hermitcave's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.8
- Helpful Votes:407
- Reviews Submitted:240
- First Review:March 27, 2014
- Most Recent Review:October 27, 2016
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Black Isle was supposedly abandoned after an earthquake but the truth is much more sinister! Join the Mystery Trackers and learn the truth!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Who are the Strangers and what makes them so strange?
PostedJanuary 9, 2016
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Another job for a member of the Mystery Trackers Detective Agency has cropped up and you have been sent to investigate the abduction of a news reporter, Sarah Steplton, while she and her cameraman, Thomas Baker, were reporting on mysterious happenings on the abandoned Black isle. Severe earthquakes caused the Isle to be abandoned and it was believed to be completely empty but the news team saw a hooded figure near the hotel and as they moved toward it with cameras rolling, he made a sudden gesture causing a bolt of electricity to land nearby shattering the camera lens. As you arrive at the boat dock, you see Thomas sitting on the steps to the hotel when the hooded figure again appears and both he and Thomas disappear in a flash of light. The hooded figure reminds you of the phantoms from a previous case and you wonder if these are related in some fashion. As you explore the hotel, you find information about secret experiments that were conducted on the patients at Bluff Hospital here on the isle. The patients were virtually prisoners of a Dr. Valenstein who referred to them as "the Strangers" that possessed strange abilities of teleportation, telekinesis, cryokinesis, pyrokinesis, and electrokinesis. Most of the patients died but one apparently survived and has lived here alone ever since. The survivor, Conrad, has been searching for others like himself and believes that Sarah may be like him and wants to awaken her abilities through a ritual that may be harmful to her. She seems less than interested in being rescued and intrigued by the possibilities. You have to find them and try and save Sarah and Thomas before he can perform the ritual.
The third in the series, released in 2012, the story continues with the abnormal human theme with special abilities that causes them to live alone in some deserted environment. Though not referred to as a phantom in this episode, the Stranger is still dressed in the same costume of hooded robe and long nose mask as in previous episodes. The story has many action scenes with frequent twists that change direction so you keep guessing, but with no journal, it is a good idea to keep notes as there will be a lot of traveling and some inventory items are carried for a long time before being used. There is a jump map that shows areas requiring action but, as the map is divided into sections requiring you to click on specific parts to show a more detailed map, not all action areas were indicated. The hint system run by the quickly becoming famous overdressed frog is there again although it looked like he had a bad night and slept in his tux.
Graphics were very good with the use of live actors, including animals, with some voice acting and a new helper in a little dog, Elf, you rescue that helps in digging out necessary items. The hidden object scenes were well done and involved using inventory items to solve some puzzles in order to ontain other objects was a nice change. Also, some minigames often led to some hidden object scenes.
I did find a few things that could stump some players such as an object to be found listed as a slice of cantelope which was actually a banana, a great bell needed to raise a chandelier actually labeled only as a bell, and a cannon where you are told you need to find a cannonball, gunpowder and a fuse but you really only need to find the first two items. I spent a few minutes looking for that fuse before I just stuck a torch to the cannon and it went off. Even with these items, the game was worth playing and should provide a few hours of entertainment.
I recommend this game!
After your son, Bobby, mysteriously disappears, it’s up to you to find him in Surface: The Mystery of Another World!
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
An imminent war, an encroaching disease consuming the land and everything in it - how will twins stop it?
PostedJanuary 6, 2016
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Returning from vacation, you and your son, Bobby, are on a train when a woman and a boy enters your compartment and asks if the boys could play together. You nod yes and then close your eyes to take a nap. Something causes you to wake suddenly and Bobby and the others are gone. You frantically search for Bobby and find a page from a diary of someone named Kira in which is written that she has found her son's twin and that the Lord's hunters are close behind and, if caught, they will be thrown in a dungeon back in their world. As you search for Bobby, you find other papers that reveal a legend about twins from different worlds that can save their world from disaster, another world called Agonia. The leader there, Lord Toriar, began acting strangely and is now about to invade your world because of a disease called "the Perish" that is slowly destroying their world and they need to find a new world for the remaining survivors. A resistance movement is trying to prevent the invasion and suspects Lord Toriar is not himself and they want your help. You now have to find a way to get there and find your son and help save two worlds.
This is the first episode in this series, released in 2012, and has a lot to get through to establish the story entwining several storylines to finally get to the main goal of saving the two worlds. Using the old myth that everyone has a twin somewhere in the world, this story goes one step further by having twins from different worlds. Based around a set of twin boys that are to save the worlds and a set of adult men twins, one good, and one bad named SID that replaced the good one so he can take over the world. Additionally, there is a disease that is consuming the other world prompting the bad twin to prepare to invade his own world and take it over. Throw in the resistance movement that suspects something is wrong with their leader [secretly the bad twin, SID] and want to find a way to stop the disease, prevent the invasion and save the boys. However, they believe that the twins are the hope that will do all of this using the Spring of Life so they need your help to get the twins there.
The bonus chapter begins after you have been returned to the train in your world after saving Agonia and your son, Bobby, has been kidnapped again this time by SID [remember him? The bad Lord?] because he wants revenge. He spirits Bobby off to another realm where you have to defeat him and then figure out how to return home again. It didn't really add anything new to the original story.
There is a journal for the story where video scenes are stored and can be replayed. You also find papers scattered throughout from Kira, The librarian, and the Monk that add more information. Graphics were well done with live acting and good voice acting and music. Hidden object scenes are junk pile lists with interactive objects in which some inventory items were used to find objects. If you have not found the items yet, you are unable to finish the scene until you do. Objects were visible though some were partially hidden. With all of the locations to visit in this game, the jump map was necessary and welcomed. Unfortunately, it does not indicate locations requiring action so you need to keep notes. There are flowers resembling the game logo scattered throughout the scenes, including the bonus chapter, that open up additional minigames that can be played when the needed number have been found, at the title screen or at the end of the game. There are three levels to attain that open up increasing difficult levels beginning with 10 flowers - easiest, 25 - medium, and 50 - the hardest. Not the easiest game but one to give a try.
I recommend this game!
Your friend, Mary, disappears and it's up to you to save her. Uncover an exotic land with unearthly secrets as you find and help your friend leave the flying island.
Overall rating
4
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Visit Sky Island on your next vacation and explore the wonders of alien technology
PostedJanuary 3, 2016
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
It has been two years since Sky Island appeared in our skies causing panic and fears of an alien invasion. But, it was soon discovered to be abandoned and posed no threat. Dubbed "Inbetween Land," it quickly became a tourist attraction as proof of other life in the universe with frequent visitors and seekers of curios that were brought back to town and studied or sold as souvenirs. Your friend, Mary, had become obsessed with the flying island and had recently purchased a very expensive curio. You and Mary had grown up in the same orphanage and had become the best of friends so, when you are awakened by her familiar voice asking for help, you became alarmed. The morning newspaper has a story about a strange light from the flying island appearing that apparently was directed at the city and seemed to be aimed at the orphanage. You have to talk to Mary and find out what is going on so you go to the orphanage where Mary now works but she is not there and no one has seen her for two days. Worried, you ask to see Mary's room hoping to find some clues as to where she may have gone. In the room, you find the expensive curio, a spinning top covered with symbols, and a sketch of a pattern and objects. There must be a connection so you draw the pattern on the floor and place the objects and then use the spinning top on the pattern. Suddenly, a wormhole-like portal appears and you find yourself on the flying island of Inbetween Land where you see the spirit of Mary. The spirit beckons you to follow and leads you to a room where you find Mary in a coma. The spirit is able to speak to you and tells you that the flying island is actually a spaceship that arrived here by accident and that the crew are here but are spirits and need your help to return home. In helping them, you will also be helping Mary, so now, you need to find all of the power crystals and repair the ship.
The graphics are very well drawn comic book style with animated cutscenes mixed with clear, crisp fantasy landscapes that standout. Backtracking is kept to a minimum by only a few areas being available to explore at a time so the missing map was not really an issue for me. The shortness of the game may be due in part to the lack of backtracking as you are always moving ahead in this one. There is the usual journal for the story, helpful hint button, lots of inventory item puzzles, minigames and my favorite fragmented hidden object scenes. The fragmented scenes consisted of multiple objects with parts that neded to be found and then the completed object used within the scene to find other parts until the final object is obtained going to inventory. The inventory can be kept open or closed which eliminated the problem with it constantly flying open when you got to close to the bottom of the screen. Voice acting was well done and the music was very pleasant and easy listening. Those that like pats on the back will find 28 achievements mostly for completing something in the game.
I enjoyed this game very much even though it was rather easy and a little short. I really liked the story and how it was presented. It was a fun and relaxing game that some will rush through, but if you take your time and get involved in the story, it will be more enjoyable.
I recommend this game!
Uncover a dark scheme in Entwined: Strings of Deception and solve an elaborate murder mystery!
Overall rating
3
/
5
A famous inventor murdered and you have to discover the murderer and motive
PostedDecember 31, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Christopher Edward, a famous inventor, was brutally murdered in his London home, Old Way Mansion, but the cause of death was not determined as the autopsy showed he had a skull fracture, a spine dislocation, larynx and thyroid cartilage fracture, food in the stomach that he was allergic to, and a stab wound in his shoulder. the body had been found at the foot of the stairs as if he had been pushed causing him to fall. You, Karla Robbins, [was spelled with only one "B" in newspaper article at the beginning] as the lead detective on the case, must determine what happened and find the murderer and hopefully the motive. You have five suspects that require further scrutiny - the vitim's wife of 10 years, Samantha, who was not present, the butler employed for 15 years, Winston Mark, who was in the house, the housekeeper of 10 years, Mildred Carson, who was in the house, the secretary, Alicia Patroska, who was not present, and the personal physician of nine years, Dr. Charles Mathis, who was not present. As you roam the mansion and surrounding grounds, various clues are uncovered as well as fingerprints and it is up to you to ferret out the truth from the red herrings that may be present.
This is a basic whodunit story wrapped around straight forward static hidden object scenes and is not the most exciting game. Graphics are old school stills with some animation thrown in and a few mini games added. All scenes including hidden object scenes were clear and well lighted and objects were fairly easy to find. The music is soft and pleasant violin and there is voice acting that was ok. There is a map that shows current location but is not a jump map and does not show locations of interest so you do a fair amount of wandering from scene to scene to find hidden object scenes and clues. The journal is your casebook and information you uncover about each suspect is entered there but it didn't prove very helpful so it is a good idea to keep notes although the hint button will bring up a list of current tasks and provide detailed instructions for the one you choose. There are 17 fingerprints and 20 jewelry pieces to find as you explore. the fingerprints are used toward the end but the jewelry were not so I guess they were just collectables.
I did note that the cursor could be very touchy requiring you to click directly on a specific part of an object to get it to register and I had trouble getting the very first puzzle, rotating cylinders to form a picture, to match up to solve the puzzle and had to skip it as it would never complete. I also had an item, a cassette tape, left over in inventory at the end of the game and have no idea what it was to be used for or where. Don't expect much from this one other than a lot of hidden object scenes of basic, noninteractive junk piles, but if that is your cup of tea, give it a go.
I recommend this game!
20 years ago a terrible accident destroyed most of Cyan City. Now, Monica returns to uncover the secrets of her childhood!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
A mysterious note rekindles hope that your mother, presumed dead, may still be alive in Cyan City
PostedDecember 31, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Twenty years ago, your mother Eve, a noted scientist, looks at her sleeping daughter, Monica, and gently kisses her, placing a heart shaped pendant around her neck. Arriving at her lab and beginning an important experiment, things are proceeding as planned when there is a sudden overload causing a catastrophic explosion that releases a massive amount of cyan plasma that kills many of the residents of the city and affecting those that survived. As the cyan plasma reaches the home where Monica is sleeping, the pendant she is wearing reacts and prevents the plasma from affecting her. She ran like so many others until she was clear of the city where she collasped from exhaustion. Now, after twenty years of thinking your mother died in the blast, a mysterious letter arrives telling you that your parents were alive and in Cyan City! You set out to find out the truth of what happened that day and find your parents. As you work your way into the city, those that survived the explosion have been changed, some into phantoms, who seem to react to your pendant becoming hostile. One man seems to be interested in helping you and has been providing information directing your progress. Only referred to as the Keeper, he tells you that he want to re-enact the experiment from 20 years ago but in reverse order hoping it will restore all of the victims including your mother. To do this, you need to find the five missing parts of your pendant.
The graphics were very colorful, bright and detailed with interesting music and some outworldly sound effects. Cutscenes are well done and the voice acting was ok. There is the usual journal for the story and a map that shows areas requiring attention but is not a jump map. There is also a task list. Some translations to English were a little odd and some text had missing words. Diaglog remains on the screen until clicked to continue. Video cutscenes are stored in the journal and can be repeated. One nice thing for a SE is the included strategy guide. I really enjoyed the hidden object scenes which had another hidden object scene inside each one which is my first experience with this type. It made them more challenging and enjoyable. One thing I didn't like was the abrupt ending that left you less than satisfied. there was no epilogue of any kind, it just ended.
If looking for a science fiction game that is a little weird, you might give this one a try.
I recommend this game!
A new breed of virus has spread throughout the City of Oxford. You must search the city for a missing girl who holds the key to stopping the global epidemic!
Overall rating
4
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
150 dead, many more ill, City of Oxford quarantined, patient zero missing, final solution imminent
PostedDecember 28, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
It is all over the news. The city of Oxford, Nova Scotia has become the center of a terrible virual outbreak that has killed 150 people and made many more ill causing the government to evacuate and quarantine the city and surrounding area. The virus was first seen in twin girls, Tiffany and Theresa Morrisey but, unfortunately, Tiffany died. Theresa, however, made a full recovery and is the only known patient to survive the virus making the medical community wonder if she is now immune. In the chaos of the evacuation, Theresa became missing according to her father, Michael Morrisey, causing a massive search and widespread panic as many people blamed the twin girls for the outbreak. As a C.I.A. Certified Microbiologist and Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer, you have been cleared to return to Oxford to search for the girl and a possible vaccine. Being referred to as the "Threat Detective" by some, you arrive in Oxford by train to begin your investigation. As you leave the train, a huge hulk of a man in a gas mask confronts you and tells you to leave and forget about finding the girl. You try to explain but he will hear none of it and tells you that this is a warning and, as he leaves, he causes a steam leak from the train so you can't follow him. Now you have to figure out what his connection is to the girl and why he is trying to prevent you from finding her.
I enjoyed this lesser used storyline involving epidemics and, yes, you still have to find someone but, this one has some unusual twists that makes the story more interesting. Very few things causes such fear and chaos as the terror of an illness that has no cure and with multiple modes of transmission. The developers were smart to key in on those points instead of trying to include the much longer process of actually developing a vaccine.
Graphics were a mixture of live acting, photo-realistic images and computer images giving the characters more depth and the scenes more realism. the voice acting was very good but i was surprised at what I would consider "sourthern accents" in Nova Scotia but I have never been there. The scripting of the game was very well done with all scenes tied together presenting a well plotted series of events making the story believable. I did note a black screen delay between scenes but it was not that annoying. There is a journal to keep track of the story along with the narrative and some cell phone messages that provide additional details to the story. One annoying thing I noted was that the journal often reset to the first page for some reason so you had to thumb back through the pages to get to where you were before. There is a map but it was not a jump map and only showed your current location so I found it pretty useless. Locations were broken into segments so there was only a little backtracking. There are coins that are scattered in different locations that you need to collect as they are used several times during the game to continue to a new area or finish exploring an area. They were fairly easy to find. When used, the coins had to be inserted one at a time which became tedious near the end of the game when twelve coins had to be inserted.
I really liked the hidden object scenes because they were very interactive meaning that each object found was used in the scene to find another object and so on. Some others had you find objects to construct something in the scene so kind of a FROG hybrid, I guess. All the hidden object scenes were well done and had meaning to the game and not just a "find the item" fest. The hidden object scenes did not have the usual sparkles but, instead had a faint yellow cloud [probably in keeping with the infection theme] that was easy to miss if you didn't pay attention.
A different and interesting game outside the norm with a more modern and serious storyline and meaningful hidden object scenes makes this game one try.
A different and interesting game outside the norm with a more modern and serious storyline and meaningful hidden object scenes makes this game one try.
I recommend this game!
Unearth your forgotten childhood memories to reveal the secret of the ancient labyrinth.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Have you heard the Legend of the Tree of Wishes? Well come sit by the fire and listen
PostedDecember 27, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The Labyrinth, known as Sable Maze, has existed since early celtic times before the Legend of the Tree of Wishes became folklore. A young boy named Sullivan wanted something very badly and having heard about a wishing tree in the middle of the Labyrinth, decided to find it and get his wish. To find his way back out of the Labyrinth, he dropped apples along the path that he could follow. Unknowingly to him, the local neighborhood kids, who always made fun of him, followed him and ate the apples so he had no path to follow when he wanted to leave the Labyrinth. The boy never returned and, the children feeling guilty, confessed to the mother what they had done. The mother went into the Labyrinth to the tree but could not find her son. She became very angry and vowed revenge on the children and none were ever seen again. Over the years, the area became known as Sullivan River and a summer camp was opened there. After several years, strange things began happening and more children disappeared enraging parents to the point that the camp was closed. You were attending the camp at the time of the disappearance resulting in haunting flashbacks of partially blocked memories that has troubled you into adulthood causing you to seek the help of a Psychologist. He has advised you to return to Sullivan River Summer Camp and face your fears. Arriving at the now deserted camp, you are met by a ghost of a boy named Derrick who tells you that you were the one person that was nice to him at the camp those many years ago and he has been calling you in your dreams to come help him. He, like many other children, has been taken by the "living trees" or Dryads and you have to enter the maze, find the tree at the center and free the children.
Graphics present large detailed scenes that are easy on the eyes, distinctive and easy to remember with action areas contained in small segments reducing any backtracking necessary to a minimum. There is a very good jump map but areas of interest were not indicated and I didn't find it necessary to use it very often. Some live actors were used with very good voice acting and the cutscenes were well intergrated into the scenes. Music was well suited to the scenes and didn't seem repetitive. An interesting story unfolds through journal entries, notes found, and some movie films that reveal secret crushes, children making fun and taunting wallflowers all mixed in with "living trees" trying to destroy the camp. The game is not difficult relying more on the story than presenting a real challenge. Hidden object scenes are the usual interactive list type with large objects easily seen and puzzles from easy to medium challenge but most were well done and fun to play. I did think the use of some objects to solve inventory puzzles were a little stretched such as the use of a lobster to cut briars, or a thorn to untie a knot, or a broken light bulb to clean markings on a stone but most made sense. The game will be short for those experts that play it but was about right for the rest of us.
I recommend this game!
Track down your real parents in The Keepers: Lost Progeny! After growing up an orphan, a mysterious photo showing your parents arrives!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
As a Keeper, your tasked to keep mankind safe from evil - so why is there a demon loose?
PostedDecember 27, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
A spectral doberman, with something in its mouth, runs up to your door and drop the paper, scratches at your door, then howls and fades away. You open the door and find a picture of a man, woman and baby on the doorstep. Scrawled on the back was one word "Rutland." Growing up in an orphanage, you always felt you would find something out about your family and now you have a clue that may provide some answers. When you arrive at the outskirts of the town of Rutland, you find a young boy searching for something. He tells you that the town has had a lot of catastrophes and is not safe and you should leave. Ignoring his advice, you enter the town and see that there is a lot of devastation and fire and may be abandoned. You find a newspaper article with a story of the murders of Agdam and Joselle Rutland and the suspected murderer, the butler, James Norley and a possible accomplice, the maid. There was also an article concerning the unexplained catastrophic events occurring in and around town. But when you enter the hotel lobby, there is a clerk that tells you there are no rooms available and tells you it is best you leave this town. You show him the picture dropped on your doorstep and he immediately recognizes it as a picture of the murdered Rutlands and tells you that the sheriff would have more information about the case then anyone and to go to the police station. On the way there, you see a young woman that looks like the woman in the picture but before you can catch up to her she runs off, seemly leading you somewhere. Could this be my mother? How can it be if she was murdered? I need to find out what is going on.
A very dark,disturbing game involving a demonic young boy and the reign of death and terror he has brought to the town and the plight of the guardians whose task it is to keep mankind safe from evil. The Rutlands were members of a secret society of the Order of the Sword and Rose, also referred to as The Keepers, and apparantly you, being a Rutland, will now be the new Keeper and will need to defeat the demon.
The graphics are dark and gloomy but clear and well done. Music is deceivingly subtle for the theme and change for the few shock moments presented. There is good voice acting and diaglog and narrative remain on screen until clicked to continue. There is a journal for the story and clues but no map. Travel is limited to just a few locations at a time so the need for a map was minimal. You should check the journal periodically if you are not sure where to go next but the game design is fairly linear so there is little chance of getting lost. There is always the hint button also. Hidden object scenes are dark and the usual interactive junk piles but at least the objects fit the scenes.
This is also the first game i have played that had two bonus chapters that add about another hour combined. Bonus chapter one occurs after defeating the demon when you are told that in order for you to become the new Keeper, you have to prove yourself by defeating three more demons. You would think defeating this first one would have been enough of a test but no. In the second bonus chapter, you play as the Lily who needs to find a new host for the demon and performa a ritual that causes her to have a baby that becomes the demon again setting it up for a sequel. Another first for me is the ability to replay the bonus chapters. I have never played a game that did that. If you are into dark, demonic themes, you might want to give this one a try.
I recommend this game!
Reveal the secret legacy of The Order of the Griffin and restore Sunward City in The Secret Order: New Horizon!
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
The Mafia runs the Sunward City in the future and you have to time travel to the past to change that
PostedDecember 24, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Twenty-five years ago, your father and four other men died in the basement of the restaurant he owned when a car crashed into a power pole that caused a fire in the restaurant. He was the Mayor of Sunward City and was fighting the mafia at the time who was trying to take over the city. You have always thought it an accident but now you are not sure. While walking towards the door of the same restaurant you now own, two men and a dog materialize out of thin air and separate. One of the men aims a gun at you when suddenly a young man tackles him knocking him unconscious. The young man calls you Aunt Sarah and tells you he is your nephew, Mike Pennington, from the future. As you both tie him up, you find a picture with information on it about a time travel assassination at your restaurant 25 years ago. How could this be? Time travel possible? Mike has been hurt so you help him into the restaurant and tend his wounds while he tells you he can send you back in time to prevent the accident and fire that killed your father using a portable time device that has a 25 year travel limit. You arrive in 1968 and prevent the car crash so your father lives. You find out that your family is part of a secret time travelling order, the Order of the Griffin. They have been protecting the secret of time travel and dismantled a larger machine that allows them to travel to any time period as they saw the danger of such a device becoming known to the public. However, the mafia, known as the Dragons, have learned about it and wants the machine for themselves to rule the world. You must stop them.
A mixture of black and white stills and color scenes with a Noir, comic book style presentation that shows what is happening with text and no voice acting. Most of the story unfolds through the journal and through communication from your nephew by a communication device. It also lists current objectives and has a map that shows areas explored but is not a jump map. The game is fairly linear but, if you don't check your journal, it is easy to lose track of the story. Most of what needs to be done takes place within a small area so a jump map was not really needed and you do very little time traveling. Music was ok but looped and did become annoying after a while. Hidden object scenes were ok with most objects visible and objects fit the scene. Some objects required some interaction to find them. I did find the text rather small but the letters were clear. A nice touch is that the gamma can be adjusted if you find some scenes dark. I did find it hard to keep interest in the game and was glad it was rather short but if you like secret societies and a mixture of time travel, give it a try.
I recommend this game!
Take on Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres, a challenging Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game! Stop the evil witch Viviana!
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
How are you, a time traveling orphan, tied to Merlin and the Lady of the Lake?
PostedDecember 18, 2015
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
You have been having a recurring dream for the past year involving a face in an oak tree, deadly curses, a huge mansion, crystals, and vague memories of an early childhood before being placed in St. Anthony's Orphanage. You have tried to find out about your parents, but having covered their tracks thoroughly, you have accepted the fact you may never know them. You have become a governess teaching science and languages acquiring a good reputation among the upper class in London and have put your past behind you. Your only link to your childhood is a crescent medallion and a rattle you had when you were left at the orphanage doorstep. But now, the dreams are getting stronger and a messenger has just delivered a package and tells you it contains important information about your family. He tells you that he will wait outside for you. Inside the package was a letter from an Aunt Helen in Venice that tells you about an abandoned mansion near London where your family use to live and that you should visit there to get a sense of where you came from and then you should come see her in Vinice, Italy. Also in the package was a box containing a seal and crystal handle that seemed familiar, a picture of the mansion gate, and a picture of the Aunt's house in Venice. Finally, maybe you will get some answers as to your past so you enter the coach and go to the mansion. There you discover you are Esther Ambrose and your family has been the watchers of a huge crystal that contains the ancient evil sorceress, Viviana, [Lady of the Lake from king Author's time] who was a student of Merlin who loved her but she refued to love him until he had taught her all of his secrets. She used her magic for evil and trapped Merlin in an Oak tree [could this be the tree of your dreams?] but Merlin was able to cast a spell encasing her in the crystal before her spell finished. Now, the crystal is weakening and must be strengthened by a ritual requiring five seals [fire, water, lightning, heart and nature] which have been scattered in various locations in different time periods. You also discover that your family has a portable time travel device that allows you to travel to five time periods between London and Venice and you have to find the seals and repair the crystal to keep Viviana contained and restore Merlin back to human form.
So here we have a storyline that is set in the past, with an orphan looking for her past, evil magic, Merlin as a tree and time travel. What more could you ask for. Graphics were good and worked well with many scenes being dark and depicting dilapidated surroundings adding to the atmosphere of an abandoned, decaying mansion and then switching to bright, detailed scenes of other locations in different time periods. Music was ok but I did finally turn it down as it was hard to hear the British accented female voice of the narrator. Voice acting was very good in the first part of the game but didn't always work in the latter part. You do have a diary that keeps the story and has a current objectives and when you find the portable time device, it also becomes your interactive map with areas of interest indicated. I found it a little difficult to determine which time period to visit as the spinning dial did not always indicate that time travel should be done so I found looking at the device for marked areas of interest the best way to decide where to go next. You do lose the device for a few scenes toward the end but regain it quickly.
There were a fair amount of hidden object scenes and inventory item puzzles but not as many minigames as usual. Many of the hidden object scenes are repeated but with a different list each time. There is an option to play a match-3 game if you don't want to do hidden object scenes. I did find some places where displayed text was missing words or only had partial words with letters missing, numbers missing and even wrong dates but these were minor. What I did not like was the ending suddenly occurring with the black screen and TO BE CONTINUED scrawled across it. Still, the game is fairly long as it is packed with more than the usual one or two story themes so there is a lot to do and should fill an afternoon and evening or two.
I recommend this game!