matai9's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.6
- Helpful Votes:233
- Reviews Submitted:17
- First Review:November 26, 2011
- Most Recent Review:October 21, 2021
- Featured reviews0
A strange board game makes a Halloween party go very wrong!
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 7 found this review helpful
Creepy characters lurk behind Halloween board game
PostedOctober 21, 2021
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Enter a world of rolling eyeballs, toothy plants and glowing pumpkins for a Halloween treat. I appreciate the immersive Halloween world created here with interactive touches. In certain scenes crows would caw when clicked on, a jack-o-lantern cackled and moved when touched, and eyeballs rolled around with the movement of the curser. The soundtrack was varied and changed to fit each chapter.
HOGs were spectacular with a variety of experiences like a popup book with pullout tabs, three different fish texture scenes and a challenging music note match up scene. I also enjoyed games like the creepy tree maze, where users move along lines and avoid red circles and scary trees, and a skull line up game that matches glowing points on a grid. My only criticism is the chapter titled Witches. There is only one witch character I saw, and I was hoping to see a variety of witches. Overall fun Halloween game that I will replay next season.
HOGs were spectacular with a variety of experiences like a popup book with pullout tabs, three different fish texture scenes and a challenging music note match up scene. I also enjoyed games like the creepy tree maze, where users move along lines and avoid red circles and scary trees, and a skull line up game that matches glowing points on a grid. My only criticism is the chapter titled Witches. There is only one witch character I saw, and I was hoping to see a variety of witches. Overall fun Halloween game that I will replay next season.
I recommend this game!
Can you help three souls escape a deadly amusement park?
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Dead park delivers summer fun
PostedJuly 13, 2019
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Great amusement park game with spooky theme. Perfect for a mid-summer game for those who enjoy a haunted element.
Players have the chance to feel like they are at the grounds themselves by popping balloons, playing cards and shooting colored skulls.
Morphing skulls are slow to appear and are a challenge to find. They are later used to buy items to spruce up your own amusement park scene.
The HOGs are mostly carnival themed and gorgeous. My favorite was an abandoned swan ride in a lake.
The story follows the tradition in these games of maneuvering through obstacles that will change the course of wrongful deaths and saving souls.
I always enjoy the Redemption Cemetery series, and this one is a worthy addition.
Players have the chance to feel like they are at the grounds themselves by popping balloons, playing cards and shooting colored skulls.
Morphing skulls are slow to appear and are a challenge to find. They are later used to buy items to spruce up your own amusement park scene.
The HOGs are mostly carnival themed and gorgeous. My favorite was an abandoned swan ride in a lake.
The story follows the tradition in these games of maneuvering through obstacles that will change the course of wrongful deaths and saving souls.
I always enjoy the Redemption Cemetery series, and this one is a worthy addition.
I recommend this game!
When your world and the supernatural realm collide, can you survive?
Overall rating
5
/
5
14 of 18 found this review helpful
Witch pursuit opens portal into Halloween dreamland
PostedOctober 15, 2018
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
The Halloween fantasy that unfolds in the search for your sister is a dream for fans of this holiday and all of its symbols. Wraiths float from floorboards, jack-o-lanterns glow and flicker, and bats flap their wings in a flurry of activity.
Standout scenes: A paint by numbers challenge that is anything but standard. The numbered sections morph as the player quickly dabs the brush in the corresponding paint to complete the image. A black book collected early on in the game will help you with clues to several puzzles.
I loved the HOP where you look at a single rune type symbol, and each mannequin turns around with a freaky surprise.
The bonus chapter offers up just as much spooky fun with a scarecrow battle. You match at least three Halloween symbols such as a cauldron, broom and pumpkin by drawing a line between them to defeat the creepy scarecrow and advance along into the world of dreams.
I didn't locate all the morphing objects, which are challenging to find, but I found the newspaper fragments which make up four front pages that are fun to read. It's really more of a challenge just to see if you can find them all.
The pumpkin figures are scattered throughout the game and are animated, all as pumpkins tricked out as different Halloween characters. Favorites are the vampire pumpkin sipping a blood-filled goblet, a cackling witch and stone gargoyle with flapping wings. So much detail and attention in this game. Love it and will probably play it again around Halloween!
Standout scenes: A paint by numbers challenge that is anything but standard. The numbered sections morph as the player quickly dabs the brush in the corresponding paint to complete the image. A black book collected early on in the game will help you with clues to several puzzles.
I loved the HOP where you look at a single rune type symbol, and each mannequin turns around with a freaky surprise.
The bonus chapter offers up just as much spooky fun with a scarecrow battle. You match at least three Halloween symbols such as a cauldron, broom and pumpkin by drawing a line between them to defeat the creepy scarecrow and advance along into the world of dreams.
I didn't locate all the morphing objects, which are challenging to find, but I found the newspaper fragments which make up four front pages that are fun to read. It's really more of a challenge just to see if you can find them all.
The pumpkin figures are scattered throughout the game and are animated, all as pumpkins tricked out as different Halloween characters. Favorites are the vampire pumpkin sipping a blood-filled goblet, a cackling witch and stone gargoyle with flapping wings. So much detail and attention in this game. Love it and will probably play it again around Halloween!
I recommend this game!
Can you discover the truth about the Queen’s disappearance and save the kingdom?
Overall rating
4
/
5
7 of 12 found this review helpful
Green moon casts eerie glow on story
PostedJune 30, 2018
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Although I enjoyed most of the mini games and HOS, the story left me at a loss as to what is was about. The main game included more of a werewolf vendetta that morphed into a nautical nightmare full of menacing octopuses. I enjoyed the mini game with discs of varying colors that needed to be matched up according to whatever color you started with. Once one was chosen, a beam of that light color connected up to the next, with the option of being able to jump over other discs to link up like colors. I found this to be the best mini game and quite a challenge. Matching rune shapes to conquer a maze and routing a path with arrows chosen from a compass of sorts through a perilous sea rounded out the puzzles. Hidden object scenes were mostly traditional lists, but beautifully drawn and easy on the eyes. I loved the soundtrack, which sounded like an Irish tune with pounding drumbeats and bagpipes. Morphing paws were fairly difficult to find, and there were lanterns to be collected that made their way to a magical tree where you could read their descriptions. I'm usually a fan of this series, but the plot was pretty thin, which made for a short tale that seemed to fade out as the game progressed. The bonus game was actually better, with a little more cohesive story, although very short.
I recommend this game!
Can you save the young starlet from the wicked doll's curse?
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 32 found this review helpful
Puppets keep you guessing in latest mystery
PostedFebruary 5, 2018
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This was one of the best Puppetshow games since the original. I really was immersed in the puzzles and storyline of the theater director/puppetmaster and his quest to "replace" his wife with a puppet. Each scene was gorgeous, from a moonlit cemetery with swirling snow to the theater stage. And the movement of the puppets is superb, from the small wind-up doll to a larger doll that moves as you read different time codes that are carved on her body.
Your helper, an adorable dark haired doll with a fluffy white bow secured by a skull, is not always helpful, but that is part of what makes this story unexpected. Hidden object scenes are cleverly done, from words popping up from a book to a challenging scene that involves finding shapes that are very well hidden in a wrought-iron gate. Puzzles were imaginative, with standouts being three rings with four different colored clouds, which are all white until you make a selection. All three have to be lit at the same time to proceed, and if you miss, the clouds shift. The horse ride to avoid obstacles was challenging, and I always enjoy Amax's mazes. This one involved your doll helper navigating through rats and spider webs to retrieve an object.
A standout HOP featured a puppet at a sewing machine. The scene opens with six circles that provide a texture. You find the textures in the scene. To find one, you enter the scene under the sewing machine to retrieve thread spools to product one of the textures. Then, the scene turns into matching six different pairs. Great fun!
Collectibles are flowers and morphing snowflakes. I found all the flowers, which are showcased in a window ledge with snow falling around, and a grey cat in a basket swishing his tail. A description of each flower is given. Very relaxing scene and it is also featured as a screen saver as part of the extras. I didn't find all the snowflakes. Very challenging. I did notice later that there was a helpful indicator in a top hat on the lower left hand corner of the screen that tells you if you have found the snowflake in each location. I'll have to replay it again! Wonderful music that fits the game, haunting and gorgeous. Lovely artwork with the most realistic snow I've seen. Can't wait for the next Puppetshow!
Your helper, an adorable dark haired doll with a fluffy white bow secured by a skull, is not always helpful, but that is part of what makes this story unexpected. Hidden object scenes are cleverly done, from words popping up from a book to a challenging scene that involves finding shapes that are very well hidden in a wrought-iron gate. Puzzles were imaginative, with standouts being three rings with four different colored clouds, which are all white until you make a selection. All three have to be lit at the same time to proceed, and if you miss, the clouds shift. The horse ride to avoid obstacles was challenging, and I always enjoy Amax's mazes. This one involved your doll helper navigating through rats and spider webs to retrieve an object.
A standout HOP featured a puppet at a sewing machine. The scene opens with six circles that provide a texture. You find the textures in the scene. To find one, you enter the scene under the sewing machine to retrieve thread spools to product one of the textures. Then, the scene turns into matching six different pairs. Great fun!
Collectibles are flowers and morphing snowflakes. I found all the flowers, which are showcased in a window ledge with snow falling around, and a grey cat in a basket swishing his tail. A description of each flower is given. Very relaxing scene and it is also featured as a screen saver as part of the extras. I didn't find all the snowflakes. Very challenging. I did notice later that there was a helpful indicator in a top hat on the lower left hand corner of the screen that tells you if you have found the snowflake in each location. I'll have to replay it again! Wonderful music that fits the game, haunting and gorgeous. Lovely artwork with the most realistic snow I've seen. Can't wait for the next Puppetshow!
I recommend this game!
A Halloween party becomes a spine-tingling fight for survival!
Overall rating
5
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Halloween adventure opens portal to fright night
PostedOctober 21, 2017
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Finally, a fully developed Halloween story that immerses players into a mysterious underworld that mirrors reality. Each scene is a joy to explore as the search begins to find a missing comrade and seal off a portal between evil and good.
Mini games are challenging, with one in particular where you must draw a line while avoiding intersecting with flying yellow lights. Hidden objects are wonderful and varied, with traditional lists, matching items, fragmented objects and repeated designs in a book.
My favorite was a long buffet table with a Halloween banquet. I've never seen so many scrolling screens to explore. It was a challenge to remember where I'd seen items from the list. Also enjoyed the morphing hidden objects and Halloween collectibles like a mummy, witch and pumpkin man. These characters also have sound and are animated. The puzzle fragments collected are later used to piece together in a jigsaw puzzle. It would have been nice if these were added to the extras as wallpaper or a screensaver, but they are part of a picture album. Overall, a wonderful experience that adds a fun touch to the spooky season.
Mini games are challenging, with one in particular where you must draw a line while avoiding intersecting with flying yellow lights. Hidden objects are wonderful and varied, with traditional lists, matching items, fragmented objects and repeated designs in a book.
My favorite was a long buffet table with a Halloween banquet. I've never seen so many scrolling screens to explore. It was a challenge to remember where I'd seen items from the list. Also enjoyed the morphing hidden objects and Halloween collectibles like a mummy, witch and pumpkin man. These characters also have sound and are animated. The puzzle fragments collected are later used to piece together in a jigsaw puzzle. It would have been nice if these were added to the extras as wallpaper or a screensaver, but they are part of a picture album. Overall, a wonderful experience that adds a fun touch to the spooky season.
I recommend this game!
Someone’s attacking the Witches’ University!
Overall rating
5
/
5
26 of 31 found this review helpful
Moonlight and magic cast spell on Halloween journey
PostedJuly 13, 2017
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A blood moon and Halloween night spell trouble for students at The Witches' University. Your character Jack is hunting for missing girlfriend Annabel and a rogue sorcerer named Felix. This villain is extracting students' powers to bolster his own. The plot is interesting to me, since it involves a sphere, something other than the standard amulet used in mystical themed games, and a strong antagonist.
I enjoyed the retro arcade game and HOP, which featured lab mice in a scene with the hidden object word wrapped into the sentence. So far, I've really enjoyed the morphing objects and puzzle pieces. I like that players see an indication on the map of each scene visited where they have found every piece and morphing object. Music and voices were appropriate and fun. Each scene was very interactive. Locations came alive with creatures of the night, including three owls that screeched different noises when clicked on, and flying owl chairs that must be transformed into ordinary furniture. I have only finished the demo, but I will definitely purchase. I'm intrigued to meet even more magical creatures along this journey.
I enjoyed the retro arcade game and HOP, which featured lab mice in a scene with the hidden object word wrapped into the sentence. So far, I've really enjoyed the morphing objects and puzzle pieces. I like that players see an indication on the map of each scene visited where they have found every piece and morphing object. Music and voices were appropriate and fun. Each scene was very interactive. Locations came alive with creatures of the night, including three owls that screeched different noises when clicked on, and flying owl chairs that must be transformed into ordinary furniture. I have only finished the demo, but I will definitely purchase. I'm intrigued to meet even more magical creatures along this journey.
I recommend this game!
Can you save your sister before it's too late?
Overall rating
5
/
5
38 of 45 found this review helpful
Magical creatures assist in Midnight Castle Quest
PostedJune 11, 2016
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Fans of the Midnight Calling games are treated to more of this continuing saga through the eyes of Jeronimo. The innkeeper who appears in the Free to Play version shares his tale of saving his sister from a witch's curse, and his romance with Valeria, who is tasked with saving her mother from a witch. The pair also take turns in saving each other. You play as Jeronimo in the main game and Valeria in the bonus.
Although there are a couple of "Super Puzzles," I didn't find them to be too difficult. Some standouts are a mini game where the perspective is on a tight rope up in the sky. Your skill at balancing involves waiting until red balls are in the center of a circle and then clicking with your mouse. This became much more challenging (and fun!) in hard mode.
I also enjoyed matching up shapes and changing legs to fit a large spider, and a maze where the player chooses the correct action to proceed to the exit.
Hidden objects were clear and well executed, with a variation on silhouette, traditional list and riddles. There was also a more challenging mix of finding differences and replacing them with shapes that were scattered around a grim reaper figure.
The magical creatures are naturally adorable, some are strictly otherworldly -- a long eared creature and dragon -- as well as a pair of regular birds that assist in capturing unreachable items you will need.
Several extras are hidden throughout the scenes, including 26 morphing objects, 12 collectible tarot cards and 40 coins. The morphing objects are just a personal challenge to see if you can spot them, and the tarot cards are chosen at random, each one reading out a fortune hovering above a glowing blue crystal ball. The coins are used to buy food such as a carrot and fish food so you can watch creatures come out to play in a serene setting.
This is the second game after Midnight Calling: Anabel. I loved the first one and enjoyed this one as well. I also play the free Midnight Calling version. I anticipate this being a solid continuing series with so many characters in the original game who will have adventures to share.
Although there are a couple of "Super Puzzles," I didn't find them to be too difficult. Some standouts are a mini game where the perspective is on a tight rope up in the sky. Your skill at balancing involves waiting until red balls are in the center of a circle and then clicking with your mouse. This became much more challenging (and fun!) in hard mode.
I also enjoyed matching up shapes and changing legs to fit a large spider, and a maze where the player chooses the correct action to proceed to the exit.
Hidden objects were clear and well executed, with a variation on silhouette, traditional list and riddles. There was also a more challenging mix of finding differences and replacing them with shapes that were scattered around a grim reaper figure.
The magical creatures are naturally adorable, some are strictly otherworldly -- a long eared creature and dragon -- as well as a pair of regular birds that assist in capturing unreachable items you will need.
Several extras are hidden throughout the scenes, including 26 morphing objects, 12 collectible tarot cards and 40 coins. The morphing objects are just a personal challenge to see if you can spot them, and the tarot cards are chosen at random, each one reading out a fortune hovering above a glowing blue crystal ball. The coins are used to buy food such as a carrot and fish food so you can watch creatures come out to play in a serene setting.
This is the second game after Midnight Calling: Anabel. I loved the first one and enjoyed this one as well. I also play the free Midnight Calling version. I anticipate this being a solid continuing series with so many characters in the original game who will have adventures to share.
I recommend this game!
Your long-lost relatives are excited to welcome you to the family… or are they?
Overall rating
5
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
Cursed beginnings poison family tree
PostedJanuary 1, 2016
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
A line of evil family members weave together a story of betrayal and intrigue that keeps you guessing.
Seven chapters are divided up into Ward family members, so players get a chance to explore character personality traits. An interesting twist: you are also a "Ward."
Puzzles and HOPs strike just the right balance -- not too many of each -- and are very detailed.
There are also morphing objects that must be found before switching over to a traditional hidden object list.
I enjoyed a HOP that involved a list, but some items were hidden between photo album pages, which turned into not just searching for items, but remembering where they were.
Another more action packed mini game allowed players to shoot down fireballs. I enjoyed this diversion from just puzzle to action/arcade style games.
The bonus chapter is lengthy and lets players in on how the whole saga began.
Rocking horses (42) are located in each scene, and there are 20 morphing objects hidden throughout the game. I love that Eipix Games lets players go back and see the collectibles that they have missed. In other games, it's frustrating to have found all objects but one and still be excluded from the bonus play.
After completing the bonus chapter, you can go back throughout each scene and collect souvenirs, which are then displayed in a treasury room.
Extras include: A bonus video with developers, music video, characters, wallpapers, soundtrack, achievements and Match 3.
What makes this game a standout is the story line. A real treat for mystery lovers.
Seven chapters are divided up into Ward family members, so players get a chance to explore character personality traits. An interesting twist: you are also a "Ward."
Puzzles and HOPs strike just the right balance -- not too many of each -- and are very detailed.
There are also morphing objects that must be found before switching over to a traditional hidden object list.
I enjoyed a HOP that involved a list, but some items were hidden between photo album pages, which turned into not just searching for items, but remembering where they were.
Another more action packed mini game allowed players to shoot down fireballs. I enjoyed this diversion from just puzzle to action/arcade style games.
The bonus chapter is lengthy and lets players in on how the whole saga began.
Rocking horses (42) are located in each scene, and there are 20 morphing objects hidden throughout the game. I love that Eipix Games lets players go back and see the collectibles that they have missed. In other games, it's frustrating to have found all objects but one and still be excluded from the bonus play.
After completing the bonus chapter, you can go back throughout each scene and collect souvenirs, which are then displayed in a treasury room.
Extras include: A bonus video with developers, music video, characters, wallpapers, soundtrack, achievements and Match 3.
What makes this game a standout is the story line. A real treat for mystery lovers.
I recommend this game!
Haunted Legends: The Secret of Life Collector's Edition
You've traveled the world in search of a cure for your deadly illness, and you've finally found it! But it won't be easy to get – are you up to the task?
Overall rating
5
/
5
22 of 25 found this review helpful
Haunted Legends reveals SG quest, solidifies house enigma
PostedNovember 7, 2015
matai9
fromAnderson, MO
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object
Current Favorite:
Haunted Legends: The Secret of Life Collector's Edition
(46)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Saint Germain, the miserable pint of mischief we have learned to distrust, returns with a human face and story to flesh out the Haunted Legends saga.
You begin gameplay as SG frantically searching for a cure for your mystery illness when you encounter the town elder, who adds to your burden.
His daughter Meril has been murdered and her soul cursed, so you must help in a purification ritual before the whole town succumbs.
I love the back story of Saint Germain as a mortal. One of the unique aspects of this game is your ability to make choices that will impact the outcome, such as whether to help someone by sacrificing your time or safety.
The game creates an interactive atmosphere that doesn't feel like a linear, pick this item up and then complete another action.
Innovative tasks include placing torn paper pieces together to advance your own map.
I love the HOG with Meril's beloved dog Chappie. He appears to be a cranky but adorable papillon. If you disturb him while searching for objects, you will be forced to locate another bone before resuming the scene. How original! I've never seen that in any other game.
Developers were diligent when mixing HOGs up. There were also lists with objects in all caps, and books that had to be arranged before you could find the items hidden in the pages.
I am a fan of the traditional lists with a couple of items that require extra steps, and there are a few of these types of scenes as well.
Other characters you will encounter include Meril's father, the town elder, the town pharmacist, and Meril's friends. I really enjoyed traveling around the mansion grounds and spooky streets with its gothic scenes.
Your encounter with Meril is unnerving. The Haunted Legends house on the hill is enveloped in complete darkness.
Candles must be lit several times to see the wraith-like woman flying toward you in the dark.
As others have said, this would have been perfect as a Halloween release. Skulls, bats, moonlit cobblestone streets and a possessed woman with swirling brown hair and eyes disguised behind a milky white cloud add to the malevolent atmosphere.
Witch themed morphing objects are hidden throughout the game and are added to your collectibles. You can see them indicated on your map, and some are tricky to locate.
Cats are hidden throughout the HOGs. Some of these require close inspection, but there is a paw indicator that pops up in the screen's right-hand corner if you are not sure you have found all the cats.
If you collect them all, a fun cat match game is in the extras menu. The cat cards move to different rows if you fail to make a match.
The bonus game is a match 3 shooting skulls game. Mini games are challenging, but not to the point of having to constantly consult the strategy guide.
The most challenging game was at the library entrance with an owl surrounded by rings. You must be very precise to complete this puzzle where balls on different rings must be placed just so before they will all spring into place and open the library door.
Various pastries are hidden throughout scenes to whet your appetite. Seven visual recipes are revealed if you find and eat each dessert.
The chapters are broken up into three nights to stay up with Meril and extinguish her demons. Part of the mystery is completing this task and uncovering the culprit.
Choices you make throughout the game will reveal more of the original Haunted Legends story and character motivations.
The bonus chapter was extraordinarily well done and very lengthy.
We learn so much more about SG, and even get a peek at his weekly planner in the extras menu! He is a complex character, and not all good or evil, as it turn out in this game. The ending is concise and well written as it echoes the beginning of the Haunted Legends series with a nod to the queen of spades, who is able to grant wishes.
The collector's edition offers several goodies that include 10 replayable mini games, 20 HOGs, wallpapers, movies, Haunted Legends facts, soundtrack, a test your Haunted Legends knowledge quiz and six screensavers.
And for more HOGs, there is an endless option. Several items float together in a starry sky until you find them all. This is also replayable and timed so you can compete against yourself to achieve a better time.
The power is really with the players on this one. Two endings with two different choices have to be made at the bonus game ending. How you decide affects SG. I certainly can't wait to see the next chapter in his story unfold.
You begin gameplay as SG frantically searching for a cure for your mystery illness when you encounter the town elder, who adds to your burden.
His daughter Meril has been murdered and her soul cursed, so you must help in a purification ritual before the whole town succumbs.
I love the back story of Saint Germain as a mortal. One of the unique aspects of this game is your ability to make choices that will impact the outcome, such as whether to help someone by sacrificing your time or safety.
The game creates an interactive atmosphere that doesn't feel like a linear, pick this item up and then complete another action.
Innovative tasks include placing torn paper pieces together to advance your own map.
I love the HOG with Meril's beloved dog Chappie. He appears to be a cranky but adorable papillon. If you disturb him while searching for objects, you will be forced to locate another bone before resuming the scene. How original! I've never seen that in any other game.
Developers were diligent when mixing HOGs up. There were also lists with objects in all caps, and books that had to be arranged before you could find the items hidden in the pages.
I am a fan of the traditional lists with a couple of items that require extra steps, and there are a few of these types of scenes as well.
Other characters you will encounter include Meril's father, the town elder, the town pharmacist, and Meril's friends. I really enjoyed traveling around the mansion grounds and spooky streets with its gothic scenes.
Your encounter with Meril is unnerving. The Haunted Legends house on the hill is enveloped in complete darkness.
Candles must be lit several times to see the wraith-like woman flying toward you in the dark.
As others have said, this would have been perfect as a Halloween release. Skulls, bats, moonlit cobblestone streets and a possessed woman with swirling brown hair and eyes disguised behind a milky white cloud add to the malevolent atmosphere.
Witch themed morphing objects are hidden throughout the game and are added to your collectibles. You can see them indicated on your map, and some are tricky to locate.
Cats are hidden throughout the HOGs. Some of these require close inspection, but there is a paw indicator that pops up in the screen's right-hand corner if you are not sure you have found all the cats.
If you collect them all, a fun cat match game is in the extras menu. The cat cards move to different rows if you fail to make a match.
The bonus game is a match 3 shooting skulls game. Mini games are challenging, but not to the point of having to constantly consult the strategy guide.
The most challenging game was at the library entrance with an owl surrounded by rings. You must be very precise to complete this puzzle where balls on different rings must be placed just so before they will all spring into place and open the library door.
Various pastries are hidden throughout scenes to whet your appetite. Seven visual recipes are revealed if you find and eat each dessert.
The chapters are broken up into three nights to stay up with Meril and extinguish her demons. Part of the mystery is completing this task and uncovering the culprit.
Choices you make throughout the game will reveal more of the original Haunted Legends story and character motivations.
The bonus chapter was extraordinarily well done and very lengthy.
We learn so much more about SG, and even get a peek at his weekly planner in the extras menu! He is a complex character, and not all good or evil, as it turn out in this game. The ending is concise and well written as it echoes the beginning of the Haunted Legends series with a nod to the queen of spades, who is able to grant wishes.
The collector's edition offers several goodies that include 10 replayable mini games, 20 HOGs, wallpapers, movies, Haunted Legends facts, soundtrack, a test your Haunted Legends knowledge quiz and six screensavers.
And for more HOGs, there is an endless option. Several items float together in a starry sky until you find them all. This is also replayable and timed so you can compete against yourself to achieve a better time.
The power is really with the players on this one. Two endings with two different choices have to be made at the bonus game ending. How you decide affects SG. I certainly can't wait to see the next chapter in his story unfold.
I recommend this game!