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Hidden Mysteries: Return to Titanic

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April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Recently we remembered the tragedy of the Titanic on the anniversary of the collision and in keeping with the timing of that event I downloaded this game because it grabbed my attention. Unfortunately I then didn’t get a proper chance to play it so the whole thinking process behind my choice is now less relevant.

That being so it doesn’t really matter because this game is a lot of fun. It’s very fiddly as some Hidden object games can be, there is a lot of traipsing back and forth to collect stuff before you can take the next step.

You are a reporter who has used an alias to board the luxury liner Titanic chasing leads for a big story. Something happens that keeps you trapped on board the ship with many other unfortunate souls unable to find peace. It is your mission to help these passengers find peace, it is your only chance to redeem yourself and discover the shocking truth about what happened to keep you trapped in the wreckage.

titanic game

Gameplay flicks you from present day wreckage to flashback scenes of the ship before the accident which annoys me because I don’t have the patience for it. Basically you look through the wreckage and when a passenger sends you back to help them you see all the ways the wreckage would be easier to navigate so you make changes to the flashback scene so that you can access things in the wreckage. Which begs the question – why not just go to flashback and make sure there was no crash…. but I’m not at the end yet so who knows if that’s what’s to come.

The graphics are very atmospheric, the ship could be any ship really except for the Grand Staircase – that is instantly recognisable as belonging to the Titanic but the rest of the ships scenery could be anywhere.

This is an interesting journey through history, and once you start you will just want to keep going until you discover what it is you did.

The storyline is good, I like the graphics and it’s definitely one I will keep coming back to until I finish. And in case you get stuck there is a walkthrough you can read to help you out of any sticky situations.

To download your free trial: Hidden Mysteries®: Return to Titanic

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Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness!

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April 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Film Fatale is a Fugazo recent release Hidden Object game that is reminiscent of the early film industry. Understandably, as the aim of the game is to rescue your mother, screen siren Rita Ray, from the clutches of deranged director M.W. Vernon.

At the height of his career, and his brilliance, Vernon built an island studio which drifted into obscurity with his spiral into madness. The film he was going to make there was supposed to be the best ever made, but it was never finished. Now Rita Ray is missing and her daughter Helena has been brought to the island to search for her.

The game is played as Helena, searching Vernon’s island for clues to Rita Ray’s whereabouts.

Suitably spooky soundtrack beautifully complements the fully voiced characters, all of whose voices match their characters well.

film fatale

The graphics are not spectacular but they are reminiscent of the era being portrayed. The hidden object scenes are hinted at by a glimmer of light that is much more subtle than the swirly fog in a lot of HOG. They are not the most challenging that I have played but they aren’t the easiest either. Everything about this game is atmospheric, the soundtrack, the voice overs and the graphics transport you to the 50′s movie studio and the hidden object scenes could be cast aside storage boxes on a movie set.

The thing that really annoys me about HOG is that you are forever backtracking, retracing your steps to find the projector you needed film for, the door you needed a lock for  etc.  I would much rather pick something up that I may need later and end up with items I didn’t use than go searching for an item I discovered a use for and have to go back to use it. The folks at Fugazo must have heard my curses because Film Fatale has a fabulous item you can pick up which allows you to jump to areas of the map so after you pick it up you can open your map, see where you need to go and one click and you’re there – I LOVE IT!

To help you keep track of your progress there is a journal that records all the important clues and the map which tells you where you are, and where you need to go next.

Part spooky suspense, part spoof this is an amusing and entertaining afternoons work. The in-game timer said that it took me a little over 2 hours to complete so it’s not really a very long game. It’s not for the serious, experienced Hidden Object aficionado – the lack of challenge and short completion time could leave them unsatisfied. But for those a little greener this fun little horror film related HOG is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon.

Explore an entire island studio and test your observation skills at mini games and hidden object scenes and see if you can outsmart the director before you become an extra in the climactic, disastrous final scene.

Download the FREE trial: Film Fatale: Lights, Camera, Madness! Game

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Behind The Reflection 2: Witch’s Revenge

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March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Alawar have done something a little different with their new Hidden object puzzle adventure game Behind The Reflection 2: Witch’s Revenge.

There is still the spooky music, dark and creepy settings and supernatural theme this is one that takes a different approach. Part of me wants to say that this would be perfect for the beginner at HOG, or the younger adventurer but I’m not sure that I’d let the younger ones play with all the witches, skeletons and soul stealing.

The sequel to last year’s hit Behind The Reflection sees a mother once again separated from her son by an evil sorceress and you have to help her search through five settings to track down the witch and save her son.

behind-the-reflection-2-witchs-revenge-screenshot

I’m not sure about the original but I can tell you the Behind The Reflection 2: The Witch’s Revenge embraces a totally new approach to the hidden object genre, well totally new to me anyway. Throughout the locations this game will give you a block of pictures to find instead of a list of objects. You know exactly what you are looking for which can be quite helpful, especially as some one word descriptions can be ambiguous. This way you can see what you need to find with no confusion, as you find an item you drag it onto its coutnerpart and it lights up.

Don’t be fooled that this will make the game too much easier because it certainly doesn’t. And there are still traditional hidden object locations that will give you the list.

The soundtrack is suitably spooky and the sound effects are realistic – the creaky chandeliers were making my skin crawl. The graphics are sophicticated and the story plays out nicely on screen without too much disruption from the cut-to scenes.

The key features of the game:

  • Five settings
  • 36 locations
  • Over 45 mini-games
  • More than 20 hidden object scenes
  • Interactive help

The puzzles are challenging, the hidden object scenes are great at  hiding things in plain sight and the new way of using picture prompts to tell you what you’re looking for made the game new again, got the brain changing gear more often to go from visual clues to written clues.

Have fun with it, but don’t lose track of time too badly. That’s my only issue with full screen games, I can no longer see the clock at the bottom of my screen. So on that note, good night.

Download the FREE trial: Behind The Reflection 2: Witch’s Revenge

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PREVIEW: Vampire Saga: Break Out

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March 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

As some of you may be aware Vampires are my genre; be it books, movies or TV shows if it’s got vampires you can count me in (even if I do then discover that Playboy vampire movies aren’t really so much about the vampires, but that’s a whole other story). I even tracked down the Vampire Weekend album, just because they were called Vampire Weekend.

vampire saga

Those of you who follow my book reviews may also know that vampires have been a little scarce lately in my reading pile, and I don’t have time to be watching them. So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to preview Vampire Saga: Break Out! I weighed up whether I had the time for playing games tonight and decided that for vampires, I could make time!

And that’s exactly what I did!

I didn’t get to play the whole game, which is probably not a bad thing or I never would have finished, but I played enough to get hooked.

This game takes place in the town of Hill Lock where you play the  role of Dr Crow, who has been summoned to perform an autopsy on a disfigured corpse discovered in the local mine. Your job is to steer the good doctor through many creepy locations on the run from terrifying creatures of the night that are often seen as inky black shadows.

Hidden object scenes abound, and they are of the visual variety. In this game the hidden object scenes require you to find multiples which was something new to me. They are also scenes that need to be revisited, each time the scene seems to be exactly the same and it’s just slightly different objects you need to find.

This is the third installment of the Vampire Saga, though the first I have come across so I can’t compare it to the early games. I can just tell you that I came, I played, I was a little disappointed when I finished the preview because I hadn’t had enough yet.

vampire saga

Complete with animated story scenes, a tutorial and a handy hint function you are sure to be able to get through any area that has you stumped. And there is a journal at the bottom of the screen to capture all of the important information, ensuring that you have all the info you need at  your fingertips.

The graphics were dark, which is to be expected with a vampire hidden object game, but I do find it makes it difficult to see into all the corners of a hidden object scene.

I enjoyed playing this preview, and I am looking forward to the game’s release on the 8th of March. That could just be the vampires but I think there’s more to it than that. I am intrigued to discover how the good doctors daughter fits into the storyline, and whether or not they can find a cure.

 

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Dark Strokes: Sins of The Fathers Collector’s Edition

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February 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The dark and spooky hidden object game I’ve been playing this week is Dark Strokes: Sins of The Fathers Collector’s Edition.

Remembering that I am still reasonably new to the whole PC game experience, it catches me out at times that all the hidden object games I have played are so dark and creepy – until I realise that’s probably the best environment for a hidden object game.

dark strokes

If it’s spooky you want then this supernatural adventure game will keep you guessing. I actually decided to follow the story completely this time round and I had my predictions at the beginning about how it would all turn out. And I was totally wrong, I couldn’t believe it.

There is a bit of step retracing in this game but not enough that it really started to irritate me. It’s usually only one or two locations earlier that you need to return to with extra tools to retrieve something.

Throughout the game you collect figurines which have to be placed in a nativity type box, each time you place a figurine in the box you are shown another piece of the larger mystery.

Ethan and Clair– are forced to postpone their wedding to pay a visit to Ethan’s father, unfortunately that’s just the beginning of their run of bad luck as Clair is kidnapped by one of the ‘Faceless Ones’ from the train. Ethan sets off in hot pursuit, desperate to find his lovely lady and rescue her.

Give chase through the rundown town, following clues and picking up useful inventory items along the way, eyes forever pealed and squinting into the darkest corners.

Alawar are extremely good at finding inventive ways to hide objects in plain sight making the hidden object locations quite the challenge.

I followed this game right through to its conclusion because I found myself so hooked that before I knew it we were done, which was a nice surprise. The best bit about that is that I have opened up the bonus chapters and have more of the story to discover.

Key features:

  • 58 locations
  • 16 mini-games
  • 20 hidden object scenes
  • Step-by-step walkthrough
  • Concept art and desktop wallpapers

If you like a supernatural challenge and to test your observational skills then this is definitely the game for you. Supernatural themes, the fear of the unknown and a desperate need to track down the lover he so desperately wants to marry motivate Ethan to track down all of the missing items that will help his progress. Follow the clues to a conclusion that will surprise you.

Have fun with this one, I know I did.

Download the FREE trial: Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector’s Edition

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Sacra Terra: Angelic Night

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January 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Now that Christmas has come and gone I can finally get back to my long neglected pile of PC Games by the talented team at Alawar.

I started with one of the newer games,  Sacra Terra: Angelic Night. I got it all downloaded and ready to go this afternoon only to discover that I woke up in a mental hospital – I knew I’d been doing too much but I couldn’t remember anything from the last couple of days.

It seems that demons embodying the Seven Deadly Sins had a little help escaping from Hell in the wake of a magic ritual gone wrong. There they were spread out in the hospital, seemingly leaving me the only survivor. So there I was, amnesiac from the massive Christmas and somehow now responsible for tracking down and destroying the Seven Deadly Sins.

I don’t mean to be melodramatic, I did have help from a beautiful Angel – I’m not sure what her name was, she was only ever referred to as Angel, but she often popped in to leave me a hint or point me in the right direction.

Sacra Terra

Sacra Terra

The setting is suitably dark and creepy, very rundown and dilapidated – it seems the Seven Deadly Sins have been in residence longer than I had thought – clearly it had been much longer that I had no memory of.

There are 60 different locations that I had to explore, and some of the hidden object scenes were ones I had to go back to twice or three times. I’m not a fan of retracing my steps at the best of times but sometimes you just can’t take everything you need in the first trip. This hospital really does have it all – from creepy catacombs to pretty gardens, medieval cathedrals and hidden underground chambers.

15 mini-games are included to challenge you and I’m pretty sure most of them were locks but there are options to let you skip it and move on.

The challenging objects to find are the 42 throughout the game that shapeshift – good luck with that!

There is an on-screen tutorial you can make use of, or the very handy HINT button.

Throughout the game there are also CG animated scenes that look fantastic. The in between scenes that you have no control over. You got to this point and this is what happens next. The scenes looked great but there is a skip option if you would prefer.
If you do manage to get through this quick but don’t think you’ve had enough you can always go back through to search out the morphing objects you may have missed too so it is a game that you can keep playing once you technically reach the end.

The soundtrack is dark and spooky, as it should be, and in the beginning there were shots that I thought seemed a little gruesome and wasn’t sure what to expect but there wasn’t anything really that graphic image wise. I would make sure you have a good look before deciding if you want your kids to play though.

A great way to eat up my afternoon!

Download the FREE trial: Sacra Terra: Angelic Night Game

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House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets Collector’s Edition

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January 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Bye Bye Sunday afternoon, I thought I’d take a look at another of the recent release games that have been waiting for me today. What better way to spend a slightly seedy Sunday!

This game ate my afternoon as I directed Kate Reed on her journey through the House of 1000 Doors game, which is a house that appears randomly in different locations in auspicious circumstances. It is a haven for those who have passed but can not rest, where they can bide their time and wait for the right person to come along and help them find peace. This time round that person is Kate Reed, under your direction.

house of 1000 doors

House if 1000 Doors - Click Image to Enlarge

The Collector’s Edition contains bonus gameplay not available in the regular version including a step by step walk-through and an entire bonus chapter.

The soundtrack, yes I leave the sound on these days, is suitably eerie and spooky as you would expect in a haunted house! The game is for the most part quite dark which isn’t really unusual considering the theme of the game but it does add an extra challenge to some of the hidden object scenes.

Better than the walkthrough, in my opinion, is the Map – which I didn’t find until I was very close to finished the game. It shows you where on the ‘game board’ you are and where there are things you need to do. Each time you pick up a new object you can check your map and know exactly where to go to use it. This means there doesn’t need to be aimless wandering and anytime you feel you are getting a little lost you can just whip out the map and know exactly where you need to be.

Key Features of the creepy little challenge are it’s 90 locations, 25 mini games (which have a skip function after a certain amount of time so if it gets too much you can move past), 15 hidden object games and 13 CGI Cutscenes to keep you involved in the story and on top of all the new information you are amassing.

house of 1000 doors

House if 1000 Doors - Click Image to Enlarge

This was an enjoyable way to spend my Sunday afternoon with my powers of observation and memory being severely stretched, that could be because of my mental state today though. The storyline is intriguing, the graphics are grim and Kate Reed finds her imagination and ghost story inspirations are not quite so dried up as she thought.

House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets is only the first in a new series of Hidden object games with Kate Reed as our heroine and if they continue the way they have started I will definitely be playing them all.

Download the FREE trial: House of 1000 Doors: Family Secret Collector’s Edition Game

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Mystery Stories: Mountains of Madness

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December 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment


I was sent over to Big Fish Games this afternoon to check out a new hidden object game, because I’m on holidays from the day job and have so many extra hours I thought why not! I then proceeded to spend the afternoon playing Mystery Stories: Mountains of Madness.

PC Games really do have a knack of drawing me in and hidden object games are great for the powers of observation. It may look like I’m sitting here playing games but I am really exercising the grey matter and honing my observational skills – both of which are very important in every day life. (That’s what I tell myself anyway).

Mystery Stories: Mountains of Madness is an intriguing tale of an expedition to the snowy wilds gone wrong. It is shaping up to be the perfect base storyline for a horror movie. And on further investigation – it turns out it’s based on a novel by H.P. Lovecraft!

mystery mountains game

You discover the base camp deserted and most of the crew brutally slain (though not graphically so not an issue for younger viewers) but there is one of the team missing. You need to follow the clues left in his wake to discover him before it’s too late.

Beginning at base camp you trek through beautiful snowy and deserted locations where many of your clues are hidden under snow drifts or hidden in plain sight. There are also hidden object locations where you need to collect the requested items, sometimes unique and sometimes multiples of the same item, as well as bonus puzzle rounds.

The graphics are gorgeous and you have the option to enable scrolling so that you get a more panoramic scenery, which is beautiful on the eye. The music is something I can take or leave but it does fit the graphics.

Game play is smooth and you can pick the easy option and have on screen tips, hints and tutorials to help point you in the right direction. There is a little bit of retracing your steps when you find an item that you can use on something you found earlier, at times this annoys me but it doesn’t seem to be too apparent in this game.

The one thing that I REALLY loved about this one – you have the option to turn off Full Screen Mode so I can still see what else is going on in my other screens. A big plus for me considering I always have other things on my mind as well.

A pleasant way to fill an afternoon, brilliant for a distraction and great for the thinkers!

DOWNLOAD THE FREE TRIAL: Mystery Stories: Mountains of Madness

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Elementary My Dear Majesty

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November 28, 2011 By 1 Comment

What a way to fill an evening! Lucky hubby works nights really because once I got started on this it kept dragging me back until I finished.

This hidden object game is in 3D, something I have never played on the PC before, and quite captivating. The graphics are great and the story is funny. Quite a few times I found myself having a giggle at the dialogue.

This game has a little bit of everything character wise which is really rather amusing. You play the role of Felix who is, well it’s never really mentioned what Felix is but he does live in a house.

The game begins when you receive a letter from King Ludwig pleading for you to investigate the fate that his befallen his beloved daughter – somehow she has been transformed into a man-eating monster.

Your job is to help the cast of colourful characters so they will help you collect clues to discover how you can return the princess to her rightful state. The colourful characters include dragons, knights, ninjas, snowmen, pirates, penguins, aliens , monsters and a witch to name a few – and they are all here together in one game.

Use your powers of observation to check all the nooks and crannies in this vivid hidden object game that is sure to capture the attention and imagination of the whole family. And don’t forget that this one is in 3D so you need to move around and be sure to rotate your islands or you will miss things.

The handy helper lists down the side of screen keep you on top of what you need to look for and direct you in your quest.

There are 14 lovely locations to keep your eyeballs excited and observations overworked as well as 100 puzzles to get your brain into gear.

This is a hidden object game sure to please everyone. I am not a very patient person so some hidden object games frustrate me way too much with all the to and fro-ing required but not this one. This one is relatively straightforward from start to finish and will enchant quite a large range of ages and skill levels.

Have fun with it – I sure did!

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Weird Park: Broken Tune Collector’s Edition

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November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Not only are Alawar fantastic at Match 3 games but they come up with a captivating Hidden Object game as well!

Weird Park: Broken Tune Collector’s Edition is set in a dark and eerie haunted amusement park where you are the investigator searching for clues to discover the answer behind a spate of unexplainable accidents in recent years.

Travel through the park at night to see what you can discover.

weird park

I discovered that I don’t have the methodical logic or the patience required to excel at Hidden Object games, I also discovered that it doesn’t matter -  I will still get hooked and spend hours lost in the park trying to find the answers.

There is a process of steps to make this game run the smoothest, an easy path to traverse the discoveries so that one leads to another. I discovered that if you don’t follow this path and just end up traipsing high and low for hours you will still get the same results, it will just mean that you have accrued many more hours of fun on the journey.

The thing about this game is that you are collecting items along the way and if you miss something there will come a point where you are stuck until you find it. (Which is where I am right now) I now need to retrace my steps until I can find the item I missed before I can move forward. The thing I do like about it is that if you have completed an area it stops you going back in looking which is a bonus in a sense. You also have to revisit the hidden object scenes twice or three times which can be a tad confusing but it’s still fun to find the items.

weird park

The soundtrack is suitably creepy and eerie, kind of spooky really but perfect for the game.

Key features of this game are its:

  • 50 locations
  • 17 hidden object scenes
  • 23 mini-games
  • In-game strategy guide
  • Extensive bonus chapter

The In-game strategy guide is a new addition available exclusively in the Collector’s Edition and is great if you want to just walk through the game without actually having to play, which is really good if you happen to be wandering through solo and find yourself stuck – this is the perfect tool to help you out.

There is an extensive bonus chapter which provides 25% extra game play, and an extras section which you can’t access until the game has been completed so I can’t actually tell you about that. Nearly, nearly… so close.

The graphics are vivid, the story is intriguing, the atmosphere is gloomy and the game is totally addictive. Some of the mini games are extremely challenging but I got there in the end. This is sure to capture the hearts and imaginations of Hidden Object game lovers everywhere.

Download the FREE trial: Weird Park: Broken Tune Collector’s Edition

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