Game review: Detective Stories: Hollywood

Considering I'm a big fan of movies and a huge fan of hidden object games, I figured that Detective Stories: Hollywood would be a shoo-in for a good review. Sadly, it is not. The hidden object aspects of the game are pretty good. A lot of them revolve around trying to find and match an object to its outline. It's slightly more difficult than finding items on a list but it makes the game more interesting. Where the game lacks is the mini-games in between the hidden object parts. I am still stuck on a game that I can't solve and I can't pass. More than anything, I find this extremely frustrating. If a developer wants to add these mini-games to make the overall game more interesting, fine, but code in a work-around too. I'm sure I'm not the only one that sucks at those types of puzzles.

Otherwise, it's a pretty nice game. Too bad the mini-games ruined it.

Game review: The Hidden Object Show: Season 2

Last year, I panned The Hidden Object Show game. I think someone, somewhere must have been listening because the Season 2 version is much better. No longer are you scouring dark shadows for objects. (Well, maybe once in awhile but not nearly as often as you were before.) The overall premise of being on a game show is still a little annoying. However, the rest of the game is pretty fun so it's easy to overlook the rest. Just mute the gameshow host and everything will be dandy!

Game review: Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow

I took a bit of a break from gaming for awhile. I found myself getting burned out. When I decided it was time to return, I found Mystery Legends: Sleepy Hollow waiting for me. The tale of Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite stories so I was excited to see how a video game revolving around it would be. Luckily for me, it was pretty darn good. In the story mode, you try to solve the disappearances of a variety of townspeople. Clues that you find by searching through their houses and other areas will help you determine how they died. As I played the game, it wasn't too difficult yet it was challenging enough to keep my interest. Yes, there are some objects hidden in dark areas in the room but I think that will be the norm in these types of games now. Either way, if you like Sleepy Hollow, I think you'll enjoy this.

Game review: Scrapbook Paige

At first, Scrapbook Paige looked like a game that I could play with my daughter. Unfortunately, it is just a little bit too difficult for her. You play Paige, a woman that makes scrapbooks for other people. Your job is to find all of the little pieces that might be needed for the next scrapbook. Then you need to match stickers to their shapes in order to create the actual scrapbook. The scrapbook section of the game is pretty easy. It's the hidden object part that can be difficult. In each location, there are a number of drawers that hold various things that scrapbookers use - stamps, jewelry pieces, etc. You need to find the list of objects within those drawers and each location has one piece that needs a riddle to be solved before it can be found. It is an interesting concept but it was just a little too much.

Game review: Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst

The Mystery Case Files series is probably the best known hidden object game. A new MCF game has appeared - Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst. You return to the scene of the original game in order to solve more mysteries. While the hidden object aspect of the game hasn't changed any, there are new additions. This time, you carry certain objects in your inventory so you can use them to open puzzles in other locations. For example, in order to get a key out from under a cat, you need to find some cheese to give to a mouse so you can capture the mouse to give to the cat. In some ways, it can be fun. However, a lot of the puzzles are extremely difficult. I had a such a difficult time trying to open the sun/moon puzzle that I was unable to complete it before my trial period ran out. Since there was no way to skip that particular puzzle, it was frustrating. I liked trying to find the various objects needed to obtain other objects but some of the puzzles were just too difficult. If you can put up with those pieces, I think you'll enjoy the game a lot.

Game review: Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville

Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville is an interesting hidden object game. Your character recently bought a new house and is in the process of fixing it up. In order to make it beautiful enough to feature on the cover of a magazine, you hit up the local yard sales to find a variety of treasures. While the hidden object parts of the game are pretty standard, the in-between pieces are where the game shines. At times, you will find broken but gorgeous pieces at a yard sale. You put these broken treasures back together in these in-between games. Everything from fixing a broken lamp to painting a chair can be found here. A great way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Game review: Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends

On a whim last night, I downloaded Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends. I found myself growing tired of time management games. Perhaps a hidden object game was what I needed to get me out of my funk. The game takes place in 1899. While on your way to visit your cousin, you find out that he and his wife have been killed. Police currently believe that she shot him then killed herself but you don't believe that. Not to mention that the children are missing! You decide to do a little searching on your own to try to track down the killer and find the children.

I am so amazed by how much I like this game. Everything in each location has a place in the scene so there isn't anything "odd" like a duck in the kitchen or anything. Some of the objects you need to find are difficult but they aren't so difficult that you find yourself getting frustrated. There are also mini-games that you need to solve to do things like opening safes or reading a ripped up letter. Even these mini-games are fun! I think this was just what I needed to take my mind off crappy time management games.

Game review: Wild West Quest

Wile West Quest is a western-themed hidden object game. Besides the normal hidden object objectives, there are other mini-games to play as well. Of course, those are western-themed too. Sometimes you'll have a shoot-out in the center of town; sometimes you'll need to wrangle some horses; sometimes you'll need to ID brands on cattle. None of the mini-games are particularly difficult but they do change things up just enough to keep the game from getting boring. Overall, the game isn't all that bad. The hidden object parts are fairly typical but the game shines a bit more in the mini-game areas. Since either the camera or the objects you are dealing with are moving in those games, you need a little more skill to get through them. Not that this makes those pieces of the game difficult, just interesting.

Game review: Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas

Last year, I enjoyedForgotten Riddles: The Mayan Princess. While I want to call Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas a sequel, it doesn't quite fit since there isn't a combining story arc. The basic game play is the same but with a completely different storyline. Like last time, you have to solve riddles in order to find many of the objects. Some of the riddles are very easy and some of them require a bit more thought. Either way, I still find this an ingenious way of spicing up the hidden object genre. I also find myself looking forward to the next incarnation of the game. They've tackled Mayan history and music - what will be next?

Game review: Enchanted Fairy Friends: Secret of the Fairy Queen

Quite often, my daughter likes to play hidden object games with me. I usually let her pick which game we're playing. Her choice this time around was Enchanted Fairy Friends: Secret of the Fairy Queen. In the game, you are trying to find the name of the Fairy Queen. Each of the Queen's Rose Court fairies has a hint. Put these hints together to guess her name. This game was actually well suited for my child. It not only had the hidden object part but there were also find-the-differences and puzzle parts as well. None of them were particularly difficult. (Though the puzzle part was based on matching shapes so younger children may need help with it.) The graphics were bright and colorful and each level was themed to a specific fairy's flower. Obviously, this was no geared toward boys but I think any fairy-loving girl would enjoy the game.