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
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For years, Barton Mansion sat abandoned, a haunting reminder of an obsession gone wrong. But something sinister still lurked there...and it's stirring.
Overall rating
5
/
5
57 of 69 found this review helpful
Daily Magic Can't Put a Foot Wrong!
PostedFebruary 13, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
FULL RATING: 4.5 (I didn't have the heart to give it four stars, though).
FULL RATING: 4.5 (I didn't have the heart to give it four stars, though).
In a year which has been lacking excitement in the HOPA department (2 games have genuinely pleased me this year), I was expecting big things from one of my favourite developers. Fortunately, they didn't disappoint!
Even though I LOVED this game, if I'm honest, the story was a bit weak. It had a great opening, and I was excited for what was going to happen next, but from there, there was a lack of events. There weren't any plot twists or suspense, and if the game hadn't been as fun as it was, I might not be buying. What I did like about this story though was the creep factor. There were cutscenes just as my interest was starting to waver, which would drag me back in temporarily.
The only exciting thing about the story was the history of the house, which was told through a couple of puzzles. It was the best part of the story for me, and the only component of it that made me want to find out more. I was instantly interested as to what had happened to the occupants of the house, so good job to the developers on that part.
Even with the lack of events/excitement, the demo did end well and I look forward to picking up where it left off. But I still think this story could have been done a lot better.
The only exciting thing about the story was the history of the house, which was told through a couple of puzzles. It was the best part of the story for me, and the only component of it that made me want to find out more. I was instantly interested as to what had happened to the occupants of the house, so good job to the developers on that part.
Even with the lack of events/excitement, the demo did end well and I look forward to picking up where it left off. But I still think this story could have been done a lot better.
Normally, with an uneventful story, I wouldn't buy a game, but the gameplay was EXTREMELY fun! For starters, the HOS were FANTASTIC, and I loved each and every one. This was probably the most fun part of the game, so I have no idea what all the complaints are about. The HOS came in two varieties: progressive junkpile or assemble the item, but most were the former. I breezed through the HOS, not because they were easy, but because I loved them so much. There was a good number of them too: There were 4 HOS in the demo. Because of my personal tastes, I would have preferred a couple more HOS and a couple less puzzles, but that's just me.
The puzzles were fantastic as well, but there sure were a lot of them! All up, there were FOURTEEN (14) in the demo! Now normally, if there were THAT many in such a short period of time, I would be ranting and raving like there was no tomorrow and you would never hear the end of it. But this time I don't mind as much, because the puzzles were both unique and VERY FUN! Yes, the majority of them were extremely easy, but I really don't mind, because I had an absolute blast playing them. That being said, I still think 14 is a little bit of overkill. The puzzles were very close together, and even though I loved them at first, I fear they will get boring after a while. I would have liked maybe a couple less puzzles, but again, that is just my personal tastes.
Unfortunately, due to the amount of puzzles, the adventure component was quite minimal. There weren't many locations to explore, nor were there many things to do in those locations, which was quite disappointing. I also found the adventure component to be quite easy. I rarely had to use the map and did not need to rely on map indicators, because every task was obvious. The adventure component was probably the low point of the game for me, but that being said, it was still quite fun. But for their next game, I definitely want to see more of the adventure component.
The game has done quite well with the additional gameplay features. There are two here: an animal helper and + objects.
The helper was a husky named Rocky. In my opinion, he was used excessively, but this was still very very fun to use. I loved each time I got to use him. Rocky was used realistically too, so he wasn't randomly sprouting wings, or reaching in to spaces too small. I absolutely loved this feature and hope it makes regular appearances as the game goes on.
The other feature is + objects. They were executed well, too. There weren't too many of them at once (the most was three) and there was an indication of when they could be used. Some also required more than one object to complete.
The helper was a husky named Rocky. In my opinion, he was used excessively, but this was still very very fun to use. I loved each time I got to use him. Rocky was used realistically too, so he wasn't randomly sprouting wings, or reaching in to spaces too small. I absolutely loved this feature and hope it makes regular appearances as the game goes on.
The other feature is + objects. They were executed well, too. There weren't too many of them at once (the most was three) and there was an indication of when they could be used. Some also required more than one object to complete.
The graphics were great, too. I liked how clear they were and how much detail there was. Character designs were good too, and I loved how there was lip-synch in the game. However, I do agree with the general consensus. This game really over-did it with the vines. I get the vines are a central part of the game, but there was just too much, all the time, and it grew tiring. This was a problem for me in Dark Dimensions 3, too.
The voice-overs are a little below average. I felt they were underacted in certain parts, especially by the voice-artist for Corrine. I felt the voice-overs could have been a lot more dramatic.
The voice-overs are a little below average. I felt they were underacted in certain parts, especially by the voice-artist for Corrine. I felt the voice-overs could have been a lot more dramatic.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I played advanced, and was pleased to see no sparkles (including on HOS) or map indicators.
Hint/Skip- both recharged at a decent speed for advanced mode, and the hint was useful outside HOS, sometimes acting as a teleporter.
Diary- Kept track of important discoveries, but unfortunately, it was picture notes only and no text.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job well for advanced.
+ Objects- The + objects were done well. There weren't too many at once and there was an indication of when they could be used.
Rocky- Rocky is our animal helper for this game. He is used a bit excessively, but was quite fun.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I played advanced, and was pleased to see no sparkles (including on HOS) or map indicators.
Hint/Skip- both recharged at a decent speed for advanced mode, and the hint was useful outside HOS, sometimes acting as a teleporter.
Diary- Kept track of important discoveries, but unfortunately, it was picture notes only and no text.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job well for advanced.
+ Objects- The + objects were done well. There weren't too many at once and there was an indication of when they could be used.
Rocky- Rocky is our animal helper for this game. He is used a bit excessively, but was quite fun.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solutions; does show collectibles.
Achievements
Collectibles- They were there, according to the menu, but I did not see them, nor attempt to find them.
Rocky's Room- This is a shop for Rocky. You can buy things with collectible coins scattered throughout the game.
Bonus Match 3 levels
Developer diary- one video, a few photos.
Wallpapers (6)
Concept Art (12)
Soundtrack
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solutions; does show collectibles.
Achievements
Collectibles- They were there, according to the menu, but I did not see them, nor attempt to find them.
Rocky's Room- This is a shop for Rocky. You can buy things with collectible coins scattered throughout the game.
Bonus Match 3 levels
Developer diary- one video, a few photos.
Wallpapers (6)
Concept Art (12)
Soundtrack
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The CE has some very tempting features, and quite a few more than the standard CE games. I reckon the CE is of good value, and it will be a tough decision for me, but I will buy the SE, becaue I think collectibles will be a distraction.
The CE has some very tempting features, and quite a few more than the standard CE games. I reckon the CE is of good value, and it will be a tough decision for me, but I will buy the SE, becaue I think collectibles will be a distraction.
MY PROGRESS
I finished the demo in 48 minutes. There are 2 chapters in the demo.
I finished the demo in 48 minutes. There are 2 chapters in the demo.
The new Dark Dimensions game is definitely my new favourite for the year. It is not perfect, but is certainly extremely close to it. I very much enjoyed my demo, in spite of negative reviews, and can't wait to see how this one ends. This earns an extremely well-deserved four and a half from me, but I will round it up to five, as I just don't have it in me to knock a star off for something so minor.
I recommend this game!
Margaret's soul has been broken into fragments and strewn across multiple worlds. Can you find them all and save her?
Overall rating
4
/
5
34 of 34 found this review helpful
Far From Perfect, But Enjoyable Nonetheless
PostedFebruary 13, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED SE
I bought this game months ago, but then ran in to some problems, so I gave up. Not being one to leave things unfinished, I restarted this game, and what I got was a great adventure.
The story started off really well. It had an exciting concept and was executed nicely. The game is straight in to the action from the get go, with exciting events happening at crucial times to keep me hooked. From there, the story was quite slow progressing, but I would get excited again with a great cutscene every once in a while. I absolutely loved about the story was the encounters with the villain. They were great fun and quite exciting. The story continued well throughout the demo, so I decided to continue.
From there, unfortunately, the story dropped off. While there continued to be exciting encounters with the villain, what the story lacked was the shock factor. There were no exciting twists, no unrevealed secrets that created suspense... nothing. Everything coasted along the way I expected it to, so after the demo, the story wasn't very exciting. The thing that kept me going was the great characters. I loved how the developers put a different personality in to every single one and how each dialogue reflected that. I also found the dialogue to be extremely well written. That was definitely the best part of the story, because there was a severe lack of events.
Even with the lack of excitement, the ending was still quite good. It still lacked in excitement, but was conclusive and had no need for the bonus chapter.
Overall, the story was okay. But for their next game, I would like to see this developer add suspense or plot twists... something to make the story interesting.
From there, unfortunately, the story dropped off. While there continued to be exciting encounters with the villain, what the story lacked was the shock factor. There were no exciting twists, no unrevealed secrets that created suspense... nothing. Everything coasted along the way I expected it to, so after the demo, the story wasn't very exciting. The thing that kept me going was the great characters. I loved how the developers put a different personality in to every single one and how each dialogue reflected that. I also found the dialogue to be extremely well written. That was definitely the best part of the story, because there was a severe lack of events.
Even with the lack of excitement, the ending was still quite good. It still lacked in excitement, but was conclusive and had no need for the bonus chapter.
Overall, the story was okay. But for their next game, I would like to see this developer add suspense or plot twists... something to make the story interesting.
The gameplay was much better than the story and was the main reason I purchased. I thought the HOS were good. They were laid-back and fun to play, and were just the right length. There were a good number of them, too. All up in the main game, there were 13 HOS. Even though they were enjoyable, I would have preferred them more if there had been a variety. All the HOS in the game were extra-step junkpile and, while fun, even that gets boring after a while. I would have liked to see some silhouette scenes.
My biggest problem with this game was the puzzles. I did not really enjoy them at all. Not only were they basic, and super easy, but there were just WAY too many of them! They were everywhere... the game just seemed to be puzzle after puzzle, and it was infuriating. Just to prove my point, twice in the game, there was an instance where there was three puzzles IN A ROW! ONE AFTER THE OTHER! That is absolutely ridiculous. All up, there were a mind-numbing 40 PUZZLES in the game. I wouldn't have minded if they were fun or unique, but instead they were just the same old bore I see time and time again. There is a huge need for improvement here.
Because there were so many puzzles, the adventure component was extremely minimal. What there was was quite fun, even if it was extremely basic. I quite enjoyed going through the game. Because of its basic design, the gameplay is also extremely easy, which will annoy seasoned HOPA players. However, I also feel that if the game had been harder, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it as much. But I would have definitely liked to see less puzzles and more of the adventure component.
One thing the game did quite well on was additional features. There were three in this game: + objects, powers, and the harlequin, all of which I loved. The + objects were executed well, because there wasn't too many of them, and they required more than one object to complete. However, what I found annoying about them was that there was no indication of when they could be used. I like to have this there for enjoyment reasons. I hope the developers put it in their next game.
Another feature was the powers... and I absolutely LOVED them! They made the game so much more fun and honestly made me overlook the lack of a story. Upon entering each new world, one of the inhabitants gives you a power which will help you on in the game.There are 4 powers in the game and each one is used a lot. However, once you don't have anything to do in a world, the power you got there is rarely used again. I would have liked to see all powers used throughout the game.
The other feature was the harlequin, which was fantastic and very fun to use. It resided in the inventory, so didn't get in the way of the game. It was used quite often, its main purpose being to fix things. I found it made the game a lot more fun.
Another feature was the powers... and I absolutely LOVED them! They made the game so much more fun and honestly made me overlook the lack of a story. Upon entering each new world, one of the inhabitants gives you a power which will help you on in the game.There are 4 powers in the game and each one is used a lot. However, once you don't have anything to do in a world, the power you got there is rarely used again. I would have liked to see all powers used throughout the game.
The other feature was the harlequin, which was fantastic and very fun to use. It resided in the inventory, so didn't get in the way of the game. It was used quite often, its main purpose being to fix things. I found it made the game a lot more fun.
The graphics were good, but definitely not the best I've seen. The worlds are very imaginative and character designs are fantastic. The scenes have nice detail, but I felt the graphics were a tad outdated. The characters also don't have lip-synch, which was annoying.
The voice-overs were quite impressive. The voice artists have done a fantastic job on them. They were acted extremely well and added drama to the dialogue.
The voice-overs were quite impressive. The voice artists have done a fantastic job on them. They were acted extremely well and added drama to the dialogue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I played Advanced. I loved how it had no sparkles or map indicators!
Hint/Skip- both recharged at a decent speed for advanced. Hint was helpful outside HOS and sometimes acted as a teleporter.
Dossier- Kind of a replacement for the diary. Lists notes, characters and objects. However, it did not list important events, which was annoying.
Map- The map was interactive and quite helpful. It did its job on each difficulty.
+ Objects- Weren't too many, but enough to make it a feature. Each required more than one object to complete, which was good. I wish there was an indication though.
Harlequin- Extremely fun to use. Used quite often.
Powers- There were 4 in the game- one for each world- and each was extremely fun to use and raised my enjoyment level tremendously. However, once I left the world, the other powers were used rarely.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I played Advanced. I loved how it had no sparkles or map indicators!
Hint/Skip- both recharged at a decent speed for advanced. Hint was helpful outside HOS and sometimes acted as a teleporter.
Dossier- Kind of a replacement for the diary. Lists notes, characters and objects. However, it did not list important events, which was annoying.
Map- The map was interactive and quite helpful. It did its job on each difficulty.
+ Objects- Weren't too many, but enough to make it a feature. Each required more than one object to complete, which was good. I wish there was an indication though.
Harlequin- Extremely fun to use. Used quite often.
Powers- There were 4 in the game- one for each world- and each was extremely fun to use and raised my enjoyment level tremendously. However, once I left the world, the other powers were used rarely.
WHAT DO I MISS OUT ON IF I BUY THE SE?
Bonus Chapter- absolutely not needed. Game is 100% conclusive.
Built-in Strategy Guide- I managed just fine wihout it. Doesn't show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Boudoir- from memory, there were collectibles in the game. They are stored here.
Museum- I'm unsure what this is.
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Soundtrack
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Bonus Chapter- absolutely not needed. Game is 100% conclusive.
Built-in Strategy Guide- I managed just fine wihout it. Doesn't show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Boudoir- from memory, there were collectibles in the game. They are stored here.
Museum- I'm unsure what this is.
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Soundtrack
Replay HOS & Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I got the SE. I was extremely happy with it. There were not many features in the CE, nor were any interesting. I think the SE is fine on its own and advise this is the one you get.
I got the SE. I was extremely happy with it. There were not many features in the CE, nor were any interesting. I think the SE is fine on its own and advise this is the one you get.
ON THE GAME LENGTH
The game was about 3.5 hours for me, which is a great length.
The game was about 3.5 hours for me, which is a great length.
WOULD I PLAY THIS GAME AGAIN?
Absolutely. Even with the lack of story, it was quite entertaining.
Absolutely. Even with the lack of story, it was quite entertaining.
While this game was far from perfect, it was quite entertaining, and has made me interested in future works from this developer. However, I still think there is tremendous room for improvement. I give this game a well-deserved four stars.
I recommend this game!
Ice giants are attacking citizens as a deadly blizzard arrives.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 6 found this review helpful
A Fantastic Follow-Up To One Of My Favourite Games
PostedFebruary 7, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
MariaGlorum's last game (League of Light: Wicked Harvest) was one of my favourites of 2014, so this next game obviously had some high expectations to meet. Well, I can gladly say, this game has met those expectations!
The story was good, but not the best I've seen. The opening, which is meant to drag you in to the game, was unexciting and the story took a while to get in to, but I stuck with it. Relatively speaking, the story was largely uneventful for the demo. It was slow progressing and had a lack of twists in the early goings. What kept me interested in this story was the suspense. There was the beginning of a backstory. I began to want more, demand answers, which is what a story should be doing. I also liked that the developers did not reveal the villain straightaway, which was a part of the suspense, and made me keep playing on to find out who they were and what their motive was. The real twist during the demo period came right at the end and, after all the suspense, I was hoping it would be good... and it was! It was totally unexpected, and got me really excited. I just had to know what happened next! Demo's are always meant to end on cliffhangers, and the developers have totally nailed it here!
The main reason I loved this game was not the story, but the gameplay. The HOS were very fun and I absolutely loved them. They were mainly progressive silhouette scenes, with only the one being normal junkpile. At first I thought that the scenes would be a breeze, but looks can be deceiving! To the developers' credit, they tried to make their scenes as hard as possible. Some objects were hidden quite well, and I had to use the hint quite a few times! The quantity of HOS was also good; there were 4 in the demo and they were well spaced out.
The thing I loved most about the last game by this developer was how fun the puzzles were. They turned my most hated thing in to my most loved, so I was eager to see what the puzzles would be like in this game. I am happy to say, the puzzles are just as fun! They are different from the norm and, although they are quite easy, they are incredibly fun! I absolutely loved each time I got to play them, and I made sure I completed every single one! They were some of the best puzzles I've seen in the game. It's because of that that I've got no misgivings about the quantity. Usually I would say 7 puzzles in a demo is WAY too much, but this time, I don't mind! In fact, I hope to see a lot more of them as the game goes on.
The adventure component was quite minimal and basic, but for some reason it was extremely fun. I had a blast playing it and just wanted to play for hours. If I had to pick one fault with the gameplay, I would say it was that the adventure component was exceptionally easy. There was no thinking required- I always knew what I had to do next. However, I also believe that if the game had been harder, I would not have had as much fun as I did. With the easiness of the gameplay, I was able to focus more on having fun than anything else.
The biggest problem I found with the gameplay was the difficulty levels. Advanced mode still had map indicators on, so of course, I customised and turned them off. However, as I played the game and went to use the map, THERE WERE STILL MAP INDICATORS THERE! I don't know if this is a glitch, or if the map indicators appear after you use a hint, but they still shouldn't be present at all if I've turned them off. This was basically the low point of otherwise perfect gameplay. If I turn map indicators off, they need to remain OFF, whether I use a hint or not.
The biggest problem I found with the gameplay was the difficulty levels. Advanced mode still had map indicators on, so of course, I customised and turned them off. However, as I played the game and went to use the map, THERE WERE STILL MAP INDICATORS THERE! I don't know if this is a glitch, or if the map indicators appear after you use a hint, but they still shouldn't be present at all if I've turned them off. This was basically the low point of otherwise perfect gameplay. If I turn map indicators off, they need to remain OFF, whether I use a hint or not.
The only additional gameplay feature was + objects. They were done well. I liked how there weren't too many at once and there was also an indication of when they could be used (although this could be turned off). I would have liked to see another additional feature... maybe a helper? Or maybe something specific to that game.
Basic features have been done well, save for map problems. The hint and skip recharge at decent speeds, but I was disappointed with the fact that there was no diary, especially since it was present in the last game. Diaries are definitely an important feature, so I have no idea why developers are leaving them out.
The graphics were absolutely brilliant. They were exceptionally clear, drawn with some great, lifelike detail and had great colours. Not once were they hazy. The character designs are also very lifelike.
Unlike most people, I had no problem with Kira's voice, nor any of the voice-overs.
Unlike most people, I had no problem with Kira's voice, nor any of the voice-overs.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Expert and Custom. I ran in to some problems with these difficulties. I customised to turn map indicators off, but they still appeared. I played in advanced mode with indicators off.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for advanced mode and the hint is helpful outside HOS.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job on lower difficulties.
+ Objects- These were done well. There is an indication of when they can be used and there weren't too many at once.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Expert and Custom. I ran in to some problems with these difficulties. I customised to turn map indicators off, but they still appeared. I played in advanced mode with indicators off.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for advanced mode and the hint is helpful outside HOS.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job on lower difficulties.
+ Objects- These were done well. There is an indication of when they can be used and there weren't too many at once.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS Solutions
Achievements
Collectible figurines- I took a peek at the bonus content and saw that there were only 6 figurines in there, which was quite disappointing.
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Soundtrack
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS Solutions
Achievements
Collectible figurines- I took a peek at the bonus content and saw that there were only 6 figurines in there, which was quite disappointing.
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Soundtrack
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
There is absolutely nothing in the CE that makes it remotely worth buying. It would be a waste of money, in my opinion, to get the CE. I strongly advise you to wait for the SE.
There is absolutely nothing in the CE that makes it remotely worth buying. It would be a waste of money, in my opinion, to get the CE. I strongly advise you to wait for the SE.
MY PROGRESS
I finished the demo in 47 minutes. There were 2 chapters in the demo.
I finished the demo in 47 minutes. There were 2 chapters in the demo.
This developer has followed up extremely well from their previous game. This is one of the best games to come out so far this year and I can't wait to see how it ends. It earns a well deserved four star rating from me.
I recommend this game!
Can you uncover what’s causing the strange symptoms in Blackwill?
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 9 found this review helpful
Great Story, Poorly Executed Gameplay
PostedFebruary 5, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
This developer was new to me, so I wasn't sure what to expect, and the fact that I wasn't a fan of the series meant I wasn't excited for this game. Unfortunately, this game hasn't made me a fan of either.
The story was actually quite good. It had an exciting concept and was done well for the most part. I especially liked the fact that we started the game as the girl rather than the doctor; it made for a more exciting opening. After the opening, the rest of the story remained quite good, with a very exciting twist in the early goings to get me hooked. From there, the story ran in to an issue with me, due to poorly written dialogue to set up tasks. This came in the form of the mechanic, who refused to help us fix the car because “it's my day off”, and then when we tell him a girl's life is at stake, he says he'll help us if we beat him at a game of battleships; and even after we win, he hands us a car repair manual. I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous and unrealistic. If a girl's life really did depend on having a car fixed, ANY mechanic would hurry to help, even if it was his day off. Developers need to understand that stories set in real situations need to have realistic things happen, otherwise it takes away from the story.
By the time all that was finished, I had nearly reached the end of the demo. The demo's ending was good, but not shocking, and not really a cliffhanger making me rush to get my card out. I think the developers should have worked on this a little more to get it just right.
Overall, a good story, but one that needed a couple of tweaks.
By the time all that was finished, I had nearly reached the end of the demo. The demo's ending was good, but not shocking, and not really a cliffhanger making me rush to get my card out. I think the developers should have worked on this a little more to get it just right.
Overall, a good story, but one that needed a couple of tweaks.
As good as the story was, I am put off buying this by some issues with th gameplay. I'll start with the positives first and tell you that the HOS were pretty good, even if there was a severe lack in quantity. The HOS came in two different forms: extra-step junkpile word list and silhouette. Even though the HOS were easy, they were quite fun. I would have liked the silhouette scenes to be the progressive ones though (find one item, use it to get another). As I said, there is a severe lack in quantity of the HOS. There are only 2 in the entire demo I wouldn't have minded if there was a heavy adventure component, but it was the same as most other HOPAS. To have only 2 HOS in the demo is completely unnaceptable, especially when compared to the amount of puzzles.
Speaking of puzzles, I really didn't like them at all. Firstly, there were just far too many for my personal taste. There were about 8 in the demo, and they were so close together it was just ridiculous. Secondly, if you're going to have that many puzzles in such a short time, you should at least make them enjoyable, and these puzzles were the antonym of enjoyable. The only one I even remotely enjoyed was the battleships one. The puzzles in this game were too hard for me, and I had to skip every single one. I think the developers should make their puzzles a little easier (and a lot more FUN) for the next game.
The adventure component was okay. It was prominent and fun, but quite basic, with a lack of innovation. Because it was basic, it was actually quite easy. This was also due in part to the horrendous difficulty levels. There were three choices: Casual, Expert and Custom. Expert has absolutely no help at all, and the customisation was extremely limited, so it was basically a choice of a fast refilling hint or nothing at all. This was extremely disappointing. I think, for their next game, the developers should consider adding another difficulty level. I also think a lack of innovation and variation in the adventure component had an impact on the fun factor. While the game was a little fun (with the exception of the puzzles), I think some extra features or something a little different would have raised the fun factor tremendously. I think the gameplay represents a missed opportunity for these developers. For their next game, I suggest adding more innovation and not being afraid to experiment.
There was only the one additional feature in this game: + objects. Unfortunately, they were not as well executed as I would have liked. In fact, they were quite strange. There were just too many at the one time. In fact, there was a point in the game where I had four inventory items and every single one of them was a plus object. Then, they were all used, bang bang, one right after the other. So I went from having four + objects in my inventory to none in about a minute. Overusing a feature, be it having too many at once or using too much at once, really takes the fun out of it, and I think this is something the developers need to learn for their next game.
The graphics, quite honestly, are just brilliant. They are drawn with wonderful detail, very sharp and exceptionally clear. There are nice colours that suit the atmosphere well, and the characters look extremely lifelike. The characters even have lip-synch, so the developers have done an exceptional job.
The voice-overs were good for the most part, save for the voice of the nurse. It was a slow, droning bore that almost put me to sleep. I think the part of the nurse was terribly underacted and should have been done a lot better.
The voice-overs were good for the most part, save for the voice of the nurse. It was a slow, droning bore that almost put me to sleep. I think the part of the nurse was terribly underacted and should have been done a lot better.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Expert and Custom. These are probably the worst difficulty modes I've ever seen. Expert offers no help and customisation is limited. I customied, turning off sparkles and map indicators.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for Casual. Hint is helpful outside HOS. Unfortunately, you start the game waiting for the hint to charge.
Diary- I loved it. It was good for keeping track of events and also nice to read the character's thoughts.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job on Casual. I found it to be quite helpful.
+ Objects- These were poorly executed. There were too many at once, or they were used all at once.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Expert and Custom. These are probably the worst difficulty modes I've ever seen. Expert offers no help and customisation is limited. I customied, turning off sparkles and map indicators.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for Casual. Hint is helpful outside HOS. Unfortunately, you start the game waiting for the hint to charge.
Diary- I loved it. It was good for keeping track of events and also nice to read the character's thoughts.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job on Casual. I found it to be quite helpful.
+ Objects- These were poorly executed. There were too many at once, or they were used all at once.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Unfortunately, it was really difficult to judge the bonus content as the game wouldn't let me see half of it during the demo.
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Replay cutscenes
Play Battleships
Replay HOS
Aquarium- This was basically a shop where you could buy things for a pet fish (which you get to name). There are collectible black pearls which act as currency. They are easy to spot. If they are in a zoom area, the game continues to let you zoom in until you've collected the pearls.
That was all I could see during the demo. There were two other things with locks on them.
Unfortunately, it was really difficult to judge the bonus content as the game wouldn't let me see half of it during the demo.
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Replay cutscenes
Play Battleships
Replay HOS
Aquarium- This was basically a shop where you could buy things for a pet fish (which you get to name). There are collectible black pearls which act as currency. They are easy to spot. If they are in a zoom area, the game continues to let you zoom in until you've collected the pearls.
That was all I could see during the demo. There were two other things with locks on them.
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
This game only seems to have the basics, so it is really not worth the extra cash. There are no enticing CE Extras to make me even consider buying the CE. I would definitely advise you to wait for the SE.
This game only seems to have the basics, so it is really not worth the extra cash. There are no enticing CE Extras to make me even consider buying the CE. I would definitely advise you to wait for the SE.
MY PROGRESS
I finished the demo in 43 minutes. There were 2 chapters in the demo.
I finished the demo in 43 minutes. There were 2 chapters in the demo.
This game had the potential to be one of the best games of the year, but was unfortunately let down by terrible puzzles and poor execution of basic components. I did enjoy my demo, but that was as far as I will go with this one. It earns a three star rating from me.
I recommend this game!
A mysterious plague is sweeping through towns along the coast, and you're the only one who knows the truth!
Overall rating
3
/
5
19 of 21 found this review helpful
If Only The Story Had Been Good...
PostedFebruary 1, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
BASED ON DEMO '
FULL RATING: 3.5
FULL RATING: 3.5
The original Sea of Lies game (Mutiny of the Heart) is one of my favourites of all time, so naturally, any sequels spawning from it had high expectations. After the bomb which was the second one, I did not hold high hopes for a third. While this was better than I thought, it still wasn't enough for me to buy it.
I'll tell you straight up that the reason I'm not buying this game is the story. And why is that? Put simply: it was boring, poorly executed and unexciting. The opening wasn't very good and really should have been done much better. The job of an opening is to hook a player in, and this one really failed. From there, there was not much excitement. Everything that happened (with the exception of one thing) was either expected or poorly executed. That one thing happened early on in the demo and was about as good as the story got. It was quite dramatic and, for a second, made me consider the game. But everything else, as I've said was quite underdone. A perfect example of this would be the demo's end. The job of a demo's end is to leave the player on a cliffhanger to leave them wanting to play on (which I would have happily done if this occurred), but this didn't. It's a shame, because that final scene had so much potential to excite, but was really a victim of poor execution. It was basically the final straw for me.
The one plus for me was that the characters in this game actually had personalities, unlike many others. The characters had well-written dialogues that were enjoyable to listen to, and really allowed me to tell the difference between each character. So I give kudos to Eipix for that. It was the highlight of an otherwise mundane story.
The one plus for me was that the characters in this game actually had personalities, unlike many others. The characters had well-written dialogues that were enjoyable to listen to, and really allowed me to tell the difference between each character. So I give kudos to Eipix for that. It was the highlight of an otherwise mundane story.
The gameplay was much better than the story. The HOS were quite good and were a great reminder of what made the gameplay of the first one so great. Eipix have been known to go way overboard with HOS, so it was good to see they didn't here. The HOS were a perfect length and weren't overly interactive or too jazzed up, which was nice to see. The HOS were all extra-step junkpile scenes, with some scenes a mixture of word-list and silhouette clues. I actually really enjoyed how laid-back the HOS were. They were the most fun part of the game for me. I especially liked the Match 3 puzzle that I could do instead of finding objects. It was designed well and is a lot of fun. The one downside for me is that, because of their simplicity, the HOS are quite easy, but that wasn't too big of a deal. The demo has a decent number of HOS (4) and they are well spaced out.
I really liked the puzzles too. I loved how they were different from the norm and especially liked that first puzzle with the checkers. Some puzzles had unclear instructions/gameplay, but they were really fun to attempt. The puzzles were also quite challenging for me as I was only able to solve one of the four that I played during the demo, so that was nice to see. Similar to the HOS, the puzzles are well spaced out too.
There has been a big improvement on the adventure component since the last Eipix game. It is quite prominent and does not take a back seat to the HOS & Puzzles, but it has basic tasks and not much innovation. With the basic tasks, I was expecting pretty simple gameplay, but surprisingly, this game was actually quite challenging. I had to use the hint button multiple times to figure out what to do next, which I haven't had to do for the past few games, so that was a good thing. Even though I liked the adventure component, I still think there is room for improvement. I would like to see more innovation in the next game from these developers, because the gameplay is as basic as 2012.
The difficulty levels are good for the most part but, me being me, I managed to pick out one issue. I played the demo on Expert mode and, albeit less frequently, sparkles still appeared in some places, which frustrated the living daylights out of me. I think that if someone chooses expert mode, they are well past the need for help, and I think developers need to respect that. Other than that, though, the advanced mode was perfect. There was no tutorial and no map indicators, which other developers seem fond of adding in. So if the developers would just change that one thing, the difficulty modes would be perfect. Of course, I could have customised this if I wanted to. I took a peek at the custom mode before I played, and it was very good. You can pretty much customise everything, so great job to the developers on that.
The difficulty levels are good for the most part but, me being me, I managed to pick out one issue. I played the demo on Expert mode and, albeit less frequently, sparkles still appeared in some places, which frustrated the living daylights out of me. I think that if someone chooses expert mode, they are well past the need for help, and I think developers need to respect that. Other than that, though, the advanced mode was perfect. There was no tutorial and no map indicators, which other developers seem fond of adding in. So if the developers would just change that one thing, the difficulty modes would be perfect. Of course, I could have customised this if I wanted to. I took a peek at the custom mode before I played, and it was very good. You can pretty much customise everything, so great job to the developers on that.
The one thing missing for me in the gameplay was the additional features. I don't know why, but Eipix has been making their gameplay pretty basic recently. I was expecting a special feature unique to this game like in every other Sea of Lies, but there was nothing. The only additional feature was + objects, which were done well. There weren't many of them and there was an indication of when they could be used.
Personally, I think the game would have been a lot more fun had the developers experimented with new features. This developer is capable of gaming brilliance, but brilliance requires innovation, and I did not see that here.
Personally, I think the game would have been a lot more fun had the developers experimented with new features. This developer is capable of gaming brilliance, but brilliance requires innovation, and I did not see that here.
The graphics are quite good. They are designed well with great attention to detail. The colours used have a nice variety and are effective for the atmosphere. All scenes are clear and character designs are lifelike, with lip-synch being used for characters.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Expert, Insane and Custom. Differences are standard and difficulty modes done well. I played Expert, but there were still sparkles present.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for advanced mode and hint is useful outside HOS.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job on easier difficulties. There are no map indicators in advanced mode, which is great.
+ Objects- These are done well. There were never more than a couple at once, and there was indication of when they could be used.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Expert, Insane and Custom. Differences are standard and difficulty modes done well. I played Expert, but there were still sparkles present.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for advanced mode and hint is useful outside HOS.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job on easier difficulties. There are no map indicators in advanced mode, which is great.
+ Objects- These are done well. There were never more than a couple at once, and there was indication of when they could be used.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solution, but does show location of collectibles.
Achievements
Collectibles (44)- there is one in every scene, including bonus chapter. You can go back in and collect them without replaying the whole game if you missed one .
Souvenir Room
“Making Of” video
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Replay cutscenes
Soundtrack
Wallpapers (10)
Photos of cast
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solution, but does show location of collectibles.
Achievements
Collectibles (44)- there is one in every scene, including bonus chapter. You can go back in and collect them without replaying the whole game if you missed one .
Souvenir Room
“Making Of” video
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Replay cutscenes
Soundtrack
Wallpapers (10)
Photos of cast
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I'm not going to buy this, but if I were going to, I would pick the SE. The CE does not have much interesting content for me.
I'm not going to buy this, but if I were going to, I would pick the SE. The CE does not have much interesting content for me.
MY PROGRESS
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in approximately 42 minutes.
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in approximately 42 minutes.
Once again it is the story that kills this game for me. With every other aspect of this game being quite good, I wouldn't have hesitated to purchase if the story had been even remotely good. Unfortunately, I must stop at the trial. This game earns a 3.5 star rating from me.
I recommend this game!
The Lost Lands are in danger again... There's only one brave soul who can face the four evil horsemen to save it – you!
Overall rating
3
/
5
9 of 11 found this review helpful
Love Adventure? You'll Like This One!
PostedJanuary 29, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
FULL RATING: 3.5 STARS
FULL RATING: 3.5 STARS
This developer is fairly new to me, so I didn't know what to expect. While this game started off poorly for me, it did get better as the game went on, so I enjoyed my demo.
The story I didn't really care for. I think it was the worst part of the game. It had an exciting opening, but after that, just flatlined. There were no dramatic cutscenes, no plot twists... absolutely nothing to build up suspense whatsoever. This is the wrong way to go about a story. This is not the 1960s, where you can spend about half the story setting the scene, this is 2015, where people experiencing stories want something to happen EARLY in the story to keep them reading/playing. There was absolutely nothing in it that made me want to continue playing. If it weren't for good gameplay, I would have quit a long time before the demo ended. In simplest terms, the story was incredibly boring. There was extremely minimal character interactions (I talked with maybe TWO characters in the demo), no developments, no dramatic scenes, no backstory... absolutely NOTHING. I was so bored by this story that I actually forgot what I was meant to be doing, which is a first for me and should not be happening ever. This is actually one of the worst stories I've seen in a demo and it is for this reason I will not be buying.
Fortunately, the gameplay was better than the story. This is very adventure heavy, which is great, but the downside is that everything else was extremely minimal. The HOS that I got to play were very fun. They were all the same type of scene (progressive silhouette), but that didn't matter to me. I liked that the HOS were actually challenging for once, which is something that seems to be missing these days. As I said, though, the quantity is a bit problem. The demo lasted for over an hour (a rarity for me) and in that time I played 3 HOS. If you are a HOS lover, I'm afraid you've come to the wrong game. I wasn't too fussed with this, given the heavy adventure component, but that being said, I would have liked maybe one or two more in the demo. But good job to the developers on what there actually was of the HOS.
In an adventure heavy game, there needs to be something else to do, so the player is not just wandering around doing the same thing for hours. In the last game I played that was adventure-heavy, this was given to us in the form of puzzles. There were lots of puzzles in that game to make up for the lack of HOS, so that's what I was expecting here. Well, unfortunately, that's not what I got. Instead, I got the same amount of puzzles as I would normally expect from an adventure-minimal game. Those who don't like adventure really should turn back about now. There are 5 puzzles in the demo, and they are extremely easy, so advanced puzzle players will probably hate them. However, even with their easiness, I quite enjoyed them and thought they were a nice part of the game. Also, to my annoyance, my pet peeve makes an appearance in this game. What is my pet peeve, you ask? Going from one puzzle straight to another with nothing in between. To see this pop up in an adventure-heavy game was a downer for me.
I absolutely LOVED how much of the adventure component there was! I have been asking, I have been PLEADING for a more prominent adventure component and here it is! This game is the most adventure-heavy game I have seen in a while and I am very pleased. However, I do still have my concerns. One thing is that, although fun, the adventure component is both extremely basic and extremely easy. Easy I don't have a problem with. I'm down for an easy game if it's fun. My problem is that it's extremely basic with almost no variation. There are no additional features to use- not even + objects- to spice things up. The gameplay for me was what I would expect from a game from 2012, not 2015. HOPA games are all about innovation, thinking outside of the box, and that's where this game fails for me, because as much as I love adventure, even that's going to get a bit boring without some variety. For their next game, I suggest this developer add some additional gameplay featureswhile still retaining the heavy adventure component.
The basic features have been done quite well too. There are 4 modes of difficulty (the game lists three, but you can check and uncheck things) and I liked how much you could customise! There is also a diary, which is FANTASTIC. I'm glad one developer has realised how important the diary is, because it added to the game for me. There is also an interactive map, which is a good thing.
The graphics were good. I liked the detail and realism that was present in the scenes. The developers have used realistic colours to make the atmosphere more life-like, which is great. The character designs were pretty good too, and I liked that there was lip-synch in this game to make the characters appear more life-like.
The voice-overs I take a slight issue with. In particular, the voice of the mermaid, Aquamarine. When she was talking, she sounded bored, like she didn't care. I just think this voice was poorly acted and could have been done a lot better.
The voice-overs I take a slight issue with. In particular, the voice of the mermaid, Aquamarine. When she was talking, she sounded bored, like she didn't care. I just think this voice was poorly acted and could have been done a lot better.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: The game lists three (Casual, Advanced and Hard), but you can check and uncheck things, thus making a custom mode. I liked how much you could customise. The differences in others are standard. I customised, using the advanced hint times and turning off sparkles and map indicators.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent time for advanced. Hint was useful outside HOS.
Diary- This was great for keeping track of events.
Map- The map was interactive, and does its job on Casual mode by showing indicators, which is great.
4 modes of difficulty: The game lists three (Casual, Advanced and Hard), but you can check and uncheck things, thus making a custom mode. I liked how much you could customise. The differences in others are standard. I customised, using the advanced hint times and turning off sparkles and map indicators.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent time for advanced. Hint was useful outside HOS.
Diary- This was great for keeping track of events.
Map- The map was interactive, and does its job on Casual mode by showing indicators, which is great.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not how HOS solutions but shows collectibles.
Achievements
Morphing Objects- There was one in every scene.
Wallpapers (8)
Concept Art (32)
Replay cutscenes
Soundtrack
Replay Minigames
Puzzles
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not how HOS solutions but shows collectibles.
Achievements
Morphing Objects- There was one in every scene.
Wallpapers (8)
Concept Art (32)
Replay cutscenes
Soundtrack
Replay Minigames
Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I would definitely say the SE. There was nothing in the CE apart from the standard stuff, and nothing that interested me at all.
I would definitely say the SE. There was nothing in the CE apart from the standard stuff, and nothing that interested me at all.
MY PROGRESS
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in 74 minutes. There are 8 chapters in the main game.
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in 74 minutes. There are 8 chapters in the main game.
This game was good for the demo, albeit after a slow start, and although I love adventure-heavy games, a terrible story and lack of variation make this a no buy for me. I'm giving this a 3.5 star rating. I recommend you download the game and see for yourself.
I recommend this game!
Underneath the big top, people aren’t always what they seem.
Overall rating
5
/
5
26 of 29 found this review helpful
This is the ERS I Love!
PostedJanuary 25, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
2014 was a disastrous year for the once top-developer, ERS Games. They entered a rut where they simply could not produce entertaining games- in my opinion at least- so I was excited to see what 2015 would bring for the bunny. If this is just a taste of what 2015 has to offer, I can't wait for the rest of the year!
The storyline was very intriguing and had a clear and logical flow. When I first read about the concept, I thought it would be quite silly, but boy was I proven wrong! The storyline had a very good opening and was quickly followed up on by some great twists and turns. There were a couple of sneaky ones (by “sneaky” I mean ones that aren't revealed in a dramatic cutscene) in the beginning which really got me in to the game and made me want to save the people. As well as the exciting twists, the story does extremely well on the creep factor, with some things actually scaring me (which hasn't happened in a long time), so well done to the developers. I also applaud them on their excellently done cutscenes, which were very dramatic and left me hanging on the edge of my seat. The demo ended with one of said cutscenes and was done brilliantly. It was really unexpected, quite dramatic and left me wanting more. All in all, this is probably one of my favourite stories from ERS in recent times and I can't wait to see how it ends!
The gameplay was quite good too, but I am wary, as some of my dislikes from previous ERS games have crept in to this one. The HOS were quite fun, but extremely easy, which was a big problem in the last game I played. To ERS' credit, however, they have jazzed up their HOS a bit. I liked the film-reel ones, which told part of the story. This made them interesting to play, so I partially forgot about the easiness of them all. I also noticed that one scene repeated very early on in the game, which makes me have some misgivings about buying it. Repetition was the fun-drainer in the last ERS game I have played, so I am quite worried that the same problem will arise should I choose to purchase this one. It is a shame, really, because the story is so fantastic. I don't want to miss out on a good story because of doubts, but I just can't shake the feeling the problems will occur.
Quantity isn't a problem though. There were 5 HOS in the demo and they are well spaced out.
Quantity isn't a problem though. There were 5 HOS in the demo and they are well spaced out.
The puzzles were quite good too. They weren't exactly unique, but certainly different from the puzzles we've been seeing from ERS lately. The puzzles were also quite challenging, which is always nice to see. While they were very fun to attempt, I could not solve a single one! Well done to the developers for putting in some effort with the puzzles. They were the most challenging part of the game for me. The quantity of puzzles is also good; there were 4 in the demo.
I was very pleased with the adventure component. Firstly, it is way more prominent than in previous games and shared equal status with the HOS & puzzles. There were lots of things to do and locations to explore. Secondly, the game was very fun. I loved the animal healing and camera minigames, and I especially loved the Wheel of Fate! It was probably my favourite thing about the game. It was nice to see the creativity in the adventure component, something which ERS has lacked as of late. I also liked how laid-back this game was. They didn't try to overdo it with fancy special features that no one needs; they just blended the perfect mix of adventure, HOS & puzzles with a fantastic story and I believe it is that which has attracted me to this game so much.
However, as fun and unique as this game was, the adventure component had a complete lack of challenge. It was extremely simple to figure out what to do next; so much so that I did not have to use the map ONCE. This is a big change for me, as I normally use the map quite often. As much as I enjoyed this game, I think ERS seriously needs to work on the challenge side of things.
However, as fun and unique as this game was, the adventure component had a complete lack of challenge. It was extremely simple to figure out what to do next; so much so that I did not have to use the map ONCE. This is a big change for me, as I normally use the map quite often. As much as I enjoyed this game, I think ERS seriously needs to work on the challenge side of things.
The only additional feature in this game is the camera. I thought this was incredibly creative and executed extremely well. There are scenes you must take a photo of, followed by a minigame, which was basically just a mini-HOS. I love when developers make features of the game necessary to the story and that is what the developers have done here. Each minigame tells more of the story surrounding the villain, which just made me more eager to complete them. Spectacular job done by the developers.
The basic features have been done well, to an extent. There are 4 modes of difficulty, but the customisation is limited. For example, map indicators (the first thing I turn off if there's a custom difficulty) could not be turned off, which was disappointing for me. I also didn't like the hint recharge speed for advanced mode, so I had to use custom to set it to the casual time. Other than that, though, I had no issues with the difficulty.
As I previously mentioned, I did not use the map, so I cannot really comment on its helpfulness. Due to the fact I could not turn off map indicators, I am guessing that they appear in all difficulties. This will be quite annoying for those seeking challenge.
As I previously mentioned, I did not use the map, so I cannot really comment on its helpfulness. Due to the fact I could not turn off map indicators, I am guessing that they appear in all difficulties. This will be quite annoying for those seeking challenge.
The graphics are quite good. I was concerned that they had been changed when I saw the menu, but my fears were put to rest when I began playing. These are the same old ERS graphics that I absolutely love. They have been drawn very well with some great detail, nice colours and extremely lifelike characters. The only downer for me is that there is no lip-synch. I am disappointed at this, because ERS used to do this all the time.
Once again I take issue with the voice-overs. For the most part they are just standard, but that voice of the creature in the trailer really annoyed me. It was quite underacted and just painful to listen to. I thought ERS could have done a much better job with it.
Once again I take issue with the voice-overs. For the most part they are just standard, but that voice of the creature in the trailer really annoyed me. It was quite underacted and just painful to listen to. I thought ERS could have done a much better job with it.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. I had to switch to custom due to annoying hint times. Differences in difficulties are standard.
Hint/Skip- I took issue with the charge times for advanced so customised. The hint works well outside HOS.
Scrapbook- Kind of acts like a diary, keeping track of the stories learned in the film-reel scenes.
Map- I never used the map when I played the demo, but went back in afterwards to test it. It I interactive and helpful, but map indicators cannot be turned off, so are present in all difficulties.
Camera- This was a creative feature that I really enjoyed. It can be used at certain places and there is a minigame to play. There is an indicator of when it can be used.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. I had to switch to custom due to annoying hint times. Differences in difficulties are standard.
Hint/Skip- I took issue with the charge times for advanced so customised. The hint works well outside HOS.
Scrapbook- Kind of acts like a diary, keeping track of the stories learned in the film-reel scenes.
Map- I never used the map when I played the demo, but went back in afterwards to test it. It I interactive and helpful, but map indicators cannot be turned off, so are present in all difficulties.
Camera- This was a creative feature that I really enjoyed. It can be used at certain places and there is a minigame to play. There is an indicator of when it can be used.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- I did not need to use this once.
Achievements
Concept Art (7)
Wallpaper (3)
Screensavers
Soundtrack
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Replay cutscenes
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- I did not need to use this once.
Achievements
Concept Art (7)
Wallpaper (3)
Screensavers
Soundtrack
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Replay cutscenes
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I'd definitely say the SE. The CE is missing collectibles, which are an absolute necessity for all CE games. The bonus content is just standard.
I'd definitely say the SE. The CE is missing collectibles, which are an absolute necessity for all CE games. The bonus content is just standard.
MY PROGRESS
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in 40 minutes, so that equates to standard game length.
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in 40 minutes, so that equates to standard game length.
This game is one of my favourites to come out in recent times, and at this point in time, is my favourite this year. This game is a perfect mix of brilliant story and fun gameplay. Even with the low challenge factor, I had an absolute ball playing this and thus, will give it a 5 star rating.
I recommend this game!
Leonardo da Vinci needs your help! A tyrant has conquered Florence and he is destroying all works of art and science!
Overall rating
2
/
5
18 of 24 found this review helpful
Why Did I Buy This?
PostedJanuary 16, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED SE
I gave this game a positive review when I played the demo, so bought it with a coupon. But now, having completed it, I've got no idea what possessed me to buy it in the first place!
In my demo review, I called this story “exciting” and noted it was “executed wonderfully.” Well, I must have been playing a different game when I trialed it, because this one was anything but. The story had an exciting opening, yes, but that was about as far as it got with the excitement. The demo coasted by with no twists or anything exciting, so I've got absolutely no idea what I was rambling on about in the demo. In the early goings, there was a lot of dialogue, which made for a boring story and slow progression. Also, I noticed in the beginning that you could pick some elements in the story. However, this had no effect on the story and finished up after the demo.
But getting back to the plotline... or what there was of it. After the demo ended, the story became uneventful. Any event that occurred after the demo was both expected and undramatic. This was due in part to poorly written dialogue and incredibly underacted voices. At this point, nothing was keeping me going in the story, except that I wanted to know who the mage was. So I stuck it out with the story in the hopes that ERS would deliver a reasonable explanation for the mage. Turns out I was deluded with such hopes. This plot twist was probably the only unexpected thing in the game, but it was also completely ridiculous and there was no explanation as to why. So, from here, all I could do was hope for an exciting ending, which I didn't get. This was also poorly written, underacted and very undramatic. It had an open end, which I guess is explained further in the CE. This only adds to my annoyance.
So the story was pretty bad, but I even noticed some technical problems. Firstly, for a story set in Italy, there were some awfully American names! Leonardo's assistant is called Lisa. This is completely American; maybe they could have used a name such as Francesca to make the game more realistic? I also noticed some completely ridiculous and unrealistic parts to the story, such as the Mayor telling us to arrest the mage, but talk to Leonardo first. Really? If the mage really was as dangerous as the game made it out to be, wouldn't we rush to arrest him immediately? I know it set up the ending to the game, but it could have been much better,
But getting back to the plotline... or what there was of it. After the demo ended, the story became uneventful. Any event that occurred after the demo was both expected and undramatic. This was due in part to poorly written dialogue and incredibly underacted voices. At this point, nothing was keeping me going in the story, except that I wanted to know who the mage was. So I stuck it out with the story in the hopes that ERS would deliver a reasonable explanation for the mage. Turns out I was deluded with such hopes. This plot twist was probably the only unexpected thing in the game, but it was also completely ridiculous and there was no explanation as to why. So, from here, all I could do was hope for an exciting ending, which I didn't get. This was also poorly written, underacted and very undramatic. It had an open end, which I guess is explained further in the CE. This only adds to my annoyance.
So the story was pretty bad, but I even noticed some technical problems. Firstly, for a story set in Italy, there were some awfully American names! Leonardo's assistant is called Lisa. This is completely American; maybe they could have used a name such as Francesca to make the game more realistic? I also noticed some completely ridiculous and unrealistic parts to the story, such as the Mayor telling us to arrest the mage, but talk to Leonardo first. Really? If the mage really was as dangerous as the game made it out to be, wouldn't we rush to arrest him immediately? I know it set up the ending to the game, but it could have been much better,
The gameplay of The Artist and The Pretender can best be described with the following words: repeat, repeat, repeat. The HOS repeated all the time, from style to scenes. All scenes were played twice, and the HOS were basically all word list junkpile after the demo, with the exception of a couple of “spot the difference” scenes. The HOS also had a complete lack of interaction & innovation and, as a consequence, were very easy. I breezed through them in about a minute and did not really enjoy them all that much. I would have liked to see at least a little bit of innovation in the HOS, but alas, all that concerns this developer is the quantity of games. Because each scene was repeated, quantity wasn't a problem; all up, the game had 17 HOS. This is a good number for HOS lovers, but as I said, I did not really enjoy the HOS that much. ERS need to seriously improve on their HOS if they want people to continue buying their games.
I was not a huge fan of the puzzles, either. The reason for this is that they are the same old boring stuff I see time and time again. This severely impacted the fun factor to the point where I wouldn't even attempt the puzzles because they were so boring. Another consequence of using the same old puzzles was that they were quite easy, some to the point that I didn't even have to think. I can provide two examples of this: raven puzzle- which told you to complete the game in 10 moves and was impossible to lose- and the bird and nest puzzle, which did not require all seeds to be collected before reaching the end, thus providing no challenge at all. This was a severe disappointment.
The puzzles are extremely repetitive too, even more so than the HOS. Repeating puzzles is one of the worst things a developer can do, but sad to say, a puzzle was repeated THREE TIMES in this game! This happened three times in the game! I'm sorry, but each puzzle should only appear once throughout the game. Twice is pushing it, but definitely not a third time! This had a severe impact on the fun factor for me. Because of the repetition, quantity is no problem. There are 20 puzzles all up in the demo, but I did not enjoy a single one.
The puzzles are extremely repetitive too, even more so than the HOS. Repeating puzzles is one of the worst things a developer can do, but sad to say, a puzzle was repeated THREE TIMES in this game! This happened three times in the game! I'm sorry, but each puzzle should only appear once throughout the game. Twice is pushing it, but definitely not a third time! This had a severe impact on the fun factor for me. Because of the repetition, quantity is no problem. There are 20 puzzles all up in the demo, but I did not enjoy a single one.
Further adding to my frustrations about the gameplay, the adventure component was not enjoyable and also fairly repetitive. It was extremely minimal; and was mainly “go here, use this, pick up this,” with no variation. Because of this, the game was not only full of backtracking (I remember having to go back about 6 spaces at one point) but incredibly easy. The game offered no challenge whatsoever. I managed to breeze through things and only used the hint because I was bored of it and couldn't be bothered to figure out what to do next. I think what ERS need to do for their next game is add further interaction and a lot of innovation, because I was bored out of my mind playing the adventure component. Here's a note to the developers: wandering around picking up things does NOT mean adventure. That's all this game seemed to be. There is also very minimal interactivity and innovation here. We placed sheet music on a piano and the game played the piano for us instead of letting us do it ourselves. I also thought there should have been a puzzle when we picked up that thing from the niche with the flower petals. Instead, it opened right after we placed the missing petals. This is probably the worst adventure component in an ERS game to date.
The extra features are a complete pain. Firstly, there are no + objects, which I would have thought were a given these days. Secondly, the only additional features in this game are a couple of animal helpers... and they both LEAVE during the game! The first was a mechanical pigeon, which was used twice, then gone. The second was a mechanical sheep, picked up (and named) after the first HOS. It lasted a bit longer, but left about halfway through the game. If you're going to have an animal helper, make it stay for the whole game! The animal helper was the best bit about the game and ERS got rid of it!
Of course, being a Grim Facade game, there is also a shop, where you can buy inventory items to advance in the game. In the last game, I was extremely critical of the fact that ERS got rid of the feature after 40 minutes. In this game, fortunately, it stayed for most of the game. The shop was present for about ¾ of the game and was a nice feature to have. There is also a thing called Leonardo's workshop, which holds his “secrets”, which will help you throughout the game. It did not affect my fun level in any way.
The basic features are fine; there are 4 modes of difficulty, including custom. There is also a map, which works well, but I would have liked to see the indicators off on advanced mode. The hint works well outside HOS, but I think it should have been one of those teleporter hints.
Overall, terrible gameplay, which made me dislike the game.
Overall, terrible gameplay, which made me dislike the game.
The best thing about this game was the graphics, and that is such a sad thing to say. I liked how detailed the graphics were. The scenes were clear and drawn extremely well with a great variety of colours matched to the atmosphere of the game. The character desings were also great and looked quite realistic. However, there was no lip-synch in the game, which was quite annoying.
I have a huge problem with the voice-overs. Due in part to the poorly written dialogue, they are terribly underacted and undramatic. It seems to me that the voice-artists could not be bothered. Even I could have done a better job at them.
I have a huge problem with the voice-overs. Due in part to the poorly written dialogue, they are terribly underacted and undramatic. It seems to me that the voice-artists could not be bothered. Even I could have done a better job at them.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I played Advanced, and would have preferred map indicators off.
Hint/Skip- both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint works outside HOS, but unfortunately, is not a teleporter.
Scroll- This keeps track of all characters and lets you replay cutscenes. It also gives facts on the inventions you come across in the game. I found it to be quite pointless.
Map- The map is interactive and works well. Task indicators are shown on Advanced.
DaVinci's Workshop- contains “secrets” which help you throughout the game.
Animal Helper- Good fun while it lasted, but disappeared after a short while.
Shop- Quite enjoyable, probably the most fun I had with the game.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I played Advanced, and would have preferred map indicators off.
Hint/Skip- both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint works outside HOS, but unfortunately, is not a teleporter.
Scroll- This keeps track of all characters and lets you replay cutscenes. It also gives facts on the inventions you come across in the game. I found it to be quite pointless.
Map- The map is interactive and works well. Task indicators are shown on Advanced.
DaVinci's Workshop- contains “secrets” which help you throughout the game.
Animal Helper- Good fun while it lasted, but disappeared after a short while.
Shop- Quite enjoyable, probably the most fun I had with the game.
WHAT DO I MISS OUT ON IF I BUY THE SE?
Bonus Chapter- There is a bit of an open end in the SE, but I don't think it's needed
Built-in Strategy Guide- I didn't need it. The SG does not show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Leonardo's Tales- This comes in the form of a book. There are collectibles in the game which you have to find and add to the book, and I'm assuming this tells a story of some kind.
Wallpapers (18)
Concept Art (10)
Screensavers (8)
Music
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Bonus Chapter- There is a bit of an open end in the SE, but I don't think it's needed
Built-in Strategy Guide- I didn't need it. The SG does not show HOS solutions.
Achievements
Leonardo's Tales- This comes in the form of a book. There are collectibles in the game which you have to find and add to the book, and I'm assuming this tells a story of some kind.
Wallpapers (18)
Concept Art (10)
Screensavers (8)
Music
Replay HOS & Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I bought the SE and advise you to do the same, even with the open ended game. There is nothing in the CE worth buying.
I bought the SE and advise you to do the same, even with the open ended game. There is nothing in the CE worth buying.
WOULD I PLAY THIS GAME AGAIN?
Short answer, no. This is going from my Game Manager as soon as this review's finished.
Short answer, no. This is going from my Game Manager as soon as this review's finished.
ON THE GAME LENGTH
The game was about 2.5 to 3 hours on Advanced.
The game was about 2.5 to 3 hours on Advanced.
Overall, this is ERS' worst game to date. The story was bad and the gameplay was a total disaster. I do not know why I bought this game in the first place but I am now regretting that decision. I am giving this game a mere two stars, which is the lowest I have ever given to a completed game. This is the last ERS game I bought and will be the last I buy for a very long time.
I don't recommend this game.
In this scarier-than-ever story, find out what really happened on prom night, 1964...
Overall rating
4
/
5
15 of 20 found this review helpful
Good Game, But Needs Some Serious Work!
PostedJanuary 11, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
FULL RATING: 3.5
FULL RATING: 3.5
Phantasmat is a relatively unknown series to me, although I'm aware each of the games have different developers. Because of that, I was kind of excited for Eipix to take over the reigns. They appear to have done a great job.
The story was good and had a really exciting concept that really made me want to play the game. I really enjoyed the prominent creep factor this game presented- some of the scenes actually scared me a bit!- and it kept me engrossed in the game. However, as far as content goes, the story lacks a bit. The story had a great twist at the end, as well as some nice developments and enjoyable characters, but there were some extremely unrealistic events that ruined it a bit for me. I'll start with the opening, which is probably the worst I've seen from Eipix. It's our daughter's prom night, right? Which makes her definitely in her teenage years. However, she asks us to smile and takes a photo of us, distracting us from the road and causing a crash. Now, how ridiculous. Wouldn't a child Aimee's age know that is the ONE THING YOU DO NOT DO IN A CAR!? Completely unrealistic. It was a terrible way to set up the time travel thing. The developers really should have changed this; it would have been more realistic and exciting.
Secondly, after we were transported back to '65 (which is made extremely clear by the game), we bump in to a character in the chemistry classroom. Then, our clever main character asks “why is he dressed like a '60s TV character?' Um, let me think... maybe because we're in the '60s? This was a really stupid part of the story that just made our main character seem like an idiot and it was quite annoying to me, because- as I said- it had already been made perfectly clear we were in the 60s.
And finally, to top it all off, we got to the stage where we found our daughter. The logical thing would be to rescue her straightaway, yes? No, apparently not. We had to go rushing around solving puzzles and running little errands before we could free our daughter, because the key was in another room. Once again, it was incredibly unrealistic. I mean, in the time it took us to find all the keys, the villain could have come back and grabbed our daughter? I know this thing was added for length, but seriously... can't you add length to a game without compromising the realism of the story?
Other than those unrealistic elements, the story was quite good.
Secondly, after we were transported back to '65 (which is made extremely clear by the game), we bump in to a character in the chemistry classroom. Then, our clever main character asks “why is he dressed like a '60s TV character?' Um, let me think... maybe because we're in the '60s? This was a really stupid part of the story that just made our main character seem like an idiot and it was quite annoying to me, because- as I said- it had already been made perfectly clear we were in the 60s.
And finally, to top it all off, we got to the stage where we found our daughter. The logical thing would be to rescue her straightaway, yes? No, apparently not. We had to go rushing around solving puzzles and running little errands before we could free our daughter, because the key was in another room. Once again, it was incredibly unrealistic. I mean, in the time it took us to find all the keys, the villain could have come back and grabbed our daughter? I know this thing was added for length, but seriously... can't you add length to a game without compromising the realism of the story?
Other than those unrealistic elements, the story was quite good.
The gameplay was good, but not the best I've seen from Eipix. I wasn't a fan of the HOS. They were creative, but far too long. Eipix have been known to do this and it really does suck the enjoyment factor out of them. The first HOS in particular seemed like they were never going to end; there were actually 2 mini-HOS within in the one big one! This is extremely annoying for me personally. I love HOS but I also want to get on with the game! Longevity seemed to be a recurring factor in the HOS throughout the demo. I really did not enjoy them as much as I should have. Fortunately for me, when I did tire of them, I could play a match 3 as an alternative, which was really fun.
The HOS were basically a mixture of progressive silhouette, junkpile and mini-HOS. Quantity wasn't a problem; there were 4 all up in the demo and they were well spaced out. I think Eipix seriously needs to work on their HOS length. Remember, less is more!
The HOS were basically a mixture of progressive silhouette, junkpile and mini-HOS. Quantity wasn't a problem; there were 4 all up in the demo and they were well spaced out. I think Eipix seriously needs to work on their HOS length. Remember, less is more!
I actually enjoyed the puzzles. They weren't anything new, but I had a lot of fun with them. I was able to solve every single one, which is extremely rare for me. This is a surefire indication that the puzzles are extremely easy. This annoyed me a bit, but wasn't too big a problem. I like to be challenged by a puzzle, but I could solve these in about a minute. I think Eipix could work a bit on this. Surely you can add some challenge without sacrificing the fun?
As for quantity, I didn't see a problem. There were 6 in the demo, but I was annoyed by the spacing. I think I came across about three in five minutes. I absolutely hate having one puzzle after the other, and this also meant that the adventure component took a hit. My favourite thing about HOPA games is adventure, so I was disappointed. Eipix also needs to work on the spacing of their puzzles.
As for quantity, I didn't see a problem. There were 6 in the demo, but I was annoyed by the spacing. I think I came across about three in five minutes. I absolutely hate having one puzzle after the other, and this also meant that the adventure component took a hit. My favourite thing about HOPA games is adventure, so I was disappointed. Eipix also needs to work on the spacing of their puzzles.
The adventure component was so-so for me. I thought the prominence of it was okay, but I would definitely have liked to see a little more. I felt that the adventure component seemed like a supporting act to the HOS and puzzles. In addition to this, the adventure component was extremely easy. All the tasks were the basic run-of-the-mill stuff I've seen time and time again. As a consequence, I had no trouble figuring out what to do next, even with map indicators turned off. I think Eipix needs to add a little more innovation with their next game. It would have made the adventure component- and the game itself- much better.
I even found fault with the difficulty levels. I was forced to customise because my usual advanced mode was shocking. Even on advanced mode, there were still sparkles present. I found out I would have to go to hard mode to get the sparkles turned off, so I just went custom. Everything from advanced mode stayed and I had sparkles turned off. Developers, I shouldn't have to customise to turn sparkles off, nor should I have to switch to hard mode. Advanced mode means advanced; which means you have been playing HOPA games for a long time... which means you are well past the need for sparkles! This annoyed me quite a bit, and this is something Eipix needs to work on.
Overall, the gameplay component was fun, but the HOS weren't good and the game itself was quite easy.
I even found fault with the difficulty levels. I was forced to customise because my usual advanced mode was shocking. Even on advanced mode, there were still sparkles present. I found out I would have to go to hard mode to get the sparkles turned off, so I just went custom. Everything from advanced mode stayed and I had sparkles turned off. Developers, I shouldn't have to customise to turn sparkles off, nor should I have to switch to hard mode. Advanced mode means advanced; which means you have been playing HOPA games for a long time... which means you are well past the need for sparkles! This annoyed me quite a bit, and this is something Eipix needs to work on.
Overall, the gameplay component was fun, but the HOS weren't good and the game itself was quite easy.
There was only the one additional gameplay feature here, and that was the + objects. They were executed well. I liked how sporadic they were and how they only required one item to complete. There is also an indication of when they can be used (although this can be turned off in custom difficulty). I was pleased that there weren't any other features as I think a medallion or animal helper would have taken away from the creepy feel of the game.
The basic features have been done well; I was pleased to see a custom difficulty mode, and the hint was great outside HOS. The map did its job and even removed map indicators on advanced difficulty, which was great. I was extremely disappointed, however, to not see a diary. I've said this time and time again. Diaries ARE important! How long is it going to take developers to learn that?
The graphics were the usual Eipix standard. They were drawn well, with lots of detail, and the colours were suited to the horror theme. I liked how they used live actors in the cutscenes (hopefully this means a return for live actors!) and the characters had lip-synch, which made them more real. The voice-overs were standard for me, so there's no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Advanced mode still contains sparkles, but does not have map indicators. Differences are standard. I played Custom- all advanced settings except sparkles off.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for advanced mode and the hint is useful outside HOS.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job well. There are no map indicators on advanced mode, which is great.
+ Objects- Quite sporadic; nowhere near as many as previous games. There is an indication of when they can be used.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Advanced mode still contains sparkles, but does not have map indicators. Differences are standard. I played Custom- all advanced settings except sparkles off.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for advanced mode and the hint is useful outside HOS.
Map- The map is interactive and does its job well. There are no map indicators on advanced mode, which is great.
+ Objects- Quite sporadic; nowhere near as many as previous games. There is an indication of when they can be used.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solutions, but shows locations of collectibles.
Achievements- all gameplay based.
Collectible symbols- one in every scene. I did not notice them nor did I attempt to. You can go back in through the extras menu and collect them.
“Making Of” video
Souvenir Room- basically one giant HOS. Quite fun.
Match 3 Levels
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Re-watch Cutscenes
Music
Bonus Chapter
Built-in Strategy Guide- does not show HOS solutions, but shows locations of collectibles.
Achievements- all gameplay based.
Collectible symbols- one in every scene. I did not notice them nor did I attempt to. You can go back in through the extras menu and collect them.
“Making Of” video
Souvenir Room- basically one giant HOS. Quite fun.
Match 3 Levels
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Re-watch Cutscenes
Music
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The SE, definitely. The CE content does not interest me at all and it is quite minimal compared to others.
The SE, definitely. The CE content does not interest me at all and it is quite minimal compared to others.
MY PROGRESS
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in 44 minutes. This equates to standard length.
There are 2 chapters in the demo, which I finished in 44 minutes. This equates to standard length.
Overall, I did enjoy the demo, but I am going to pass on this one. My main reason is because of my problem with the HOS. I did enjoy the story and the rest of the gameplay, but the HOS are a major part of a game and when I don't like them, there is no way I will continue with it. This game earns a three and a half star rating for me, which I will round up to a four. I definitely recommend the trial.
I recommend this game!
Save your friends and escape from a deadly game!
Overall rating
4
/
5
12 of 13 found this review helpful
My Love For This Series Has Returned!
PostedJanuary 6, 2015
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Ominous Objects: Family Portrait
(30)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED STANDARD EDITION GAME
FULL RATING: 4,5 STARS
FULL RATING: 4,5 STARS
Surface kind of dropped off with the last game, but when I heard about the storyline of this one, I was extremely excited. It was exactly like Jumanji, which is a great movie, so my expectations were high. Happily, this game turned out to be everything I wanted.
The story has been done extremely well and got off to a great start. I liked the shifts in time from today to yesterday, and I liked that you could pick some responses. They made for a great starting point. The game is relatively well paced with no cases of “too much too soon”, but that being said, the game does get right in to the creepy stuff. The creep factor was really what sucked me in and made the game so much more enjoyable. The demo period was great, with a couple of twists here and there, and I was really enjoying myself. The demo ended with a brilliant twist (allowing us once again to choose our path), so I had to play on. Unfortunately, that was where the choosing ended. I was also annoyed to learn that what we chose had no impact on the game. I hope that, next time the developer chooses to let us pick some of the game elements, that our choices actually have an impact on the game. It would have made the game so much more exciting, and I maybe would have overlooked the blunder that occurred later in the story.
The story continued on well after the demo, with an exciting cutscene to keep me hooked. From there, the story dropped off just a tad (as is expected with the middle portion of the game), but the creep factor stayed, and that's what kept me going. Then, in the middle of the game, from absolutely NOWHERE, came an amazing twist that sucked me right back in. I totally was not expecting it, so a fantastic job to the developers there. From then on I was looking forward to the end of the game.
So I eventually reached the final minigame and was very much looking forward to the end. Having played all through the main game with a perfect story, I was expecting a perfect end. I didn't get perfect, but what I got was good. The ending WAS abrupt, and there WAS a bit of a cliffhanger, but that was to set up the story of the bonus chapter and was not necessary to the main game. This was one of my favourite stories of 2014 and I can't wait for Elephant's next offering.
The story continued on well after the demo, with an exciting cutscene to keep me hooked. From there, the story dropped off just a tad (as is expected with the middle portion of the game), but the creep factor stayed, and that's what kept me going. Then, in the middle of the game, from absolutely NOWHERE, came an amazing twist that sucked me right back in. I totally was not expecting it, so a fantastic job to the developers there. From then on I was looking forward to the end of the game.
So I eventually reached the final minigame and was very much looking forward to the end. Having played all through the main game with a perfect story, I was expecting a perfect end. I didn't get perfect, but what I got was good. The ending WAS abrupt, and there WAS a bit of a cliffhanger, but that was to set up the story of the bonus chapter and was not necessary to the main game. This was one of my favourite stories of 2014 and I can't wait for Elephant's next offering.
The gameplay was great, too. Elephant have stepped it up a notch here. I really enjoyed the HOS; they were far from the boring standard junkpile and, in fact, were really fun. They were pretty much all word list junkpile or jazzed up versions of it (such as finding pairs or spoken word lists) but were really enjoyable to play and probably my favourite thing of the game. They were well spaced out, but the quantity leaves a bit to be desired. There were only 11 HOS in the game. I would have liked at least 4 more. Actually, the quantity of things was a recurring problem throughout the entire gameplay component. I think Elephant needs to add a few more HOS to their next game, especially since the HOS in here were so fun.
The puzzles were a bit of a hit and miss for me. I liked some of them, but not others. This was mainly because the majority of them were the same old bore that I've seen time and time again. Elephant did try to save themselves and add a couple of new puzzles towards the end, and while I LOVED these, it wasn't enough to change my impression. Because they were the same old, they were both boring and easy and affected my enjoyment of the game. Thw quantity of puzzles was okay. There were 21 all up in the main game, and that's not counting inventory item minigames or the card games (the latter I really enjoyed). In comparison to the amount of HOS, this is disappointing. I would have liked a couple less puzzles, actually.
My big disappointment about this game is the adventure component. Why? Because it's so minimal. At the start of the game especially, it was almost nonexistent, and what there was was quite basic. While the adventure component did improve as the game wore on, it still wasn't enough. i seemed to bounce from HOS to Puzzle and back again with only a small bit of adventure in between. This was really disappointing. Perhaps it's because of the lack of adventure and the basic nature of it that I found this game to be really easy. Even on advanced mode, there was not much challenge at all, especially when this is compared to the earlier Surface games. Surface 1 & 2 were actually some of the most challenging and adventure-heavy games I've played, so I'm left wondering what's happened here. Elephant, please return us to the games like the early Surface series! They were so much better.
The good thing about the difficulty of this game is that advanced mode does not indicate tasks on the map. This actually happens in quite a few advanced modes, so I'm pleased it didn't here. However, the no map indicators did nothing for the difficulty.
The good thing about the difficulty of this game is that advanced mode does not indicate tasks on the map. This actually happens in quite a few advanced modes, so I'm pleased it didn't here. However, the no map indicators did nothing for the difficulty.
There is only the one additional feature here and that is the complex objects. These are pretty much a standard these days, so I wasn't surprised to see them. However, they were not executed as well as I'd like. Unfortunately, they were picked up and used in the space of a couple of minutes, which is just a testimony to how minimal the adventure component was. I think they should have stayed in my inventory a while longer. What I did like about them was that there were never more than two at a time. Elephant have overused special features before, so I'm glad they've learned their lesson.
The lack of additional features doesn't worry me at all, because I know an animal helper would have taken away from the creepiness of the series. The closest this game got to having an animal helper was having one sit in your inventory for 2 uses and then leaving. But that's not enough to qualify it as a feature, in my opinion.
The lack of additional features doesn't worry me at all, because I know an animal helper would have taken away from the creepiness of the series. The closest this game got to having an animal helper was having one sit in your inventory for 2 uses and then leaving. But that's not enough to qualify it as a feature, in my opinion.
The basic features have been done well. There is a diary, which is great for keeping track of events. There are also 4 modes of difficulty, including custom. The map does its job well on the lower difficulties but does not show map indicators on advanced, which is fantastic. Hint works well outside HOS & acts as teleporter.
The graphics are great. The scenes are so detailed and very creative. I liked the different scenes the developers thought of and the elements that grew with them. The snowing scenes were especially realistic. I almost felt cold! The scenes are clear and some great colours are used. Unfortunately there are no live actors, unlike previous Surface games (1-4). I am hoping they will make a return in the future. I liked that the developers gave the animated characters lip-synch though.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue. But for the most part I found the music to be way too loud and obtrusive. It was just way too annoying. I had to turn it right down to about 15% before I got it right. I was constantly adjusting my PC volume too. It was just way too much of a hassle. This always seems to happen in Elephant games. I hope they fix this issue.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue. But for the most part I found the music to be way too loud and obtrusive. It was just way too annoying. I had to turn it right down to about 15% before I got it right. I was constantly adjusting my PC volume too. It was just way too much of a hassle. This always seems to happen in Elephant games. I hope they fix this issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I didn't like the custom option, so I played Advanced.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for the selected difficulty, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS. I liked how it acted as a teleporter.
Diary- Great for keeping track of events and provided some nice insight in to the character's thoughts.
Map- The map is interactive. It does not show task indicators on advanced, which is great.
+ Objects- Not done too well. There were a good number and never more than a couple at a time, but they were picked up and used after a few minutes. I liked how some had minigames.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. I didn't like the custom option, so I played Advanced.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for the selected difficulty, and the hint is very helpful outside HOS. I liked how it acted as a teleporter.
Diary- Great for keeping track of events and provided some nice insight in to the character's thoughts.
Map- The map is interactive. It does not show task indicators on advanced, which is great.
+ Objects- Not done too well. There were a good number and never more than a couple at a time, but they were picked up and used after a few minutes. I liked how some had minigames.
WHAT DO I MISS OUT ON IF I BUY THE SE?
Bonus Chapter- The main game ends with the setting up of the bonus chapter, so some may feel ripped off, but it is not necessary for the story. The Bonus Chapter is a direct continuation of the game.
Built-in Strategy Guide- I got on fine without it. It shows locations of collectibles but not HOS pictures.
Achievements
Shop- Called the “Bonus Room”, I believe. You can buy stuff to decorate the room with collectible flowers as your currency.
Collectible figurines (13)
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Soundtrack
Bonus Chapter- The main game ends with the setting up of the bonus chapter, so some may feel ripped off, but it is not necessary for the story. The Bonus Chapter is a direct continuation of the game.
Built-in Strategy Guide- I got on fine without it. It shows locations of collectibles but not HOS pictures.
Achievements
Shop- Called the “Bonus Room”, I believe. You can buy stuff to decorate the room with collectible flowers as your currency.
Collectible figurines (13)
Wallpapers
Concept Art
Soundtrack
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The CE content did not interest me, so I went with the SE and was extremely happy with it. I advise you to do the same if you have not bought this game yet. I just found looking for collectibles to be too distracting.
The CE content did not interest me, so I went with the SE and was extremely happy with it. I advise you to do the same if you have not bought this game yet. I just found looking for collectibles to be too distracting.
ON THE GAME LENGTH
This game was a good length for me. I think I finished it around the 2.5 hour mark on advanced mode, maybe a bit longer. I didn't feel the game was too short at all.
This game was a good length for me. I think I finished it around the 2.5 hour mark on advanced mode, maybe a bit longer. I didn't feel the game was too short at all.
This game is the proof that the Surface series I know and love has returned. I thoroughly enjoyed this game and it is among my favourites of 2014. I am giving it a four star rating- full rating 4 and ½- mainly because of the lack of HOS & adventure component. If the adventure component had been more prominent, this would have been a five star game. All that aside, this a brilliant installment.
I recommend this game!