I liked the first Saga of the Nine Worlds enough to be excited for this sequel, but I was concerned with the slow-paced storyline which may explain why this SE was released so soon. At first, The Four Stags seems to suffer from this same problem. The beginning of the game was sluggish, with an overwhelming amount of recaps from the first game. However, once the game picks up its speed, it is simply wonderful. The game has you playing as four different characters, as each member of the Odin’s army splits up to find each of the four stags. The landscapes of the game are always changing and so is the feel of the game, which makes this sequel all the more interesting. Saga of the Nine Worlds: The Four Stags is also one of Eipix’s best-looking games. The visuals are spectacular; the details of the artwork are mind-blowing and the fantasy special effects are extravagant and glorious. The audio aspect of the game is also worth mentioning. The background music remains quite subtle most of the time, but the variety is definitely appreciated and they do accompany the scene extremely well. The highlight here are the voice-overs, which are exceptional. They perfectly portray the personality of their respective characters, while not being over-the-top or unpleasant. If there is one thing that Saga of the Nine Worlds: The Four Stags can improve upon, it is the challenge level. Unlike most Eipix games, the gameplay here is actually quite complex, thanks to the insane number of tasks to do in each scene. Rather, the hidden object scenes and the puzzles are the weaker aspects. The hidden object scenes do not break any new grounds and the puzzles are fairly easy despite their promising concepts. Still, there is no denying that the puzzles are still very entertaining and well-integrated into the storyline. Surprisingly, Saga of the Nine Worlds: The Four Stags is also a long game. The game took me over four and a half hours to complete on the easiest difficulty setting, and the bonus chapter took just over another hour or so. I played the Collector’s Edition which comes with a plethora of perks; a strategy guide, wallpapers, characters, concept art, videos, soundtracks, re-playable mini-games, replayable hidden object scenes, a souvenir room, achievements, collectibles, and morphing objects. If I knew this would be offered in the SE version so soon I wouldn't have purchased the CE; I would have used a free game coupon. Cheers!
I loved Yuletide Legends: The Brothers Claus and this years sequel "Frozen Heart" is just as magical as the first! The graphics are absolutely gorgeous and full of the magic of Christmas. It looks like this developer has reached for the stars with their graphics because they have done a stellar job with this game. It's easy to see why this edition was chosen for "Editor's Choice". It’s time to come to the rescue and save Santa Claus in this festive Hidden Object fairy tale! Cast in the role of a demigod named Ember you must defeat a vengeful Ice Queen named Tempest intent on keeping Christmas from coming. The story line is wonderful and makes you want to play from start to finish. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I wish for more games like this one too!
This new series by 4FRIENDS is another example of how popular this developer is quickly becoming. In Dark City: London you play the role of the detective. Called in to the solve the mystery of the cursed clock tower! The developers have done well to evoke the atmosphere of a classic grimy Victorian detective story. Reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes(without Dr. Watson) and Edgar Allan Poe. Especially with the depictions of the locations. The variety of characters – including the voice-acting (which I though was done very well)made this installment more interesting. The plot and game play are also nicely combined. Which quickly draws you into this unfolding dark and eerie mystery. The game play has plenty of variety. Though possibly a bit on the easy side. However there is plenty to do. Including multi-layered hidden object games. With mini-games and puzzles within HO games. Once you’ve collected the evidence at each stage. You’re presented with a deduction board. Where you can put your sleuthing skills to the test. By arranging the clues you’ve collected into the proper order to deduce important facts that will help you solve the case. Overall, this is a well-designed detective game. Though, it may not be very challenging for advanced players. There’s enough tasks involved to enjoy in the varied game play and the story is quite compelling. This HOPA has everything required to make it a fun Victorian mystery adventure. I really look forward to the next game in this exciting new series. Cheers!
Check out these for more hidden object games series by 4 Friends Games: • Bridge to Another World Games. • Living Legends Series. • Edge of Reality Games. • Immortal Love Series.
The Wizard of Oz is a story that has been told countless times in the past few decades, and its ideas have been borrowed by many other books and movies. Naturally, the video games market did not remain silent on the subject either, so there are plenty of games out there that show you Dorothy’s tale one way or another. As with everything else, the idea can be taken out of context and presented in a different form. The Christmas Spirit: Trouble in Oz is a hidden object adventure game in which you get to visit the magical land of Oz during Christmas, as well as solve a mystery involving goblins and Santa Claus himself. The way you go about solving these mysteries is the same as in every other HOPA out there, which means that the veterans of the genre should be able to find their way around the puzzles and the interface in no time at all. The story starts with the main characters preparing for Christmas, and you are invited to join them for a party. Unfortunately, things go wrong when a bunch of goblins decide to steal Santa’s presents and possibly ruin Christmas for everyone in Oz in the process. Thankfully, you have a plan to get everything back to normal and save the pesky goblins a lesson as well. As you might expect, everything in The Christmas Spirit: Trouble in Oz is Christmas-related, including the puzzles and the level design. Speaking of puzzles, most of them follow the classic formula that sends you on object hunts, followed by a mini-game of some sort at the end. It can get repetitive, but there’s enough variety for that not to happen during a normal session of an hour or so. I was impressed with the graphics more than the storyline. The graphics are about as colorful as they get, given the fact that the action takes place in a fantasy world and during Christmas, no less. Every scene is full of color and various Christmas decorations, and the characters are pretty detailed as well. Not the same can be said about the cut-scenes, unfortunately, mainly because they come in very low resolutions for some reason. In the end, The Christmas Spirit: Trouble in Oz can be described as just another hidden object adventure game with Christmas lights, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Hence, if you want something uplifting to get you hyped for the holidays, this might just do the trick. Cheers!
It has become an annual tradition to patiently wait for the annual release of Christmas Stories. This year, Elephant Games brings back Christmas magic with A Little Prince. The Royal Wedding of Prince Edward and Rose was going as planned until an evil witch broke in and cursed all the guests, turning them into animals and household objects. Do you have what it takes to stop this madness and break the curse? I love how magical these Christmas Stories games are. Although this latest installment features more fairy-tale elements than usual, the game still remains as enchanting and as Christmas-y as its predecessors even if "The Nutcracker" is my personal favorite. The storyline does not break any bounds, but paces at just the right speed and with its charming characters, manages to be interesting enough to have us following along. Again and again, Elephant Games executes the cheerful holiday spirits to perfection. Each location is filled with colorful Christmas ornaments and lavish special effects. The cut-scenes are equally stunning, especially with the excellent animations and the realistic character movements. When it comes to the music, Christmas Stories: A Little Prince features a variety of pleasant traditional soundtracks that will sure get you in Christmas mood. The game-paly in Christmas Stories: A Little Prince is very familiar, but that does not mean that it is not entertaining. Despite the hidden object scenes that we thought were a little basic and the puzzles that could have used some more complexity, I enjoyed every minute of the game. I also appreciate that there are so many clickable “hot spots” in each scene, virtually every single element of the scene interacts with you upon your click – these are some really nice touches that enhance the experience of the game. Christmas Stories: A Little Prince has a standard HOPA length of around four hours and your sure to enjoy every moment. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• Christmas Stories: The Nutcracker • Christmas Stories: A Christmas Carol • Christmas Stories: Puss in Boots • Christmas Stories: A Little Prince • Christmas Stories: The Gift of The Magi
I love this edition of Witches' Legacy and though the last few Witches’ Legacy games were solid, they were nowhere near the brilliance that this series once was. Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient brings this dark fantasy series back to its former glory with a thrilling tale about Ezar, a powerful demon who seeks to destroy the world. Jack and Anabel have awoken an ancient, capable witch known as the Ancient One to help them defeat this villain. Will they succeed before the Dark Lord gets to the Tree of Life? The Tree of The Worlds can be accessed with a magic key but don't let Ezar find the key for that would be a disaster. Only one without DARKNESS IN THEIR HEART can wield the magic key. This won't be an easy task because Ezar has the ability to inhabit and enslave the bodies of the characters you encounter in this unique suspenseful adventure game. Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient is jam-packed with exciting events and action sequences. The utilization of mini-games and conversations to propel the story forward is also surprisingly effective. Not only that, but by choosing to focus on just a few key characters throughout the game, the game is able to make the player feel more involved in its plot. Regardless of the considerably low level of challenge, I found the gameplay of Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient extremely enjoyable. Yes, we have also seen and performed these tasks countless times before, but rarely have we seen a game executed with this level of precision and sophistication. While there are usually an insanely high number of tasks in each scene, they never feel overwhelming due to their logical interactions and usages. The well-executed gameplay is assisted by a portable potion-mixing lab, which serves as a nice mini-game, and a variety of magic spells you learn along the way. As for the hidden object scenes, they are quite simple, yet enjoyable and can be switched to Mahjong mode. The number of puzzles in this game is intimidatingly high, but there is a satisfying balance between the easier ones and the more complex ones so they never really feel forced and overused. The production in Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient is astounding. All the locations are drawn and painted with a phenomenal amount of details, all the cut-scenes are breathtakingly surreal, and the animations put some other veteran HOPA developers to shame. Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient took slightly under four hours to get through. The bonus chapter revolves more around Jack and Anabel, which I personally think is less fascinating than the tale of the Ancient One, but decent nonetheless. Cheers!
I loved Yuletide Legends: The Brothers Claus and this years sequel "Frozen Heart" is just as magical as the first! The graphics are absolutely gorgeous and full of the magic of Christmas. It looks like this developer has reached for the stars with their graphics because they have done a stellar job with this game. It's easy to see why this edition was chosen for "Editor's Choice". It’s time to come to the rescue and save Santa Claus in this festive Hidden Object fairy tale! Cast in the role of a demigod named Ember you must defeat a vengeful Ice Queen named Tempest intent on keeping Christmas from coming. The story line is wonderful and makes you want to play from start to finish. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I wish for more games like this one too!
Karen, your best journalist came knocking on your door in the middle of the night so you knew that she just got a great scoop. Apparently, her sources reported that strange events are happening at the town’s cemetery. Quickly after you and Karen arrived at the site, a spooky ghost appeared out of nowhere and abducted Karen! Can you help your collegiate and save yourself from this cemetery nightmare? This is the new challenge you face in the latest installment of "Redemption Cemetery". Redemption Cemetery: One Foot in the Grave starts off quite interesting – I actually thought this would be one of the better installments in the series. However, the game’s beginning rush dies down after it turns into just another paranormal show with the overdone “save the spirits” theme. The story also crawls along at an unbearably slow pace, most likely to the “conversations” feature. This feature that allows the player to select the best response to the character’s dialogs has been done before by other HOPA games. It works well in the beginning, but Redemption Cemetery: One Foot in the Grave certainly overuses it. Not only does it get tedious after a while, it also limits the storyline from progressing faster. It is refreshing to see AMAX Interactive experimenting with some new ideas and I appreciate the effort, but not all good ideas work in practice. Redemption Cemetery: One Foot in the Grave includes a feature that awards you either Order points or Chaos points according to your moral or immoral actions in the game. This could have been a great feature if it adds some value to the game and not just a little gimmick. Other areas of the gameplay remain fairly straightforward. The adventure is alright, the puzzles are mostly easy, and the hidden object scenes are well-crafted, with a few of them being surprisingly creative. If all else fails, at least Redemption Cemetery: One Foot in the Grave gets the sights and sounds right. The graphics are appropriately chilling, with the help from awesome special effects and polished artwork. Like any good game soundtracks, the ones in this game effectively enhance the mood and the experience. Casual gamers can complete Redemption Cemetery: One Foot in the Grave in roughly four hours and the bonus chapter in an hour. The Collector’s Edition has all the essentials, minus the collectibles; a strategy guide, wallpapers, concept art, screensavers, soundtracks, videos, re-playable hidden object scenes, re-playable puzzles, and achievements. Cheers!
In this edition of The Legacy 2: Prisoner, a golden artifact has been stolen from the museum! Diana is on her hunt for the thief when she gets sucked into a portal, sending her back to the era of the Mayans. The only way for her to get back home is to defeat the demon Rhitoris. As capable as Diana is, does she have what it takes to dethrone this powerful demon? To this day, I still remember the brilliance of The Legacy: Forgotten Gates, but as much as I loved that game, I do not necessarily want to go on the same adventure twice. The Legacy: Prisoner takes you back to the world of the Mayans, one that feels strikingly familiar because we have visited there before in the first installment. The storyline lacks a new level of excitement because it is practically the same as the one in Forgotten Gates, as well as countless other HOPA adventures. While the Sci-Fi elements still give this series a unique touch, touching on some other new themes would definitely be appreciated. The gameplay in The Legacy: Prisoner is certainly decent, although nothing to write home about. All the tasks and interactions are logical and make sense within the context of the game, and none of them are particularly challenging or innovative. Similarly, the puzzles are enjoyable and challenging at times, but we have seen the big majority of them before in some other games. Nonetheless, Five-BN is always adept at crafting interesting hidden object scenes and the ones in this game do not disappoint with their layered scenes and smart interactions. Regardless of the storyline and the gameplay that came slightly below my expectations, the sights and sounds remain fantastic. The realistic visuals, the creative location designs and the exquisite special effects in this game are the epitome of casual adventures. Moreover, the epic cut-scenes and smooth animations are also worth a shout out. On the audio side, the mysterious vibe of the music is well-used and the voice-acting is all-around solid. The main game of The Legacy: Prisoner clocks in at around four hours and the equally-entertaining bonus chapter comes in at fifty minutes. The bonus section of the Collector’s Edition is packed with extras; a strategy guide, wallpapers, concept art, videos, soundtracks, re-playable hidden object scenes, re-playable puzzles, achievements, as well as collectibles and morphing objects that will later-on unlock some bonus puzzles. If you are a fan of Five BN and their hit games like Lost Lands, Darkness and Flame, and New York Mysteries then your bound to enjoy this next installment of The Legacy...Cheers!
I love this edition of Witches' Legacy and though the last few Witches’ Legacy games were solid, they were nowhere near the brilliance that this series once was. Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient brings this dark fantasy series back to its former glory with a thrilling tale about Ezar, a powerful demon who seeks to destroy the world. Jack and Anabel have awoken an ancient, capable witch known as the Ancient One to help them defeat this villain. Will they succeed before the Dark Lord gets to the Tree of Life? The Tree of The Worlds can be accessed with a magic key but don't let Ezar find the key for that would be a disaster. Only one without DARKNESS IN THEIR HEART can wield the magic key. This won't be an easy task because Ezar has the ability to inhabit and enslave the bodies of the characters you encounter in this unique suspenseful adventure game. Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient is jam-packed with exciting events and action sequences. The utilization of mini-games and conversations to propel the story forward is also surprisingly effective. Not only that, but by choosing to focus on just a few key characters throughout the game, the game is able to make the player feel more involved in its plot. Regardless of the considerably low level of challenge, I found the gameplay of Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient extremely enjoyable. Yes, we have also seen and performed these tasks countless times before, but rarely have we seen a game executed with this level of precision and sophistication. While there are usually an insanely high number of tasks in each scene, they never feel overwhelming due to their logical interactions and usages. The well-executed gameplay is assisted by a portable potion-mixing lab, which serves as a nice mini-game, and a variety of magic spells you learn along the way. As for the hidden object scenes, they are quite simple, yet enjoyable and can be switched to Mahjong mode. The number of puzzles in this game is intimidatingly high, but there is a satisfying balance between the easier ones and the more complex ones so they never really feel forced and overused. The production in Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient is astounding. All the locations are drawn and painted with a phenomenal amount of details, all the cut-scenes are breathtakingly surreal, and the animations put some other veteran HOPA developers to shame. Witches’ Legacy: Rise of the Ancient took slightly under four hours to get through. The bonus chapter revolves more around Jack and Anabel, which I personally think is less fascinating than the tale of the Ancient One, but decent nonetheless. Other features in the Collector’s Edition include a strategy guide, wallpapers, concept art, soundtracks, screensavers, achievements, morphing objects, and collectibles. Cheers!