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:
Spend the night in an abandoned mansion. Can you survive to uncover the terrible secret about your ancestor?
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
A dream inheritance - a mansion from an unknown relative but with a dark secret that is deadly
PostedMay 2, 2016
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
Several months ago, your family lawyer discovered that your grandmother was married to an adopted son of Dr. Strangestone's sister and that the doctor died over a 100 years ago with no wife or children of his own so you, jessica, and your brother, Tom, are the sole heirs to his estate, the Strangestone Mansion. You and your brother are on a train heading for the mansion where you are to meet a real estate agent hoping to make a quick sale and some money. You arrive at the mansion an hour later than expected but there is no agent there. Thinking the agent was probably inside the mansion, your brother rings the doorbell and receives an electrical shock that renders him unconscious. Unknown to you, someone inside the mansion has been watching your arrival on closed circuit monitor and was responsible for sending the electrical charge to the doorbell and has also attacked and killed the real estate agent. You need to get help for your brother so you finally are able to enter the mansion and discover that someone has been using the mansion for some time but for what purpose you don't know. Exploring the mansion, you find the security room with the monitor and are able to adjust it just in time to see someone drag your brother through the door. Now you need to find where he has been taken and save him. You find a book dated 1762 on non-traditional medicine that is filled with recipes for eternal youth that someone has been trying that require human donors. In a basement you find your brother in a cage and in a private morgue you find the body of the real estate agent. You have to stop these experiments and save your borther.
The graphics are of standard quality with dark and gloomy colors and scenes to depict a rundown mansion with decay and clutter throughout. Live actors were used but there was very little voice acting provided. Music was almost nonexistent so the only addition for ambience was the sound effects. There was a journal with a task list and a map but the map was not a jump map. A very linear game so only a few locations were active at a time so the jump map was not really needed. Locations had small tight scenes that had very small action spots crammed in them so be sure to check the whole screen to find them. The inventory puzzles and minigames were the usual with little difficulty. Hidden object scenes were well drawn but very cluttered interactive list type. Some items in inventory had to be combined before they can be used. Every action in every location had a task ribbon so there is no real guess work on what is needed there. Another thing I noted was when her brother was rendered unconscious and she had to go for help, he was left lying face up in the rain and i wondered why the water didn't revive him. I did have one game issue where the game would slow considerably and the cursor barely crawled across the screen. It never crashed but it did become very frustrating sitting there watching an item going to inventory barely crawl across the screen to the inventory panel. it was an ok game but be prepared for possible issues when played.
I recommend this game!
Return a valuable idol in Kate Arrow Deserted Wood! Help Kate travel deep into the jungle in this fun Hidden Object game.
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
Save Kate's grandfather from the pirates and restore the stolen idols to a village tribal altar
PostedApril 30, 2016
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
2
/
5
Sitting alone somewhere deep in the jungle trying to keep warm by a small campfire, your mind drifts back to two days ago when this all started. You checked your email and found a message from your grandfather, an avid explorer, who was saved 20 years ago by a tribe that had their sacred idols stolen and he has made it his life's work to try and recover them. He has finally found all of them and wants to return them to the tribe but one of the idols is in his home and he needs you to get it, bring your camera, and a map. After finding the three requested items, you are off to the airport where ,being a pilot, you need to prepare your plane for the trip. After repairing the plane, you set out, but along the way, your plane suffers engine trouble and you crash land in the jungle and find yourself hanging from a tree in your parachute. In the distance, you can see a village but right now you need to get down to the ground. After finally reaching the ground, you decide to camp for the night bringing you to where you are now. The next morning you reach the village and are greeted by a native who tells you your grandfather told him to expect you but he has disappeared and that the shaman may know where he is but the shaman has been injured and you need to help him first. When the shaman is feeling better, he tells you that your grandfather has been captured by pirates and you will need to rescue him and get the idols back. The guard at the pirate camp is a heavy drinker so you put sleeping pills in his bottle of wine and are able to go aboard the pirate ship and set your grandfather free but, as you leave the ship, the pirates confront you and demand the idols. You are about to give them the idols when the natives from the village arrive and save the day. Returning to the village, you replace the idols on the altar and life returns to normal for the village. THE END
Released in 2010, this is a very basic hidden object romp wrapped around a shallow storyline that never felt as if it was important and a few minigames sprinkled throughout with the standard inventory puzzles to provide the items needed to progress. Not having a lot of locations to explore, a map was not really needed or missed and with a weak storyline a journal was not provided. There is a goals list to kind of keep you on the right track although the game is pretty linear. Graphics are dated but well done with no voice acting and ok music. The puzzles were fairly easy and the hidden objects had a lot of very small objects and some placed on same color background to the point of being invisible, not even a faint outline. The tedium and lack of enjoyment gives you a sense that it was made specifically hard to find on purpose and wanting you to use the hint button. Not everyone's cup of tea but if you can get past the weak story or are not interested in the story and just want basically hidden object scenes with hard to find objects, give it a try.
Released in 2010, this is a very basic hidden object romp wrapped around a shallow storyline that never felt as if it was important and a few minigames sprinkled throughout with the standard inventory puzzles to provide the items needed to progress. Not having a lot of locations to explore, a map was not really needed or missed and with a weak storyline a journal was not provided. There is a goals list to kind of keep you on the right track although the game is pretty linear. Graphics are dated but well done with no voice acting and ok music. The puzzles were fairly easy and the hidden objects had a lot of very small objects and some placed on same color background to the point of being invisible, not even a faint outline. The tedium and lack of enjoyment gives you a sense that it was made specifically hard to find on purpose and wanting you to use the hint button. Not everyone's cup of tea but if you can get past the weak story or are not interested in the story and just want basically hidden object scenes with hard to find objects, give it a try.
I recommend this game!
If you have enough courage to challenge the darkness, then you’ll manage to find out the mystery of the Rossolimo family.
Overall rating
4
/
5
To become the Lord of Darkness, an evil spirit accidently released must kill his last remaining family member during a lunar eclipse
PostedApril 28, 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
Agazon and Stephanos Rossolimo made a discovery in power engineering by creating a lamp that can hold different kinds of energy. As their fame as inventors grew, their goals began to separate with Agazon using his discoveries for good while Stephanos took a dark path. Desiring power and to become the Lord of Darkness, the corrupted Stephanos began killing his family members. The one remaining brother, Agazon, was able to invent a special lamp that was able to stop Stephanos and trap him in a coffin in the family crypt. Now, years later, Dayona Rossolimo has inherited the family estate and has contacted you concerning strange things happening that seems to be coming from the familk crypt. One of her relatives buried there is the evil Stephanos. After a short vacation from your adventures with demons in Mexico and Thailand, you accept the summons and are off to a small island in Greece. When you arrive at the villa, Dayona shows you to the crypt where one of the coffins seems to be eminating vibrations and strange sounds. Curiosity killed the cat but you decide to open the coffin anyway and, as you do, a fiery spirit emerges breaking the special lamp above the coffin and engulfing Dayona and spirits her away. Fra om a cloud of smoke, a dark sinister figure appears dressed in old fashion clothing and wonders aloud how long he has been trapped in there. He then mentions that a lunar eclipse is about to happen and he will not allow me to interfere with his plans and vanishes locking me in the crypt. When you finally escape the crypt, you find the villa and surrounding area twisted and changed and the spirit of an old man appears. He tells you he is Agazon and the sinister figure is his brother, Stephanos, that he trapped in the coffin all those years ago. he reveals that Stephanos plans to kill Dayona during the lunar eclipse to finish a ritual that will make him the Lord of Darkness and that I need to repair the special lamp before the eclipse occurs and lure Stephanos back to the coffin and trap him there again. Along the way, you are aided by the ghosts of other family members provided clues to the location of the parts needed to repair the lamp.
Well organized and entertaining, a little creepy but not shocking, well done graphics and animations with good voice acting adds to the experience. This episode continues their clever technique of many locations having two scenes that are controlled by light by providing some kind of light source such as a lamp or fireplace that, when clicked on, changes the location to a totally different looking scene in light than the one in darkness effectively doubling the number of locations. the light and dark locations each have different items and things to do that often affect the other location such as opening something in the dark location but only able to retrieve the items in it from the light location. The one thing that is hampered by this is that there is no map and with a fair amount of backtracking and the changing from light to dark for different scenes, keeping notes of what is needed in both situations is a must. A jump map would have been a great asset. Mini games are of medium difficulty with some variety but some are repeated. Inventory item puzzles are the standard fid this to open that or fix this. Hidden object scenes were nicely done and fairly easy. They include the standard inactive list type, finding objects by their outline and putting objects back by association. Some even have mechanical puzzles that were fun to do and several had machines that operated going through a sequence of movements that ended in completing an action. They were very entertaining.
I have played all three episodes in the series and I think this one is the best of the three so far. The other character that you had to save in the first two episodes was not in this one which is probably good as it was basically the same game but just in a different location. Though this one also involves a demon spirit, the storyline is much better and more in depth providing a better game experience.
I recommend this game!
Jessica would never imagine that her big day would turn out to be a nightmare; they had an accident and Jonathan McNealy, her husband is missing.
Overall rating
3
/
5
2 of 2 found this review helpful
Just married and involved in a car crash, your new husband disappears and a ghostly woman in white leads you to discover his dark secret
PostedApril 28, 2016
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
4
/
5
After your wedding to Jonathan McNealy, a royal son, you, Jessica Belle, a rich debutante, and he leave on your honeymoon. While driving down the road, Jon sees something in the rear view mirror that distracts him causing the car to swerve in the path of an oncoming truck and crashing. When you regain consciousness, Jon is missing and you are injured and trapped in the car. While working your way out of the car, you see a ghostly woman in white through the back window. After breaking the window and crawling out, the ghostly woman appears again and you decide to follow her. You need to take care of your injuries and she seems to be leading you towards an old cabin where you find medical supplies. You also discover that you are near the McNealy Mansion and see the ghostly woman again as she heads toward the mansion. Once you arrive there and are able to unlock the door, an elderly man who says he is the butler greets you. He tells you that Jon is there but that he has lost his watch and you must help him find it. Finding the watch leads you to discover a skeleton buried under the fountain that is apparently the butler. So who was that you talked to? Was it a ghost? You see the ghostly woman again this time leaving the mansion and heading for an old farmhouse. What is her secret and where is Jon and who killed the butler?
Not a bad story that has some suspense and interesting twists with dated graphics but acceptable. Scenes are detailed with looped music that is ok and, with only a few characters encountered, the voice acting was good but characters were not animated. There is a journal that includes an objectives list and there are a lot of backtracking to use the many items collected. Unfortunately, there is no map so keep notes of where items are needed. Some items are used by inserting them into something in several locations so be sure to check whether you can retrieve the item before you leave a location otherwise you will have to remember where it was used last and return there to get it. Some items in your inventory need to be combined to use and sometimes they can be finicky. Most inventory puzzles and the few minigames are easy to complete and the plentiful hidden object scenes are nicely done but are repeated.
The ending provided the perfect way to tie everything up with a surprising twist that leaves you wondering who was conning who and will provide a few hours of diversion.
I recommend this game!
The family saga continues when your nephew Brandon encounters the mysterious Stone Queen in a lonely mountain town.
Overall rating
4
/
5
What has turned the Stone Queen against the town and how is your nephew involved?
PostedApril 27, 2016
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
4
/
5
Little did I know that when my twin sister decided to marry into the Gray family that I would be spending so much time rescuing them. The Gray family has had their share of troubles beginning with my sister, Luisa, being kidnapped on her wedding day by our father who had become a demon, and when she and her husband, John Gray, had a son, Brandon, I was invited to be at the christening but an old Gray family curse interrupted it, and when Brandon, as a young boy, became involved with the demon Volos, who had tricked him into a pact by granting wishes to come true in exchange for his youth, I was instrumental in saving all of them. It seems fate has intervened again and I have unexpectedly crossed paths with my nephew, Brandon, by the mere chance of needing gas and stopping in Stoneville for a fill-up. Unknown to me, Brandon frequently visited his Uncle, Oliver Gray, during the summers while growing up and enjoyed exploring in the Stoneville Mine but became lost one summer and was saved by a young girl who showed him the way out of the labyrinth and they became friends. Apparently he has not seen her since a landslide in the mine some years ago that many think was caused by the Stone Queen, a legendary protector of the the Stoneville Mine who awarded hard working miners with precious stones that made the town prosperous but seems to have disappeared and stop helping the mine. Now a young man, Brandon is here visiting his Uncle who was the Mayor of Stoneville until a stranger, Dennis Sheldon, bought up all the mines in the area and somehow became the new Mayor. He planned to demolish the mine and Brandon tried to stop him and was shot by Sheldon. An enraged Stone Queen suddenly appeared when Brandon was shot and turned her wrath on the town turning everyone to stone, everyone that is except Oliver Gray and Brandon. On the verge of death, she placed Brandon in a crystal coffin. You now have to find the Stone Queen and convince her to return the town's residence to normal and figure out how you can save Brandon. As you search for the Stone Queen's castle hidden somewhere deep within the mine, you learn about a Flower of Life that could save Brandon. So into the mine you go.
Being the fourth in the series, it is not necessary to have played the previous three episodes as this one stands on its own but you will wonder about a few things that will be clear if you have played them. Having played the first three, I think if I had entered a town where I saw someone turned to stone and found a bag with a wallet belonging to my nephew who I had not seen in years, I think I would have shown a little more concern as to why he was there and if he was all right or if he has been turned to stone. But this time around, she acts as if she doesn't know him and that he is just another person in trouble. Only a very quick and short cutscene when you click on his picture in the wallet does it even indicate that he is her nephew. Maybe she was tired of always having to rescue one of her relatives or Brandon as she has saved him twice already. I just didn't feel the family love in this one.
The graphics are well done with very detailed and well crafted locations, music that was ok but does little for the game and pretty good voice acting. There are a variety of creatures that you meet, some that block your progress and some that provide help. You find several helpers in the form of goblins that were pets of the Stone Queen, one especially reminds you a little of of Gollum. There is no journal and a lot of backtracking but there is a good jump map with action areas marked that helps. You find and carry a lot of inventory and you carry some items for a long time so be sure to keep notes of where items are needed. The game leans more torward adventuring with more inventory puzzles and minigames. Many of the minigames were tedious and time consuming and I didn't enjoy much. The few hidden object scenes were fairly easy but enjoyable. A fairly long game ending satisfactorily and should give hours of entertainment.
I recommend this game!
Eerie music fills the air in Vienna, where shadows terrorize people in the streets. Two musical prodigies have gone missing. Can you save them without striking a single false note?
Overall rating
4
/
5
0 of 1 found this review helpful
First France, then the border with Germany and now In Vienna, Austria, the music plague is spreading.
PostedApril 21, 2016
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
4
/
5
A recital by three gifted student musicians being presented at the prestigious Vienna Academy of Music, "Where life meets music, and music is life," was disrupted by violent violin music resulting in two of the students, Ludwig Braun and Helga Neumann, being kidnapped and their teacher, Mr. Bigler, being rendered unconscious. Sinister shadows are attacking the residents of Vienna and there are reports of people suddenly aging rapidly and dying and of the dead being raised throughout the city. Witnesses also report of hearing amazing music just before the attacks. The third student, Francois, apparently was not affected and it is not known what his involvement is, if any. You, a detective, have been unraveling the mystery connected to the virtuoso known as the Great Maestro since your first encounter in France and later at the border with Germany, and the strange disappearances and violent music in Vienna seem to be related so you have been called to investigate this new sighting. As you approach the Academy, a teacher rushes out the door being chased by a shadow and, as he is grabbed by the shadow and dragged away, tells you a madman showed up and played the Music of the Void opening portals for the shadows that are attacking everyone. He tells you to find a special melody, Notes to Fight Shadows, and play it on the Great Maestro's violin as it is the only way to scare off the shadows. You are able to locate the violin and it becomes your weapon against the shadows. When you run into the young man, Francois, he tells you that he plans to release the Prince of Void who has promised him power and needed the most talented musicians to carry out his plans. He then opens a portal and disappears. You find information concerning an old legend about a Prince of Void that was trapped in another world by the Great Maestro using the Notes of Immortality to gain eternal life. The Prince of Void plans Eternal Death where all will die and the world will be repopulated with shadows and Francois will be unknowingly sacrificed when he plays the Notes of Void to raise him. You must find the Notes of Immortality needed to summon the Great Maestro to defeat the Prince of Void before he can carry out his plan.
Graphics were very nice, but dated, with some good animations, music that didn't annoy, and mostly well-done voice acting. One note on background sounds was the sounds the undead made when encountered. They all sounded like the old man in a skit done on a TV show called Laugh-in that was always being hit by the woman with a purse and wanted walnettos. It was kind of a deep throated chuckle. i just found it hilarious and not scary at all. The story is familiar if you have played any of the previous episodes with the violin playing boy and something bad happening when music is played and music used as a counter-measure. It is an entertaining story that can hold your attention and with no map and the backtracking that you do, it helps to remember to where you need to return. A jump map would have been a nice addition. When you find the Great Maestro's violin, it is added to the bottom right of your screen and you are able to play it using various melodies you find during the game to fight the shadows and dispell the evil music. Not being a musician I don't know if being practically tone deaf [as you indicate in the journal] would allow you to play a melody on what I would think would be a hard instrument to play would be practical. Maybe the violin is magic and plays itself. Inventory puzzles and minigames were fairly easy and of the usual variety. Hidden object scenes included the usual interactive list type and some silhouettes to locate. Some silhouette objects found require you to figure out what to do with them to complete minipuzzles that add more silhouettes until the final object is added to inventory. All hidden object scenes are repeated but with different objects to find. Not a bad game to spend a few hours on and those that enjoyed the previous episodes will find this one worth playing.
I recommend this game!
Experience a story about love so strong, it can overcome the most powerful evil! Explore visually stunning mystical dimensions and rescue your fiance!
Overall rating
5
/
5
2 of 3 found this review helpful
Why does Lilith want Mark? How can you defeat a succubus? And what secret does the fisherman have?
PostedApril 20, 2016
hermitcave
fromGig Harbor, Wa
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Mahjong, Card & Board
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Years ago in Sacra Terra, Kiss of Death, Dr. Morbile, a well known Psychiatrist and owner of the Sacra Terra Hospital dabbled in the occult becoming addicted to its powers and, during a special ritual that went wrong, freed the demons of the Seven Deadly Sins from their fiery prison and they took up residence in Sacra Terra. After being dispelled, Sacra Terra was abandoned. Today, you, Tiffany, and your boyfriend Mark, have been going together for a long time and you are beginning to wonder if your romance will ever reach the next step - namely marriage. In desperation, you purchase an old book about love potions at a flea market hoping to find something that may put a little spark in your romance. Later that night, you are having dinner on your patio with Mark and he tells you that he has something important to ask you and reaches into his jacket just as the phone rings. Telling him to hold that thought, you get up to answer the phone and while he is waiting for your return, Mark sees the book you bought earlier and begins thumbing through it. Coming to an entry about summoning a succubus, he half-heartedly begins chanting the words of the ritual not believing anything will happen. Suddenly the book seems alive and from its pages emerges Lilith, demon succubus of Lust, provocatively dressed. The commotion draws you back to the patio and Lilith looks at you and gestures toward you knocking you to the ground as she grabs Mark and vanishes. The book is slammed shut and locked and the locking medallion explodes scattering the pieces around your patio. You hope the book will provide some clue as to who or what she is and where she could have taken Mark. After retrieving the scattered pieces of the locking medallion, you are able to open the book and find a map and reference to a small island not far away called Scara Terra so you decide to go there. Getting there was not easy as no one wanted to go there as the island is abandoned and rumored to be evil and haunted. You are finally able to find an old fisherman willing to take you there but he warns you not to stay very long and he will come back for you when you are ready to leave. He also tells you that the book you have may have come from the library of Dr. Morbile at the Adonay Castle and you should start your search there. When you approach the castle doors, you find Mark's jacket and in it an engagement ring and you realize he was planning to ask you to marry him at dinner. When you enter the castle, Lilith appears and tells you Mark is happy with her and will be staying there and that you should leave and then vanishes again. Knowing that he was going to propose has stirred your dander and you will do what it takes to find and save Mark and defeat Lilith. In your search, you learn Lilith has been hunting souls and looking for a body that can be possessed by her master and plans to use Mark as the vessel. The old fisherman apparently is more than a fisherman as he appears and tells you that you need to perform a ritual that opens a portal to the crossroads between worlds where you should visit four different worlds where people also suffering from Lilith's touture and fueling her power. Helping them will reward you four hearts necessary to gain access to Lilith's lair. He also tells you that you must find and use a special dagger to defeat Lilith but you will need to give it to him first so he can charge it with something that is lethal to Lilith.
The graphics were very well done with excellent animations and very good voice acting. Locations were varied and very detailed adding to the ambience. Not as creepy as some other games it still delivered a nice feel of evil and the game's flow was well conceived. Music was good and environmental sounds were appropriate for the scenes lending a feel of drama. There is a journal for clues and back story with flyers and notes scattered for information. There is a lot of backtracking but this is aided with a very nice jump map showing action areas and an icon indicating if a location still had a morphing object to find. There are 34 morphing or "beyond" objects to be found. Inventory puzzles and most minigames were fairly easy but still fun and were well paced so they never felt like a filler. Some inventory items found in one portal world were often used in another portal world. The hidden objects were nicely placed so you had some space between them with the usual interactive list but included 15 objects to be found and at least one zoom in mini scene for more objects. The main game has a dramatic ending that was satisfying and the bonus chapter was interesting as it was presented from the fisherman's perspective filling in some of the gaps that Tiffany would not have known as she discovers that the fisherman is really the spirit of Dr. Morbile who summoned Lilith and lost his life and was denied eternal rest. He has wanted to repair the damage he did and send her back to the underworld and Tiffany's arrival provided that opportunity. The final scenes meld together which I thought was very well done to give the full story. A game well worth your time both in SE and CE.
I recommend this game!
The Order’s most closely-guarded secret sleeps deep beneath the ancient Spanish streets. What lies within this mysterious box?
Overall rating
4
/
5
Pandora's Box and Vlad bring the world to the brink of disaster
PostedApril 14, 2016
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
4
/
5
Centuries ago, the Captain of the Royal Guard discovered Pandora's Temple and accidently released upon the world the evil from there which took possession of Prince Vlad, who is the demon boy you first encountered and fought in the town of Rutland. The Captain was able to finally contain the evil and seal it in Pandora's Temple and he became the first Keeper tasked with preventing this great evil from being released. Every 500 years when the planets align and a solar eclipse occurs, Pandora's Temple can be summoned and opened by five seals of ERAS - Greek, Mayan, Medieval, Renaissance, and 20th Century. That phenomenon is about to occur now in the year of 1920 when architect Pedro Alvarez uncovers a mysterious artifact while excavating beneath the famous La Torre del Oro, a centuries old watchtower in Seville, Spain. He soon realizes it is Pandora's Box and that the ancient prophecy about the world ending during a solar eclipse is about to happen But an evil spirit kills him but not before he is able to give the artifact to his younger sister, Carmen, for safe keeping telling her to trust no one. Hearing about the artifact, the Order of Keepers have sent you to investigate but you will need to gain Carmen's trust and convince her that you are there to help. You are able to gain her trust and devise a plan but unfortunately Carmen is abducted by your old nemesis, Vlad, who confirms the artifact is Pandora's Box and he plans to open it. Carmen is to be used in a ritual to open the box as the blood of a Keeper is needed and you find out that both she and Pedro were Keepers. It is now up to you to stop Vlad from opening Pandora's Box by finding the five seals of ERAS ti interrupt the ritual.
The sequel to The Keepers: Lost Progeny brings the demon boy, Vlad back but now he is older and more evil and not very happy with your interference from before. Somewhat slow in releasing the story, it does peak interest and holds it fairly well. Separate Objectives need to be completed to obtain the five seals giving the story more depth and the background story of the birth of the Order of the Keepers was interesting. I do think the Vlad character in the first game was more sinister than in this episode maybe because he was much younger which added to his mystic.
Graphics were very nice being sharp and clear with good animation and voice acting. The voices started out trying to use Spanish accents but toward the end the accents all but disappeared. Music was looped but ok. The scenes had a Spanish flavor that was well done. There is a journal to keep track of the notes and papers found that help with clues and storyline. A fair amount of backtracking was aided by a jump map but areas of interest were not indicated on the map. Inventory can be locked. I did not enjoy the minigames as they were annoying and time consuming but fortunately could be skipped. Inventory puzzles were pretty much the same as in most games. Hidden object scenes were well done of the interactive list type and most objects were fairly easy to find. An interesting story that will give a few hours of entertainment.
I recommend this game!
Follow the trail of the mysterious woman in white and discover the secret behind her terrible task!
Overall rating
3
/
5
1 of 2 found this review helpful
HEL has taken souls leaving behind skeleton husks. What has brought her from an icy tomb and where have all the souls gone?
PostedApril 14, 2016
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
Mountain climbers exploring the frozen slopes around Erlenbourg came upon a mysterious snow drift with something encased in the ice. Hoping to find the remains of a mammoth or dinosaur, they began excavating the find and quickly discovered something else. Local archeologist, Harold Dowson, and the excavation team found a layer of human bones and further digging unearthed a frozen ship made entirely of human bones. The bones were fused together by an unknown process involving the use of gold. The ship of bones was moved to the museum in Erlenbourg for further study where it remained frozen and no current tools seemed to be able to thaw it. Quickly becoming a tourist attraction, it drew many curious people to see it including some unsavory types interested in the treasure it may hold. An expert in paranormal activity, Steven Cooper, also came there and wanted to investigate the ship and warned about the possible curse but was ridiculed and refused entry to study the ship. The archeologist, Dowson, was in love with a local girl, Kate, and wished to propose to her but needed money to buy her a ring. He borrowed money from a friend but let slip about the possible gold treasure the ship may hold. His friend had become acquainted with some of the unsavory types and they decided to break into the museum and steal what gold they could find. Dowson bought the ring and was on his way to the museum to see Kate when they tried to steal the gold. As with many thieving groups, greed took over and they fought among themselves and begun killing each other. Kate Tried to stop them but was shot in the process. All the blood that was spilled on the ship of bones brought the spirit of HEL, the Scandinavian Mythological Ruler of the Dead, from the depths of her tomb in the ship and she took the body of Kate for her own becoming the woman in white and unleashed a curse on the inhabitants of the town taking their souls and leaving behind living skeleton husks. The souls were used to power the ship.
You and your pilot are flying in a plane over the area on your way to another destination when black swirling clouds causes your plane to malfunction and you crash not far from the gates to Erlenbourg. When you regain consciousness, the pilot is missing and a raven wearing spectacles is nearby and begins to speak to you. As if that is not strange enough, he tells you his name is Hamlet and he is the Keeper of the City of Erlenbourg's history and begins telling you about the dangers in the city and a woman in white that is taking souls. He offers to be your helper. With no where else to go for help, you head for the gates and find the injured pilot who apparently was able to reach the gates but his injury prevented him from going any further. You are able to bandage his wounds and before you can go in town for help, the woman in white appears and take the pilot's soul leaving behind a living skeleton husk and returns through the gates blocking them with ice. You now have to enter the city, return HEL back to her icy tomb to lift the curse and save the residents and your pilot.
Norse mythology tells of Ragnarok, the end of the world, and one of the signs of its coming is that HEL and all her dishonorable dead, will sail in the ship, Naglfar, which is made from the fingernails and toenails of all the dead. On that dark day, the ship is used to bring them to the scene of the battle between good and evil. I think it would have made a better game if the ship had been made of fingernails and toenails from the dead but, then how would they have left behind the skeletons. I guess a finernailless and toenailless group of people withering in agony from the loss of them would not have been as exciting?
Graphics were good with nice animations using live actors and fairly good voice acting. Music was ok but had to be turned down after a while. There is no journal so the story develops rather slow through objects found in the environment that trigger cutscenes that are narrated by Hamlet. You do find some papers with clues left by the only person that apparently was not relieved of his soul, Steven Cooper, who was hiding out in a basement. How he escaped becoming a skeleton husk was never revealed. You work your way through locations with a lot of backtracking helping various skeletons with their problems. There is an interactive map that also shows where action areas are located. Some objects collected to your inventory are combined automatically when found. One thing I noted was that when backtracking to areas already searched, objects that were not there before are there now so be sure to look again. Your helper raven is used to retieve objects out of reach and complains every time he is used. Cute the first couple of times but old by the end of the game. You obtain a special artifact, the Book of Fire, that is used to dispell ice or drive off creatures but has to be recharged after each use by finding five specific spots in various locations and using a rune on it to capture the image. Hidden object scenes are basic interactive list type with some having little puzzles to complete. Not the most memorable game that is slow to develop but good for a slow afternoon.
I recommend this game!
Uncover the mystery behind an artist’s deadly talent.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Is The Prophet Painter a pawn of The Silhouette or is the Silhouette a result of The Prophet Painter?
PostedApril 7, 2016
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
4
/
5
Your daughter, Angie, a budding artist, has been touring Europe for a year picking up techniques when she heard about Virgil, "The Prophet Painter," on a small island in Italy and decided to go there hoping to study with him. He has developed a reputation for painting pictures of future tragedies and people have been dying in tragic accidents. She writes a letter asking you to come there and help her as she feels someone is watching her is not feeling save and needs your help. On your way to the island by ship, the captain tells you about an ominous figure called The Silhouette being seen right before the tragic deaths and this has the villagers on edge believing that Virgil and the Silhouette are connected. At the dock, you find a missing persons poster with Angie's picture and now you are worried. As you approach the town gate, a hooded figure slams the gate closed preventing your entry. When you finally get the gate open, you find a painting of the ship you just arrived on blowing up. You rush back to the dock and find the captain trapped on the burning ship and save him. He gives you a ticket to the art galley showing but find another painting of a burning bakery. Saving the baker gives you access to Virgil's house where you meet the art gallery owner, Rosaria, who displays Virgil's works. There is something suspicious about her and she is cryptic about her relationship with Virgil but does confirm Angie being there. When you find Virgil, he has just finished his latest painting showing his own death. The Silhouette shows up and Virgil runs off and you chase after him. Now you need to save Virgil, find Angie and figure out what Rosaria's involvement is.
Graphics are cartoonish but well done with some dark scenes but fairly good animation. Voice acting was ok but some was a bit strained and jerky. Characters had no mouth movement when talking. Music was ok. There are a lot of inventory puzzles to get through during the game so that you feel tired by the end. Many are almost like filler with obstacles blocking your way at almost every turn to make it feel like you have done something whether it is needed or not. Hidden object scenes included progressive interactive lists as well as some silhouettes to find. Some objects blend in with the background.
The bonus chapter continues the story after saving Angie with her telling you that you should search Rosaria's house before the police arrive to make sure both Virgil and Rosaria are gone. As you search the house, you find a woman inside a sarcophagus booby-trapped with poison gas. She is Kim, archive assistant for Rosaria, who had discovered underhanded dealings to increase the value of the Virgil's paintings by creating the Silhouette legend and was caught by Rosaria. You have to free her and find a missing painting. An interesting story that will provide a few hours of entertainment if you can get past the busy work.
I recommend this game!