I am a big fan of Eipix and their Dead Reckoning series and I have shared with my impressions on the previous game in the series. Now, the developers have a new treat for us in the series, under the name of Dead Reckoning: Snowbird’s Creek. I will start by saying what I like to say each time I play a new game in this series: Eipix have done it again! The story manages to be different enough to what we’re usually getting from hidden object adventures, and this is a great thing. In Dead Reckoning: Snowbird’s Creek, you’re investigating the murder of a railroad tycoon who had a lot of enemies because he was planning to build a train line through the small town of Snowbird’s Creek, a charming even though cold, little town caught by the Gold Rush fever. The story is nice and comes as a breath of fresh air compared to stories of other recent HOPAs and it also unfolds nicely, even though you will do quite a bit of back-tracking during your adventure. This game is a real adventure, true to previous Dead Reckoning titles and you’ll have more puzzles and walking around than clicking through hidden object scenes, but fortunately the HOS that we get are of high quality. There are also morphing objects but they tend to morph relatively fast, so always be on the lookout for them! The scenes have a nice design with the items easy to locate and no eye problems afterwards. The puzzles and minigames are also nice and, even though most of them are on the easy side, you’ll get a few head scratchers as well. All in all, a good mix with high quality, even though I would never say no to more hidden object scenes. If you don’t agree with me, you can always switch from playing the HOS to match three games. One of the solid points in Dead Reckoning: Snowbird’s Creek is the visual impact that the game has, even though there are moments where graphics seem a bit washed up and blurry. But overall, the visuals are just great and you will enjoy exploring the frozen village and its surroundings. The soundtrack is also pretty good, adapting to the current situation and adding value to the entire experience. And I am extremely happy that it’s summer outside and a great, hot weather, because this game really brings a bit of the cold with its atmosphere and great graphics. The Collector’s Edition has an extra chapter for added gameplay experience, plus all the goodies that we expect from the premium edition: achievements, a trophy room, an included Strategy Guide, 13 morphing objects and so on. Nothing extra compared to regular Collector’s Editions, but enough value to make it worth the purchase but so is the Standard Edition. All in all, for fans of the Dead Reckoning series, Snowbird’s Creek is a must play. For everybody else, this will prove to be a good game, with a nice focus on the adventure side. The storyline comes as an added bonus, so do give this a try as soon as possible, use a free game coupon even!!!
Getting into a car accident is bad enough, but getting into a car accident and then waking up in a super creepy abandoned hotel is even worse! But this is exactly where you find yourself in Haunted Hotel: Silent Waters Collector's Edition and need to get out of immediately. Silent Waters Hotel is not for the faint of heart. The place has a history and you are going to learn a lot of it trying to get out (if you can)! Friends Bobby, Clark, and Maggie decide to explore this haunted house when they learn of the history of the property and the two brothers who inherited it.....Maurice and Lucien. Both are now deceased. It's now up to you to shed light on the story by investigating truths of it's past so the ghosts Maurice and Lucien can (RIP). Before the Demo ends you witness all 3 kids being abducted by unknown forces and you find and rescue each of them one by one....except for Maggie. At this point the game really gets in depth to the point you can't walk away from it. In this abandoned and dirty, bug infested property with ghosts you must escape. You HAVE to find a way out. But not before you uncover the hotel's secret and save your life and the lives of others trapped in there. You need to be really careful with some of those, too. Desperate people do desperate things!!! The game's graphics are dark most of the time in grey tones. Some of the graphics are REALLY creepy. It is that kind of HOPA game.The music and voice overs are done perfectly and fit the story and the atmosphere perfectly. This is another great addition to add the whole collection of Haunted Hotel for me. I hope you will enjoy this edition too.
WOW. Fist I have to say that I was very impressed with this continuation of this fascinating series. Dorian Black's story will remind you of Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. Also ties in with Aunt Grays new powers of youth and her ghost father who makes appearances in this addition is young too. A girl has gone missing from the boarding school and you are called in to investigate. The last time she was seen with a mysterious man, Dorian Black. You didn't realize that what looked like yet another case would turn into a quite dark and dangerous mystery case in which you yourself may fall victim. Aunt Grey is back with her father and this time, you also have black widows and a serial killer. There is a lot to discover in this game as the story takes unexpected turns. This installment from Elephant Games tells you more about the Black family through collectibles throughout the game. There is a connection between the two families. This game's graphics are very well done in the blue and red with a great play on shades and light. The characters are very realistic and the music and sounds are creepy and well fitting. It is a story that sucks you in till the end. All parts of the game are important for it to create the correct impression on the players, and Elephant Games have done a great job with Grim Tales: Crimson Hollow. The gameplay is fast-paced throwing you from one task to another. You choose from four modes of difficulty (Casual, Advanced, Hardcore, and Custom) and jump right into it. Both SE and CE versions are worthy of purchase. Maybe all the extra bling in the CE doesn't matter to you, which is fine. I can say that the CE gives you a bonus game where you deal with the past and the present collide forming another informative adventure for you. Lots of new developments in this edition which are brilliant and shows how the future of the series shall continue. I am such a fan. You won't be disappointed with this installment, some who are new to the series, I see becoming new fans. I highly recommend this one for players of every level. Thanks Big Fish for all the editions of Grim Tales and many more to come. XoX
The PuppetShow series must go on! The series has just gotten a new addition and I loved it! Her Cruel Collection is a hidden object game in which your goal is to investigate a series of kidnappings and catch the ones responsible before others are taken as well. A girl and a boy are in love. She is rich and her father does not approve, he is not so rich, but very ill. Things go all the way south when he disappears and then she disappears. The story puts you in the role of a detective who’s investigating these kidnappings. You get to choose whether to be a male or a female investigator, which makes the experience slightly customizable. Naturally, there’s a big emphasis on puppets and creepy dolls throughout the story, given the fact that you stumble onto them in a variety of weird places. You are called in for an investigation, but things are not so simple because you are surrounded by puppets and not real people who pretend to be what they are not. You get a mechanical helper for this adventure, a cat. There is also a bonus game to add more love tension and info about James' illness to the story. I also love how much detail and sound/SFX ERS put into creating the adventure. The game also comes with a "graphic content" disclaimer which I think is brilliant. Like telling you before a movie "For Mature Audiences Only". You gotta give developers credit for putting a lot of thought into this latest edition especially if you are a long-time fan of this unique series. If you want a unique and "think outside the box" mystery then this game is for you. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Purchase CE if you want to know how the story really ends with the included bonus game.
Another Excellent Edition to Witches' Legacy!! Dark Days to Come is a colorful hidden object adventure game in which you have to fight against evil witches and even use their magic against them in order to rescue your girlfriend. The game has upgraded on innovation, but the gameplay mechanics are exactly the same as they are in every other game in the genre, except the story and the puzzles are different. Speaking of which, the plot is very simple and straightforward as well, since you begin by having to rescue your girlfriend from the twin witch sisters. In order to do so, you have to travel to a different realm and face the perils you find there, while also learning how to counter various magic spells. It’s a cute plot, it’s original and exciting and for me this installment will be memorable! Solve puzzles by rearranging pieces or finding the right pattern is a reoccurring theme. As mentioned above, the gameplay should be very intuitive if you are a regular fan of the genre. In essence, it all revolves around being able to find the useful items in every scene and then using them to unlock other areas and so on. Every now and again an actual puzzle blocks your progress, but it can be either skipped or replaced with a match-3 mini-game if you find it too difficult. Thankfully, at least your eyes won’t get bored along the way, thanks to the gorgeous artwork and the dreamy backgrounds that truly make you feel like you’ve stepped into a different world. It may not be for everyone, but at least it’s clear that the designers have put a lot of effort into it. Speaking of which, the voice acting is quite nice, and so is the soundtrack that accompanies the adventure. It really is an engaging adventure for HOPA enthusiasts. All in all, Witches' Legacy: Dark Days to Come is certainly going to keep you glued to the screen if you enjoy the genre, even if there are better examples out there. Hence, it’s polished enough to be engaging from start to finish, which is all that you can ask from a HOPA game. Thank you BigFish for continuing this popular and unique series!!!
The Isle of Wight has always been a place surrounded by mystery. Through centuries many different civilizations lived there, and they all left some traces of their existence: castles, old towns, shrines and temples. Sometimes, precious treasure and jewelry were things they left behind. But, occasionally they used the island to hide the things that should be hidden forever. Unfortunately, they never accounted for human curiosity and lust for the unknown in their equation. In this 9th episode of the Myths of the World hidden object puzzle adventure game series, you have the opportunity to play with ancient mysterious powers and flirt with the disasters they may wreak upon mankind. This award-winning casual game from the creative genius at Eipix Entertainment will have your mouth watering with pure joy as you run around the fantastical playground of imagination in search of clues to help you solve the great mystery. Can you get to the bottom of it all before it’s too late? Find out in Myths of the World: Island of Forgotten Evil Collector's Edition from Eipix Entertainment. The story begins long ago in the Roman Empire. The Romans had discovered an artifact that contained pure, concentrated, evil. Real nasty stuff - you know, of the sort that you wouldn’t want to get out into society. Anyhow, this artifact has been passed along throughout the generations and your Uncle Harry North decided to pursue it, but this pursuit eventually killed him, so now it is up to you to get a hold of this weird piece of antiquity. Of course, Uncle Harry couldn’t just flat out tell you where it is… he had to leave encrypted clues for you to figure out its location. So, what are you sitting there for? Get started on the adventure! Love, Jealousy, and a curse awaits you. If you purchase this edition, then you are in for an extra bag of treats. The Collector’s Edition comes along with a bonus game in which you will be able to close the gates of the underworld to keep this kind of evil at bay (once again, this artifact is really bad news). The game features four modes of play including the custom one (Soldier, Legionnaire, Centurion, and Commander). You can adjust hints (10-120 seconds) and skips (10-400 seconds). You can find signs hidden throughout the game and collect souvenirs to decorate your souvenir room. As always, there is really neat downloadable media (featuring hand-drawn graphics and music) and there is an integrated Strategy Guide and a map to give you a hand if things get too ugly out there. Unlock 13 achievements and replay 12 HOP scenes and 24 puzzles as you go in the awesome adventure that is Myths of the World: Island of Forgotten Evil Collector’s Edition! Highly recommend for players of all levels!
You detective have been hot on the trail of the demonic preacher since discovering him in Ghost of Maple Creek. Yet, he has managed to always stay one step ahead. A year later in the Mists of Ravenwood you had hoped to bring an end to the chase in the redwood forests of Northern California, but, like so many times before, the trail went cold. Two years have passed and in this edition you journey one last time to Maple Creek to discover new evidence regarding the Serial Killer Preachers whereabouts. Their you discover new clues which lead you to a monastery in the Himalayas of Tibet. The omnipotent evil demon Asmodai is your ultimate advisory, for The Preacher (last of the reapers) had intended from the beginning to allow Asmodai to enters his body and intends to finally get the power to dominate the whole world. Now it's up to you, using all of your wits and resources to once and for all STOP this menacing evil from coming to fruition. This is my all time favorite Hidden Object Adventure. It's a full throttle, must experience game that you don't want to miss. It is a big deal this time around because the immense power he is after might make it impossible for you to ever stop him if you catch him too late. You need to find "the wrath of God" to be able to stop the guy. It is an excellent story with a twist on every corner. Not only have the developers come with a great main game and a bonus chapter story, but they also have done a great job with the audio-visual presentation for the story. The scenes are hand-drawn and very detailed. The game is creepy and quite dark in a very mysterious and intriguing way. The voice-overs and the music are excellent. The game has a nice flow where all the elements come into place and turn into one big adventure, rather than separate parts. There are four modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced, Expert, and Custom. I enjoyed every moment of this extraordinary adventure. I now what to go back and play all 3 editions from the beginning. LOL....Thank you Big Fish and Artifex Mundi for an incredible series!!!
Grandma Studios release Call of the Ancestors is the latest edition to the Reflection of Life series which tells us a story of a complicated relationship between General Luther and the Seers. To put it short, he wants to enslave the world, they don't want to let him do it. One of the Seers was able to curse the general before she died in such a way that his body was completely destroyed. But it seems that he is powerful enough to resume his initial plan if he can find a body for his soul. The only thing is that he needs is a body of a naturally born Seer. And this happens to be your sister. It is her 21st birthday and she gets kidnapped. It is up to you know not only to rescue Alice, your sister, but also to rescue the world from the general's evil intentions. There is also a bonus chapter that tells you a little bit of the background of Loreley. Her spirit becomes your helper in this game when you find it at the attic locked in a crystal ball...
The game's story does not really offer anything new that you haven't heard in other games which fellow reviewers have already discussed, but the game's presentation and gameplay are still pretty good. The game's graphics and sounds are excellent. After you have chosen your difficulty mode and adjusted everything to your liking, you jump right into all the hidden object scenes and puzzles. The hidden object scenes offer all kinds of search types, but if you not a fan of any of them, you can switch to match 3. There is a great variety of mini games. Don't forget about all the items and tasks that you need to find or accomplish, like 66 collectibles and 14 achievements. You get to replay the puzzles and the HOP scenes and download soundtracks, wallpaper and other media extras. I loved the first game of this series "Tree of Dreams", then came "Equilibrium", and then "Dark Architect" which I think is the best edition to date. I applaud the developers for their hard work and creativity designing these games, but there may be a lot of pressure to churn out another release before working out the details? I still love the series and look forward to the next edition!
Wow...League of Light: The Gatherer is a top notch hidden object game in which you must provide assistance to a man who’s often referred to as the Hunter. The Hunter feels that his family is being followed and might be in many danger but when you decide to investigate the situation, you end up getting arrested for trespassing. Now, it is up to you to figure out why you were arrested and then make sure that the Hunter’s family doesn’t get harmed. As soon as you launch the game after installing it, you’ll be shown a brief cinematic that carries various important details regarding the plot of League of Light: The Gatherer. Once the cinematic concludes, you’ll be asked to choose a difficulty setting and after all this is done, you will finally be able to enter the game world. I knew after the opening, during demo play that I would definitely want this edition! In terms of gameplay, League of Light: The Gatherer is definitely one of the most enjoyable games in this entire series. It’s filled to the brim with many excellent hidden object scenes and each one of them is quite challenging. The best part about the hidden object scenes is that there’s a very solid variety of them. Throughout your journey you’ll get to enjoy both text, silhouette and various other special scenes and almost every single one of these seems to have been fine-tuned to perfection. League of Light: The Gatherer couples its top notch hidden object scenes with a whole lot of high quality mini-games that are built to provide players with a challenge. It’s fair to say that the puzzles in this particular game are significantly more challenging than the ones we usually see in this genre which is why there’s a solid chance that you’ll struggle with a few of them. Fortunately, for situations like this, there’s a very useful skip button that players can use to completely skip through a puzzle that’s giving them trouble. League of Light: The Gatherer is great fun to play but on top of that it’s an absolute delight to look at as well. It features a refined art style that leads to some spectacular visuals and has some of the most detailed environments that we’ve ever seen in hidden object games. Alongside this, the in-game artwork is spectacular and the voiceovers are incredibly high quality. I really enjoy this series and this installment was my second favorite in the series. Wicked Harvest being first!
Wow! This edition really raises the bar for the entire Dark Tales Series. The story starts with the main character taking a trip to Hungary, where the Metzengerstein royal family needs your help. As it happens, the sole heir is being tormented by some kind of fog spirit, and you are the only one who can help. Equipped with all sorts of devices and tricks, you set out to find out more about the ghost and maybe find a way to get rid of it once and for all. It’s the 19th century, and you’ve been summoned together with Detective Dupin by the influential Metzengerstein family of Budapest. The case – their daughter Federica is being terrorized by an unidentified individual who masquerades as a ghost with a fog in tow. Just when you think nothing could be more eerie than the case, you uncover a story of forbidden love that set the wheels turning in this exciting addition to the series. The game begins with a slightly lengthy introductory cut scene that shows Federica almost kidnapped by the man-ghost wearing a bird mask and surrounded by a purple fog, only to be rescued by a shotgun-toting person wearing a skull mask and a hat. After that, you plunge into the game proper. What a plunge it is indeed! The Hidden object puzzles in this game are remarkable. Your first ever puzzle also doubles as a narrative device – it’s a diary by the Metzengerstein daughter detailing her misgivings and the story of her unfulfilled love for a man named Wilhelm, whose family her father believes is cursed. The text in the diary is used as the clue to find out which object you’ll be looking for in the puzzle. The game also includes a unique feature – it allows you to photograph some scenes in order to reveal clues that will help solve a nearby puzzle. For instance, you take a photograph of the box containing Federica’s diary to find out what the code is so you can unlock it. I was super impressed by this game for it's unique story and fantastic graphics, sound/SFX and spot on voice acting. I highly recommend this game and give it 5 stars across the board. Thank you Big Fish for continuing this series. I haven't enjoyed a spooky thriller like this in a long time!!!