March 21, 2008

New trend means more hidden object game fun!

Several games have been released recently featuring our favorite genre as mingames. I prefer full version hidden object games, but these games offer a fun diversion while we wait for new releases. Give them a try and see what you think.

Hidden Wonders of the Depths

Hidden Wonders of the Depths is primarily a match-three game, but has a nice mix of of minigames, some quite engaging. I didn’t get to any hidden object play before my demo hour ran out, but I was playing during the business day and had numerous interruptions (darn clients!) I found a screen capture on Big Fish, though, that shows some hidden object fun.

Rainbow Web

I enjoyed Rainbow Web, a match three game with an unusual configuration. As you claim the orbs from the enchanted webs that imprison the castle, you’re also collecting letters that will help you discover a spell to end the curse. The couple of hidden object screens that I played during my demo hour were not terribly challenging, but the overall gameplay was nice.

Natalie Brooks: Secrets of Treasure House

Natalie Brooks: Secrets of Treasure House is an adveture game in which the player must find items and perform specific actions with them in order to move forward. The hidden object levels are a much more integral part of the game play than with the two games above. I’ve only just begun to get acquainted with adventure games and haven’t developed any skill with intuitively figuring out what comes next in each scene, so I was pretty frustrated playing Natalie Brooks. I liked it, though. I may buy the full version and play it through so I can get more comfortable with the adventure genre.

The History Channel Lost Worlds

The History Channel Lost Worlds is special! Being from The History Channel, you know it’s got some educational value and is, of course, family friendly. There are more split-screen find-the-differences puzzles and jigsaw-type puzzles than hidden object games, but they’re all challenging, some devilishly so. Little history lessons come with each level, of course. The artwork is superb and the entire game is quite engaging. I’ll be buying this one for my collection.

Hidden Secrets: The Nightmare

Hidden Secrets: The Nightmare is another adventure game which came out about a month ago. I finally played it today in furtherance of my efforts towards trying to master adventure games. They’re still pretty frustrating for me at this point. There’s not “pure” hidden object play in Hidden Secrets - it’s incorporated into the adventure. The darkness of some of the scenes makes it impossible to “see” what you’re looking for. You have to rely on the objects being highlighted as you mouse blindly over them. I’d rather a game that doesn’t have to give you the clues. The minigames are fun and somewhat challenging. I did enjoy the storyline, so I may buy the full version, practice my adventure game skills a bit more and find out how the story ends.

Escape the Museum

Well, I thought I had reviewed Escape the Museum for you a week or so, but I guess not. It’s another adventure game/hidden object game combo. The hidden object action is more robust here than in the other games on this list. The storyline is interesting, but annoying. If you brought your daughter to work with you at the museum and an earthquake trapped you in separate ends of the building, would you stop to search for museum artifacts on your way to rescue her? Not if your body has ever produced progesterone! Still, there’s a lot of great hidden object fun here, making Escape the Museum worthy of purchase.

The mixed genre/hidden object game combo is growing rapidly into it’s own specialty niche. I’m good with that. Anything that brings us more hidden object fun is okay with me. You can get a free one-hour demo of each game above by following the links. Full versions are available for $19.99 from Big Fish Games. If you want to get them at a nicely discounted price, check out the link in the graphic below and get your own Game Space.