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
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Life imitates art with deadly results in this thrilling whodunit!
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
Wonderful Murder Mystery!
PostedNovember 17, 2013
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
Note:
BASED ON DEMO
BASED ON DEMO
I'll admit, I've always been a fan of murder mystery games, so when this came along, I was dying to try it (no pun intended). I downloaded the trial without hesitation, and I must say, this is a great one!
The story is amazing. There's no other way to put it. It's gripping and fascinating and has you on the edge of your seat. I enjoyed it from beginning to end of the demo and the demo leaves you on a cliffhanger that just leaves you wanting more. The story may have been done before, but it is done perfectly. I have to say this is the best story from Blam Games!
The story goes that your husband, an author, has been framed for crimes that he did not commit. These crimes are murders, all based on his latest book, The Last Performance. It is up to you to find out who the real killer is before it's too late.
I'm full of praise for the story, and I can't wait to see how it ends.
The story goes that your husband, an author, has been framed for crimes that he did not commit. These crimes are murders, all based on his latest book, The Last Performance. It is up to you to find out who the real killer is before it's too late.
I'm full of praise for the story, and I can't wait to see how it ends.
The gameplay is great, too. It's nothing we haven't seen before, but I found it fun and a little challenging in some parts. This is your standard HOPA. It has puzzles and HOS, as well as all features that usually come with it. There are 4 modes of difficulty including a custom, which lets you choose your hint and skip times, where sparkles show, turns the tutorial on or off, etc. There is also an option to turn the interactive map on or off, which is a new-ish feature, and one that will be welcomed by those wanting a challenge.
I thought the HOS were good fun to play. They were your standard junkpile with extra step objects. These HOS were the only type in the game as far as I could tell.
The puzzles were a bit more challenging. Some were easy, but others I found to be hard. The puzzles were the same as we've seen in all other HOPA'S. I found that I could complete some, but others I had to skip.
I've been critical of Puzzle-HOS ratios in games, but I have to say the ratio here is good.
Is this a game for beginners? I'd say yes. There is nothing here that beginners should not be able to handle.
I thought the HOS were good fun to play. They were your standard junkpile with extra step objects. These HOS were the only type in the game as far as I could tell.
The puzzles were a bit more challenging. Some were easy, but others I found to be hard. The puzzles were the same as we've seen in all other HOPA'S. I found that I could complete some, but others I had to skip.
I've been critical of Puzzle-HOS ratios in games, but I have to say the ratio here is good.
Is this a game for beginners? I'd say yes. There is nothing here that beginners should not be able to handle.
The graphics were quite good. They were drawn with a lot of detail and care, and the scenes were very clear. The character design was a standout for me. I found it to be wonderful.
The voice-overs were pretty much standard. They weren't over-done or under-done, just normal.
The voice-overs were pretty much standard. They weren't over-done or under-done, just normal.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are Hint and Skip recharge times and sparkles. Custom gives you the opportunity to set the game as you like. In Custom, you can change hint and skip recharge times, sparkles, and tutorials. There is also an option to turn the interactive map off.
Hint and Skip- I played Casual Mode, and I felt the Hint and Skip recharged at a reasonable rate. The hint is helpful outside HOS.
Journal. Keeps track of all case findings throughout the game. Used fairly regularly.
Map- the map is interactive, but can be turned off at the difficulty selection screen. The map is extremely helpful, letting you know where there are tasks to be done.
Russell's Book- occasionally, you will find pages from Russell's latest book, which detail the murders that are happening. These are displayed in cutscenes and are a great addition to the game.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are Hint and Skip recharge times and sparkles. Custom gives you the opportunity to set the game as you like. In Custom, you can change hint and skip recharge times, sparkles, and tutorials. There is also an option to turn the interactive map off.
Hint and Skip- I played Casual Mode, and I felt the Hint and Skip recharged at a reasonable rate. The hint is helpful outside HOS.
Journal. Keeps track of all case findings throughout the game. Used fairly regularly.
Map- the map is interactive, but can be turned off at the difficulty selection screen. The map is extremely helpful, letting you know where there are tasks to be done.
Russell's Book- occasionally, you will find pages from Russell's latest book, which detail the murders that are happening. These are displayed in cutscenes and are a great addition to the game.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Achievements
Collectibles
Wallpapers
Music (play music of the game)
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Microscope (not sure what this is)
Built in Strategy Guide
Video (re-watch cutscenes of the game)
Minigames (replay puzzles of the game)
Achievements
Collectibles
Wallpapers
Music (play music of the game)
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Microscope (not sure what this is)
Built in Strategy Guide
Video (re-watch cutscenes of the game)
Minigames (replay puzzles of the game)
So, to conclude, I believe this is one cracker of a game, however there is nothing in the CE that interests me, so I will wait for the SE. I guarantee you will love it, though, no matter what version you own!
I recommend this game!
These nursery rhymes are cursed, and your sister’s been taken by the Crooked Man!
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
Marvelous Game, But Once Again, I Cannot Give This A Five!
PostedNovember 15, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
For as long as I've been playing Hidden Object Games, I've always enjoyed the ones by Blue Tea. However, time and time again, they've failed to wow me. This one, though... It's different. I thoroughly enjoyed my hour trial (yes, this time, it went for an hour) and I will most definitely be purchasing the SE. Although I enjoyed the game immensely, I cannot give it a five star rating. You will find out why later in the review.
But first, let's start with the story. I've been critical with Blue Tea as of late for not making their stories exciting enough. It seems they've listened, because this story is marvelous! It began with a bang, and I was excited right from the get-go. Mostly, when games start well, the flame dies out about halfway through the demo, but not with this one! The story lost none of its excitement factor, and I was kept on the edge of my seat for the whole demo!
My main gripes and the only flaws of this game are with the gameplay, and these flaws are the reasons why this game does not get a five star rating. For starters, the ratio of Puzzles to HOS is ridiculous. During the demo, I found 7 puzzles and only 2 HOS! If the game were to go for 3 hours, based on the first hour, this would mean 21 Puzzles and only 6 HOS. I'd prefer it if things were a little bit more even! In my opinion, there are a bit too many puzzles and not enough HOS.
My second issue, and this is a big one for me, is that, if you skip a puzzle, the hint button gets TURNED OFF for a few minutes! This is completely wrong. It's like the developers are punishing those who cannot complete puzzles! This happened to me twice during the demo, and believe me, I tried and tried again, but I could not solve them. This lost an entire star for me. It's just not fair to punish people because they are not as good at puzzles as some others. Because of this, I simply cannot recommend this game to beginners. This is for people of higher skill level only.
Now, on to the HOS and Puzzles themselves.
The HOS were the usual Fragmented Object Scenes, in which you have to find different bits and pieces of objects. These fragments are broken up in to three different sections, and when all three sections are complete, they merge to form one item needed for your inventory. I found these to be quite fun and challenging.
The puzzles are also quite challenging, but solvable, granted that they take some patience to solve. Despite not being able to solve two, I was able to solve the rest after sticking with them for a minute or two. I did quite enjoy the puzzles, too.
My second issue, and this is a big one for me, is that, if you skip a puzzle, the hint button gets TURNED OFF for a few minutes! This is completely wrong. It's like the developers are punishing those who cannot complete puzzles! This happened to me twice during the demo, and believe me, I tried and tried again, but I could not solve them. This lost an entire star for me. It's just not fair to punish people because they are not as good at puzzles as some others. Because of this, I simply cannot recommend this game to beginners. This is for people of higher skill level only.
Now, on to the HOS and Puzzles themselves.
The HOS were the usual Fragmented Object Scenes, in which you have to find different bits and pieces of objects. These fragments are broken up in to three different sections, and when all three sections are complete, they merge to form one item needed for your inventory. I found these to be quite fun and challenging.
The puzzles are also quite challenging, but solvable, granted that they take some patience to solve. Despite not being able to solve two, I was able to solve the rest after sticking with them for a minute or two. I did quite enjoy the puzzles, too.
The graphics, like always, are simply AMAZING. Time and time again, the magicians at Blue Tea give us visual delights with their games. There is so much detail and care in them, and each scene is delightful to see. Each scene and HOS is so clear. Not one scene was fuzzy. Job well done, developers.
The voice-overs were standard. They weren't over-done or under-done, they were just right. No comment from me on the voice-overs.
The voice-overs were standard. They weren't over-done or under-done, they were just right. No comment from me on the voice-overs.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Normal and Hard. Differences are hint and skip recharge times, sparkles and black bar tips. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge fast for their difficulty. Hint is useful outside HOS, but is locked for a short period of time if the skip is used.
Map- map is interactive and highlights areas of interest.
“Cursed Items”- There are thirty (30) to collect and collecting one instantly refills the hint button. Not sure if these are a CE exclusive or not.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Normal and Hard. Differences are hint and skip recharge times, sparkles and black bar tips. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge fast for their difficulty. Hint is useful outside HOS, but is locked for a short period of time if the skip is used.
Map- map is interactive and highlights areas of interest.
“Cursed Items”- There are thirty (30) to collect and collecting one instantly refills the hint button. Not sure if these are a CE exclusive or not.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Built in Strategy Guide- contains step by step solution for puzzles. Given the skip situation, I needed to use it for most puzzles.
Achievements
Collectible notes/pop-up items
Bonus Chapter
Bonus Puzzles
Replay Cutscenes
Concept Art
Music (listen to music of the game)
Wallpapers
Built in Strategy Guide- contains step by step solution for puzzles. Given the skip situation, I needed to use it for most puzzles.
Achievements
Collectible notes/pop-up items
Bonus Chapter
Bonus Puzzles
Replay Cutscenes
Concept Art
Music (listen to music of the game)
Wallpapers
So, to conclude, I really did enjoy this game, but cannot give it a five star rating due to gameplay flaws. I do not believe the CE to be worth it, so I will wait for the SE.
I recommend this game!
The rich folklore continues with this exciting tale set in an old Slavic land. As Child of Spring, can you save the world from eternal winter?
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Is This Really The Sequel To One of the Best Games of 2013?
PostedNovember 14, 2013
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
3
/
5
I was looking forward to this for a long time and was overjoyed to find it available, so I downloaded the trial without hesitation. I must admit that my expectations were not met. In fact, I was a little disappointed. The problem with releasing another game in a series when the first one was so great is that you have to make sure the next one is equal to, or tops, the first one. This one did not. Don't get me wrong, though. This is still an okay game, and I played out the trial, but I won't be buying it.
The story was okay, however it was nowhere near as good as Chinese Healer. I actually found it quite boring at first, and it took a while to get in to it. Nothing interesting happened in the demo. It was somewhat disappointing. The whole goddesses of Spring and Winter thing didn't really settle with me. I found the whole story to be strange.
As much as I hate to say it, some of the gameplay annoyed me too. Even though it was to do with the game, the frozen scenes and spring brush really annoyed me. The whole idea of it seemed childish and it wasn't very fun.
I never thought I'd say this, but the animal helper was lovely! It wasn't cute at all, and it wasn't overused to the point where it became boring, it was used just the right amount of times. The animal, which you get to name, helps you at various points in the game by chewing things to shape them in to different objects. Some might argue that this was cute, but I did not think so. Sure, you got to dress him/her up, but that was your choice, and I chose not to do it.
On the basics, I thought the HOS were pretty good. There were two types: junkpile and silhouette. Both were fairly easy and I could navigate through them easily. The puzzles were a little different. From memory (I played the demo approx. a week before writing this review), I think I could solve one, but the others, I had to skip. It's a shame, really, because I'd like some easier puzzles. Other than that, and the first problem I mentioned, I have no issue with the gameplay. I found it rather enjoyable for the last 15 or so minutes of the demo.
I never thought I'd say this, but the animal helper was lovely! It wasn't cute at all, and it wasn't overused to the point where it became boring, it was used just the right amount of times. The animal, which you get to name, helps you at various points in the game by chewing things to shape them in to different objects. Some might argue that this was cute, but I did not think so. Sure, you got to dress him/her up, but that was your choice, and I chose not to do it.
On the basics, I thought the HOS were pretty good. There were two types: junkpile and silhouette. Both were fairly easy and I could navigate through them easily. The puzzles were a little different. From memory (I played the demo approx. a week before writing this review), I think I could solve one, but the others, I had to skip. It's a shame, really, because I'd like some easier puzzles. Other than that, and the first problem I mentioned, I have no issue with the gameplay. I found it rather enjoyable for the last 15 or so minutes of the demo.
Was it just me, or did these graphics seem a little bit... off? The graphics in the last game were a visual delight, but these seemed rushed in some areas, and were a little bit fuzzy in some places, especially in the cutscenes. The HOS, however, were extremely clear, as were the character designs.
The voice-overs had no issues for me. They were pretty standard, so I can't really make a comment.
The voice-overs had no issues for me. They were pretty standard, so I can't really make a comment.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom mode was not very good though, based on the fact that you could not turn off miss-click penalty. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge reasonably fast for Casual Mode, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary. Used fairly often, documents your findings throughout the game.
Map- the map is interactive and lets you know where your objectives are and where there are tasks to complete.
Spring Brush- Can be used to unfreeze frozen areas. I didn't really like this feature, as I found it childish.
Animal Helper- Good fun. You find him/her 15 minutes in to the demo. You get to name him/her, and it helps you by chewing up objects to create other objects. There is also a store where you can buy stuff to customise your animal, but this is a CE Exclusive.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom mode was not very good though, based on the fact that you could not turn off miss-click penalty. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge reasonably fast for Casual Mode, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary. Used fairly often, documents your findings throughout the game.
Map- the map is interactive and lets you know where your objectives are and where there are tasks to complete.
Spring Brush- Can be used to unfreeze frozen areas. I didn't really like this feature, as I found it childish.
Animal Helper- Good fun. You find him/her 15 minutes in to the demo. You get to name him/her, and it helps you by chewing up objects to create other objects. There is also a store where you can buy stuff to customise your animal, but this is a CE Exclusive.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Built in Strategy Guide- very helpful for solving puzzles.
Animal Shop- This is where you can buy things to customise your animal helper to your liking. I chose not to use this.
Collectible coins- these are the currency for your animal shop.
Achievements
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Screensaver
Wallpapers
Replay HOPs
Bonus HOPs
Replay Minigames
Built in Strategy Guide- very helpful for solving puzzles.
Animal Shop- This is where you can buy things to customise your animal helper to your liking. I chose not to use this.
Collectible coins- these are the currency for your animal shop.
Achievements
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Screensaver
Wallpapers
Replay HOPs
Bonus HOPs
Replay Minigames
This was nowhere near as good as its predecessor, Chinese Healer, but it's not a terrible game. Overall, I don't think it's worth the CE.
Three stars is the best I can do for this game. I just didn't have anywhere near as much fun with it as I did the other game in the series. I'll still recommend the trial.
Three stars is the best I can do for this game. I just didn't have anywhere near as much fun with it as I did the other game in the series. I'll still recommend the trial.
I recommend this game!
To save your father from a hideous monster, you've decided to sacrifice your own freedom. Now you must journey through a strange and magical land before time runs out!
Overall rating
2
/
5
14 of 21 found this review helpful
ERS's Bad Run Continues!
PostedNovember 3, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
After this game, I'm pretty certain that ERS are beginning to go down hill. For the second time in as many games, I couldn't finish the demo. I'll admit this is better than Two Doves, but it's still way short of being a good game.
The story wasn't good at all. From the start of the demo to when I quit, nothing interesting happened at all. The intro wasn't very good, but I had hopes. Turns out those hopes were let down. The biggest killer for me was that this story, like the last one, was WAY TOO CUTE! Where do I start? First, you dressed a fox in a skirt, then you went in to the magical land and found fuzzy blue flying things and some annoying creature called a “Weepie”, and that was just in the 50 minutes I played. I shudder to think what else might come out.
ERS need to realise that not everyone is a fan of cute. Some of us like creepy! Your last 3 of your last 5 games have been cute ones. Perhaps it's time for something different? Until ERS come out with something creepy, I won't be buying any more of their games. It's just beyond a joke now.
ERS need to realise that not everyone is a fan of cute. Some of us like creepy! Your last 3 of your last 5 games have been cute ones. Perhaps it's time for something different? Until ERS come out with something creepy, I won't be buying any more of their games. It's just beyond a joke now.
For a game with a horrible story, the gameplay is actually pretty good. For the third time in a row, we have the option of a custom difficulty, which allows us to set the game the way we like it. I thought this was really great.
The HOS are great, too. There are two types of HOS; junkpile and silhouette. Both were great fun, even though they were easy. I loved seeing those sparkles indicating that there was another HOS.
The puzzles were a little on the difficult side, although some of them had the option to switch difficulties. However, that didn't stop me from needing to skip most of them.
This is, pretty much, your standard HOPA. Experienced players should have no trouble navigating. This has everything you'd expect: Hint and skip, diary and a map. The only new-ish things are the helper and a taskbar, which were okay additions.
The HOS are great, too. There are two types of HOS; junkpile and silhouette. Both were great fun, even though they were easy. I loved seeing those sparkles indicating that there was another HOS.
The puzzles were a little on the difficult side, although some of them had the option to switch difficulties. However, that didn't stop me from needing to skip most of them.
This is, pretty much, your standard HOPA. Experienced players should have no trouble navigating. This has everything you'd expect: Hint and skip, diary and a map. The only new-ish things are the helper and a taskbar, which were okay additions.
The graphics are the same as always, but are still lovely. They are hand drawn with so much detail, and are a visual delight. Everything was so clear, and the character designs were great.
The voices just annoyed me. Especially when we got in to the other world. The voices of the creatures like the locust, the weepie and Little Johnny were just too much to bear. They were so annoying I skipped their dialogue, which is something I never do.
The voices just annoyed me. Especially when we got in to the other world. The voices of the creatures like the locust, the weepie and Little Johnny were just too much to bear. They were so annoying I skipped their dialogue, which is something I never do.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are hint and skip recharge times, sparkles and black bar tips. In Custom, you can alter things to suit your liking. Hint times range from 5-200 sec. I played Custom, with sparkles and black bar tips turned on, tutorial off, and hint and skip recharge times set at 35 and 45 seconds respectively.
Hint and Skip- hint is incredibly useful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events and also holds the taskbar.
Map- interactive and helpful.
Nightingale- This is your little helper for the game, and it is used quite a bit.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are hint and skip recharge times, sparkles and black bar tips. In Custom, you can alter things to suit your liking. Hint times range from 5-200 sec. I played Custom, with sparkles and black bar tips turned on, tutorial off, and hint and skip recharge times set at 35 and 45 seconds respectively.
Hint and Skip- hint is incredibly useful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events and also holds the taskbar.
Map- interactive and helpful.
Nightingale- This is your little helper for the game, and it is used quite a bit.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Built-in Strategy Guide. Very helpful when it comes to puzzles.
Collectible birds- these are stored in the Bird House.
Achievements
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Music
Replay HOS
Replay Puzzles
Replay Movies
Built-in Strategy Guide. Very helpful when it comes to puzzles.
Collectible birds- these are stored in the Bird House.
Achievements
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Music
Replay HOS
Replay Puzzles
Replay Movies
I don't see this game as worthy of a CE, even though I personally don't like the game myself. I'll be avoiding this one, as it's once again too cute for me. It's a shame what ERS has become, because they're going to start losing a lot of fans.
If you like this game, my advice is to wait for the SE.
If you like this game, my advice is to wait for the SE.
I don't recommend this game.
A murderous figure in a red mask haunts the streets of a small French town, and the mayor needs your help to track him down. But you soon discover that the mysterious Red Masque might not be the real criminal…
Overall rating
5
/
5
12 of 13 found this review helpful
Best ERS Game EVER!
PostedNovember 2, 2013
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
Note: Review is of completed COLLECTOR'S EDITION, with Bonus Content review at the bottom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This, by far, is the best Dark Tales game that ERS has produced. I was not hesitant in buying the Collector's Edition, and I do not regret it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This, by far, is the best Dark Tales game that ERS has produced. I was not hesitant in buying the Collector's Edition, and I do not regret it.
Where do I start with this magnificent game? The story is amazing, and I mean amazing. The story has brilliant twists that I never saw coming and, get this, you get to CHOOSE the ending! By this, I mean you get to choose who is the guilty one!
The main story goes like this: A criminal known as the Red Masque is attacking and murdering the Mayor's officials, and you and Dupin are called in to try and figure out who it is before he kills the Mayor. But, you begin to uncover some evidence that puzzles you, and really starts to make you question who is the guilty one. It all leads up to a dramatic ending, where you get to choose who walks away and who is locked up. As the game says at the beginning: “What is justice? That's for you to decide.”
At first, this seemed to me like a classic murder mystery, one that I did not see having many twists, but it's anything but! This is the best story to come from ERS, and perhaps the best ever!
The main story goes like this: A criminal known as the Red Masque is attacking and murdering the Mayor's officials, and you and Dupin are called in to try and figure out who it is before he kills the Mayor. But, you begin to uncover some evidence that puzzles you, and really starts to make you question who is the guilty one. It all leads up to a dramatic ending, where you get to choose who walks away and who is locked up. As the game says at the beginning: “What is justice? That's for you to decide.”
At first, this seemed to me like a classic murder mystery, one that I did not see having many twists, but it's anything but! This is the best story to come from ERS, and perhaps the best ever!
The game's challenge is a little bit of easy and hard. Most of it was easy, but I did struggle in certain areas, especially the puzzles. The puzzles were a little bit too hard for me, although I was able to solve some. To my regret, I did skip the majority. The puzzles are a mix of old and new.
There are two types of HOS: Classic junkpile and silhouette. They were mostly junkpile with a few silhouette ones in there. I liked both, but enjoyed junkpile more. Both were fairly simple and offered no real challenge.
This is basically your average HOPA. There were 3 difficulty modes, and you had the staples (Hint/Skip, map, diary). One thing I did enjoy (although I kept forgetting) was that you had to take photos of the locations with your camera in order to use the map. I found this a nice touch and it made the game more enjoyable. The game was considerably challenging at the start, but got a lot easier as the game went on.
There are two types of HOS: Classic junkpile and silhouette. They were mostly junkpile with a few silhouette ones in there. I liked both, but enjoyed junkpile more. Both were fairly simple and offered no real challenge.
This is basically your average HOPA. There were 3 difficulty modes, and you had the staples (Hint/Skip, map, diary). One thing I did enjoy (although I kept forgetting) was that you had to take photos of the locations with your camera in order to use the map. I found this a nice touch and it made the game more enjoyable. The game was considerably challenging at the start, but got a lot easier as the game went on.
The graphics are standard ERS, hand drawn and delightful. Every scene is clear, and the character designs are great.
The voice-overs are standard ERS. They weren't bad, but weren't amazing. My only criticism is that this is set in a French city, yet all voices have British or American accents. Here's a tip: French setting, French accents!
The voice-overs are standard ERS. They weren't bad, but weren't amazing. My only criticism is that this is set in a French city, yet all voices have British or American accents. Here's a tip: French setting, French accents!
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. I originally started on Advanced, but switched to Casual. The differences are: Hint and skip recharge times, sparkles and black bar tips.
Hint and Skip- both have reasonable recharge times for each difficulty.
Diary- Keeps track of events and also holds map. The Diary is used very often.
Map- is interactive, but only works if you remember to take photos of every location with the in-game camera.
Camera- needs to be used to make the map work. Just click on it and a photo is taken.
Scales of Justice- all evidence spheres are stored here. There is one side for the Mayor and the Red Masque. Here, you can review all evidence spheres, and place them in scales to determine who is guilty.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. I originally started on Advanced, but switched to Casual. The differences are: Hint and skip recharge times, sparkles and black bar tips.
Hint and Skip- both have reasonable recharge times for each difficulty.
Diary- Keeps track of events and also holds map. The Diary is used very often.
Map- is interactive, but only works if you remember to take photos of every location with the in-game camera.
Camera- needs to be used to make the map work. Just click on it and a photo is taken.
Scales of Justice- all evidence spheres are stored here. There is one side for the Mayor and the Red Masque. Here, you can review all evidence spheres, and place them in scales to determine who is guilty.
BONUS CONTENT REVIEW
Once the game is finished, you unlock the Bonus Content. The bonus content includes:
Achievements
Built-in Strategy Guide
Office (where you keep achievements and your kitten)
Collectible Cat Items (there are 5)
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Screen savers
Music
Replay HOS
Replay Movies
Replay Puzzles
Once the game is finished, you unlock the Bonus Content. The bonus content includes:
Achievements
Built-in Strategy Guide
Office (where you keep achievements and your kitten)
Collectible Cat Items (there are 5)
Bonus Chapter
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Screen savers
Music
Replay HOS
Replay Movies
Replay Puzzles
The achievements and collectibles are fairly easy to collect. The kitten was a nice touch, a really nice touch (I actually spent quite a lot of time in my office when I should've been investigating). The other stuff like the Wallpaper, Concept Art, etc. I don't use. The wallpapers and screen savers are not very good, just locations of the game.
The bonus chapter is the BEST chapter of the entire game. It opens up an entire new section of the game, and reveals to you who is really behind all the drama. The BC continues off from the main game, which has a conclusive ending. I absolutely loved the Bonus Chapter. It had a lot of twists, a great story and was wonderful.
The bonus chapter is the BEST chapter of the entire game. It opens up an entire new section of the game, and reveals to you who is really behind all the drama. The BC continues off from the main game, which has a conclusive ending. I absolutely loved the Bonus Chapter. It had a lot of twists, a great story and was wonderful.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, this is one cracker of a game. I absolutely loved it, and it's one of the few completed games I will give 5 stars. I personally recommend the CE as the Bonus Chapter is amazing, but you should be happy with either the CE or the SE.
To conclude, this is one cracker of a game. I absolutely loved it, and it's one of the few completed games I will give 5 stars. I personally recommend the CE as the Bonus Chapter is amazing, but you should be happy with either the CE or the SE.
On the game length:
On Casual Mode, I estimate the game to be between 3.5- 4 hours, which is an ideal game length.
On Casual Mode, I estimate the game to be between 3.5- 4 hours, which is an ideal game length.
I recommend this game!
Defeat the giant to save the world from destruction!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
So Much Fun, But Not Worthy of a CE!
PostedOctober 22, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
I have to admit I was a little hesitant when trying this game. Gogii are a hit and miss developer, and I didn't like the first Fairy Tale Mysteries, and I wasn't too sure how doing a game based on Jack and the Beanstalk would go, but I really liked it!
I'll start off by saying the story really wasn't interesting. Nothing excited me at all. It just seemed a bit childish. The only thing that was slightly interesting for me was the intro, which promised a fresh take on this. Apart from that, nothing took my fancy. There were no twists in the demo and everything went the way I expected. The only positive to this story was that it had clear progression.
While I didn't like the story, I have to say the gameplay was awesome! Gogii have a habit of creating fun gameplay, and they've done it again in this one. The gameplay is quite unusual, but wonderful. You are given are task, and there are items to find to complete that task. The way the game presents it, it's sort of a mini-HOS! The game doesn't make this straightfoward, though, as some items are locked and you must find other items first in order to get that item. This was very fun and kept me entertained for the whole demo!
The HOS and Puzzles were great, too. They were very fun, but very easy, too. The HOS included extra step objects, which is unusual for this developer, but a welcome change.
The puzzles were extremely easy. I had to skip only one. This is great for me, as someone who normally can't complete puzzles, but I know for sure that other players will slam this, as they like a bit of a challenge.
Apart from that, this is your standard HOPA. There's a hint, map and a diary, and the controls are fairly similar. If I had to say one thing that was bad about the gameplay, I'd say that there should have been a few more HOS, but that's just my personal preference.
My problem with buying the CE is that there is literally nothing to make me want to purchase it. There's the usual Bonus Content, like wallpapers, concept art, strategy guide and bonus chapter, but the only other thing is collectibles, and they aren't my favourite thing. I would have liked to have seen some achievements.
The HOS and Puzzles were great, too. They were very fun, but very easy, too. The HOS included extra step objects, which is unusual for this developer, but a welcome change.
The puzzles were extremely easy. I had to skip only one. This is great for me, as someone who normally can't complete puzzles, but I know for sure that other players will slam this, as they like a bit of a challenge.
Apart from that, this is your standard HOPA. There's a hint, map and a diary, and the controls are fairly similar. If I had to say one thing that was bad about the gameplay, I'd say that there should have been a few more HOS, but that's just my personal preference.
My problem with buying the CE is that there is literally nothing to make me want to purchase it. There's the usual Bonus Content, like wallpapers, concept art, strategy guide and bonus chapter, but the only other thing is collectibles, and they aren't my favourite thing. I would have liked to have seen some achievements.
The graphics are satisfactory. They were clear and had some great colourful detail in the scenes. They aren't the best graphics I've seen, but they aren't the worst.
The voice-overs are a mixture of British and American, which annoys me slightly. I would've preferred either all American or all British.
The voice-overs are a mixture of British and American, which annoys me slightly. I would've preferred either all American or all British.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty. Casual, Advanced and Custom. Differences are hint and skip recharge times and sparkles (glints). Custom allows you to change these three to your liking. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge fairly quickly for Casual, and the hint is useful outside HOS. My one problem with it is that it's hard to see sometimes.
Diary. Not used very often. Does not sparkle when new information is added.
Map. The map lets you know where there are tasks to complete and is interactive.
3 modes of difficulty. Casual, Advanced and Custom. Differences are hint and skip recharge times and sparkles (glints). Custom allows you to change these three to your liking. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge fairly quickly for Casual, and the hint is useful outside HOS. My one problem with it is that it's hard to see sometimes.
Diary. Not used very often. Does not sparkle when new information is added.
Map. The map lets you know where there are tasks to complete and is interactive.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Strategy Guide- Helpful for those who need solutions to puzzles or get stuck. The puzzle solutions give step by step instructions.
Collectible eggs- I'm pretty sure there are 40. They're relatively easy to spot.
Bonus Chapter- not sure if this is needed, as I only played the demo.
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Music (listen to the game music)
Movies (listen to game movies)
Strategy Guide- Helpful for those who need solutions to puzzles or get stuck. The puzzle solutions give step by step instructions.
Collectible eggs- I'm pretty sure there are 40. They're relatively easy to spot.
Bonus Chapter- not sure if this is needed, as I only played the demo.
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Music (listen to the game music)
Movies (listen to game movies)
I have to say, get the SE. It's the much better buy in this case, as the CE offers nothing except for a Bonus Chapter and Collectibles (unless you like wallpapers and concept art). This is a game that I love not for the story, but for the gameplay. This is a great game to pass the time, or one to fill up that last space on a punchcard. I can't wait for the SE to come out, so I can buy this gem.
The CE gets 3 stars as I find it not worth the extra price. However, don't let my rating put you off- this is awesome!
The CE gets 3 stars as I find it not worth the extra price. However, don't let my rating put you off- this is awesome!
I recommend this game!
When a young woman is found comatose by the side of the road with a bloody knife beside her, it's up to you to unravel her story!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
A Brilliant Game- One of My All Time Favourites
PostedOctober 19, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
NOTE:
This is a review of the completed COLLECTOR'S EDITION, with Bonus Content review at the bottom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is not only my favourite of the series, it's one of my most favourite games of all time. It's got everything I could ever want. A fantastic, unique story, fun gameplay, amazing graphics and more. I bought the Collector's Edition and was not disappointed.
This is a review of the completed COLLECTOR'S EDITION, with Bonus Content review at the bottom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is not only my favourite of the series, it's one of my most favourite games of all time. It's got everything I could ever want. A fantastic, unique story, fun gameplay, amazing graphics and more. I bought the Collector's Edition and was not disappointed.
The best thing about the game is the story. It's unique and just grabs you in from the moment it starts to the moment it ends. I simply could not stop playing it. The entire idea of going in to someone's mind is something I couldn't even imagine. What I loved about this story was that it was unique and explored something that had not been done before. Every chapter was a new part of the world, and each chapter had its own mysteries.
The story goes that a woman is found unconscious in the forest with a knife next to her, but has no knife wounds. She is rushed to the hospital, but doctors are convinced her injuries are psychological, and call you, the psychic, in to help. From here, you are taken on a journey in to the young girl's mind, and soon find the cause of her problems. While in the girl's mind, you are frequently given updates from the nurse at the hospital, telling you about new symptoms being found and cured. I found the journey to be a long and brilliant one.
I especially loved the villain in the story. She was evil, but her intentions were for Jane. I loved the background story we were given on her. I also loved the memory pages of both the villain and Jane, as they gave extra detail to the story and made it all the more thrilling.
I have to say that this is hands down one of the best stories I've ever seen in a game.
The story goes that a woman is found unconscious in the forest with a knife next to her, but has no knife wounds. She is rushed to the hospital, but doctors are convinced her injuries are psychological, and call you, the psychic, in to help. From here, you are taken on a journey in to the young girl's mind, and soon find the cause of her problems. While in the girl's mind, you are frequently given updates from the nurse at the hospital, telling you about new symptoms being found and cured. I found the journey to be a long and brilliant one.
I especially loved the villain in the story. She was evil, but her intentions were for Jane. I loved the background story we were given on her. I also loved the memory pages of both the villain and Jane, as they gave extra detail to the story and made it all the more thrilling.
I have to say that this is hands down one of the best stories I've ever seen in a game.
Not only was the story great, but the gameplay was too, even if it was on the easy side. I say the gameplay was easy because of the HOS and Puzzles. The HOS were all list with no extra step objects, and I was able to solve all of them (even the ones in the Bonus Chapter) with no hint (even if I did have to use the strategy guide to locate a couple of items).
The puzzles were fairly easy too. I was able to solve the majority of them, with only a few needing to be skipped. For the ones I had difficulty with, the strategy guide/walkthrough helped me.
The gameplay is fairly simplistic too. We've got the usual hint, diary and map, and the controls are the same. Experienced players like myself should have no trouble. I played the game on the second mode, and I hardly needed help. One thing I will comment on is that Elephant have improved their map from the last game. As well as being interactive, it now lets you know where there are tasks to complete. While this is a start, improvements still need to be made. I still got stuck a couple of times despite using the map.
The puzzles were fairly easy too. I was able to solve the majority of them, with only a few needing to be skipped. For the ones I had difficulty with, the strategy guide/walkthrough helped me.
The gameplay is fairly simplistic too. We've got the usual hint, diary and map, and the controls are the same. Experienced players like myself should have no trouble. I played the game on the second mode, and I hardly needed help. One thing I will comment on is that Elephant have improved their map from the last game. As well as being interactive, it now lets you know where there are tasks to complete. While this is a start, improvements still need to be made. I still got stuck a couple of times despite using the map.
The graphics, as always, are outstanding. There is so much detail in them, and real actors are used for the characters, instead of just voice-overs on hand-drawn characters. Everything was clear; I didn't once see any hazy scenes. Each room is a visual delight, with so much thought and care put in to the graphics.
I didn't find any problems with the voice-overs. None were over-done or under-done. They were simple and done just right.
I didn't find any problems with the voice-overs. None were over-done or under-done. They were simple and done just right.
FEATURES
3 modes of play: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore. Differences in the modes are hint/skip recharge times and sparkles. I played Advanced.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a reasonable speed for Advanced mode. The hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events. In the diary, you can see all of Jane's symptoms that you have discovered, as well as view all previous cutscenes.
Map- the map is interactive and displays areas where there are tasks to complete, as well as areas that have been completed. This was more of a help than the first game, but still needs to be worked on slightly.
3 modes of play: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore. Differences in the modes are hint/skip recharge times and sparkles. I played Advanced.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a reasonable speed for Advanced mode. The hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events. In the diary, you can see all of Jane's symptoms that you have discovered, as well as view all previous cutscenes.
Map- the map is interactive and displays areas where there are tasks to complete, as well as areas that have been completed. This was more of a help than the first game, but still needs to be worked on slightly.
BONUS CONTENT REVIEW
I found the Collector's Edition to be worth the money, as there was a lot of bonus content. There was the usual Bonus Chapter, Strategy Guide and Achievements, but in this CE, we also had an office and a shop, in which we could buy things to upgrade our office, which I thought was a nice touch to the game. Our currency is blue flowers, which are scattered evenly throughout the game, even in the bonus chapter.
Something unusual that I found in the bonus content was deleted scenes. There were two cutscenes that had been cut from the game, which I thought were nice.
I found the Collector's Edition to be worth the money, as there was a lot of bonus content. There was the usual Bonus Chapter, Strategy Guide and Achievements, but in this CE, we also had an office and a shop, in which we could buy things to upgrade our office, which I thought was a nice touch to the game. Our currency is blue flowers, which are scattered evenly throughout the game, even in the bonus chapter.
Something unusual that I found in the bonus content was deleted scenes. There were two cutscenes that had been cut from the game, which I thought were nice.
BONUS CHAPTER
The game ends conclusively, so the bonus chapter is not needed, but it is a nice addition to the story. Jane, who now works for you, has had strange dreams of a man in a navy uniform, and begs you to return to her mind. From here, you are taken on another journey, but this one is far more relaxing and peaceful. You discover the person in Jane's mind, and she is re-united with them and we have a nice, happy ending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The game ends conclusively, so the bonus chapter is not needed, but it is a nice addition to the story. Jane, who now works for you, has had strange dreams of a man in a navy uniform, and begs you to return to her mind. From here, you are taken on another journey, but this one is far more relaxing and peaceful. You discover the person in Jane's mind, and she is re-united with them and we have a nice, happy ending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is rare that I give out 5-star ratings to completed games, but this one deserves it. It was my favourite game for a long time and still remains a favourite today. I bought the CE, and do not regret it one bit. I strongly recommend this game, CE or SE.
On the game length:
The main game has 4 chapters, with an extra one in the bonus game. The chapters are long, like the last game. I'd say the main game took me around 3.5 hours to complete, with the bonus chapter an extra half-hour.
The main game has 4 chapters, with an extra one in the bonus game. The chapters are long, like the last game. I'd say the main game took me around 3.5 hours to complete, with the bonus chapter an extra half-hour.
I recommend this game!
The wolf has returned and Red Riding Hood is in danger - but this is no fairytale!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Great Fun To Play! Don't Let My Rating Fool You!
PostedOctober 12, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I've always found games released just as SE's to be a bit plain and average, but this one is not. When trialing it, something compelled me to buy it, and I was not disappointed. While I'll admit this game has some flaws, it is still an enjoyable game. I think I'll definitely play this again.
The story is what first got me hooked. I'm sure everyone knows that I'm a sucker for murder mysteries, but this one is different from most. It is somewhat lighthearted. While there is the serious side of trying to save your boyfriend from the Storyteller, there is also a funny side to it as well, especially with the discussions with the characters. This is not your typical bodies everywhere, blood on the ceiling murder mystery, but is a rather enjoyable break.
The main story is: Your boyfriend, Kevin, has been abducted by The Storyteller, and has cast you as the role of Red Riding Hood. Thus, you begin a whirlwind journey to stop the Storyteller and save your lover.
This story did have its ups and downs. The start was great, but then, about halfway through the game, the story did become a little bit tedious. However, near the end of the game, the story picked up again, and finished with the most amazing conclusion I've ever seen, and was one that I never saw coming, not in a million years.
The main story is: Your boyfriend, Kevin, has been abducted by The Storyteller, and has cast you as the role of Red Riding Hood. Thus, you begin a whirlwind journey to stop the Storyteller and save your lover.
This story did have its ups and downs. The start was great, but then, about halfway through the game, the story did become a little bit tedious. However, near the end of the game, the story picked up again, and finished with the most amazing conclusion I've ever seen, and was one that I never saw coming, not in a million years.
The gameplay is somewhere in between average and good. It's mostly Hidden Object and Adventure, with a couple of puzzles tossed in here and there. The HOS were fun, although they were not interactive, and were all lists. There were quite a few of them there, and I enjoyed playing them. The puzzles were not necessarily hard, but there were a couple I had to skip.
Other than that, this is pretty much your average HOPA. Experienced players should have no trouble navigating through. There is a hint, skip and diary, however, there is no map, which is a shame, because there was a lot of backtracking.
Other than that, this is pretty much your average HOPA. Experienced players should have no trouble navigating through. There is a hint, skip and diary, however, there is no map, which is a shame, because there was a lot of backtracking.
The graphics are somewhat average. They are clear, but I've seen much better. The designs of rooms and characters seemed very outdated for a 2012 game. A lot more detail should have been put in to the graphics.
There are NO voice-overs in this game except for the intro. This is a real shame, because it would have made the game much more frightening and much better.
There are NO voice-overs in this game except for the intro. This is a real shame, because it would have made the game much more frightening and much better.
FEATURES
2 modes of difficulty: Casual and Advanced. Differences are hint and skip and recharge times. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharged fairly fast on Casual, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary to keep track of events.
2 modes of difficulty: Casual and Advanced. Differences are hint and skip and recharge times. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharged fairly fast on Casual, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary to keep track of events.
Despite all its flaws, I did rather enjoy this game. If I was reviewing it based on how much I liked it, I'd give it a four, but as I am reviewing it out of five stars, like a true game reviewer, I can only give it a three. Don't let my rating fool you, though, this is a game with a great story and one that is good fun to play.
On the game length:
The game length for me was somewhere in between 3 and 3 ½ hours on Casual, with most puzzles skipped. This is my idea of perfect game length.
The game length for me was somewhere in between 3 and 3 ½ hours on Casual, with most puzzles skipped. This is my idea of perfect game length.
I recommend this game!
After your son, Bobby, mysteriously disappears, it’s up to you to find him in Surface: The Mystery of Another World!
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 5 found this review helpful
A Delightful Challenge!
PostedOctober 10, 2013
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Note:
Review is of completed STANDARD EDITION, with Bonus Content listed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, Surface: Mystery of Another World is a pretty good, challenging game. When I first finished it, I would have given it a five, but now, after finishing it again, I give it a four. A well-deserved four.
Review is of completed STANDARD EDITION, with Bonus Content listed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, Surface: Mystery of Another World is a pretty good, challenging game. When I first finished it, I would have given it a five, but now, after finishing it again, I give it a four. A well-deserved four.
The story is... Well, it's just strange, but in a good way. It's the perfect mix of creepy and gripping, and shows off the imagination of the developers. The game starts off pretty normal, with you and your son, Bobby. On a train home. All of a sudden, he disappears. At this time, I was still thinking this was pretty normal, aside from the creepy reflections in the water. As the game progressed, however, I began to discover that this game and its story were anything but normal. Instead of trying to save Bobby, you were now caught up in the world of Agonia, trying to save its world and yours from destruction and from the evil Lord Toriar, but all is not as it seems...
From there, the story just gets more and more interesting, followed by a twist that I wasn't really expecting to begin with, but as soon as it happened, I kind of knew that it was going to be like that.
The ending to the story is good and conclusive, so the Bonus Chapter is not needed.
From there, the story just gets more and more interesting, followed by a twist that I wasn't really expecting to begin with, but as soon as it happened, I kind of knew that it was going to be like that.
The ending to the story is good and conclusive, so the Bonus Chapter is not needed.
This game was a very big challenge for me. I found myself getting stuck a couple of times and had to rely on the hint towards the end of the game. However, the gameplay is standard HOPA, so you shouldn't really have trouble navigating. You have the usual diary and map, although I should point out the map doesn't help at all, except for transporting you to locations.
Where things started to get tricky for me was the HOS. They were a unique thing for me, as they were “inventory-HOS”, HOS that required items from your inventory to be completed. This was a challenge for me as I had to find the items to use and then complete them. Most of the time, this would mean I would have to leave HOS unfinished, some for quite a while, until I found the object. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I didn't enjoy them, I'm just saying they were quite challenging.
The puzzles were also quite challenging. I was able to solve a couple, but the rest I had to skip.
Where things started to get tricky for me was the HOS. They were a unique thing for me, as they were “inventory-HOS”, HOS that required items from your inventory to be completed. This was a challenge for me as I had to find the items to use and then complete them. Most of the time, this would mean I would have to leave HOS unfinished, some for quite a while, until I found the object. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I didn't enjoy them, I'm just saying they were quite challenging.
The puzzles were also quite challenging. I was able to solve a couple, but the rest I had to skip.
The graphics are great. There is so much detail in them, and they are a visual delight. The characters are real actors, so character design can't be commented on. There were no over-done or terrible voice-overs. They were just standard.
FEATURES
Diary. Keeps up to date with events and case findings throughout the game.
Map. The map is interactive, but as stated before, doesn't really help.
3 modes of difficulty- Casual, Advanced and Hard. Only difference is hint/skip recharge time and sparkles. Mode 3 does not allow hint/skip. I played Casual.
Hint & Skip- both recharge fairly quickly on Casual mode, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS.
Diary. Keeps up to date with events and case findings throughout the game.
Map. The map is interactive, but as stated before, doesn't really help.
3 modes of difficulty- Casual, Advanced and Hard. Only difference is hint/skip recharge time and sparkles. Mode 3 does not allow hint/skip. I played Casual.
Hint & Skip- both recharge fairly quickly on Casual mode, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- not needed. The game ends very well, and I, having owned the SE for some time now, see no need to upgrade.
Collectible flowers for a shop of some sorts.
Concept Art
Wallpaper
Achievements
Replay Puzzles (Could only replay a few)
Extra puzzles- can be unlocked by collecting flowers.
Extra videos
Bonus Chapter- not needed. The game ends very well, and I, having owned the SE for some time now, see no need to upgrade.
Collectible flowers for a shop of some sorts.
Concept Art
Wallpaper
Achievements
Replay Puzzles (Could only replay a few)
Extra puzzles- can be unlocked by collecting flowers.
Extra videos
So, to conclude, I believe the SE to be a much better buy, as you do not miss out on anything of great importance. This game was the first in the Surface series and was the start of something great. I recommend this for experienced/advanced players, but I would be a little cautious if you're a beginner. Overall, this is a great game that I have replayed many times.
On the game length:
There are 4 chapters, but don't be alarmed, these chapters are long. It seemed to take me ages to complete this game. I'm estimating around about 3.5-4 hours on Casual mode, so this is a fairly long game.
There are 4 chapters, but don't be alarmed, these chapters are long. It seemed to take me ages to complete this game. I'm estimating around about 3.5-4 hours on Casual mode, so this is a fairly long game.
I recommend this game!
Enter Ravenwood Park and discover the secrets hidden in the mists...
Overall rating
5
/
5
12 of 12 found this review helpful
STUNNING! Could This Be The Best of 2013?
PostedSeptember 27, 2013
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
5
/
5
NOTE:
Based on DEMO only
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was looking forward to this when I found out it was a murder mystery. I downloaded and played, and it's absolutely stunning! I will buy the SE with no hesitation!
Based on DEMO only
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was looking forward to this when I found out it was a murder mystery. I downloaded and played, and it's absolutely stunning! I will buy the SE with no hesitation!
The story is brilliant. As mentioned, it's a murder mystery that has many twists and turns you never see coming. There are already a lot in the demo. What starts out as a simple missing person case turns in to something a whole lot more...
As with other games from Artifex Mundi, you are told a backstory by collecting pieces of something (in this case, relief pieces). This backstory promises to be just as great as the main one!
This is definitely one of the best stories of the year!
As with other games from Artifex Mundi, you are told a backstory by collecting pieces of something (in this case, relief pieces). This backstory promises to be just as great as the main one!
This is definitely one of the best stories of the year!
The gameplay is amazing. You collect 35 pieces of evidence, and all are sorted in to categories on the evidence board. As you collect evidence, you unravel more and more of the mystery. I especially liked the interviews. These were a feature that we don't see in many games. When interviewing, you were able to select topics to ask the person you were interviewing. This added extra fun to the game, as this normally doesn't happen.
What I loved was the different HOS. There were 3 different types: Fragmented object scenes, silhouette scenes and the standard junkpile. All 3 were great fun to play, had extra step objects and had different difficulties.
The puzzles were a little hard. I could solve a couple, but I had to skip most of them. It's a shame that developers don't provide easy puzzles for players like me.
The CE adds extra fun to the gameplay. There are achievements, collectible butterflies and 30 other objects you must find. These are great CE extras from a developer who usually produces a sub-par CE.
The puzzles were a little hard. I could solve a couple, but I had to skip most of them. It's a shame that developers don't provide easy puzzles for players like me.
The CE adds extra fun to the gameplay. There are achievements, collectible butterflies and 30 other objects you must find. These are great CE extras from a developer who usually produces a sub-par CE.
The graphics are stunning, as we come to expect from Artifex Mundi. There is so much detail in everything, but especially in the character design. The characters almost seemed real. Everything is crystal clear and a visual delight.
No complaints with the voice-overs. They are standard for any game. They are not fantastic, but they aren't over-done either.
No complaints with the voice-overs. They are standard for any game. They are not fantastic, but they aren't over-done either.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge fast on Casual, and the hint is extremely helpful outside HOS.
Diary. Diary keeps notes, which keep track of events, and objectives.
Interactive Map, which is helpful in some cases, but not others. For example, it did not help me navigate through the tunnel. There was just one section for the entire tunnel.
Evidence Board- stores all 35 pieces of evidence you need to collect, and sorts them in to categories, based on their use to the investigation.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore. I played Casual.
Hint and Skip- both recharge fast on Casual, and the hint is extremely helpful outside HOS.
Diary. Diary keeps notes, which keep track of events, and objectives.
Interactive Map, which is helpful in some cases, but not others. For example, it did not help me navigate through the tunnel. There was just one section for the entire tunnel.
Evidence Board- stores all 35 pieces of evidence you need to collect, and sorts them in to categories, based on their use to the investigation.
CE EXCLUSIVES
30 collectible butterflies (not fussed about these)
30 “illusive” objects (not fussed about these)
Achievements
Built-in Strategy Guide- I only had to use it a couple of times.
Bonus Chapter
30 collectible butterflies (not fussed about these)
30 “illusive” objects (not fussed about these)
Achievements
Built-in Strategy Guide- I only had to use it a couple of times.
Bonus Chapter
While there are more CE Exclusives than usual, I'm not particularly fussed about them, so I will wait for the SE. This story delighted me from the beginning, and I can't wait to see what happens next! I STRONGLY recommend you download! You'll LOVE this one! This is definitely a contender for the best HOPA of 2013!
I estimate the game length to be around about 3-4 hours on Casual mode. The demo took me 53 minutes, which was 2 chapters. There are 7 Chapters altogether.
I recommend this game!