catbag8717's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.3
- Helpful Votes:8,793
- Reviews Submitted:584
- First Review:April 27, 2012
- Most Recent Review:September 23, 2020
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Save your daughter from a mysterious mirror-hopping monster!
Overall rating
4
/
5
13 of 16 found this review helpful
Better Story, Worse Gameplay.
PostedJuly 23, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
In my opinion, the first Nevertales game was, hands down, the most over-rated game in HOPA history. So I wasn't really expecting much from its sequel. I have to admit this game was definitely better than the first, but it was not good enough to make me buy.
The first Nevertales had a story that was incredibly boring, but this one was much better. I was actually interested in the story from the beginning until the end. There weren't many twists in the demo, and this story has been done millions of times, but the game had an exciting concept and it was executed quite well. Despite the lack of twists, I was still quite excited by the story.
I was intrigued by the character of Mallek (forgive me if I spelled that wrong), who is, presumably, our villain in this game. The developers have done a great job of creating suspense. I am eager to learn more about him and why he turned to the bad side. This was one of the highlights of the story for me.
I was intrigued by the character of Mallek (forgive me if I spelled that wrong), who is, presumably, our villain in this game. The developers have done a great job of creating suspense. I am eager to learn more about him and why he turned to the bad side. This was one of the highlights of the story for me.
However, I do have one small issue related to the story. Once again, our protagonist is female. Every game from this developer has featured a female protagonist, and I believe it is time for a change. Come on, developers! It's time to give the males a go!
I really liked the HOS. Simillar to the HOS in previous games from this developer, they were all just that tiny bit different from the norm, which made them a little bit more fun. They were basically just slightly altered versions of silhouette and/or junkpile. The HOS were spaced out well. From memory, I think I found 3 in the demo. However, me being me, I did pick out one small issue with the HOS. In the first silhouette scene, the silhouette was of a cupcake, and I needed to find two. I found the first cupcake, spent forever looking for the second one, couldn't find it and used a hint. It turned out to be a GINGERBREAD MAN? How in any way is a gingerbread man a cupcake? That was really confusing and just plain annoying. The developer needs to make things clearer.
The puzzles were a bit of a mixed bag for me. Some of them were very new, quite interesting and just that little bit challenging. But others were either way too easy or too confusing. Seriously, sometimes I would have absolutely no idea what to do until I clicked on the instructions, which is very odd for me. To their credit, the developers did have very detailed instructions for their puzzles, which immediately cleared things up.
Like the HOS, the puzzles were evenly spaced out and there were a few of them (about 3, I think).
Like the HOS, the puzzles were evenly spaced out and there were a few of them (about 3, I think).
Once pioneers for new HOPA gameplay, MadHead seem to be dropping the ball a bit. Yes, there are some nice new features, but there's not really that many. I'd say, when it comes to gameplay, this is a big step back from the first Nevertales.
One new feature we have is a brand new feature; the Dollhouse, which we have to assemble. Every time we find a room and place it in the dollhouse, we get an item from Alice which will aid us in our quest. This was a great feature and goes to show that the developers are thinking outside the square.
Another new feature is the ability to switch characters (if only for a moment). No, I'm not talking about playing entire chapters from one person's POV. This actually makes sense. In the one encounter I had, Pierre was about to fall and we tossed him a rope. Then we switched to Pierre to haul ourselves up.
This is another example of thinking outside the square. Most other developers probably would have had a boring cutscene, so great job to MadHead here.
Another new feature is the ability to switch characters (if only for a moment). No, I'm not talking about playing entire chapters from one person's POV. This actually makes sense. In the one encounter I had, Pierre was about to fall and we tossed him a rope. Then we switched to Pierre to haul ourselves up.
This is another example of thinking outside the square. Most other developers probably would have had a boring cutscene, so great job to MadHead here.
And that's pretty much it when it comes to new gameplay features. The only other feature we have apart from the basics is + objects, which are becoming more and more standard these days. The + objects are items you need to interact with to complete, and are indicated by a small + sign, hence the name. The + sign will change colour when the object can be interacted with. This was a good feature, and there were quite a few objects to be toyed with.
I will give credit to MadHead for doing an excellent job with the basic stuff. We've got 4 modes of difficulty, a working hint, a journal (finally, someone who realises the importance of the journal!) and a map that is incredibly helpful. One thing I absolutely hate is getting basic features that are useless, but MadHead have done a great job of making sure that doesn't happen.
Overall, I was impressed with the gameplay, but I felt a bit more new stuff could have been added. That new “shine” that once attracted me to MadHead games is officially gone.
The graphics are the usual top-class stuff. Everything is crystal clear and drawn with so much detail, I almost felt like I was inside the game. Character designs are incredibly life like too.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. Custom lets you set the game your way. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected, so there is not too much hand holding, and I don't feel like I've accidentally selected advanced mode. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Journal- great for keeping track of events if you tend to forget early parts of the story (like me).
Map- I loved the map in this game. It is interactive and very helpful. Not only does it tell you where you have stuff to do, but it also tells you when a location is complete.
+ objects- These are objects you need to interact with to complete. They are indicated by + signs, which change colour when ready to be used. This was a great feature.
Dollhouse- This is a brand new feature that I absolutely loved. You find an empty dollhouse at the beginning of the game that must be assembled. With every room you find, you earn a new item from Alice.
Switch Characters- Occasionally in the game, you switch characters to someone else in order to complete the adventure. This was a fantastic feature and I hope it will come back in future games.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences are standard. Custom lets you set the game your way. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected, so there is not too much hand holding, and I don't feel like I've accidentally selected advanced mode. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Journal- great for keeping track of events if you tend to forget early parts of the story (like me).
Map- I loved the map in this game. It is interactive and very helpful. Not only does it tell you where you have stuff to do, but it also tells you when a location is complete.
+ objects- These are objects you need to interact with to complete. They are indicated by + signs, which change colour when ready to be used. This was a great feature.
Dollhouse- This is a brand new feature that I absolutely loved. You find an empty dollhouse at the beginning of the game that must be assembled. With every room you find, you earn a new item from Alice.
Switch Characters- Occasionally in the game, you switch characters to someone else in order to complete the adventure. This was a fantastic feature and I hope it will come back in future games.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- I can almost guarantee you won't need it.
Secret Chapter- unlocked after completing “treasure hunt”
Built-in Strategy Guide- Gives step by step instructions for puzzles, but does not show screenshots of HOS. Will show locations of collectibles.
Achievements- there are lots
Collectibles (44)- One in every scene. There is an indicator in the corner that tells you if you have collected the item from that scene yet. This was fantastic, as I sometimes forget whether or not I have collected it.
Travelers- unlocked upon completion of Bonus Chapter. I have no idea what it is.
Toy Defense game
Wallpapers
Replay Puzzles & HOS
Concept Art
Music
Bonus Chapter- I can almost guarantee you won't need it.
Secret Chapter- unlocked after completing “treasure hunt”
Built-in Strategy Guide- Gives step by step instructions for puzzles, but does not show screenshots of HOS. Will show locations of collectibles.
Achievements- there are lots
Collectibles (44)- One in every scene. There is an indicator in the corner that tells you if you have collected the item from that scene yet. This was fantastic, as I sometimes forget whether or not I have collected it.
Travelers- unlocked upon completion of Bonus Chapter. I have no idea what it is.
Toy Defense game
Wallpapers
Replay Puzzles & HOS
Concept Art
Music
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The CE has quite a few extras in it, so I'd say the CE is good value this time. There are a lot of extras that you wouldn't find in many other CE's.
The CE has quite a few extras in it, so I'd say the CE is good value this time. There are a lot of extras that you wouldn't find in many other CE's.
Overall, this was not fantastic, but it was decent. I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous Nevertales. I gave the last game in this series a three, so I will give this one a four. It was fun to play for the demo, but that's as far as I'm going to go.
I recommend this game!
Was Veronica West’s death an accident… or a cold-blooded murder?
Overall rating
5
/
5
25 of 32 found this review helpful
This is Definitely My Type of Game!
PostedJuly 20, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I love murder mystery games, so as soon as I saw this one, I had to try it. This game is like a true murder mystery. It exceeded all expectations I had for it. I can't wait for the SE to come out so I can finish the adventure.
The story is fantastic. Veronica West is found dead in what appears to be a suicide, But upon investigating, you quickly realise that this is not the case! This story had everything a murder mystery should: Suspects, interviews and plot twists! Oh, yes, this game had plot twists, and they were good ones. I totally was not expecting the event at the end of the demo! This story had me hooked from beginning to end, which is rare for me these days. This is probably my favourite story of the year.
There is one technical issue in the story though. To me, this game appears to be set in the 1950s, maybe earlier. At the beginning, someone is asked to call 9-1-1. However, 9-1-1 wasn't created until 1968. The developers should have done their research to make things more accurate.
Overall though, the story was fantastic.
Overall though, the story was fantastic.
The HOS were great, typical Eipix. They were longer than usual, and such fun to play. Eipix has jazzed up their HOS again. Sometimes they were junkpile, sometimes silhouette, sometimes a mix of both. Sometimes, we would even get a mini-HOS, which was a small scene with only a few objects to be found. I found the HOS quite easy, but they were very enjoyable. The HOS were also spaced out evenly, and there were roughly 2 in the demo (excluding mini-HOS). I was glad to find that the HOS weren't as jazzy as usual. I prefer interactive word lists.
For those who don't like finding objects, there is a bubbleshooter as an alternative.
For those who don't like finding objects, there is a bubbleshooter as an alternative.
The puzzles were great, but were also quite easy. I really did enjoy playing them. A couple of puzzles were unique, and others were the same as we've seen countless times. This was nice for me. Like the HOS, the puzzles are spaced out evenly and there are a few of them. My favourite minigame was probably the photo one. In this one,
What makes this game a true murder-mystery is the additional features. We've got a brand new thing called the deduction game, which allows us to sort fact from fiction in the witnesses' statements. This is exactly what would happen in a real murder investigation, so that makes the game very realistic, which is great. This game played every time we met a new witness. I'd met most witnesses by the end of the demo, so I hope this game still continues! If not, I will be very disappointed.
We've also got an evidence board, which is located near our diary. Here we can sort out our suspects and our evidence, which there are two separate tabs for. In the suspects tab, you can view information on each suspect. The evidence tab works sort of like a puzzle. You get small pieces of evidence each time and have to piece them together. This was a good feature, but it was not used nearly enough. Only once in the demo. I get the feeling it will be used more as the game goes on though.
We've also got an evidence board, which is located near our diary. Here we can sort out our suspects and our evidence, which there are two separate tabs for. In the suspects tab, you can view information on each suspect. The evidence tab works sort of like a puzzle. You get small pieces of evidence each time and have to piece them together. This was a good feature, but it was not used nearly enough. Only once in the demo. I get the feeling it will be used more as the game goes on though.
Aside from that, there are also + objects, which are just becoming standard now. That being said, I enjoyed the feature. + objects have a light blue circle around them, with a dark blue + appearing when the object can be interacted with. There were quite a few + objects here, which was nice.
Eipix has done the basic gameplay features pretty well: The map is useful (and it appears at the start of the game, thank heavens), the hint works well, (even if it charges way too fast) and there are four difficulty modes. However, there is one problem. THERE IS NO DIARY! AGAIN! This annoyed me to no end because I rely on diaries to help me remember important bits of the story, and I like to read the entries. I don't know how many times I have to say this before it gets through: Diaries. Are. Important.
Eipix really needs to listen here. Bring back the diary!
Eipix really needs to listen here. Bring back the diary!
One complaint I have about the gameplay, which is exclusive to the CE, is that there is no indicator on whether or not you have found the collectible in the scene. This is annoying as it is frustrating trying to remember whether I have found it or not! What would be nice for the next game is if Eipix gave us an indicator.
As usual, the graphics are outstanding. Everything was clear and drawn with some great detail and nice colours. I liked the character designs too. They appeared to be very lifelike. I liked that the characters each had their own personalities in the game too. It makes the game more realistic and believable.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
FEATURES
4 modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences in difficulties are the usual. Custom lets you set the game the way you like. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Once again, I must say that the hint and skip charged too fast for the difficulty I selected. I get that Casual is the easiest mode, but there is a such thing as too easy. Come on, Eipix! Just because I selected the easiest difficulty doesn't mean I want to have my hand held all the way through!
Map- The map appears at the start of the game. It is interactive and quite helpful. It lets you know where there is something to do.
Deduction Game- This was quite good and made the game seem realistic. Here, you sort fact from fiction in the witnesses' statements. This is done by clicking on areas relevant to their statement. (e.g. clicking on eyes after being told “I've been crying all night.”)
Evidence Board- Once again, a great feature that made me feel like a real detective. There are two separate tabs for suspects and evidence.
+ objects- These are items you need to interact with to complete. A dark blue + will appear when the item can be interacted with.
4 modes of gameplay: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Differences in difficulties are the usual. Custom lets you set the game the way you like. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Once again, I must say that the hint and skip charged too fast for the difficulty I selected. I get that Casual is the easiest mode, but there is a such thing as too easy. Come on, Eipix! Just because I selected the easiest difficulty doesn't mean I want to have my hand held all the way through!
Map- The map appears at the start of the game. It is interactive and quite helpful. It lets you know where there is something to do.
Deduction Game- This was quite good and made the game seem realistic. Here, you sort fact from fiction in the witnesses' statements. This is done by clicking on areas relevant to their statement. (e.g. clicking on eyes after being told “I've been crying all night.”)
Evidence Board- Once again, a great feature that made me feel like a real detective. There are two separate tabs for suspects and evidence.
+ objects- These are items you need to interact with to complete. A dark blue + will appear when the item can be interacted with.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built in Strategy Guide- will show locations of collectibles.
Collectible stars (44)- There is one in every scene. However, there is no indicator as to whether or not you have collected it. This made it hard to remember for me.
Achievements
Wallpapers (12)
Making of- nothing special
Souvenir room- This is basically a giant HOS.
Replay HOS and Puzzles
Rewatch cutscenes
Music
Bonus Chapter
Built in Strategy Guide- will show locations of collectibles.
Collectible stars (44)- There is one in every scene. However, there is no indicator as to whether or not you have collected it. This made it hard to remember for me.
Achievements
Wallpapers (12)
Making of- nothing special
Souvenir room- This is basically a giant HOS.
Replay HOS and Puzzles
Rewatch cutscenes
Music
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I'm going with the SE. I think this developer has begun to get a little stingy with CE Extras. I think you'd be much happier with the SE too.
I'm going with the SE. I think this developer has begun to get a little stingy with CE Extras. I think you'd be much happier with the SE too.
Overall, this is an outstanding game from Eipix and I am looking forward to finishing it. This earns five stars from me. I was very pleased with the effort the developers put in to this game. It will surely go down as a favourite.
I recommend this game!
The expedition continues... Track down the fragments of King Solomon's crown and foil a madman's plot in this exciting follow-up to the bestselling series!
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Not All That Bad,Just Not Up To Standard
PostedJuly 19, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
Since taking over the Hidden Expedition series, Eipix has made some great progress with it. I fell in love with the first game, Hope Diamond, and so, had high hopes for this one. While this game was nowhere near as good as Hope, I still enjoyed the demo.
Although I'm not really in to the whole archeologist/lost, powerful symbol kind of stuff, I found this story to be fairly interesting. It started off well. There was a real element of action and mystery in there. I was drawn in to the story straightaway.
After the opening, the story improved. I continued to be impressed and interested by it. There was a slight backstory that added extra enjoyment to the game.
However, the ending of the demo confused me a little. I had absolutely no idea who the people were and how they knew me. I just didn't get it at all.
After the opening, the story improved. I continued to be impressed and interested by it. There was a slight backstory that added extra enjoyment to the game.
However, the ending of the demo confused me a little. I had absolutely no idea who the people were and how they knew me. I just didn't get it at all.
On the technical side of things, the story improved from the previous installment. What was so wrong with the previous installment was that it started with a scene from halfway through, thus making it less interesting. This game fixed that, and the developers should be applauded. However, where this story fails for me is that the characters have no personality to them whatsoever. I get this is a serious game, but that doesn't mean every character has to be serious, does it?
Eipix have been jazzing up their HOS lately and they have done so once again with this game. Gone are the days of just standard interactive junkpile, and in are the days of interactivity and challenge. The HOS from Eipix are a lot more challenging, a lot longer, and more interactive than they used to be, and that made them really enjoyable. I respect this developer's guts to try something different, because it has paid off and will pave the way for future HOPA games. I found 3 HOS in the demo, so that gives me the impression they are spaced evenly.
The puzzles disappointed me a bit, to be honest. They were all the same stuff we've seen before and were easy. I had no trouble completing them. Like the HOS, the puzzles are also spaced evenly.
In terms of additional gameplay features, this game is a massive step backwards for Eipix, especially considering how many great features their last few games have had. There were + objects, which are becoming more and more of a standard, but I still enjoyed them. The + objects were indicated by a + sign, which lit up when you could interact with the item. Another feature that makes its return from the last game is the collectible cards. These, in my opinion, are completely useless and just a waste of time. I didn't enjoy reading them, and felt that they should have been replaced with something more fun.
This game is kind of lacking in the basic stuff too. We do have a map, but we do not get one until part of the way through, which is really, really annoying. There is also no diary, which I disliked strongly. I love diaries in HOPA games. They help me remember the story. However, in its place was the H.E.L.P box, which displayed messages given to you by fellow group members. These are replayable. I did like the H.E.L.P box feature, but I would have liked a diary as well.
In terms of overall challenge, I found this game quite easy. I had little trouble figuring out what to do next, which is also a step backwards from the developer's last couple of games.
The one thing I can always count on with Eipix games is their top quality graphics. They are the same here. Their artwork is so wonderfully drawn, with lots of details and some nice colours. Everything is clear and chatacter designs are well done.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no problem.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you want. I played Casual in order to give a fair review.
Hint/Skip- they charge way too quick. For example, I played a puzzle. I opened my drink bottle, took a sip, replaced the lid and the skip was done. There's a such thing as too easy, and this is it. I play casual to relax, not to be babied.
H.E.L.P Box- this displays messages given to you by other H.E.L.P members. These can be replayed.
Collectible info cards- As I said before, completely useless and a waste of time.
Map- I did not acquire the map until part of the way through the game, but when I did, I found it very useful. It displays locations where there is something to do, so I was rarely lost.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you want. I played Casual in order to give a fair review.
Hint/Skip- they charge way too quick. For example, I played a puzzle. I opened my drink bottle, took a sip, replaced the lid and the skip was done. There's a such thing as too easy, and this is it. I play casual to relax, not to be babied.
H.E.L.P Box- this displays messages given to you by other H.E.L.P members. These can be replayed.
Collectible info cards- As I said before, completely useless and a waste of time.
Map- I did not acquire the map until part of the way through the game, but when I did, I found it very useful. It displays locations where there is something to do, so I was rarely lost.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter
Built in Strategy Guide- will show collectibles.
Achievements- some have more than one level (e.g. finish one HOS with no hint for level one, three for level two, etc...)
Collectible crowns (44)- One in every scene. If the past is the same as now, the collectibles won't be available in the bonus chapter.
Pictures- this is the home of wallpapers and snapshots. You actually play a little minigame to assemble the camera before you can go here.
Souvenir room- basically one giant HOS.
Music
Re-watch cutscenes
Making of- I've seen one of these before and didn't like it.
Replay Puzzles & HOS
Bonus Chapter
Built in Strategy Guide- will show collectibles.
Achievements- some have more than one level (e.g. finish one HOS with no hint for level one, three for level two, etc...)
Collectible crowns (44)- One in every scene. If the past is the same as now, the collectibles won't be available in the bonus chapter.
Pictures- this is the home of wallpapers and snapshots. You actually play a little minigame to assemble the camera before you can go here.
Souvenir room- basically one giant HOS.
Music
Re-watch cutscenes
Making of- I've seen one of these before and didn't like it.
Replay Puzzles & HOS
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I'm not going to purchase this game, but my advice would be to wait for the SE. There's not much in here that appeals to me. I do like collectibles though,
I'm not going to purchase this game, but my advice would be to wait for the SE. There's not much in here that appeals to me. I do like collectibles though,
Overall, based on the gameplay, I'm going to give this game a three star rating. This developer has released other games that are so much better. This game has almost no additional gameplay features, which makes it pale in comparison to other games out today.
That being said, it still was interesting. The three star rating is not a like/love, but it's just in comparison to other games by this developer and others on the market today.
If this game were a 2012 game, it would probably be a five.
Please do give the trial a whirl and decide for yourself. I enjoyed the trial, but will go no further.
That being said, it still was interesting. The three star rating is not a like/love, but it's just in comparison to other games by this developer and others on the market today.
If this game were a 2012 game, it would probably be a five.
Please do give the trial a whirl and decide for yourself. I enjoyed the trial, but will go no further.
I recommend this game!
The rat catcher's after more than rats this time. He's kidnapping fairy folk!
Overall rating
5
/
5
69 of 78 found this review helpful
This Will Go Down As One of the Best HOPA Games of All Time
PostedJuly 18, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED COLLECTOR'S EDITION GAME
My love of the Myths of the World series has rekindled with the fourth installment in this series. The first one was absolutely amazing, the next two sucked, and this one is definitely a game of the year contender.
I'll be the first to admit that this type of story (you know, fairies, mystical worlds, etc.) has never interested me, so naturally, I wasn't going to be over the moon with this one. The story started off a little average. Things coasted along the way they were expected to in the demo, and there was maybe one or two good twists in there. The demo ended on a nice point. At this stage, the story hadn't gotten too interesting, so I almost considered not purchasing, but the gameplay was too good to ignore.
However, things started getting really good after the demo! We suddenly learned that we had an ally, and then, when we thought we'd figured out the answer to all our problems... we had a villain! This was a great twist and the most exciting part of the main game for me.
Then, we bumped in to the Queen of the Fairy Realm, Titania, and things got interesting once more. We were suddenly in a race against time to stop our villain and restore order to our world.
The main game ended conclusively, so the bonus chapter is not needed, but I do have one complaint:
Towards the end of the game, it is mentioned that Rita had a twin sister. Then it is never mentioned again until the bonus chapter. This, to me, just seemed like something that was chucked in at the last minute to set up the plot for the bonus chapter. That was the low of an otherwise good story for me.
The one thing that I loved most about this story were the characters. They were a delightful little group, each with their own hilarious personalities. My favourite character of them all was Gideon the leprechaun, but I did also love the interaction between the two guardians of the coffin! That was absolutely hilarious. It's great that the developers decided to put that little bit of humour in there. It made the game so much better!
Overall, what started as an average story got better after the demo and ended well. A great story; not Eipix's best, but still decent.
However, things started getting really good after the demo! We suddenly learned that we had an ally, and then, when we thought we'd figured out the answer to all our problems... we had a villain! This was a great twist and the most exciting part of the main game for me.
Then, we bumped in to the Queen of the Fairy Realm, Titania, and things got interesting once more. We were suddenly in a race against time to stop our villain and restore order to our world.
The main game ended conclusively, so the bonus chapter is not needed, but I do have one complaint:
Towards the end of the game, it is mentioned that Rita had a twin sister. Then it is never mentioned again until the bonus chapter. This, to me, just seemed like something that was chucked in at the last minute to set up the plot for the bonus chapter. That was the low of an otherwise good story for me.
The one thing that I loved most about this story were the characters. They were a delightful little group, each with their own hilarious personalities. My favourite character of them all was Gideon the leprechaun, but I did also love the interaction between the two guardians of the coffin! That was absolutely hilarious. It's great that the developers decided to put that little bit of humour in there. It made the game so much better!
Overall, what started as an average story got better after the demo and ended well. A great story; not Eipix's best, but still decent.
This game has officially raised the bear in terms of HOPA gameplay! This game is packed full of features that made this game impossible to resist. It's for that reason I consider this a game of the year contender.
Let me start with the HOS. Lately, it seems that they've been getting far too easier, but Eipix has put that to bed with these HOS. They're actually challenging, and come in many different forms. I found myself using the hint quite a lot, which is a little embarrassing! The HOS come in either junkpile, silhouette, riddles, or sometimes a combination of all three. The HOS are also quite lengthy too. Eipix has really taken it up a notch here and have done a fantastic job. The HOS were spread out fairly evenly throughout the game. Overall, there were 15 HOS in the main game. For those who don't like HOS, there is the option of playing a Bubbleshooter game instead. While I thought this was a good initiative, I didn't like it.
Let me start with the HOS. Lately, it seems that they've been getting far too easier, but Eipix has put that to bed with these HOS. They're actually challenging, and come in many different forms. I found myself using the hint quite a lot, which is a little embarrassing! The HOS come in either junkpile, silhouette, riddles, or sometimes a combination of all three. The HOS are also quite lengthy too. Eipix has really taken it up a notch here and have done a fantastic job. The HOS were spread out fairly evenly throughout the game. Overall, there were 15 HOS in the main game. For those who don't like HOS, there is the option of playing a Bubbleshooter game instead. While I thought this was a good initiative, I didn't like it.
The puzzles here are also wonderful. Eipix has really taken initiative here and learned that we players want something new, something exciting, and they've delivered here. We've now got a HOPA-first... The Q & A Puzzle! This is a wonderful new thing. The way it works is that you've got 3 possible questions and need to ask the right ones to move on. These can be skipped, so don't freak out. If you ask the wrong question, you keep going until you ask the right one. I found myself deliberately trying to get the questions wrong so I could explore all options. There was one slightly altered Q&A puzzle at the end, where you had to choose the correct answer to riddles. This wasn't a one-hit-wonder type puzzle; it was done 7 times in the main game.
I thought the other puzzles were still good and extremely fun, even if most of them were a tad easy. Some of them are new, some of them are not. Like the HOS, the puzzles are spaced out fairly evenly and there are a few of them there. Overall, there were 28 puzzles in the main game, which was a fairly good amount. This means the ratio of HOS to puzzles is also good. Nothing pains me more than seeing heaps of one and hardly any of the other, so a good job here.
I thought the other puzzles were still good and extremely fun, even if most of them were a tad easy. Some of them are new, some of them are not. Like the HOS, the puzzles are spaced out fairly evenly and there are a few of them there. Overall, there were 28 puzzles in the main game, which was a fairly good amount. This means the ratio of HOS to puzzles is also good. Nothing pains me more than seeing heaps of one and hardly any of the other, so a good job here.
As far as additional gameplay features go, I think Eipix have nailed it here. For starters, we have + objects, which are objects you must interact with to complete. They are indicated by small + signs above the item. The + turns blue when the item is ready to be interacted with. There were quite a few in the game, which was good.
There was also a monocle, which was a pretty cool feature. It was used to destroy spells, which were indicated by either a purple or green glow. When you use the monocle, you will have to complete a short and rather easy puzzle. This feature was used quite a few times in the game, which was good.
There was also a monocle, which was a pretty cool feature. It was used to destroy spells, which were indicated by either a purple or green glow. When you use the monocle, you will have to complete a short and rather easy puzzle. This feature was used quite a few times in the game, which was good.
This game has all the basic stuff too. It's got a helpful interactive map, a diary, hint/skip and four difficulty modes. I must especially comment on the diary, which was actually quite helpful. The diary had a built-in timer, which let you know how long you had been playing the game. This was a wonderful feature for me and really helped.
As usual, with an Eipix game, you get top-class, highly detailed graphics. The graphics are drawn well, with some pretty colours and lifelike designs. Everything is clear. The character designs are great too, as each character appears very lifelike. Job well done to the developers.
The voice-overs are good too. They're Irish/British, which is a good change from the normal American ones.
The voice-overs are good too. They're Irish/British, which is a good change from the normal American ones.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you want. Differences between the other difficulties are standard.
Hint/Skip- In my opinion, the hint/skip charged a little too fast for the difficulty I selected. I found myself relying on the hint a lot.
Diary- the diary could have been a bit better. It listed objectives instead of taking notes on the story. That being said, it redeemed itself by having a timer.
Timer
Map- the map is interactive and helpful. It lets you know where there are current tasks to perform.
+ Objects- These are objects you have to interact with to complete. Items are indicated by a little + sign. When the + turns blue, the item can be interacted with.
Monocle- This is used a few times in the game. Every time it is used, you have to do a simple puzzle.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you want. Differences between the other difficulties are standard.
Hint/Skip- In my opinion, the hint/skip charged a little too fast for the difficulty I selected. I found myself relying on the hint a lot.
Diary- the diary could have been a bit better. It listed objectives instead of taking notes on the story. That being said, it redeemed itself by having a timer.
Timer
Map- the map is interactive and helpful. It lets you know where there are current tasks to perform.
+ Objects- These are objects you have to interact with to complete. Items are indicated by a little + sign. When the + turns blue, the item can be interacted with.
Monocle- This is used a few times in the game. Every time it is used, you have to do a simple puzzle.
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
The CE, definitely. It had quite a few good CE Extras in there. I found it was definitelty worth the money, something that is almost never the case. See my Bonus Content Review at the bottom for more info.
The CE, definitely. It had quite a few good CE Extras in there. I found it was definitelty worth the money, something that is almost never the case. See my Bonus Content Review at the bottom for more info.
ON THE GAME LENGTH
The game, for me, was about 2.5 hours on Casual Mode, which is my ideal length.
The game, for me, was about 2.5 hours on Casual Mode, which is my ideal length.
WHO WOULD SUIT THIS GAME?
Beginners? NO. There are quite a lot of new features in here. You might struggle.
Advanced Players? YES. Go for it. This will be a good challenge for you.
Expert Players? YES. You'll enjoy this one.
Beginners? NO. There are quite a lot of new features in here. You might struggle.
Advanced Players? YES. Go for it. This will be a good challenge for you.
Expert Players? YES. You'll enjoy this one.
BONUS CONTENT REVIEW
I found there to be quite a lot of Bonus Content in here, that I really enjoyed.
I found there to be quite a lot of Bonus Content in here, that I really enjoyed.
STRATEGY GUIDE:
The Strategy guide was good for finding the solutions to puzzles, and also showed the location of each collectible. I won't lie, I did use the SG to find the collectibles!
The Strategy guide was good for finding the solutions to puzzles, and also showed the location of each collectible. I won't lie, I did use the SG to find the collectibles!
ACHIEVEMENTS
They are all gameplay based, but are a bit different from most. For example, there are achievements for using the map, using the hint, listening to cutscenes, etc...
They are all gameplay based, but are a bit different from most. For example, there are achievements for using the map, using the hint, listening to cutscenes, etc...
COLLECTIBLES
There are collectible Fairy Shoes in this game. There are 36, one for every scene. I enjoyed collecting them. The Fairy Shoes have there own little place in the extras section. The only thing that disappointed me is that there were no collectibles in the Bonus Chapter.
There are collectible Fairy Shoes in this game. There are 36, one for every scene. I enjoyed collecting them. The Fairy Shoes have there own little place in the extras section. The only thing that disappointed me is that there were no collectibles in the Bonus Chapter.
MAKING OF
This is a short video involving the Eipix staff. It's quite weird, in my opinion.
This is a short video involving the Eipix staff. It's quite weird, in my opinion.
BUBBLESHOOTER
This is the one extra I didn't like. I found the Bubble Shooter to be pointless and annoying. It was also quite confusing.
This is the one extra I didn't like. I found the Bubble Shooter to be pointless and annoying. It was also quite confusing.
REPLAY HOS & PUZZLES
Here you can replay every single HOS and Puzzle you encounter, both in the main game and bonus chapter. For the HOS, you are timed and scored on your accuracy, and I think there are stars to earn, but I'm not sure.
Here you can replay every single HOS and Puzzle you encounter, both in the main game and bonus chapter. For the HOS, you are timed and scored on your accuracy, and I think there are stars to earn, but I'm not sure.
MUSIC
Self-explanatory. This is just the soundtrack of the game.
Self-explanatory. This is just the soundtrack of the game.
WALLPAPERS
They're actually pretty cool. I have one set as my desktop background right now. You can set them to fit your screen resolution. They are downloaded to your My Documents folder. There are 8 to choose from.
They're actually pretty cool. I have one set as my desktop background right now. You can set them to fit your screen resolution. They are downloaded to your My Documents folder. There are 8 to choose from.
SNAPSHOTS
Pictures of the Myths of the World: Of Fiends and Fairies cast
Pictures of the Myths of the World: Of Fiends and Fairies cast
TITANIA'S CROWN
This is a bonus mini-game, sort of similar to the Souvenir Room that has appeared previously. You must create 1 jewel for Titania's crown in each scene. You do this through solving a quite challenging puzzle. It was very fun, albeit frustrating until I figured out what to do.
This is a bonus mini-game, sort of similar to the Souvenir Room that has appeared previously. You must create 1 jewel for Titania's crown in each scene. You do this through solving a quite challenging puzzle. It was very fun, albeit frustrating until I figured out what to do.
BONUS CHAPTER
This is an epilogue to the game, so is not necessary. Here, you play as Magrat, the Rat Catcher. Rita, the witch, has taken your children and you have to track them down. Your companion here is Rita, who has turned in to a mouse. The story was pretty good and lengthy (the Bonus Chapter lasted me an extra 45 minutes), but I'm a little disappointed that some good things were missing. Firstly, there were no collectibles in the bonus chapter, which was a little annoying. Secondly, the monocle is gone; it is not used.
Other than that, a good bonus chapter.
This is an epilogue to the game, so is not necessary. Here, you play as Magrat, the Rat Catcher. Rita, the witch, has taken your children and you have to track them down. Your companion here is Rita, who has turned in to a mouse. The story was pretty good and lengthy (the Bonus Chapter lasted me an extra 45 minutes), but I'm a little disappointed that some good things were missing. Firstly, there were no collectibles in the bonus chapter, which was a little annoying. Secondly, the monocle is gone; it is not used.
Other than that, a good bonus chapter.
So, overall, this is a definite game of the year contender. This is Eipix's best game in quite a while and it deserves nothing short of a 5-star rating. Eipix has definitely raised the bar for future HOPA games and put all developers on notice. I can only hope Eipix continue to make these genre-defining games.
I recommend this game!
After a suspicious accident, you find yourself stranded at a run-down motel. But you soon realize the area hides a terrifying secret...
Overall rating
4
/
5
5 of 6 found this review helpful
Finally, A Game That Feels Like Real LIfe!
PostedJune 29, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
WOW! This game lives up to its name. It truly is frightening...
This is a welcome change from the repetitive stuff we've been getting lately. This developer has only done two games in the past, but BOY have they left an impression! I will be purchasing the SE when it comes out!
This is a welcome change from the repetitive stuff we've been getting lately. This developer has only done two games in the past, but BOY have they left an impression! I will be purchasing the SE when it comes out!
The story was great and so realistic. Things played out as they would in the real world, things happened as they would in the real world... really good job by the developers.
What really intrigued me about this story was its eerie creepiness and the fact that it was so unique from all others. For once, we've got no animal helpers, dragons, ghosts, you know the drill. This is plain real-word horror movie stuff, and I loved every second of it... well, maybe not every second. I will admit the story has its flaws. For one, the cutscenes are soooooo s...l...o...w.... I felt as if the cutscenes dragged on a little longer than they should have. The opening cutscene especially dragged on and I lost a bit of interest. Next time, the developer should work on making their cutscenes shorter and more to the point.
Otherwise, a fantastic story. I was engaged from beginning to end.
What really intrigued me about this story was its eerie creepiness and the fact that it was so unique from all others. For once, we've got no animal helpers, dragons, ghosts, you know the drill. This is plain real-word horror movie stuff, and I loved every second of it... well, maybe not every second. I will admit the story has its flaws. For one, the cutscenes are soooooo s...l...o...w.... I felt as if the cutscenes dragged on a little longer than they should have. The opening cutscene especially dragged on and I lost a bit of interest. Next time, the developer should work on making their cutscenes shorter and more to the point.
Otherwise, a fantastic story. I was engaged from beginning to end.
The gameplay is something special too. The HOS have been jazzed-up and are very interactive. Every single object on the list requires some form of interaction, which is great, and a change from the standard junkpile. The HOS were all junkpile. What makes the HOS even better and even more fun is that you never know when you're going to hit one. There's no sparkles anywhere; absolutely no indication of a HOS until you see the word list. This game is a little light on HOS (I found 2 in the demo), but I loved the HOS so much. I can only hope we see more of them as the game goes on. Because of their interactivity, the HOS are a little bit more challenging than normal, so may be a tough ask for beginners. Also, some HOS have a puzzle in them (which can be skipped, thank the stars), which made them a little bit harder.
I really enjoyed the puzzles too. They are different and more challenging that most. They were very fun to play, but some of them were quite confusing. When I thought I'd solved the puzzle, I hadn't, and was just left dumbfounded. I did have to skip a couple of the puzzles. The puzzles are more frequent than the HOS, so there's enough to account for the P part of HOPA.
There are no additional gameplay features here, but for once, I don't care. The story and realism of the game mean there's no need for the stuff like animal helpers, abilities, etc. Despite the lack of gameplay features, I really enjoyed my demo.
The basic gameplay features work well too. The diary is good for tracking events, there are 4 modes of difficulty, and the map is interactive and helpful. This developer has done a great job on the gameplay side of things.
What's great about this game is that it uses live actors. Gone are the cheap, animated people and in are the real people. Having real actors and real scenes, again, made the game more realistic. I was glad that this game used 100% real stuff. It made me appreciate the game more. The scenes looked as they should too. For example, the hotel looked dirty and old, as it would if it had been abandoned for that period of time. I'm glad the developers have taken the time to make everything look as it should!
The voice-overs are standard. They're a little over-acted in some parts, but other than that, I have no issue.
The voice-overs are standard. They're a little over-acted in some parts, but other than that, I have no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you like; differences in others are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a good speed for the difficulty I chose. Hint is helpful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events.
Map- The map is interactive and quite helpful, which is great.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you like; differences in others are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a good speed for the difficulty I chose. Hint is helpful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events.
Map- The map is interactive and quite helpful, which is great.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- unsure if needed
Strategy Guide- Does not show HOS solutions, nor does it give step by step solutions for puzzles.
Collectible dollar bills (34)- used to buy stuff from “gift shop”
Soundtrack
Concept Art
Gift shop- no idea what this is
Wallpapers
Bonus Puzzles- can be purchased with dollar bills from the game
Bonus Chapter- unsure if needed
Strategy Guide- Does not show HOS solutions, nor does it give step by step solutions for puzzles.
Collectible dollar bills (34)- used to buy stuff from “gift shop”
Soundtrack
Concept Art
Gift shop- no idea what this is
Wallpapers
Bonus Puzzles- can be purchased with dollar bills from the game
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
This game is really stingy on the CE Extras and they are really hard to find, so forgive me if I've missed a couple in the CE EXCLUSIVES section. Others have said this not up to CE standard, and I am inclined to agree. Definitely go for the SE with this one.
This game is really stingy on the CE Extras and they are really hard to find, so forgive me if I've missed a couple in the CE EXCLUSIVES section. Others have said this not up to CE standard, and I am inclined to agree. Definitely go for the SE with this one.
Overall, this is a great, realistic game that I was drawn to and could not stop playing. I really enjoyed both the gameplay and the story. I will be sure to purchase the SE. I was really glad to see a change of pace in game stories and hope this developer gives us another one in the near future.
This is a solid four star game for me.
This is a solid four star game for me.
I recommend this game!
A strange and deadly pollen is spreading around the world, and you’ve been hired to track down its source. But the secrets you discover in the fabled kingdom of Floralia are much darker than you imagined...
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 25 found this review helpful
Not Up To Today's Standards!
PostedJune 28, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
After playing the demo, I've got no idea where all the 5 star ratings are coming from. This game is nowhere near 5 stars. While there were some good elements in there, other stuff was not so good. It's like this developer is ever so slowly going downhill. Ever since Jack and the Sky Kingdom, Blue Tea's games have been somewhat mediocre.
The story here had a lot of potential. The developers have put an interesting twist on the age old tale of Rapunzel. The story started off well but stalled. Still, there were some interesting elements in there. Who is the woman that is with Rapunzel? What is Gerda doing there? Who is the mysterious man slaying the evil plants? The developers have done a great job of creating suspense. I was quite interested in the story and would've continued playing had I not been bored with the gameplay. I didn't finish the demo, which is extremely rare for me. Even if I don't like games, I still try to finish the demo.
The gameplay was hit and miss for me.There was quite a lot of backtracking, which made me forget details of the story at times. Also, I felt quite bored with it, and was left constantly using the hint, just waiting to pass the time. But elements like the HOS and Puzzles were wonderful. I love Blue Tea's HOS and here is no excpetion. To this day, they continue to remain unique, fun and challenging. At this point, you're either going to love or hate the game, because of the differences. I liked the HOS because of their challenge and because there were so many objects to find. I found that this game was not very HOS heavy, but still, there were enough to make it a HOPA game.
Like the HOS, the puzzles too, were awesome. Some of them were very unique and fun, and others were quite challenging. I enjoyed attempting them, even though I had to skip some. Like the HOS, the puzzles were evenly spaced out.
If you skip a puzzle, the game says the hint will be inactive for a few minutes, but my hint worked fine after puzzle skipping.
Like the HOS, the puzzles too, were awesome. Some of them were very unique and fun, and others were quite challenging. I enjoyed attempting them, even though I had to skip some. Like the HOS, the puzzles were evenly spaced out.
If you skip a puzzle, the game says the hint will be inactive for a few minutes, but my hint worked fine after puzzle skipping.
Right, now let's talk about the extra gameplay features... Oh, wait, there aren't any. Yes, you read that right. There's no animal helper, no fancy new features, there's not even any + objects. This is partially why the game became boring. With so many games having additional gameplay features these days, I was a little disappointed to see none here. In order to compete with other big-name developers, Blue Tea really needs to kick it up a notch.
Even some of the basic stuff annoyed me. Let me start by saying the map is USELESS! Unlike every other map around these days, this map is NOT a jump map! So, I had to rely 100% on the hint for my navigation.
Other basic features are done well. Diary is good, hint charges well, etc. It's just the fun stuff with which this game is lacking, and that is a real shame, because this developer used to be so good.
Other basic features are done well. Diary is good, hint charges well, etc. It's just the fun stuff with which this game is lacking, and that is a real shame, because this developer used to be so good.
The graphics are not up to standard either. The cutscenes especially are poorly done, very fuzzy, sloppy and all over the place. I'm appalled at the quality of the cutscenes. It was like the developers just couldn't be bothered. The one saving grace for the graphics is that the HOS were clear, so I could see all objects. Everything else, though, was a bit hazy. I'm quite disappointed.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are the usual. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary is good for keeping track of events.
Map- The map is USELESS. It's not a jump map, and the directions are all wonky, so I had to rely on the hint for navigation.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are the usual. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharged at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- The diary is good for keeping track of events.
Map- The map is USELESS. It's not a jump map, and the directions are all wonky, so I had to rely on the hint for navigation.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus chapter- unsure if needed
Parables- I'm not sure if they're a CE Exclusive or not, but I think they are, as they aren't necessary at all.
Achievements
Collectibles- The collectibles are very easy to spot.
Bonus Puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Wallpapers
Music
Concept Art
Bonus chapter- unsure if needed
Parables- I'm not sure if they're a CE Exclusive or not, but I think they are, as they aren't necessary at all.
Achievements
Collectibles- The collectibles are very easy to spot.
Bonus Puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Wallpapers
Music
Concept Art
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I'd definitely recommend you go with the SE. There's not much “bang for buck” in the CE. Nothing really interests me. So save your money and go for the SE.
I'd definitely recommend you go with the SE. There's not much “bang for buck” in the CE. Nothing really interests me. So save your money and go for the SE.
This isn't actually a bad game by any means, but with all the new gameplay features around these days, this game pales in comparison and thus, becomes boring. I seriously recommend Blue Tea look at making their games more fun, because until then, I have been turned off from a developer who was once among my favourites.
I don't recommend this game.
A series of unexplained deaths baffle authorities, and you’re called in to investigate.
Overall rating
2
/
5
41 of 51 found this review helpful
Oh, Eipix... What Have You Done to Sea of Lies?
PostedJune 20, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
I enjoyed the first Sea of Lies game immensely, so I was really looking forward to a second installment. How sad I am to say this, but it has let me down! I'm sorry, but everything I loved about the first Sea of Lies was just... gone.
I'll start off by saying this story is COMPLETELY different to the last one. If you like pirate-themed games, you'll be disappointed. It's moved from a save-the-person type thing to a murder-mystery. I absolutely love murder-mysteries, but this one was a bit below average. The story took quite a while to get in to, and had some technical problems. Someone seriously needs to do their research here, because something's wrong. The detective actually took the ring off the finger of the victim! I've done research here, and I know for a fact that NO ONE is to touch a dead body! Surely a detective would know this?
Content-wise, I wasn't impressed. The game began well, but slacked off a bit during the demo. There was a really stupid plot twist for the end of the demo, which really disappointed me.
I was also saddened to find that there was no backstory of any kind.
Overall, a very disappointing story. One positive though, is that it follows Madame Adams from the last game.
Content-wise, I wasn't impressed. The game began well, but slacked off a bit during the demo. There was a really stupid plot twist for the end of the demo, which really disappointed me.
I was also saddened to find that there was no backstory of any kind.
Overall, a very disappointing story. One positive though, is that it follows Madame Adams from the last game.
I was extremely disappointed with the gameplay too! The basic gameplay stuff I liked from the first Sea of Lies was just gone!
This is the first, last and only time I will ever say this, but I DID NOT LIKE the HOS! They've changed completely from the ones I loved in Mutiny of the Heart. As the old saying goes, “if it's not broke, don't fix it.”
It seems Eipix have become extremely fond of the longer, 3-part HOS. In these HOS, there were some interactive items as well as mini-silhouette HOS. In the first game, the mini-silhouette scenes were nice and long, but in this one, there is really emphasis on the word mini! There were literally three objects to find and then we were done. In the last game, it was about 6.
I have one positive to say about the HOS: the mini-HOS did return here. These are smaller HOS that only have about 10 items or so to find. I really enjoyed them.
For those who don't like HOS, there is the option of a Match 3.
The HOS are evenly spaced out, and I get the impression there will be quite a few of them.
I think Eipix need to take a look at some of their older games. Go back to the HOS from those ones! It was what really made me fall in love with you.
This is the first, last and only time I will ever say this, but I DID NOT LIKE the HOS! They've changed completely from the ones I loved in Mutiny of the Heart. As the old saying goes, “if it's not broke, don't fix it.”
It seems Eipix have become extremely fond of the longer, 3-part HOS. In these HOS, there were some interactive items as well as mini-silhouette HOS. In the first game, the mini-silhouette scenes were nice and long, but in this one, there is really emphasis on the word mini! There were literally three objects to find and then we were done. In the last game, it was about 6.
I have one positive to say about the HOS: the mini-HOS did return here. These are smaller HOS that only have about 10 items or so to find. I really enjoyed them.
For those who don't like HOS, there is the option of a Match 3.
The HOS are evenly spaced out, and I get the impression there will be quite a few of them.
I think Eipix need to take a look at some of their older games. Go back to the HOS from those ones! It was what really made me fall in love with you.
The puzzles were a mixed bag for me. Some I liked, a couple were a bit hard. Most of them, however, were generally easy. As a whole though, I thought the puzzles were fun to attempt and had clear instructions. Like the HOS, the puzzles are spaced out evenly. The puzzles are nothing new, in contrast to Eipix's last game, which was full of new stuff.
As far as additional gameplay features go, this game has a few. It's got + objects, which are items you need to interact with to complete. There are a few of them there. The items are indicated by a + sign, which turns green when the item is ready to be interacted with.
This game also has a brand new feature called the fingerprinting kit. I really liked this one. I've been waiting for it to appear in a murder-mystery HOPA. It's only used a couple of times, and is quite confusing when you first use it, but it was really fun to use. I hope it makes its return sometime soon!
This game also has a brand new feature called the fingerprinting kit. I really liked this one. I've been waiting for it to appear in a murder-mystery HOPA. It's only used a couple of times, and is quite confusing when you first use it, but it was really fun to use. I hope it makes its return sometime soon!
Other than those couple of features, this is your normal HOPA. It's got 4 difficulty modes, a working hint and an interactive map. However, I was extremely disappointed to find that the diary had been omitted. For me, the diary is key to remembering important story events. Developers may not think the diary is important, but it actually is a very good part of the game. Eipix diaries are especially great, so I'm bewildered as to why they would suddenly decide to remove it.
The graphics are, as usual, great. They are the usual Eipix standard: well drawn with nice colours and a lot of detail. Every scene was clear and the character designs were great. Good job by Eipix here.
However, I found the voice-overs to be extremely annoying. The accents were terrible and the voice-overs in general drove me mental. I also don't understand it. They were American last time, why suddenly change it to an accent that, clearly, the voice-artists don't know how to do? I don't get it.
However, I found the voice-overs to be extremely annoying. The accents were terrible and the voice-overs in general drove me mental. I also don't understand it. They were American last time, why suddenly change it to an accent that, clearly, the voice-artists don't know how to do? I don't get it.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. I played Casual. Custom mode lets you set the game the way you want, and the differences in the other modes are standard.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a reasonable rate. The hint is helpful outside HOS. Sometimes the hint will act as a jump map and teleport you to your next place.
Map- The map is interactive and quite helpful. It tells you where your next task(s) can be performed.
+ objects- These are objects you need to interact with to complete. They are indicated by a + sign, which turns green when the object is ready to be interacted with. This was a great feature.
Fingerprinting kit- Even though it was confusing, I found this to be a great feature, and I'm glad someone finally thought to include it in a murder-mystery game.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. I played Casual. Custom mode lets you set the game the way you want, and the differences in the other modes are standard.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a reasonable rate. The hint is helpful outside HOS. Sometimes the hint will act as a jump map and teleport you to your next place.
Map- The map is interactive and quite helpful. It tells you where your next task(s) can be performed.
+ objects- These are objects you need to interact with to complete. They are indicated by a + sign, which turns green when the object is ready to be interacted with. This was a great feature.
Fingerprinting kit- Even though it was confusing, I found this to be a great feature, and I'm glad someone finally thought to include it in a murder-mystery game.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- not sure if needed.
Built in Strategy Guide- shows location of collectibles and is also useful for puzzles.
Achievements
Collectible treasure chests (40)- one in every scene. They are also used as currency for the shop.
Shop- This is where you can spend the gold you find. Here, you can purchase statues. This was a great CE Extra.
Souvenir Room- basically one giant HOS.
Match 3 levels
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Replay cutscenes
Wallpapers
Concept art
Snapshots- behind the scenes photos of the actors
Music
Bonus Chapter- not sure if needed.
Built in Strategy Guide- shows location of collectibles and is also useful for puzzles.
Achievements
Collectible treasure chests (40)- one in every scene. They are also used as currency for the shop.
Shop- This is where you can spend the gold you find. Here, you can purchase statues. This was a great CE Extra.
Souvenir Room- basically one giant HOS.
Match 3 levels
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Replay cutscenes
Wallpapers
Concept art
Snapshots- behind the scenes photos of the actors
Music
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I reckon you'd be happy with either. Collectibles, achievements and a shop are, in my opinion, 3 necessary CE extras. As well as that, there are a couple of other interesting exclusives here. Those who don't like CE stuff should be happy with the SE.
I reckon you'd be happy with either. Collectibles, achievements and a shop are, in my opinion, 3 necessary CE extras. As well as that, there are a couple of other interesting exclusives here. Those who don't like CE stuff should be happy with the SE.
Overall, I've got almost nothing positive to say about this game and, regrettably, I give it a two star rating. The story is ridiculous, and the gameplay that made the last Sea of Lies game so great is gone. This is a major step back for Eipix and the Sea of Lies series. I hope Eipix learn from their mistakes. As I've always said, “if it's not broke, don't fix it.”
I don't recommend this game.
The city fears the return of the infamous Fire Knight – but is Rosa Ramirez really responsible?
Overall rating
3
/
5
8 of 9 found this review helpful
Great Potential, Poor Execution
PostedJune 18, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON COMPLETED STANDARD EDITION GAME
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
I was a little hesitant to buy this game at first, as I wasn't too keen on the story, but really liked the gameplay. After a couple of days deliberating, I went ahead and purchased. While I'm glad I purchased, I'd say this game is far from the best by this developer.
I'm going to be really honest here; the story was very plain and mediocre. It didn't start off very well for me. The whole thing with the Fire Knight's backstory could have been great, but alas, it was another “lover wants revenge” kind of thing. Developers must know that we gamers are sick of the same thing over and over. If a developer chooses this path, they must make their story amazing, and this was not.
However, to ERS's credit, they did put some nice characters. I especially liked the character of the newspaper boy. His lines were very clever and witty, and I liked how he just popped up in random places. He was a very enjoyable character for the small amount of time he appeared.
However, to ERS's credit, they did put some nice characters. I especially liked the character of the newspaper boy. His lines were very clever and witty, and I liked how he just popped up in random places. He was a very enjoyable character for the small amount of time he appeared.
After the demo, the legend of the Fire Knight thing was completely gone, which I thought was a really bad move. If we've got a backstory, space it out over the entire game, don't tell us the entire thing in about forty minutes! Really poorly executed by the developer.
Things did get exciting for a little bit, but that was only towards the end of the game. This was the stage where everything unraveled. We found out who the fire knight was, and things got really mysterious. This was, hands down, the highlight of an otherwise boring story for me. That 1 hour or so part of the game was my favourite. It created a lot of suspense and I couldn't wait for the ending!
But boy, oh boy, was I disappointed by the ending! Don't get me wrong, it was conclusive this time, but WOW was it terrible! The criminal's reasoning for their attacks was just plain stupid and so predictable. And the way we defeated them? Don't even get me started. This was an absolutely awful ending- the worst conclusive ending I've seen from ERS, hands down. I really didn't like it. Like other parts of the story, it was very poorly executed and just could've been so much better!
Overall, this was a very disappointing story.
Things did get exciting for a little bit, but that was only towards the end of the game. This was the stage where everything unraveled. We found out who the fire knight was, and things got really mysterious. This was, hands down, the highlight of an otherwise boring story for me. That 1 hour or so part of the game was my favourite. It created a lot of suspense and I couldn't wait for the ending!
But boy, oh boy, was I disappointed by the ending! Don't get me wrong, it was conclusive this time, but WOW was it terrible! The criminal's reasoning for their attacks was just plain stupid and so predictable. And the way we defeated them? Don't even get me started. This was an absolutely awful ending- the worst conclusive ending I've seen from ERS, hands down. I really didn't like it. Like other parts of the story, it was very poorly executed and just could've been so much better!
Overall, this was a very disappointing story.
My sole reason for purchasing this game was its gameplay. The gameplay was quite fun, especially the HOS. In the beginning of the game, they were wonderful, fun and unique. As the game wore on, that unique feeling wore off and we were left with normal interactive junkpile HOS. That being said, I still did really enjoy them. The HOS are evenly spaced out and there are just the right amount.
The puzzles were a mixed bag for me. I have mixed feelings about them. Some of them I really enjoyed, but others were disappointing, either with confusing instructions or a little bit hard. Trust me developers, nothing is worse than a puzzle with confusing instructions! I could solve a few, but had to skip others. The puzzles are nothing we haven't seen before and are evenly spaced out.
The puzzles were a mixed bag for me. I have mixed feelings about them. Some of them I really enjoyed, but others were disappointing, either with confusing instructions or a little bit hard. Trust me developers, nothing is worse than a puzzle with confusing instructions! I could solve a few, but had to skip others. The puzzles are nothing we haven't seen before and are evenly spaced out.
Other than that, this is basically your normal HOPA. I have three more issues with the gameplay:
Issue 1) Everything that makes Grim Facade Grim Facade is gone. There are no collectible fans and the shop is non-existent after the first forty minutes, instead of being in the full game. Once again, this is a terrible decision by ERS, and whoever decided to cut the shop out after 40 minutes needs a good long lecture.
Issue 2) What's with all the backtacking? Seriously, there is a LOT! Sometimes I'd have to go back four or five locations to do one thing! There is nothing worse than a game filled with backtacking. I thought I'd seen the end of that sort of thing long ago. It takes a lot of fun out of the game, especially when the map doesn't work as it should. Which brings me on to my next issue...
Issue 3) The map is USELESS! Even in Casual mode, the map was no help to me at all, which really sucked. I was only informed of which locations were completed and which were inaccessible. I was never informed of where my current task was, which is why I ended up relying heavily on the hint.
Issue 1) Everything that makes Grim Facade Grim Facade is gone. There are no collectible fans and the shop is non-existent after the first forty minutes, instead of being in the full game. Once again, this is a terrible decision by ERS, and whoever decided to cut the shop out after 40 minutes needs a good long lecture.
Issue 2) What's with all the backtacking? Seriously, there is a LOT! Sometimes I'd have to go back four or five locations to do one thing! There is nothing worse than a game filled with backtacking. I thought I'd seen the end of that sort of thing long ago. It takes a lot of fun out of the game, especially when the map doesn't work as it should. Which brings me on to my next issue...
Issue 3) The map is USELESS! Even in Casual mode, the map was no help to me at all, which really sucked. I was only informed of which locations were completed and which were inaccessible. I was never informed of where my current task was, which is why I ended up relying heavily on the hint.
I found multiple faults with the gameplay. I think the developers really need to read these reviews, take a look at all that went wrong, and make some drastic improvements.
The graphics here were the ERS standard here. Hand drawn with quite a bit of detail and some nice colours. Everything was clear and the character designs are good.
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue here. What I do have an issue with, however, is the music. The music is exactly the same from previous ERS games, and sometimes got a little annoying. The fact that the music was the same as another ERS game disappointed me. I mean, can't they come up with anything original, or do they expect us not to notice?
The voice-overs are standard. I have no issue here. What I do have an issue with, however, is the music. The music is exactly the same from previous ERS games, and sometimes got a little annoying. The fact that the music was the same as another ERS game disappointed me. I mean, can't they come up with anything original, or do they expect us not to notice?
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. It disappointed me to realise the custom difficulty was gone, because I enjoyed it. Differences for difficulties are the usual. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a reasonable rate for the difficulty I selected. Hint works well outside HOS.
Diary- Good for keeping track of story events.
Map- The map is absolutely USELESS. It was 0 help to me at all. It might as well have not been there.
Shop- I was so disappointed when I found out that this was only used in the first 40 minutes or so. It was what made the game unique! Extremely bad move by ERS.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. It disappointed me to realise the custom difficulty was gone, because I enjoyed it. Differences for difficulties are the usual. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a reasonable rate for the difficulty I selected. Hint works well outside HOS.
Diary- Good for keeping track of story events.
Map- The map is absolutely USELESS. It was 0 help to me at all. It might as well have not been there.
Shop- I was so disappointed when I found out that this was only used in the first 40 minutes or so. It was what made the game unique! Extremely bad move by ERS.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus Chapter- not needed
Built-in Strategy Guide- could be used in place of a map, but otherwise, I didn't need it.
Pet Bull- Your pet bull has its own little section. You can buy stuff for it.
Collectible flowers- currency for the pet shop
World of Colours
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Music
Replay HOS & Puzzles
Bonus Chapter- not needed
Built-in Strategy Guide- could be used in place of a map, but otherwise, I didn't need it.
Pet Bull- Your pet bull has its own little section. You can buy stuff for it.
Collectible flowers- currency for the pet shop
World of Colours
Concept Art
Wallpapers
Music
Replay HOS & Puzzles
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I said this when I reviewed the demo. I highly advise you to go with the SE if you're thinking about purchasing this game. The ending is conclusive (seems ERS have learned their lesson) and there aren't any appealing extras in this game for me.
I said this when I reviewed the demo. I highly advise you to go with the SE if you're thinking about purchasing this game. The ending is conclusive (seems ERS have learned their lesson) and there aren't any appealing extras in this game for me.
Overall, especially compared with the last Grim Facade, this game was disappointing. There are quite a few faults with it, both with the gameplay and the story. I have concluded the best I can do is three stars, and that's being generous. This is nothing to write home about.
ON THE GAME LENGTH
The game length is the same as usual, about 2 ½ to 3 hours on Casual.
The game length is the same as usual, about 2 ½ to 3 hours on Casual.
WHO WOULD SUIT THIS GAME?
Beginners- YES. Go for it. This will be a good game to start you off, as there are minimal gameplay features.
Advanced Players- NOT SURE. Don't know what you'll make of this one.
Expert Players- NO. This game will probably annoy you.
Beginners- YES. Go for it. This will be a good game to start you off, as there are minimal gameplay features.
Advanced Players- NOT SURE. Don't know what you'll make of this one.
Expert Players- NO. This game will probably annoy you.
I don't recommend this game.
Dreampath: The Two Kingdoms Collector's Edition
Your sister, the Queen, has fallen deathly ill. Now you must travel to a faraway kingdom to find the cure.
Overall rating
4
/
5
4 of 5 found this review helpful
For A Fantasy-Story Game, This Is Pretty Good!
PostedJune 17, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
Considering this is the developer that made one of my favourite murder-mystery games, The Blood Ruby, I was a little bit worried when they decided to do something completely different. I think they've done a pretty good job here. While I won't be purchasing this game (due entirely to the fact that this sort of story doesn't interest me), I did enjoy the trial.
Stories to do with dragons, kingdoms, and all that fantasy stuff, don't really interest me, so naturally I wasn't interested in this story and was never going to be. But don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad story. It's got all the required stuff for a fantasy story. I especially liked the character of the cat (even if how he walked creeped me out). It's nice to have a light-hearted character in there!
In terms of the story's content, the whole “sick sister, must find cure” thing has been done before, but I thought the developers put a unique spin on it. There weren't many twists in the demo, however, which lessened the excitement factor.
The most exciting part of the story for me was the opening cutscene, which I thought was done really well.
In terms of the story's content, the whole “sick sister, must find cure” thing has been done before, but I thought the developers put a unique spin on it. There weren't many twists in the demo, however, which lessened the excitement factor.
The most exciting part of the story for me was the opening cutscene, which I thought was done really well.
This game also has a backstory, but I found this to be really weird. Dragons transforming in to humans is a bit creepy... I dunno. It wasn't that well thought out, in my opinion.
In a game with a story like this, the gameplay has to be amazing for me to consider the SE. While I thought the gameplay was pretty good, it was good enough to warrant me adding it to my purchase list. The HOS, for instance, were basic, but enjoyable. They were nothing new, but I liked playing them. The HOS are evenly spaced out to make this more of an adventure game.
The puzzles are basic too, and are nothing we haven't seen before. They've got simple instructions and are quite easy to navigate. Like the HOS, the puzzles are evenly spread out.
My problem here is that I found the gameplay a little too easy. I only had to skip about one puzzle, and I could do the HOS with no troubles. This is in contrast to the developer's last game, which I found a little challenging.
The puzzles are basic too, and are nothing we haven't seen before. They've got simple instructions and are quite easy to navigate. Like the HOS, the puzzles are evenly spread out.
My problem here is that I found the gameplay a little too easy. I only had to skip about one puzzle, and I could do the HOS with no troubles. This is in contrast to the developer's last game, which I found a little challenging.
There are a couple of extra features in this game which really bump up the enjoyment level. Firstly, we've got an animal helper named Muir. Muir is a cat who will help us get things that are high to reach or in small spaces. I love animal helpers and this is no exception. Muir is used frequently enough to warrant being called an animal helper, which is great. The only negative thing I would have to say is that it creeped me out how he could walk upright! *shudders*
This game also has + objects. These are items that you must combine with another to complete. These are shown by light green + above the item. However, the + does not appear until both items have been collected. This was a great feature that made the game a little more fun.
This game also has + objects. These are items that you must combine with another to complete. These are shown by light green + above the item. However, the + does not appear until both items have been collected. This was a great feature that made the game a little more fun.
Other than that, this is your normal HOPA. There's no fancy new gameplay or anything, and the basic stuff is done well. I must point out that the map especially is done very well. It tells you where your current tasks can be performed, as well as letting you know when each location is complete. This was wonderful for me.
The graphics were pretty good; drawn with nice detail and great colours. The characters, in my opinion, were very life-like. I found everything in the game to be clear. Well done, developers.
FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are usual (hint/skip charge, sparkles...). I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for the selected difficulty. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- Good for remembering important bits of the game (which I tend to forget).
Map- The map is very helpful here. It tells you where current tasks can be performed as well as letting you know which locations have been completed. Very good job by the developer on the map.
Muir- Muir is our animal helper. He is used a few times, but not over-used, which is great.
+ items- Items that you need to combine with another to complete. These are indicated by a green + at the top of the item. The + doesn't appear until the other item is found.
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are usual (hint/skip charge, sparkles...). I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for the selected difficulty. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- Good for remembering important bits of the game (which I tend to forget).
Map- The map is very helpful here. It tells you where current tasks can be performed as well as letting you know which locations have been completed. Very good job by the developer on the map.
Muir- Muir is our animal helper. He is used a few times, but not over-used, which is great.
+ items- Items that you need to combine with another to complete. These are indicated by a green + at the top of the item. The + doesn't appear until the other item is found.
CE EXCLUSIVE
Bonus Chapter- I doubt it will be needed. Follows the story of Muir.
Built in Strategy Guide- This is great for puzzles. The SG tells you the location of collectibles.
Collectible gold and silver tokens- used as currency for the shop.
Muir's Shop- A shop where you can buy things for Muir. I like shops. I think they are a nice CE extra.
Secret Game
Achievements
Concept Art
Posters- pretty sure these are wallpapers
Re-watch cutscenes
Music
Replay Minigames
Bonus Chapter- I doubt it will be needed. Follows the story of Muir.
Built in Strategy Guide- This is great for puzzles. The SG tells you the location of collectibles.
Collectible gold and silver tokens- used as currency for the shop.
Muir's Shop- A shop where you can buy things for Muir. I like shops. I think they are a nice CE extra.
Secret Game
Achievements
Concept Art
Posters- pretty sure these are wallpapers
Re-watch cutscenes
Music
Replay Minigames
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
There's a couple of decent CE Extras in here, but I would purchase the SE. My reasoning for this is lack of collectibles. If there had been other collectibles as well as the tokens, I would recommend the CE.
Based on the description of the Bonus Chapter, I'm 99% sure this game will end conclusively.
There's a couple of decent CE Extras in here, but I would purchase the SE. My reasoning for this is lack of collectibles. If there had been other collectibles as well as the tokens, I would recommend the CE.
Based on the description of the Bonus Chapter, I'm 99% sure this game will end conclusively.
Overall, I did enjoy the trial. As this isn't my type of story, I'm going to pass on this one, but I think fans of this type of story will enjoy it.
WHO WOULD SUIT THIS GAME?
Beginners? YES.
Advanced Players? YES
Expert Players? NOT SURE. Gameplay is a little on the easy side for me personally. I'm an advanced player, not sure how you guys would go.
Beginners? YES.
Advanced Players? YES
Expert Players? NOT SURE. Gameplay is a little on the easy side for me personally. I'm an advanced player, not sure how you guys would go.
I recommend this game!
Twenty years ago, the children of Greystone were taken by a mysterious fog - only you escaped. It’s time to find out why...
Overall rating
4
/
5
10 of 16 found this review helpful
The Gameplay Is Wonderful! If Only They Could Get The Story Right...
PostedJune 14, 2014
catbag8717
fromTasmania, Australia
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
BASED ON DEMO
After the huge success that was Child of the Forest, I was super-excited to see a third RoP coming out. While I will admit this game has made some huge progress in terms of gameplay, the story is quite weak. For that reason, I will not be purchasing this game.
I know most people are going to disagree with me on this, but I really did not like the story. This story idea (kids get lost due to some mysterious evil force) has been done... look, I've lost count of how many times now. And when something has been done that many times, the new take on the story has to be great, and unfortunately, it was not. The story opening was very, very weak the rest of the demo was not much better. The only thing that this story had going for it was the suspense of the villain, which, I'll admit, was an exciting part of the story. But that was the only exciting part and it happened right at the end of the demo. I honestly just couldn't get in to this story, no matter how hard I tried. This is a real shame for me, considering the last RoP game had such a good story. This is makinga really hard decision for me, because the gameplay is so wonderful, but... I don't know if I can bring myself to purchase and force myself to play through 3 hours of a terrible story. What the developers need to work on here is getting you sucked in to the game as soon as it starts. As I said, the opening was weak, but also very brief, so I was bored with the game straightaway. And I swear, if I hear that woman tell us one more time that her scar is glowing because of the fog, I'm going to rip her hand right out of its socket! This annoyed me to no end. Developers, we know the first time that the scar glows because of the fog, we don't need to be told over and over!
I wouldn't think twice about not purchasing this game if it weren't for the amazing gameplay. These developers have been pioneers in new and fun gameplay, and they've just lived up to that reputation. This game is packed with some awesome features. They've even jazzed up the HOS!
The HOS, as another reviewer mentioned, are very different, a lot more interactive than most. They come in many different forms: some junkpile, some finding matching pairs, and some a little bit of a twist on normal junkpile. All of them were fun and some were a little challenging! I commend the developers for their work here. There was a good amount of HOS in the demo and they were spaced out evenly.
I wasn't such a big fan of the puzzles, to be honest. I was able to solve some of them, but a couple needed to be skipped. I was also a little disappointed. For a developer that was famous for providing new and fun puzzles, these ones seemed... normal. Even though they were nothing new, the puzzles did have VERY CLEAR instructions, which was great.
The HOS, as another reviewer mentioned, are very different, a lot more interactive than most. They come in many different forms: some junkpile, some finding matching pairs, and some a little bit of a twist on normal junkpile. All of them were fun and some were a little challenging! I commend the developers for their work here. There was a good amount of HOS in the demo and they were spaced out evenly.
I wasn't such a big fan of the puzzles, to be honest. I was able to solve some of them, but a couple needed to be skipped. I was also a little disappointed. For a developer that was famous for providing new and fun puzzles, these ones seemed... normal. Even though they were nothing new, the puzzles did have VERY CLEAR instructions, which was great.
This game is PACKED with awesome gameplay features. I loved them, but I especially loved the Karma Meter! This was a wonderful new feature. During the character interaction scenes, you got to pick a “nice” response or a “bad” response. What you picked determined the way the story played out. The developers have “hit the sweet spot” here! I absolutely LOVE having a say in how the story goes! I hope this feature makes its return in future games. If so, I'm gonna be broke, but it'll be worth it!
Another great feature for me was the powers. These were a feature in another favourite game of mine, so I was overjoyed to see them here. There are no indications of how many powers there are. I unlocked two powers in the demo time period: icebreaker and translator. Both were used a couple of times, giving me the idea they will be used frequently, but not too frequently, throughout the game.
The features just keep getting better for me... WE HAVE AN ANIMAL HELPER! WOOOOO! Oh my Gosh, you have no idea how much I've been waiting for one of those! In this game, our helper is a wolf cub, who we get to name after rescuing from a well. As it is found near the end of the demo, it is not used much, but it's still a great feature.
Another feature is the plus items. These are items that you need to interact with to compete. They're becoming more and more of a standard feature these days, but any game that has them has done a good job.
Another great feature for me was the powers. These were a feature in another favourite game of mine, so I was overjoyed to see them here. There are no indications of how many powers there are. I unlocked two powers in the demo time period: icebreaker and translator. Both were used a couple of times, giving me the idea they will be used frequently, but not too frequently, throughout the game.
The features just keep getting better for me... WE HAVE AN ANIMAL HELPER! WOOOOO! Oh my Gosh, you have no idea how much I've been waiting for one of those! In this game, our helper is a wolf cub, who we get to name after rescuing from a well. As it is found near the end of the demo, it is not used much, but it's still a great feature.
Another feature is the plus items. These are items that you need to interact with to compete. They're becoming more and more of a standard feature these days, but any game that has them has done a good job.
And of course, with a Mad Head game, comes the Mad Head minishows! Normally, I love them, but I have a huge problem here: THEY'VE CHANGED! And not for the better either, quite the opposite, in fact. Time was that you could move your mouse over a place with gears, click on it, and be given a hint as to what was meant to go there. Sadly, this is no more. In its place, there is a massive question mark. This made me furious. Why change something that didn't need changing? A real shame.
As far as basic features go, the game has good ones. The diary is good, but some notes are pictures rather than words, which is a pet hate in games for me. The map and hint both work well and the map is interactive. Due to all the features, I would not say this is your average HOPA which, again, means I can't recommend this for beginners.
Once again, the graphics in this game are top-class. They are drawn with such attention to detail and wonderful colours. They are a delight. Everything is crystal clear; they did not put a foot wrong with the graphics. The character designs are great too. They look almost like real people.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.
FEATURES
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you want. Differences in the other difficulties are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events. Good for remembering key elements of the story.
Timer
Map- The map is interactive and quite helpful. It lets you know which locations have stuff to do in them and which ones are complete.
Karma Meter- A great new feature. Which way it goes is based on the responses you give. It also changes the ending of the story.
Powers- no indication of how many there are, or what they are. I had 2 by the end of the demo. They were used evenly. A great feature.
Animal helper- This is a wolf cub that we find and name. Used rarely (once in the demo, according to reviews, about 5 times in the game).
+ items- These are items you need to interact with to complete. Little + signs indicate the item that can be interacted with. When it turns green, the object is ready to be interacted with.
4 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom. Custom lets you set the game the way you want. Differences in the other difficulties are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- keeps track of events. Good for remembering key elements of the story.
Timer
Map- The map is interactive and quite helpful. It lets you know which locations have stuff to do in them and which ones are complete.
Karma Meter- A great new feature. Which way it goes is based on the responses you give. It also changes the ending of the story.
Powers- no indication of how many there are, or what they are. I had 2 by the end of the demo. They were used evenly. A great feature.
Animal helper- This is a wolf cub that we find and name. Used rarely (once in the demo, according to reviews, about 5 times in the game).
+ items- These are items you need to interact with to complete. Little + signs indicate the item that can be interacted with. When it turns green, the object is ready to be interacted with.
CE EXCLUSIVES
Bonus chapter- 99% sure this won't be needed
Built in Strategy Guide- great for puzzles. Also lets you know about location of collectibles.
Collectible handprints(43)- there is one in every scene. There is a bonus for collecting them all.
Replay HOS, minishows & puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Alchemist's tale- unsure what this is
Forest Runner- a bonus minigame. Unlocked after doing some stuff.
Achievements
Wallpapers
Cast- assemble posters of the characters
Soundtrack
Imaginings- the background story behind some of the places in the game.
Bonus chapter- 99% sure this won't be needed
Built in Strategy Guide- great for puzzles. Also lets you know about location of collectibles.
Collectible handprints(43)- there is one in every scene. There is a bonus for collecting them all.
Replay HOS, minishows & puzzles
Re-watch cutscenes
Alchemist's tale- unsure what this is
Forest Runner- a bonus minigame. Unlocked after doing some stuff.
Achievements
Wallpapers
Cast- assemble posters of the characters
Soundtrack
Imaginings- the background story behind some of the places in the game.
WHICH IS THE BETTER BUY?
I have stated I'm not purchasing this game, but I think that most will be happy with the CE. There are many extras here, which you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
I have stated I'm not purchasing this game, but I think that most will be happy with the CE. There are many extras here, which you will enjoy. Happy gaming!
So, while this is a good game, the weak story makes it impossible for me to purchase. MadHead have done well here. I award this game 3 ½ stars. Stars were lost due to:
Very weak story
problems with the minishow
Very weak story
problems with the minishow
That being said, I highly recommend you download the trial. This is a decent game from a great developer. Have fun!
WHO WOULD SUIT THIS GAME?
Beginners? NO. Once again, I advise you stay well clear of this one, due to all the extra features. It may turn you off a great genre.
Advanced Players? YES. This will test you. Have fun..
Expert Players? YES. This will be great for you, I reckon.
Beginners? NO. Once again, I advise you stay well clear of this one, due to all the extra features. It may turn you off a great genre.
Advanced Players? YES. This will test you. Have fun..
Expert Players? YES. This will be great for you, I reckon.
I recommend this game!