In the new Danse Macabre Ominous Obsession you find yourself neck deep in a mystery after your friend Maria is kidnapped. Maria has a great future ahead of her in films in America – that is if you can find her and help her achieve her dream.
I actually am impressed that this game has some great puzzles and HOPS. Some of the HOPS seem better than usual as are the puzzles that, at least for me, seemed to have more challenge. Yes, there was a very easy gate puzzle and then another on the ship that could have been a bit more difficult but I enjoyed most of the puzzles right from the beginning of the game and found them to be different than those we normally see from this developer. IMHO, the developer did a great job by bringing us puzzles that have some new twists. I loved the one where we have to weave a cover of ribbons. I am not going to detail all the puzzles or HOPS I have encountered today because other reviewers do an excellent job of covering the nitty-gritty for you.
As usual the graphics and all of the other video features in the game are top quality but I did notice that some voiceovers are not lip- synced. The game does have the custom setting that I love and then we have the interactive, transporter type map to help us on our adventure.
The CE version has the predictable collectibles, morphing objects and other standards but I happen to love CEs because of the in-game Strategy Guide even though I rarely use it. It is often very helpful to clarify instructions for the puzzles if one is not sure what to do.
Many seasoned gamers will not agree with my opinion of the game because it is what they call cookie-cutter and that is okay. How we perceive games is very personal and subjective so not everyone will love this game. I have purchased and played almost every HOPA game since I became a BFG member over ten years ago. I am absolutely a total fan of the HOPA genre and never seem to tire of playing this type of game. Yes they are the same thing many times because aside from the storyline and graphics there is not really too much room to create something different. I too have my days when I seem to be tired of playing HOPA games but I inevitably just have to return to fill my passion for playing HOPA game. I happen to love the storyline for Ominous Obsession and have played the game off and on most of the day. It is a great game – at least for me – and one I find has enough challenge and difference to keep me well-entertained. As always, please try the demo to see if Ominous Obsession is a game you will enjoy as well.
You’ve been commissioned by Colin Englund founder of the Hullbright Institute of Literature to examine some antiquities but as always this might not be easy since the tomes were hidden and you must find them first. Oh, yes there is more! It seems that the estate of Lars McCordon is full of puzzles and traps that must be disarmed before you can begin your search. Alas, just another day in HOPA land – lol.
The graphics are much better than usual for this developer and, thankfully, do not heavily rely on varying shades of purple. The voice overs were good but the characters seemed almost cartoonish. There is a transporter type map that has sections added to it as needed once you enter the library.
There is an interesting variety of HOPS including a FROG scene early in the game. Most HOPS are interactive and interactive, but I don’t particularly care for silhouette scenes and Sinister Knowledge seems to have an abundance of them. As is generally the case, the puzzles range in difficulty; however, many of them are not the types of puzzles that I particularly like and it seems like I spent a lot of time spinning or pulling various items to gain my prize or entry into an area. One puzzle I did enjoy early in the game involves placing items around a circle by following their correct path from beginning to end – much better than those toggle type puzzles.
The CE version includes morphing puzzle pieces that are used to complete six puzzles, collectible coins that are used to purchase statues of the game’s characters, and achievements to earn. The remainder of the package is fairly standard. Not the most stellar CE package but better than some.
I must admit that I have enjoyed most of the Sable Maze games so I don’t know why I am not enthused about Sinister Knowledge. I felt the game was very slow and seemed to go nowhere fast. I don’t particularly care for games based on the “enter a book” theme and, IMHO, some others have been done far better than Sinister Knowledge. The story is rather predictable and then with puzzles that I don’t like, it makes the game a bore for me. I know there are many gamers who will find this game absolutely wonderful but I am not one of them. Even though I don’t care for the game, as always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
Labyrinths of the World Stonehenge Legend is a wonderful fantasy game – in fact one of the best in ages! Once again your sister Margaret has ended up in trouble and she turns to you for help. Doing what older sisters always do, you rush off to the legendary site of Stonehenge to save Margaret after an explosion damages the circle of stones. The graphics are gorgeous and the game is full of creative HOP scenes and fun puzzles. Your tools include an interactive map that is present at the beginning of the game, and a diary or journal that keeps track of your tasks and other notes. Happily, I didn’t find any gimmicky tools or animal helpers, aside from brief encounters with a few critters that were helpful and then gone. There is a custom mode available for those of you who like to set your own gameplay options.
Trouble has found your sister Margaret once again and you receive a tearful call from her asking for your help. Margaret was doing research at the famed site when a disastrous explosion injured her and took the lives of her colleagues. When you arrive at the site you realize that Margaret is lucky to be alive. Now begins the investigation where you will find there is more to those fabled stones than you ever thought possible. Will you be able to restore balance to Stonehenge and prevent the catastrophe from causing even more cataclysmic damage to your entire world? Learn the answers you seek as you enter Stonehenge and beyond to another gorgeous world that is also in danger.
Stonehenge Legend has some beautiful HOS that are varied with some being quite interactive. Although some of the puzzles seem familiar, they are somehow different with some requiring a lot of thought to solve. During the demo I skipped several of the puzzles because I didn’t want to take the time to solve them at that point. Once I get into the full game, I can take more time to figure out some of those trickier puzzles.
I love this game and, at least for me, it is so much better than the other games in the series. I found the storyline grabbed my attention and I wanted to know more about what caused the disaster at Stonehenge. The characters were interesting and, although I wasn’t too fond of some of the voice acting it is still a very interesting and entertaining game. In recent months I have become a bit bored with the same old theme in HOPA games and I love it when a game developer steps outside of the box and shows a great deal of creativity. It is refreshing to see a game that doesn’t deal with evil beings or witches striving for world dominion. Honestly, I am looking forward to seeing more games that move a bit further from the supernatural and concentrate more on a good mystery or well-told story. This developer has nailed it with a game that should be a definite contender for game of the year. I’m hoping that the next Labyrinths of the World will be just as terrific as Stonehenge Legend. As always, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will like.
Dark Realm is back with the third game in the series - Lord of the Winds. It has been almost a year since Princess of Ice was release and it is certainly worth the wait. After centuries of war, Queen Valera is about to make peace by signing a treaty with King Harlan of the Wind Kingdom. Although she has some reservations, she believes that this is the only path that will bring prosperity to both kingdoms. Things don’t exactly go as planned when a gift from the king spells doom for the treaty. Now Queen Valera is on a mission to save not only her realm but also the life of her childhood friend Nathaniel who has given his breath to save her. With the aid of your valued airship captain you are off and running on a new adventure.
While some developers seem to crank out games faster than I can finish the previous one, this team takes the time to create some games that are definitely a cut above. I have loved each one of the Dark Realm games as well as some others from this team, with each of them being high-quality and rich with some awesome gameplay features. As is most often the case now, Lord of the Winds offers a custom mode for those of you who like to tailor a game for the way you enjoy playing. The graphics are crystal clear and at times quite gorgeous. Even though Nathaniel’s bow fits into the category of being a “gimmick’ it is well-integrated to the storyline and necessary. I happen to love slider type puzzles so I look forward to the times I need to use the bow and must play a puzzle before it can be used.
The HOPS are varied and well designed and as is typical for this developer, we must spot a morphing object hidden somewhere in the scene. Although the puzzles generally seem a bit easy, I did skip one because I simply couldn’t figure out what I needed to do. The instructions were quite vague (which is one downfall for this dev) and made no sense whatsoever. That being said, the puzzles that I did finish were quite good and a lot of fun.
The CE offers the typical fluff along with the collectibles, morphing objects, treasure hunt items, and achievements. One thing I happen to like about the collectibles is that if we happen to miss a couple of them, we have the opportunity at the end of the game to revisit the scenes where the missing collectibles are located. I happen to think this is a nice feature and wish more devs would include it in their CE games. I usually end up kicking myself because I generally will miss those at the dramatic end of a game because I am too involved in the storyline.
I guess by now you know I think this is an absolutely terrific game. It has all of the features that I love blended to perfection to create a game that I am sure to play many times in the future. The story is well-told with enough twists and turns to keep me entertained as I play. Even though I think this is a terrific game, please try the demo to see if you agree. Happy gaming!
In this tenth game in the Hidden Expedition series, the Eternal Emperor, we find ourselves dealing with the over-zealous, power hungry descendent of China’s first Emperor –Qin Shi Huang. You embark on this latest adventure at the unearthed archeological site of Emperor Qin’s tomb led by Professor Huang Son Jiang and his assistant Anna Chan. This is a memorable day for you and Sam as you join in the festivities to celebrate the opening of the tomb. Your job is to run interference against any booby traps or other obstacles that you might encounter.
Everything about the game is fairly much signature of this developer with excellent graphics to great sound effects and voice overs. The game offers a custom setting for those of you who prefer to set up your gameplay options. There is a transporter type map but I don’t care for the way it opens in this game. Whenever I select the map there is a delay as it is part of the HELP toolkit. For some reason the map seemed a bit clunky.
The HOPS were excellent and varied with some being multi-level. There even seemed to be a bit more creativity in a few of the HOPS which keeps things interesting. The puzzles or mini-games were a bit too easy and I only found one to be a bit challenging but that was due to the instructions.
What I loved about the game is the storyline that held my attention. What I disliked about the game is the obnoxious professor who kept referring to me as a “little carp.” Talk about a demeaning attitude – this guy had it in spades!
The CE has all the regular things I like in games from this development team with collectibles, morphing objects, achievements, and all the other typical fluff.
The Hidden Expedition series is one I love and these games were among the first HOPA games I ever played. I own each game in the series and always eagerly await each new game to see what is next. The Eternal Emperor is an excellent addition to the series but falls short of being my favorite. At least for me the game captured my attention from the moment I arrived at the Emperor’s burial site and continued throughout the game. Although the puzzles were a bit easy, I really enjoyed some of them because of the variety and because they are the types of puzzles I enjoy. Even though I really like this game, please try the demo to see if The Eternal Emperor is a game you will enjoy as well.
The Bridge to Another World series continues with this new game of shadows, shards, and possibly a case mistaken identity in an excellent new spin on the “Wonderland” story. Although my favorite game in the series is The Others, Alice in Shadowland is a huge improvement over the original game. The graphics are excellent, and when paired with excellent voice acting the Friends team has created a game that is sure to become a favorite of many gamers.
In the game you play as Alice who may or may not be the “real” Alice who once fell into Wonderland. As a wife and mother your life is busy but you still have a passion for jogging; however, on this particular morning run you are pushed into the water and that is where your journey into Shadowland begins. You will meet some rather familiar characters as you try to restore order and escape the realm that is now ruled by a tyrannical princess.
You will find an interactive map early in the game along with other tools, some of which fall into the gimmicky category. The tools are not difficult to use but somehow I don’t see the purpose of inserting these time-fillers into what, IMHO, could be an excellent game without them. You also have your cell phone that serves as a flashlight or a camera when needed.
The HOPS are very well designed and some items are difficult to find. I had to put my little brain cells to work in some of the scenes as it wasn’t always obvious what an item might be. The scenes vary in style with some list type scenes while others are in storybook format. The puzzles seem a bit easy to me but they were still fun to complete. Most of the puzzles have been seen before but with the developer’s spin that makes them unique to Shadowland.
The Alice in Wonderland theme has never been a favorite of mine but I think Shadowland shows a great deal of creativity for the Friends group. They have put together a game that has great gameplay and all of the elements I love in a game. After finishing the game I was impressed by how wonderful it turned out to be. When I play a HOPA game I take my time and gawk at everything so it took me two days to complete. Some gamers love to rush through a game but not me. Part of the enjoyment is the scenery and all of the special touches that a developer takes the time to create. In the end, I absolutely loved this game and think that many of you will enjoy it as well. Many of the games I have enjoyed in the past have come from this group of Friends who continue to bring out some of the best HOPA games available and Alice in Shadowland continues that tradition. Even though I love the game, please try the demo to see if Shadowland is a game you will enjoy.
A bit of divergence from my normal habit of posting a review based on the game demo as this time I have completed the game and the bonus game before writing my review. I understand that many don’t like what they consider cookie-cutter games and it seems that some of the luster has faded from this developers overall popularity. However, I loved this game and at least for me, it is one of the best in the Dead Reckoning series. I rarely play the bonus chapter in a game since I am usually bored by the time I complete the regular game but not so with Snowbird’s Creek. In addressing the sameness of most HOPA games, the format is that we look for objects, use those objects, play a mini-game and follow a storyline. This is the basis for the genre and it is not often that we see something different. You either love HOPA games or you don’t. It is the same with all of the TM games I have played – there is not much that differs from game to game.
The storyline is excellent and consistent without a lot of jumping all over the place so it is fairly easy to follow. What I happened to love about the game is that it wasn’t super easy to get started and always figure out what needed to be found to move forward. Some of the found items were used creatively and on more than one occasion I said “why didn’t I think of that” after I used a hint.
In Snowbird’s Creek the HOPA scenes were excellent and I am always hooked into finding those morphing objects. I felt that one scene was a bit different than usual but I am a true fan of the genre and love searching for objects so I don’t always need something different. I found most of the items to be easily identifiable and even when a scene was done with silhouettes, those were clearly depicted so the items were not overly hard to find.
Yes, the mini-games were fairly easy but some were more challenging. However, most of them were excellent and not the type where you toggle switches. The information for completing the puzzles was clear so at least when I was stuck I had a good idea where to begin.
The CE package is very good with collectibles, morphing objects, achievements, a strategy guide, bonus chapter, souvenir room, other goodies and the ability to replay the HOPs and mini-games.
This developer is one of my favorites and almost always presents an excellent, well put together HOPA game. Yes, they may be a bit cookie-cutter to some but at least this developer strives to excel when presenting a game. As I mentioned earlier I loved this game and am now looking forward to the next offering from this team. Please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy.
What a pleasant surprise! I am very fond of the griddler, pictogram or nanogram type games and Forest Riddles is certainly one of the better ones. One of the things I really like is that the game mechanics are smooth and easy to use. There are no clunky push pins to insert in the unused cells and that gives the boards a much cleaner look. After right clicking on an empty cell it is removed from the grid which makes it easier to determine which of the remaining cells need to be filled with the woodsy tiles to complete the picture. Although the grids are centered in the background and don’t fill the entire screen they are still easy to see. The only drawback to the game is that the boards each use only one color. Aside from that this is one of the better games in this category of puzzle games.
Although the grids start out fairly simple they soon progress to more challenging ones that take a bit of time to figure out. As I mentioned the game mechanics are simple to use and you left click to place a tile on the board and then right click to remove an empty cell from the board. If you click both mouse buttons at the same time it will cancel your move to help avoid making a mistake. There are five hints available in each puzzle but when you use a hint it removes one of the three stars you can earn for completing a grid successfully. As I have played into the boards, I have noticed something that I don’t like, although it does make the game a bit more challenging, and it is that there is no consistency to eliminating a correctly marked individual cell from the number designations. For instance if there are two cells that need to be filled out of ten and I have one of them correctly placed, it still shows both numbers on the side with one not being marked off. I don’t particularly care for that as it can lead to causing errors.
I am a huge fan of a particular “fantasy” type mosaics game and all others seem to pale in comparison so I find very few that I like. Forest Riddles is almost as good but lacks the use of multiple colored tiles in each grid. Even though the color is fairly bland, I love the overall look of the game and the clean mechanics. There isn’t a storyline to the game but I don’t always need that when I want to take a bit of time to relax and have something to distract me from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Since Forest Riddles is one of the better griddler type games it was an instant buy for me. However, I recommend that you try the demo to see if Forest Riddles is a game you will enjoy.
The Enigmatis saga continues with this absolutely wonderful game – Shadow of Karkhala. The Enigmatis series is without a doubt one of the best I have ever played with each game continuing that trend of excellence. From the harrowing beginning right through to the end of the demo this game made me want to buy so that I could find out how it all ends. As the Shadow of Karkhala begins you are once again on the trail of your slippery nemesis the Preacher. After a short break from Ravenswood where you last encountered the Preacher, you have resumed your search and this time your partner Rick is working by your side. Now with Ricks help you have picked up the trail and are on your way.
The game has all of the features that I enjoy when it comes to playing HOPA games – excellent graphics, terrific voice overs (some of the best that I have found in these types of games) and the ability to customize the way I like to play. The realistic early scenes took me on a ride I won’t soon forget.
Your tools include a map that is found as you play the game, and an evidence board that will help you as you piece together the bits and pieces that you find to lead you in your search.
The HOPS are varied and interesting with not all objects right-in-the-face obvious. I hate to admit it but I did have to use that dreaded hint button a few times in order to find the well-hidden objects. Perhaps some of them were a bit too difficult to find but that just adds to the enjoyment of playing a HOPA game. The mini-games were also excellent and though they were not over-the-top difficult they were not too easy – another thing I like about the Enigmatis series. Each Enigmatis game has that excellent gameplay factor that holds my attention and keeps my interest high.
The CE version of the game includes morphing objects, two different collectibles to find, achievements, a bonus game, the Strategy Guide, cutscenes, wallpapers, concept art, and music. IMHO, the CE offers a terrific package of extras. Anytime I find multiple sets of collectibles AND morphing objects I’m very happy.
As I have already mentioned, I love Enigmatis. This third game in the series somehow seems even better than the last game, which just proves that a game series doesn’t have to become stale. From the first game Ghosts of Maple Creek, then Mists of Ravenwood, and now Shadow of Karkhala – each game has remained excellent in gameplay and storyline. Although it is not absolutely necessary, I would recommend playing the first two games because they would give you the whole story and because they are great games to play. The Shadow of Karhala started with creating some heart-pounding scenes and continues with even more exciting moments as the game continues. Since I did play the beta and because I LOVE Enigmatis I purchased the full game and it was terrific. There were times when the game did seem to get bogged down in tasks to accomplish but it was still one of the better games in recent months. Even though I love this game, please try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy.
Recently I have become very weary of games that all have the same theme of some evil entity bent on control or dominion and although Shadowplay Darkness Incarnate on the surface seems to be another of those games, I must say that this developer had done an incredible job of making this a game I simply loved. There are so many things about Darkness Incarnate that are exceptionally well done that it becomes a step above all of the other games with this type of theme.
The graphics, the voice acting, the HOPS and the mini-games are all excellent and show what can be done when a developer is willing to go to the next level. You can select from several modes of gameplay with Eclipse being the one where you can customize how you play the game. The storyline is very well laid out and interesting. Your tools include an interactive map and there is also a lamp that does prove helpful in some situations.
You play the game as Sarah Summers whose sister, Layla, is an inmate at the Iron Gate Asylum, accused of murdering three of her classmates while on a camping trip. You find it difficult to believe that your sister is capable of such a heinous crime and with help from the inside you set off on a journey to prove her innocence. Be warned though that this is a difficult task and you might just find out more than you are willing to know.
As I mentioned above there is a HOP scene early in the game that is one of the most unique I have ever seen during the years I have been a fan of HOPA games. It took me a few minutes to figure out exactly what I needed to do to locate the listed items. What a novel and different approach to a HOP that is sure to be emulated by other developers in the future. The weak point in the game just might be the mini-games that are familiar and have been seen many times before. In spite of the fact that during the demo I didn’t find any different or new type mini-games they are still very good even though only one of them was a bit more difficult. As is generally the case, I am sure the mini-games will increase in difficulty or challenge as the game progresses.
The CE version of the game includes collectible eye graphics to be found, morphing objects, achievements to be earned, a strategy guide, bonus game, concept artwork, wallpapers, replay of HOPS, a Labyrinth Puzzle and a Shadow Puppet Theater
Shadowplay Darkness Incarnate is an incredible game with a dark twist that is just so well done that I didn’t mind that it might be another game with a dark entity. I loved the psychological, dark thriller aspect that had me almost afraid to move to the next scene. This game just proves that with thought and determination developers can present a game that is different, challenging and creative even though the basic theme might appear to be the same old thing. This development team has historically presented games that have been unique and a cut above since they made their debut with the Rite of Passage series years ago. Although there were a few missteps along the way, Shadowplay is evidence that this team has got what it takes to create a game that is sure to rise to the top of the charts. I couldn’t wait to buy it the minute it was released and now I am going back to finish this game the lets me know there is still some life to be found in the HOPA genre.