In Labyrinths of the World: When Worlds Collide the eighth game in the Labyrinths of the World Series, you and your sister, Margaret, have been hired by a British Library as consultants in preparation for a rare books exhibition. Margaret is thrilled as she has been trying to get her hands on a rare book called The Gates, and because it has been linked to several disappearances she wants to make sure it isn’t harmful. You and Margaret are both Seekers, individuals who have a rare gift and can travel between worlds, helping to maintain safety and peace in this world by protecting it from outside threats.
As you and Margaret are preparing the books for the exhibition you learn that one rare book is missing. Something odd has happened at the museum as one of the librarians happened to disappear after finding the book, as did several of its previous owners. When Margaret finds and accidentally opens the book, she is taken through a portal and now you must follow her. Will your abilities as a Seeker help you find Margaret before it is too late?
For the most part I have stopped including technical information in my reviews as most games have the same settings. But I want to mention that this developer offers us the option of selecting between “Easy or Hard” puzzles when setting up the gameplay. Even though the puzzles offer both options, you can change it for each puzzle. The only suggestion I have for the developer is that in the Custom game selection I would like the option of setting my hint and skip time without a bottom time limit being set since I tend to be a bit impatient when I need a hint and I think 15 seconds is too long.
The HOPS are overall quite excellent but if you prefer not to search for items you can choose to play an alternate match-3 game. The first HOP scene is a very creative and well-designed story type scene. I loved this scene and had to work to find the items. I doubt that I have enjoyed other story type scenes as much as I did this one. Although the first scene was terrific it was followed by several other storybook scenes that were basically very easy. There are some additional HOPS that I think are as good as the first one so I am very happy with the game that seems to be an improvement in some respects. Although the HOPS are what I consider to be excellent, I find the puzzles to be quite easy. I have seen many of the puzzles in other games from this development team and, at least in the demo I didn’t find anything with the puzzles that I felt was different or creative. That being said, I realize that when someone plays as many HOPA games as I have over the past 14 years that it is not often that something new comes along.
If you prefer the CE version of a game this one includes quite a few extra goodies such as Collectible Statuettes, Missing Book Pages, and Crystals to find. There are also 33 Achievements, 11 Wallpapers, 32 Movies, Seller Gallery (use the crystals you find to buy items), and 5 Music Tracks. You can also replay 22 Mini-games and 19 HOPs. Other extras include the Bonus Game and a Strategy Guide.
Although I am fairly tired of the game’s evil wizard theme, I still believe it is an excellent game and one that I will add to my gaming library. Domini has created a masterpiece, IMHO. I had a lot of fun playing the HOPS and solving the puzzles. At least for me I enjoyed the gameplay factor that many will think is just more of the same old thing but when you love HOPA games as much as I do and can hardly wait for the weekly offerings, it doesn’t matter that they seem familiar. I think this game stands out at least for me because of the beautiful graphics and the very well-told storyline. IMHO, Domini has created a masterpiece. Even though I love this game, I always recommend that you try the demo to see if Labyrinths of the World When Worlds Collide is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
Can the past be changed? This is the opening question at the beginning of The Keeper of Antiques Shadow from the Past that is the fourth game in the series. As always you play the game as Alexandra Anderson who is now the Keeper since your Uncle Paul retired and passed the torch to your capable hands. The beginning cutscene in the game shows you and your parents on the way to the Hilltown Winter Festival in 1985 when there is the car accident that took the lives of your parents. Flash forward to 2017 and you are sitting at the computer when you receive an urgent call from Uncle Paul letting you know that someone has broken into the Antiques Shop that contains the artifacts. When you arrive at the shop you find that it has been vandalized and Uncle Paul is being held in the back room. Unfortunately the door has been vandalized by the culprit. Will you be able to save your uncle and keep the artifacts safe?
Although many gamers will find the graphics to be “old School,” I happen to enjoy the artistic style of games from this developer. The one complaint that I have is the lag time between scene changes. It is not as bad as having a black screen because now graphic pops up while the scene is changing. The lag time seems negligible and doesn’t bother me over much as it is quick and I am used to seeing it these games. There is an interactive map that I appreciate since the developer gives us a gold star when we have found all of the extras in a particular location. No gold star and you should take another look to see what you missed. As is the case in all of the Keeper of Antiques games you have the Keeper Tool that will be used to help you see things that are not readily visible. The Tool lives on the side of your UI and will jiggle and sparkle until you realize that it must be used.
The HOPS in this game are excellent being well-designed and most have some interactive. One scene in particular almost had me switching to the alternate matching game that is available if you would rather not search for items. Although there is variety in the HOPS many of them are the standard list type that I prefer. The Puzzles are very good but most are what I consider easy but there are some that are a bit more challenging and I had to think a bit more to solve them. I enjoy the puzzles in this game because I dislike a game that has too many “brain drain” puzzles.
If you enjoy the CE version of a game, this one includes Morphing Objects, Collectibles that will complete five collections, and 36 puzzle pieces that will be used to complete several jigsaw puzzles once all of the pieces are found. The game includes the standard extras that are found in all CE games. IMHO, this developer gives us a lot of extras that make this a great CE a great value.
The Keeper of Antiques series is a favorite of mine and Shadows from the Past is a game I have enjoyed playing. Since I like the series the game was an instant purchase for me. The story becomes more interesting after the demo as we learn more about the culprit and what he is searching for that is so important. The game has moved fairly quickly for me and held my interest as I played, Even though I really like this game, as always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
Phantasmat has never been a favorite series and Déjà Vu was simply weird. The game made absolutely no sense after I met Dr. Ryan and I had no idea what I needed to do to progress. Scenes with floating eyes and weird doll heads didn’t resonate with me at all. I tried to play the first part of the game several times but after my third attempt I finally gave up.
The game begins in a straight-forward manner with a storyline that appeared to be interesting. You play the game as Matthew who is trying to help his sister Faith after the traumatic accident that killed your parents. Faith survived the accident but she has since suffered nightmares. She has been to see many doctors and therapists since the night of the accident but no one could help her. In a last ditch effort, you have taken her into the Louisiana bayous to see Dr. Zachary Ryan, a renowned hypnotist. You arrive at Dr. Ryan’s home as a massive storm is about to hit Louisiana.
Okay folks, this is as far as I got in the game. Once the dream sequences began it was all over for me. There was no way I wanted to muddle through the mess of a game because I have many other games that are far more enjoyable to play. You might enjoy the series and find that Phantasmat Déjà Vu is a perfect game for you. Even though I didn’t like the game, I highly recommend that you try the demo before you buy the game. Happy gaming!
Whispered Secrets Enfant Terrible is the ninth game in the series, and it is probably one of the best since the Everburning Candle, a game that I loved. The game’s demo had me entranced – something I can’t say about every game that comes along right not. I found the storyline interesting and just about when I thought it was over, it was only just beginning. Whispered Secrets Enfant Terrible showcases the creativity and technical skill of this development team that in recent years has produced some top-notch games that also include the Reflections of Life and Unseen Fears series.
The HOPS are the standard fare but they were excellent. I did feel that there were far too many of the storybook type although they did serve a purpose. Some of the HOPS were very creative and one used the now favored “find so many items in order to begin the scene”, but it was creative and had a different twist. HOPS are my favorite part of HOPA games and I think that these scenes were entertaining and the items were well-created. No trying to find invisible or very tiny items.
There are a lot of puzzles in the game but even though most seemed easy there were a few that were more difficult. Some of the puzzles offered either an easy or hard setting but even when I selected the hard option they were still doable. The puzzles were fun and I didn’t find any that I needed to skip even though some of them did have a bit more challenge.
If you prefer the CE version of a game, this one includes morphing objects, collectible objects, and collectible puzzle piece to find, as well as achievements to earn as you play. The remainder of the CE package is standard fare but there are two extra chapters included.
What I enjoyed most about this game was the storyline and the gameplay. I didn’t always find it easy to know what my next move should be and did need to use the hint button on occasion to nudge me in the right direction. Whispered Secrets Enfant Terrible has one of the best and well-told storylines that I have found in a game in recent years and the further I got into the game the better it became. I can wholeheartedly recommend this game for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and a game that has a few jumpscares thrown in for good measure. Please try the demo to see if you find this game as entertaining as I did. Happy gaming!
Tales of Terror Fog of Madness is the fifth game in the series. In Fog of Madness you play the game as Ann Sparrow. An Investigative Journalist with “True Stories” magazine. Ann has heard stories of the mysterious Island of Fog and wonders why no one has returned from previous expeditions to the island. You contact Paul Fischer a tour guide who agrees to take you to the island even though he refuses to set foot on the “cursed island” himself. A sudden storm and turbulent waters are the last thing you remember before waking up and being greeted by Mr. Fogg who tells you that he rescued you and that you will be safe as long as you follow the rules. I guess the primary rule for you is to escape the castle and get away from Mr. Fogg as quickly and as safely as possible. Along the way you will meet others and you must figure out who you can trust and who is not what they seem. Will you be able to escape the Island of Fog and save Paul Fischer?
The HOP scenes were my favorite part of the game and although many were revisited, they were a bit different the next time around. I enjoyed the beauty of the HOPS in contrast to the rather dark castle and the general scenery. As much as I loved the HOPS I found the puzzles a bit confusing and skipped many of them because I didn’t understand how to solve them.
All in all Fog of Madness is a very good game and one that I have enjoyed playing. Some might think the action is a bit slow and yes, there is some back and forth but that doesn’t bother me at all. We all had differing taste when it comes to games and not everyone will feel the same as I do. Remember, I personally enjoyed the game but as always, please try the demo to see what you think. Happy gaming!
A violent storm and subsequent shipwreck as Arabella and her bother Damien are traveling to join their father kick off this fifth game in the Midnight Calling series, based on the developer’s wildly popular Midnight Castle FTP game. You play the game as Arabella and awaken on the shore of an island after what you only imagine was a shipwreck since you have no memory of events past the turbulent storm that had your ship being tossed about in the towering waves. What is even worse than the shipwreck is that you see your brother being kidnapped by a strange man when you awaken. Your efforts to follow the kidnapper are in vain as he blocks your path with brambles that must be removed before you can follow. Will you be able to save Damien from his kidnapper? And, more importantly, why would anyone want to kidnap him. Play this wonderful new game as you use everything in your power to save your beloved younger brother.
During the four years since its release I’ve managed to resist playing Midnight Castle but have recently fallen under the spell of the magnificent and dare I mention addictive game that led to the spin-off Midnight Calling series. Midnight Calling Arabella came along at the perfect time as I now have a more developed appreciation of the characters. The game is full of colorful graphics that I personally find a bit cartoonish and not my favorite style. A nice touch in the game is that we are offered a choice of having a cute little kitten as a helper. The choice is yours and will in no way change the course of the game. Your other tool is the onboard map.
The HOPS include the usual suspects with the requisite variety. The scenes at times seem to be nothing more than junk piles but it seems the games are reverting to the old school HOP where that was generally the case. I had a difficult time spotting the items in some of the mini-scenes (a recent favorite of developers rather than the large scenes where we must find a larger list of items) as items would be layered on top of each other. The puzzles were fun although not difficult, making this an easy-breezy game that will appeal to a variety of gamers from young to old.
If you, like me, prefer the CE version of a game you can find a variety of collectibles as well as morphing objects. There are achievements to earn and the standard fluff that is found in most CE games.
Because of my recent fascination with Midnight Castle, I couldn’t wait for Midnight Calling Arabella and purchased it the minute it was released. I find the gameplay easy but adequate to keep me entertained and involved in the game. Even though I have played over 1,000 HOPA games I always find something to enjoy in almost every new game that comes along. Although Midnight Calling Arabella is the perfect game for me, please try the demo to see if it is one you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming!
I have to say that I loved the last Haunted Manor game, Painted Beauties, released in 2014 and developed by the originator of the series. If you have read my reviews you have probably guessed that I am a HOPA game junkie. I currently own a library of over 1300 games, all from BFG, and around 99 percent of those games are HOPA. Yes, I own and have played every HOPA game release since they first came into existence. This being said, I have a fair amount of experience with the genre.
EIPIX has done a great job in being faithful to the original games but somehow The Last Reunion seems dull and plodding with most of the fun removed by all of the tedious little bits we must find in the beginning of the game with little forward momentum to show for it. IMHO, the clamoring for difficult games has not been positive because I feel that most of the fun has been removed. Although the story was well-told, it didn’t come together quickly enough.
In order to stretch the gameplay, the dullness at the beginning sabotaged the intent and, I daresay sales of the game, because many gamers fell by the wayside before the demo ended. This seems to be a pattern with this developer as of late because at one time I loved every game from EIPIX. I want a game that holds my interest, and although the game is definitely better after the demo, it isn’t enough to generate a 5-star rating from this reviewer. It seemed as if most of the HOPS were loaded onto the back of the game with the beginning being mostly hunt and seek little odds and ends to get something to open so we could proceed. It is my hope that this wonderful development team will one day go back to its roots and develop games that are interesting and fun to play.
If you are intrigued by the game and want to purchase it, I would definitely recommend the CE because I found that I was not able to solve a couple of the puzzles, that couldn’t be skipped, so that I could actually move forward. Even though the game is less than a 5-star for me, it is worth playing and some of you might even love The Last Reunion. Happy gaming!
Mystery Case Files Rewind is. IMHO, a creative game and a look back at the MCF games of the past and I mean back to its roots with the style emulating the first MCF Ravenhearst game. I’m guessing that this is a game that you will either love or hate but it is true to the original MCF Ravenhearst, one of my very favorite games. For me there was no question about adding MCF Rewind to my collection and as soon as it was available, I hit the buy button. The only downside is that I was up most of the night telling myself “just one more room then I will stop.” If I am not mistaken, MCF Ravenhearst was the first game to introduce the Rube-Goldberg type puzzles that have since been used in many games over the years and by different developers.
There is no need for me to go into detail in my review as others have already provided more detail than I care to go into in this review. Let it suffice to say that since I am a HOP junkie, this game is perfect for me. I love the retrospect of the MCF series and the Dalimar family with all of its craziness. As much as I enjoy the game, I had to select the “easy” setting since I dislike playing any game with a timer. Perhaps I will get up the courage to play “Beat the Clock” the next time around but I doubt that I will be successful solving each case and its puzzles in the amount of time allocated.
In the end, I can only say that I love this game. EIPIX designed an excellent retrospective game on the MCF series. It has been fun revisiting those junkpile HOPS and solving the various puzzles with each chapter having those amazing “super puzzles”. I’ve played the original MCF Ravenhearst game a number of times over the years because it was a game with challenge and, of course, the introduction to one of the most dysfunctional families in game world. I must admit that over the years I became rather tired of the Dalimar theme but Rewind is a welcome look back to the time when the hidden object genre of games first grabbed my attention and created my long-time addiction and love of HOPA games. Although I love this game, please try the demo to see if MCF Rewind is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming
Spirits of Mystery the Lost Queen is the eleventh game in the series and a very disappointing entry. Perhaps, as is the case with these interminable series, it is time to say farewell and wish the developer more success with something new. In the past few years the series has taken a decidedly dark turn that I don’t believe has been successful. I know that I have not enjoyed these later games as much as I did the first games. I remember looking forward to each new game and they didn’t seem to come fast enough for my liking. In 2017 there were three (3) games released and two (2) this year which is an indication of how quickly the developer is throwing the games together with the ultimate result being a loss in the storyline and resulting in really short games. Personally, I would love to see this incredible team, that was once my favorite and that created my love for the HOPA genre, take some time to create a new game that was as terrific as their earlier games.
In this predictable game you once again play the beautiful princess who is betrothed to her beloved but as we know the path to love is never smooth. In this case the princess who lost her mother in a previous game, must now save her father, the widowed King, and her beloved Prince Malgar, from an onslaught of the Forest Spirits that are released whenever the Green Moon rises. Now is such a time and the princess has her work cut out for her.
The gameplay is unfortunately rather choppy and there is no clear direction at times what must be accomplished. Again, unfortunately, this is a VERY short game and there is much to accomplish in a game that has only 18 scenes in the game. The bonus game must be short as well but by the time I completed the game I was done. I might go back and finish the game but I doubt it as there is no point. The best part of the game is the graphics but again the game is dark and the scenes are not as beautiful as they once were in these games. I doubt there is a developer who can create such beautiful and realistic characters as this artistic team but that is no longer enough to keep me satisfied. It seemed that I moved from one dark and gloomy scene to the next in the Lost Queen.
There were a variety of HOP scenes with some being the story type that often made no sense as the story was so poorly told. I was not even swept away with the remaining scenes that had almost invisible squiggles that were symbols of a sort to find. The few list type scenes did not even grab my attention. The game had very easy puzzles that I have seen time and time again, so there was nothing remotely creative with either the HOPS or the Puzzles in this game.
The CE version of the game includes morphing objects to find and collectible lanterns. The morphing objects morphed so slowly that I had to look at the SG to figure out where they should be and then I had to wait, wait, and wait some more until I could actually spot them. Throw in some achievements and the standard fluff and you have a CE game.
Since I am a rather slow player when it comes to HOPA games I was amazed that I completed the entire game in little less than two hours, and that included time to eat breakfast. This developer at one time was my favorite and no one else could even compete with them as far as I was concerned. But then something changed and the games were not the same. I think it was the massive demand for CE games that meant that developers had to crank them out as quickly as possible, which created less quality and much shorter games. I for one would rather wait for a great game than to purchase these dime-a-dozen cookie-cutter games that no longer leave me feeling rewarded once completed. I don’t think I can recommend this game unless you want a very quick play-through. As always, please try the demo because you might enjoy this one more than me. Happy gaming!
In Labyrinths of the World: When Worlds Collide, the eighth game in the Labyrinths of the World Series, you and your sister Margaret have been hired by a British Library as consultants in preparation for a rare books exhibition. Margaret is thrilled as she has been trying to get her hands on a rare book called The Gates, and because it has been linked to several disappearances she wants to make sure it isn’t harmful. You and Margaret are both Seekers, individuals who have a rare gift and can travel between worlds, helping to maintain safety and peace in this world by protecting it from outside threats.
As you and Margaret are preparing the books for the exhibition you learn that one rare book is missing. Something odd has happened at the museum as one of the librarians happened to disappear after finding the book, as did several of its previous owners. When Margaret finds and accidentally opens the book, she is taken through a portal and now you must follow her. Will your abilities as a Seeker help you find Margaret before it is too late?
For the most part I have stopped including technical information in my reviews as most games have the same settings. But I want to mention that this developer offers us the option of selecting between “Easy or Hard” puzzles when setting up the gameplay. Even though the puzzles offer both options, you can change it for each puzzle. The only suggestion I have for the developer is that in the Custom game selection I would like the option of setting my hint and skip time without a bottom time limit being set since I tend to be a bit impatient when I need a hint and I think 15 seconds is too long.
The HOPS are overall quite excellent but if you prefer not to search for items you can choose to play an alternate match-3 game. The first HOP scene is a very creative and well-designed story type scene. I loved this scene and had to work to find the items. I doubt that I have enjoyed other story type scenes as much as I did this one. Although the first scene was terrific it was followed by several other storybook scenes that were basically very easy. There are some additional HOPS that I think are as good as the first one so I am very happy with the game that seems to be an improvement in some respects. Although the HOPS are what I consider to be excellent, I find the puzzles to be quite easy. I have seen many of the puzzles in other games from this development team and, at least in the demo I didn’t find anything with the puzzles that I felt was different or creative. That being said, I realize that when someone plays as many HOPA games as I have over the past 14 years that it is not often that something new comes along.
If you prefer the CE version of a game this one includes quite a few extra goodies such as Collectible Statuettes, Missing Book Pages, and Crystals to find. There are also 33 Achievements, 11 Wallpapers, 32 Movies, Seller Gallery (use the crystals you find to buy items), and 5 Music Tracks. You can also replay 22 Mini-games and 19 HOPs. Other extras include the Bonus Game and a Strategy Guide.
Although I am fairly tired of the game’s evil wizard theme, I still believe it is an excellent game and one that I will add to my gaming library. Domini has created a masterpiece, IMHO. I had a lot of fun playing the HOPS and solving the puzzles. At least for me I enjoyed the gameplay factor that many will think is just more of the same old thing but when you love HOPA games as much as I do and can hardly wait for the weekly offerings, it doesn’t matter that they seem familiar. I think this game stands out at least for me because of the beautiful graphics and the very well-told storyline. IMHO, Domini has created a masterpiece. Even though I love this game, I always recommend that you try the demo to see if Labyrinths of the World When Worlds Collide is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming!