzles, though, was that some were split in to three parts. This meant that, even if they were a little hard, we could still solve one part and feel like a genius. Good job on this, Eipix!
Eipix have added a couple of nice extra gameplay features. First, there are + objects, which are a nice addition to the game, although they are becoming standard now. These are items you must interact with to complete. The + does not change colour when the item is ready to be changed.
Another feature was the magical orb thing. Although I thought it was nice, I also found it odd. I am confused as to its purpose in the game. From memory, I put a gem in the orb and came back with an item. What was the point of that? I don't know. If someone is going to put a new feature in, they have to make it useful!
The final new feature here is the little flower game. Everytime you came up to one of those weird flower things, the screen would go purple and you'd have to click on some symbols. Again, this is pretty pointless, but it is really fun! I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Another feature was the magical orb thing. Although I thought it was nice, I also found it odd. I am confused as to its purpose in the game. From memory, I put a gem in the orb and came back with an item. What was the point of that? I don't know. If someone is going to put a new feature in, they have to make it useful!
The final new feature here is the little flower game. Everytime you came up to one of those weird flower things, the screen would go purple and you'd have to click on some symbols. Again, this is pretty pointless, but it is really fun! I enjoyed it quite a lot.
However, I was very disappointed to notice that the “bow and arrow” game from Amaranthine Voyage 2 is gone here. Instead, you just acquire a bow for your inventory and there is a cutscene every time you use it. A CUTSCENE??? Whoever got rid of the bow and arrow game really needs a lecture. That was one of the best parts about Amaranthine 2.
The basic gameplay features are done pretty well, except for one thing. There is no Diary! Again! I don't know how many times I've had to say this lately, but a diary is one of the most important parts of the game! It helps me keep track of important parts of the story. I was so disappointed to find it missing. Developers must learn that a diary is important!
However, other gameplay features were impressive. There was a map, 4 modes of difficulty, and a timer. I thought the timer was a great idea for those who like to see how long a game is.
However, other gameplay features were impressive. There was a map, 4 modes of difficulty, and a timer. I thought the timer was a great idea for those who like to see how long a game is.
The graphics are decent, but definitely not up to standard of previous Eipix games. I recall the graphics in Amaranthine Voyage 2 being much better than this. I thought the colours were quite boring. I feel the developer could have done a much better job. That being said, the graphics were still quite clear.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. Custom lets you set the game your way. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- the hint recharged at a decent speed for Casual mode. Hint is helpful outside HOS.
Map- I found the map to be quite helpful. It is interactive and lets you know where there are tasks to perform.
Orb- This is something you acquire at the beginning of the game. I'm yet to discover its purpose.
+ objects- These are items you need to interact with to complete. There are quite a few of them in the game.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. Custom lets you set the game your way. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- the hint recharged at a decent speed for Casual mode. Hint is helpful outside HOS.
Map- I found the map to be quite helpful. It is interactive and lets you know where there are tasks to perform.
Orb- This is something you acquire at the beginning of the game. I'm yet to discover its purpose.
+ objects- These are items you need to interact with to complete. There are quite a few of them in the game.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- doubt it will be needed
Built in Strategy Guide.
Achievements- there are quite a lot of them. I was surprised at how many there were. I think I counted in excess of 30.
Collectible flowers (41)- one in each scene. There is an indicator to let you know if you have collected it or not.
Morphing Objects (17)- HOS Only
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Bubbleshooter levels
Souvenir room- one giant HOS basically.
Lore Book
Play HOS from other games- games include Sea of Lies: Mutiny of the Heart, Amaranthine 2 and Myths of the World: Chinese Healer. Unlocked when pictures corresponding to the game are found.
Making of
Wallpapers- (10)
Concept Art
Music
Bonus Chapter- doubt it will be needed
Built in Strategy Guide.
Achievements- there are quite a lot of them. I was surprised at how many there were. I think I counted in excess of 30.
Collectible flowers (41)- one in each scene. There is an indicator to let you know if you have collected it or not.
Morphing Objects (17)- HOS Only
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Bubbleshooter levels
Souvenir room- one giant HOS basically.
Lore Book
Play HOS from other games- games include Sea of Lies: Mutiny of the Heart, Amaranthine 2 and Myths of the World: Chinese Healer. Unlocked when pictures corresponding to the game are found.
Making of
Wallpapers- (10)
Concept Art
Music
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I'm not going to buy this game, but I hands-down recommend the CE for anyone who does. The CE has so many extras in here. It's probably the most extras I've ever seen. I'm really impressed with all the effort Eipix has gone too to give us the ultimate gaming experience.
I'm not going to buy this game, but I hands-down recommend the CE for anyone who does. The CE has so many extras in here. It's probably the most extras I've ever seen. I'm really impressed with all the effort Eipix has gone too to give us the ultimate gaming experience.
If I was rating on CE Extras alone, there'd be no question of giving this a five. However, I'm not. I'm rating on the overall game, so three stars is the best I can do. I didn't like this one much at all, but those of you who like this sort of thing are sure to enjoy it. My only concern would be the length- as stated, I finished this game without even reaching 40 minutes on the demo. My advice? Be careful.
I don't recommend this game.
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait Collector's Edition
A father returns home to find his children missing - all but one, who refuses to say a word...
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 14 found this review helpful
A Bit of Magic from Daily Magic!
PostedAugust 1, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
This developer has made some pretty good games in the past, but none of them have really “wowed” me, so to speak. Well, this one has changed all that! This is definitely my favourite from this developer and one of my favourites of the year! I can't wait to purchase this game and continue the adventure.
The story was fantastic. It had an original, exciting concept and was executed well. The basic plot involves your family home being over-run with enchanted paintings, with one man coming out of a painting and taking your entire family. The villain is quite intriguing, as he is given his own little background story. This story was begun in the demo. I thought the background story was done quite cleverly, and it made me want to know more.
That's the technical side of things done. Content wise, I really enjoyed it. I will admit, the opening scene is not the most exciting one in the world, but after that, it got better. I really enjoyed every time something came out of a painting, and I enjoyed how we interacted with them. There were a couple of nice twists, a couple of scares and some great moments in the story. The demo ended on a nice note, so I am inclined to continue.
Overall, a decent story that was quite enjoyable.
That's the technical side of things done. Content wise, I really enjoyed it. I will admit, the opening scene is not the most exciting one in the world, but after that, it got better. I really enjoyed every time something came out of a painting, and I enjoyed how we interacted with them. There were a couple of nice twists, a couple of scares and some great moments in the story. The demo ended on a nice note, so I am inclined to continue.
Overall, a decent story that was quite enjoyable.
But the highlight of this game was most definitely the gameplay! I have not had this much fun with a game in such a long time. And why was that? Because it was different; it stood out from the crowd without being so frustratingly challenging that I had to quit. For starters, the HOS were absolutely amazing; hands down my favourite from this developer. I liked their uniqueness and their slight challenge. They were either junkpile or silhouette, and there was even a storybook one. In this type of HOS, a story was told over a series of pages. In order to advance to the next page, you must place some objects back in their rightful positions. I loved this new, innovative style and hope to see more of it as I continue.
The HOS appeared frequently, but there was not one in every scene, which was nice. There were about 3 in the demo, I believe, which indicated there will be a decent amount in the game.
The one downside to the HOS is that some included puzzles (which could be skipped, thank heavens). It is my opinion that puzzles and HOS should remain separate. I hope this does not continue after the demo.
The HOS appeared frequently, but there was not one in every scene, which was nice. There were about 3 in the demo, I believe, which indicated there will be a decent amount in the game.
The one downside to the HOS is that some included puzzles (which could be skipped, thank heavens). It is my opinion that puzzles and HOS should remain separate. I hope this does not continue after the demo.
The puzzles were decent. They were a mixture of easy and hard. I was able to solve most, but a couple needed skipping. Puzzles aren't my favourite things in the world, but they were okay here. They were nothing we haven't seen before though. Like the HOS, the puzzles were spread out evenly and there were a few, giving me the idea that there will be a good number in the game.
Gameplay wise, this game had only the one additional gameplay feature: an animal helper. This came in the form of a cat, Mr. Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins is used fairly frequently in the demo, and I'm hoping that trend will continue. I absolutely love animal helpers, and was glad to see one here. It significantly added to the fun of the game.
For the most part, the basic features have been done pretty well. There are three difficulty modes,a working hint and a great map, but there is one problem: NO DIARY! I don't know how many times I've had to say this lately, but a diary is essential to the game, in my opinion. To have it missing here was very annoying.
Overall, the gameplay was absolutely brilliant, but I do get the feeling it could have been better. Maybe if the developer had chucked a few + objects in? I don't know, but that's one very small issue. The gameplay is very pleasing.
The graphics are absolutely outstanding. Everything is extremely clear and drawn with lots of detail. The colours are great, as are the character designs. I don't think I've seen a better job, graphics wise, from any developer this year. This was absolutely outstanding.
However, my one and only problem with the game is the voice-overs. The voice of the main character was very boring and flat. As well as this, I felt the voice-over was in some places it didn't need to be. The repetitive “I don't think it is a good idea” thing drove me mental. I played the BETA of this game, and this was the one thing I suggested be fixed, and to see it hasn't been is a real shame.
The other voice-overs are okay for me, but this is a bit of a poor effort.
However, my one and only problem with the game is the voice-overs. The voice of the main character was very boring and flat. As well as this, I felt the voice-over was in some places it didn't need to be. The repetitive “I don't think it is a good idea” thing drove me mental. I played the BETA of this game, and this was the one thing I suggested be fixed, and to see it hasn't been is a real shame.
The other voice-overs are okay for me, but this is a bit of a poor effort.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint also acts as a teleporter.
Map- The map is extremely helpful. It is interactive and lets you know where there are tasks to perform.
Animal Helper- This comes in the form of your cat, Mr. Jenkins. This was a wonderful feature; the helper is used a few times.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint also acts as a teleporter.
Map- The map is extremely helpful. It is interactive and lets you know where there are tasks to perform.
Animal Helper- This comes in the form of your cat, Mr. Jenkins. This was a wonderful feature; the helper is used a few times.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- based on past history with this developer, I don't think it will be needed
Built in Strategy Guide- Does not show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Kitty Playroom- This is a shop where you can buy stuff for your animal helper. There are collectible coins for the shop.
Match 3 levels
Developer Diary- consists of 19 videos.
Concept Art
Wallpapers (6)
Music
Bonus Chapter- based on past history with this developer, I don't think it will be needed
Built in Strategy Guide- Does not show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Kitty Playroom- This is a shop where you can buy stuff for your animal helper. There are collectible coins for the shop.
Match 3 levels
Developer Diary- consists of 19 videos.
Concept Art
Wallpapers (6)
Music
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The extras are tempting, but I'm going to go for the SE. Had there been some form of collectibles, I would have changed my mind and gone for the CE.
The extras are tempting, but I'm going to go for the SE. Had there been some form of collectibles, I would have changed my mind and gone for the CE.
This is an outstanding game. I haven't even finished it and already I'm hoping for a sequel. This game was almost perfect and thus, deserves a 5 star rating. Hurry up, SE!
I recommend this game!
Your investigative report on the Weeping Woman of San Cristobal turns personal after you witness a kidnapping. Is the legend true?
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 14 found this review helpful
GAME OF THE YEAR... for 2012.
PostedAugust 1, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I have had a strong dislike for all other games by this developer, so I really wasn't expecting much from this one and was considering not playing it at all. However, it seemed to get decent reviews, so I went ahead and trialled it. I have to say, I'm glad I did! My opinion of this developer has changed quite considerably. This was an engrossing demo period, and I will be sure to pruchase the SE.
This game is all about the story. The concept was brilliant and executed quite well. Not only that- it made sense! Over and over again, I've seen spirit-type games that have the most illogical things happen, but everything about this game was logical! I did not once have to question why everything was happening. The developers have nailed the technical side of things.
Content wise, I loved everything about this story. It started wonderfully. I was really intrigued with the background story. It made me want to know more immediately. From there, everything went up. The first major plot twist was great, and the rest of the story followed suit. There was a really great spooky element to this story while still maintaining some form of realism. The demo ended wonderfully. It made me want to buy the game immediately. Overall, I haven't got one bad thing to say about this story. It was pretty close to perfect.
Content wise, I loved everything about this story. It started wonderfully. I was really intrigued with the background story. It made me want to know more immediately. From there, everything went up. The first major plot twist was great, and the rest of the story followed suit. There was a really great spooky element to this story while still maintaining some form of realism. The demo ended wonderfully. It made me want to buy the game immediately. Overall, I haven't got one bad thing to say about this story. It was pretty close to perfect.
Even though the story is fantastic, some parts of the gameplay were average. I'll start with the positives: I thoroughly enjoyed the HOS. They were basically the extra-step junkpile type, which we don't see enough of these days. What added to my enjoyment was that the HOS had lots of extra-step items. It wasn't just one or two, it was three, four, maybe even five. In addition to this, the HOS are mixed up every time you play them. I played one HOS and my game didn't save, so I had to play it again, and the objects were completely different! This is a great gameplay move by the developers as it makes things more interesting. Another good thing is that they appear frequently, but are spaced out. There were 5 all up in the demo, which gives me the impression that
The puzzles were decent too. Anyone that knows me will know that I am not a puzzle person, so that's saying something. I enjoyed attempting them and was able to solve quite a few. I liked their uniqueness, and how one puzzle tied in with the story. However, I found they were quite simple, so expert players will probably be frustrated.
There was something puzzle-related that just drove me nuts. I finished one puzzle, only to place the item I gained and go straight in to another one! Back-to-back puzzles just infuriates me and caused the fun factor of this game to decrease slightly. The developers should work on not letting this happen again.
The puzzles were decent too. Anyone that knows me will know that I am not a puzzle person, so that's saying something. I enjoyed attempting them and was able to solve quite a few. I liked their uniqueness, and how one puzzle tied in with the story. However, I found they were quite simple, so expert players will probably be frustrated.
There was something puzzle-related that just drove me nuts. I finished one puzzle, only to place the item I gained and go straight in to another one! Back-to-back puzzles just infuriates me and caused the fun factor of this game to decrease slightly. The developers should work on not letting this happen again.
The sad thing is, when it comes to gameplay, that's basically it. The one big let down for me was that there was no additional gameplay features of any kind, be it something as simple as + objects or animal helpers, or something completely new. There are so many games with fantastic gameplay out lately that this one seems to fall down a little in comparison. The developer seriously needs to work on adding additional gameplay for their next game, because otherwise they're just going to get further and further behind. It's time to “get with it”, as they say, and make the gameplay more fun.
The graphics were pretty good here. They were clear and had a fair bit of detail, but I especially enjoyed the character designs. They looked incredibly realistic, almost like real people, and were drawn well. The colours are great, a nice change from the usual bright coloured stuff we've been seeing lately. The developer's choice of colours was quite good as it was realistic and made me feel like I was in a real place.
The voice-overs have Mexican accents, which fits the theme of the game well, but are otherwise just standard. I have no problem with them.
The voice-overs have Mexican accents, which fits the theme of the game well, but are otherwise just standard. I have no problem with them.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. The differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both charged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. However, I disliked the hint system. The Casual hint system included a lot of hand holding, making it extremely obvious what to do next. I like to play Casual to relax, not because I find the games hard. Developers need to work on this.
Diary- The diary was good for keeping track of events. It was a nice read.
Map- Regretfully, I didn't find the map very helpful at all. It was interactive, but it did not display all the unlocked locations, only a few, which really irritated me.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. The differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both charged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. However, I disliked the hint system. The Casual hint system included a lot of hand holding, making it extremely obvious what to do next. I like to play Casual to relax, not because I find the games hard. Developers need to work on this.
Diary- The diary was good for keeping track of events. It was a nice read.
Map- Regretfully, I didn't find the map very helpful at all. It was interactive, but it did not display all the unlocked locations, only a few, which really irritated me.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- Unsure if needed.
Built-in Strategy Guide- Shows locations of collectibles.
Achievements
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Collectible golden skulls (25)- These are hidden quite well, and you have to click on a certain area in the scene to find them.
Collectible morphing flowers
Bonus Chapter- Unsure if needed.
Built-in Strategy Guide- Shows locations of collectibles.
Achievements
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Collectible golden skulls (25)- These are hidden quite well, and you have to click on a certain area in the scene to find them.
Collectible morphing flowers
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The CE Bonus Content is incredibly weak. There's absolutely nothing in there that makes me even consider the CE. For the best value for money, I highly advise you wait for the SE.
The CE Bonus Content is incredibly weak. There's absolutely nothing in there that makes me even consider the CE. For the best value for money, I highly advise you wait for the SE.
This game was very enjoyable. I haven't enjoyed a game this much for a while. Everything about this game is fantastic, except for the gameplay. Unfortunately, due to the lack of extra gameplay features, I must give a four star rating to what otherwise would have been a five star game. If I was playing this game in 2012 or early 2013, I wouldn't have hesitated to give this five stars. But in 2014, the bar has been raised, and the developer needs to acknowledge that.
All that aside, this is one great game that you should thoroughly enjoy.
All that aside, this is one great game that you should thoroughly enjoy.
I recommend this game!
Enter the enchanted realm of the Snow Kingdom!
Overall rating
5
/
5
50 of 52 found this review helpful
WOW! Definitely One of the Best Games of the Year So Far!
PostedJuly 28, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED STANDARD EDITION GAME
This developer has always been amongst my favourites. Their latest offering is one of their best! It got off to a slow start, but it's so unique and fun that I will certainly be playing it again and again, and ranking it among the best HOPA games of the year.
I'm going to be honest here and tell you the story was really slow to get in to. In the beginning, everything coasted along as I expected it to, with no major plot twists. I was really questioning myself as to whether or not I should bother buying the game, even with the outstanding gameplay. But the demo ended with a great plot twist and I was left wanting more, which is what the end of the demo should do. So, I went ahead and bought the game.
I'm so glad I bought this, because the story just got better and better as the game wore on. After the demo, the story just got so much more interesting, and the plot began to unravel. The middle to end part of the story was really exciting, and had some great plot twists in it. We finally discovered why the villain was doing what they were doing, and it made me sympathise with then, which is what a great story should do.
I'm so glad I bought this, because the story just got better and better as the game wore on. After the demo, the story just got so much more interesting, and the plot began to unravel. The middle to end part of the story was really exciting, and had some great plot twists in it. We finally discovered why the villain was doing what they were doing, and it made me sympathise with then, which is what a great story should do.
However, every story has its flaws...
Towards the end of the game, some things were just a bit confusing. We ended up opening the portal to the Snow Kingdom, but it was rarely used. Why would it only be used very briefly after we went through all that work trying to open the portal? I did not understand this at all.
Another confusing element of the story was when one of the Ice Knights just randomly decided to lock us in a prison cell. Why was he doing this? Why now, and not earlier in the game? I have a feeling the developers just chucked it in there to increase the length of the game.
Towards the end of the game, some things were just a bit confusing. We ended up opening the portal to the Snow Kingdom, but it was rarely used. Why would it only be used very briefly after we went through all that work trying to open the portal? I did not understand this at all.
Another confusing element of the story was when one of the Ice Knights just randomly decided to lock us in a prison cell. Why was he doing this? Why now, and not earlier in the game? I have a feeling the developers just chucked it in there to increase the length of the game.
This game had a backstory, which explained why the events were happening. There were eight parts to this backstory and I enjoyed every one. The backstory was really interesting and I looked forward to unlocking a new part of it. Great job by the developers.
But the main question is, does this story end conclusively? The answer is yes. All events are tied up nicely, with no loose ends. However, because of the way the game ended, I think we're in line for a sequel sometime soon.
What I absolutely loved about this game was the gameplay. This game was so different and so fun. The HOS were changed, the puzzles were changed, and we had some great new features.
The HOS, for instance, were wonderful. They were just that tiny little bit different and were very, very fun to play! The HOS were a mix of standard junkpile and “assemble the item” junkpile. What I loved was even the normal junkpile were different! They were quite interactive, more than most. You could open draws, there were zoom locations with multiple items to find, and one HOS even had me making marshmallows! In the beginning of the game, the HOS did not appear as often as I would have liked, but in the middle of the game, they started appearing far more frequently. I'd say there were a decent amount in the game.
The puzzles were amazing too. Like the HOS, they were just that little bit different, but were incredibly fun. I absolutely loved playing the puzzles and hardly had to use the skip button. What was also nice was we could change the difficulty of some puzzles if we wanted to. I did this for one. I appreciate the thought and creativity the developer put in to these puzzles. These puzzles are definitely my favourite to come out of a HOPA game. I thoroughly enjoyed playing each one. What was even better was that some puzzles even had hints you could use. I've been asking for this for a while, so you don't have to skip if you get stuck, and was glad to see them here.
Like the HOS, the puzzles are evenly spaced out and there is a decent amount. The ratio of HOS:Puzzles was great too.
The HOS, for instance, were wonderful. They were just that tiny little bit different and were very, very fun to play! The HOS were a mix of standard junkpile and “assemble the item” junkpile. What I loved was even the normal junkpile were different! They were quite interactive, more than most. You could open draws, there were zoom locations with multiple items to find, and one HOS even had me making marshmallows! In the beginning of the game, the HOS did not appear as often as I would have liked, but in the middle of the game, they started appearing far more frequently. I'd say there were a decent amount in the game.
The puzzles were amazing too. Like the HOS, they were just that little bit different, but were incredibly fun. I absolutely loved playing the puzzles and hardly had to use the skip button. What was also nice was we could change the difficulty of some puzzles if we wanted to. I did this for one. I appreciate the thought and creativity the developer put in to these puzzles. These puzzles are definitely my favourite to come out of a HOPA game. I thoroughly enjoyed playing each one. What was even better was that some puzzles even had hints you could use. I've been asking for this for a while, so you don't have to skip if you get stuck, and was glad to see them here.
Like the HOS, the puzzles are evenly spaced out and there is a decent amount. The ratio of HOS:Puzzles was great too.
This developer has also added some great features in the game. First, we have + objects, which are objects you must interact with to complete. The objects that can be changed are indicated by a + sign above the object. Unfortunately, the + signs do not change colour when the object is ready to be interacted with, but I did not have a problem with this.
We've also got an animal helper, which comes in the form of a lynx, and you get to name. I called mine Fabian. There is a little indicator that appears whenever you can use the helper, which was really good. I loved each time I got to use the helper. My only complaint is that it wasn't used enough for my liking. I would have liked to see it used a couple more times.
Another feature, which is quite new, is the potions. You acquire 3 potions in this game, one you have to make, and two you just pick up. The potions are levitation, growth and revealing. Each potion is used quite a lot, and the potions do eventually disappear when they are no longer needed, which I thought was a nice, realistic touch. I loved the feature of the potions. It made the game so much more fun.
We've also got an animal helper, which comes in the form of a lynx, and you get to name. I called mine Fabian. There is a little indicator that appears whenever you can use the helper, which was really good. I loved each time I got to use the helper. My only complaint is that it wasn't used enough for my liking. I would have liked to see it used a couple more times.
Another feature, which is quite new, is the potions. You acquire 3 potions in this game, one you have to make, and two you just pick up. The potions are levitation, growth and revealing. Each potion is used quite a lot, and the potions do eventually disappear when they are no longer needed, which I thought was a nice, realistic touch. I loved the feature of the potions. It made the game so much more fun.
Even the basic stuff is done really well. We have 3 modes of difficulty, a diary (thank heavens), a working hint, and a map, which is really helpful. This made navigation easy and I was rarely lost in the game. I also found that the level of challenge was just right for me. It wasn't too easy, but not overly hard either. This added to my enjoyment of the game.
Overall, the developers have done a brilliant job of gameplay and must be commended on that. Gameplay wise, this is one of the best, if not the best, game to come out this year. I had an absolute blast playing this game. I was so happy that the developers actually put some effort in to making the game fun.
The graphics are absolutely outstanding. Every scene is drawn with a lot of detail, with the cutscenes especially brilliant. The cutscene artwork was done so well, the scenes looked real. I almost felt as if I was watching this happen in real life. The colours are great too and match the game perfectly. I also liked the character designs. Every scene was very clear. I did not have a problem with the graphics once. The developers must again be commended on their work here. I do have one small problem though. Subtitles did not appear in the backstory cutscenes, which was a bit of an annoyance for me.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. Hard gives you no help at all. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- At 30 seconds, I found that the hint recharged at a decent speed, although I wouldn't have minded if it was a bit longer. The hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- the Diary is useful for keeping track of events. I enjoyed reading the notes.
Map- The map was interactive and was very helpful. It let you know where you had tasks to complete.
Animal helper- Comes in the form of a lynx, which you get to name. There is an indicator to tell you when it can be used. I loved this feature, but it wasn't used enough for my liking.
+ objects- These are objects you must interact with to complete. + signs do not change when the object is ready to be interacted with.
Potions (3)- These are things you acquire that will help you throughout the game. This was a great feature as it really added to the whole fantasy thing. I really enjoyed using it.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. Hard gives you no help at all. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- At 30 seconds, I found that the hint recharged at a decent speed, although I wouldn't have minded if it was a bit longer. The hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- the Diary is useful for keeping track of events. I enjoyed reading the notes.
Map- The map was interactive and was very helpful. It let you know where you had tasks to complete.
Animal helper- Comes in the form of a lynx, which you get to name. There is an indicator to tell you when it can be used. I loved this feature, but it wasn't used enough for my liking.
+ objects- These are objects you must interact with to complete. + signs do not change when the object is ready to be interacted with.
Potions (3)- These are things you acquire that will help you throughout the game. This was a great feature as it really added to the whole fantasy thing. I really enjoyed using it.
WHAT DO I MISS OUT ON IF I BUY THE CE?
Bonus Chapter- absolutely not needed. The SE ends conclusively.
Built in Strategy Guide- pictures only
Achievements
Collectible snowflakes (35)- these do have a purpose. They unlock the trivia section.
Collectible magic objects (10)
Collectible magic scrolls
Concept Art
Wallpaper
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Music
Re-watch cutscenes
Bonus Chapter- absolutely not needed. The SE ends conclusively.
Built in Strategy Guide- pictures only
Achievements
Collectible snowflakes (35)- these do have a purpose. They unlock the trivia section.
Collectible magic objects (10)
Collectible magic scrolls
Concept Art
Wallpaper
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Music
Re-watch cutscenes
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I bought the SE and was happy with it, however, the CE does have some nice extras in it. There are quite a few collectibles, but nothing too special otherwise. I'd recommend the SE.
I bought the SE and was happy with it, however, the CE does have some nice extras in it. There are quite a few collectibles, but nothing too special otherwise. I'd recommend the SE.
Overall, this is an outstanding game. The developers have put in so much effort here and thus, deserve nothing less than a five star rating. Yes, this is completely different to its predecessor, but it is truly magical! Download the trial immediately, you won't regret it!
I recommend this game!
Sable Maze: Forbidden Garden Collector's Edition
Your parents always told you to stay away from the mysterious maze behind their house…. and you’re about to find out why.
Overall rating
2
/
5
19 of 26 found this review helpful
Now I Know Why I Hate Fantasy Games
PostedJuly 26, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
Daily Magic are such a great developer, but there was always one story genre they hadn't tried... fantasy. Well, they've tried it now and it was hands down their worst game ever. This is the third game in an already bad series, but the complete change of story genre was an awful idea.
If you liked the first two Sable Maze games because of their story, then you're going to hate this one. Instead of dark and creepy, this story is now cute, boring and the same-old stuff we see time and time again. The plot of the story (you know, lover scorned, two worlds, etc...) has been done over and over again. When you do a story like that, it's got to be fantastic, and this one really wasn't. I was bored from the moment it started, but I hoped it would get better. Alas, it did not. Nothing excited me at all, not even the cutscene at the end of the demo, which is supposed to leave you wanting more.
In addition, I found some elements of the story to be stupid, especially the little scene explaining the backstory. It did not make me want to continue my quest at all, and it made me dislike the father. If you do that to someone you're engaged to, of course she's going to hate you! So don't come crawling to me to solve a problem you created.
I also felt that some parts of the story were unexplained. For example, why was the mother turned in to an ermine and not knocked out like the father was? It was just confusing to me, and should have been explained somehow.
In addition, I found some elements of the story to be stupid, especially the little scene explaining the backstory. It did not make me want to continue my quest at all, and it made me dislike the father. If you do that to someone you're engaged to, of course she's going to hate you! So don't come crawling to me to solve a problem you created.
I also felt that some parts of the story were unexplained. For example, why was the mother turned in to an ermine and not knocked out like the father was? It was just confusing to me, and should have been explained somehow.
Overall, the story was a total shambles and just a boring waste of time.
The saving grace for this game, and the only thing stopping me from giving it one star, is the gameplay. I really enjoyed the HOS. I thought they were fun, just that little bit different, and slightly challenging. The HOS are basically those find and use somewhere else type junkpiles, with the exception of one, which was a fragmented object/junkpile scene. Both types were very enjoyable, and I loved whenever I got to play one. The HOS were spaced out fairly evenly; I played 3 in the demo. This gives me the impression that there would have been quite a few in the entire game.
The puzzles were also quite good. I was able to solve the majority of them, but did have to skip a couple of those story-puzzles because I couldn't find some of the pieces. This annoyed me quite a lot. I propose that maybe we should have had hints during these puzzles. It would have made them a lot more fun.
The puzzles were also quite good. I was able to solve the majority of them, but did have to skip a couple of those story-puzzles because I couldn't find some of the pieces. This annoyed me quite a lot. I propose that maybe we should have had hints during these puzzles. It would have made them a lot more fun.
Daily Magic has added some additional gameplay features; one I liked, one I did not. The one I liked was the animal helper. The animal helper in this game was an ermine, who was actually our mother. Animal helpers do not appear often these days, so I love when I get to use them. The animal helper was used quite a lot during the demo, which was really nice.
However, I didn't like the + objects. It seems Daily Magic has finally caught up to the rest of the developers by adding these in their games, but they've done it incorrectly. There are items indicated by + signs, but the + signs do not change colour when the items are ready to be interacted with, which made it really confusing to tell what could be used and what couldn't. This ultimately lead me to get stuck multiple times and I was forced to use the Strategy Guide.
However, I didn't like the + objects. It seems Daily Magic has finally caught up to the rest of the developers by adding these in their games, but they've done it incorrectly. There are items indicated by + signs, but the + signs do not change colour when the items are ready to be interacted with, which made it really confusing to tell what could be used and what couldn't. This ultimately lead me to get stuck multiple times and I was forced to use the Strategy Guide.
The level of challenge is also way out of whack. I got stuck multiple times for two reasons:
1) There was no indicator as to whether the + objects could be interacted with yet. The + signs did not change colour like in every other game.
2) There was no indicator of whether your animal helper could be used. Instead, text appeared like it normally would for using an inventory item. So, I was left wandering aimlessly, looking for stuff in my inventory that could be used on the scene. I only ended up passing these points out of sheer luck, when I just decided to use the animal helper.
1) There was no indicator as to whether the + objects could be interacted with yet. The + signs did not change colour like in every other game.
2) There was no indicator of whether your animal helper could be used. Instead, text appeared like it normally would for using an inventory item. So, I was left wandering aimlessly, looking for stuff in my inventory that could be used on the scene. I only ended up passing these points out of sheer luck, when I just decided to use the animal helper.
Something really needs to be done for the next game, I'm afraid. I just got too lost and confused. For starters, there need to be indicators for when something can be used so I don't have to use the hint all the time. Using the hint a lot just makes me feel dumb and takes away all the enjoyment of the game.
Upon looking at the basics, I was also very disappointed to realise there was no diary. I've been saying this a lot lately, and I'll keep saying until the developers listen: DIARIES. ARE. IMPORTANT. They help me remember important details from early on in the story, and I like reading the notes. Developers, please take note: bring back the diary!
Other than that, the basic stuff has been done well. We have a useful hint and the map is very helpful and interactive.
The graphics are good, but they were very bright. I know this is a fantasy game, but there was a bright colour overload here. That being said, I thought the scenes were still drawn with some good detail and the character designs were wonderful. Every scene was clear, even if a little bright.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue here.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue here.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are the usual. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected, so it wasn't too long, but there was no hand holding.
Map- The map was interactive and quite helpful. It let you know where there were tasks to complete.
Animal Helper- this came in the form of a ermine, who was used quite frequently. This was a great feature. However, there was no indicator of when the helper could be used, which was confusing.
+ Objects- this was executed so poorly. Usually, the + signs change colour when the object can be used, but this did not happen here.
Bestiary- This kept hold of all the animal pages you found. It was useless to the game, but quite enjoyable, in my opinion.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are the usual. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected, so it wasn't too long, but there was no hand holding.
Map- The map was interactive and quite helpful. It let you know where there were tasks to complete.
Animal Helper- this came in the form of a ermine, who was used quite frequently. This was a great feature. However, there was no indicator of when the helper could be used, which was confusing.
+ Objects- this was executed so poorly. Usually, the + signs change colour when the object can be used, but this did not happen here.
Bestiary- This kept hold of all the animal pages you found. It was useless to the game, but quite enjoyable, in my opinion.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- I doubt it will be needed..
Strategy Guide- The SG is absolutely USELESS! It doesn't mention when you have to zoom in on objects and doesn't show HOS solutions. This led to me being unable to solve the story-puzzles, because the game counted them as HOS.
Collectible jewelery (18)- Six sets of three. Not in every scene, I don't think.
Developer Diary- 31 photos of the development team.
Match 3 levels
Wallpapers (5)
Concept Art (16)
Music
Achievements
Bonus Chapter- I doubt it will be needed..
Strategy Guide- The SG is absolutely USELESS! It doesn't mention when you have to zoom in on objects and doesn't show HOS solutions. This led to me being unable to solve the story-puzzles, because the game counted them as HOS.
Collectible jewelery (18)- Six sets of three. Not in every scene, I don't think.
Developer Diary- 31 photos of the development team.
Match 3 levels
Wallpapers (5)
Concept Art (16)
Music
Achievements
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I will never, ever buy this game, but I would definitely say the SE is of better value. The bonus content is really poor here. There are next to no CE Extras. Very disappointing effort.
I will never, ever buy this game, but I would definitely say the SE is of better value. The bonus content is really poor here. There are next to no CE Extras. Very disappointing effort.
Overall this definitely goes in to contention for the Worst HOPA of 2014 award. This is the worst CE released this year, and were it not for the half-decent gameplay, it would have been an instant one star rating. I can't believe the developers changed the series completely. I would not buy this game if someone paid me to do it, and would quite frankly rather watch paint dry. It would be more interesting.
As the old saying goes, “if it's not broken, don't fix it.”
As the old saying goes, “if it's not broken, don't fix it.”
I don't recommend this game.