Recente recensies door Luci

Despite its small file size, it's about 2 hours of gameplay. It has humor and the world is odd but I did enjoy it. It didn't bore me and the story was cute. I think one pain is a bit of pixel hunting with some objects not in HOs. The HOs were a little mediocre since it's the messy style. The silliness makes up for that I guess.

I think for its retail price, it isn't worth it though. Artifex games are priced the same and I'd say they're definitely more wholesome in terms of quality content. There are a lot more games of the same price that's more satisfying. But if you ever come across it on a super sale, it's not so bad!

I wish I played Shaman Games chronologically so I could gauge how much they've improved over time. Sea Legends is definitely one of their older works and I don't think they should be judged too harshly anymore (as a creator) for the quality of this game given that I saw that they've improved so much in their newer games.

It was pretty okay but compared to Gogii games in this timeframe (2011) it was significantly less enjoyable. The graphics are definitely outdated although it is sort of widescreen. Everything was a bit stretched and blurry. They definitely focused more on the Hidden Object aspect of HOGs, there wasn't a lot of puzzles at all. That being said, the HO scenes were pretty mediocre. There were a lot of repetitive objects and recycled items and you would do the same scene 2 to 3 times. It was definitely a weak spot and I'm glad their newer games didn't have something like this. There was also the issue of extreme backtracking since there was no fast-travel map. One thing I did particularly like about this game is that some of the notes looked naturally handwritten which is always pleasing to me.

Overall, a pretty okay buy. No particular regrets but I fear it's become a very forgettable experience in exchange.

Surprisingly good and fun! I don't really have much opinion on the story, it wasn't my cup of tea much but it certainly did pick up the hype by Chapter 2!

PROS:
> Graphics were pretty good, widescreen backgrounds are always appreciated
> Had a lot of extras included!
> I really loved the disguise minigames and the stone collection
> I appreciate the attention to detail by providing extra information on alchemy and the dark ages
> Some HO scenes were really relaxing and refreshing, they put a spin to it that made it a lot more enjoyable
> The puzzles were entertaining as usual which I really have to give kudos to Shaman Games (I enjoyed the hourglass puzzle)
> Built-in strategy guides are always a friend!

CONS:
> The (true) HO scenes had some effort put into it although it did get a bit cluttered/low quality towards the end
> The game suffered a bit of backtracking and getting lost/being unsure what to do since sparkles were not very frequent, Marla's diary was also pretty vague in terms of hints
> It usually takes place in dark-ish dim locations so there aren't a lot of pretty looking visuals ALTHOUGH I did love the university and the library! (But it was the dark ages, I don't think they could have done much to make it nice, haha!)

Overall, I think I'm becoming a very good supporter of Shaman Games, much like Gogii. The level of thought they put into their games is really pleasing and I admire their love for their creations. Definitely a good buy for me!

The second game of the Dreamscape duology, there were definitely improvements though there were some sacrifices made to make that happen. They managed to include Hidden Object scenes so this game is officially a HOG.

PROS:
> They definitely raised the bar with the graphics, the backgrounds and items were pretty HD on widescreen but it's not surprising since this game is from 2014-2015. The quality is definitely up to par with Artifex games, with pleasing visuals and special effects.
> Dynamic hint system that's like a minigame in itself
> Still packed with achievements, morphs, bonus content and gameplay
> The interface was easier to use and navigate
> Puzzles were still varied and they looked good!
> You only experience HO scenes once per chapter (as opposed to most games using it twice)/HO scenes don't repeat

CONS:
> The voice acting is still pretty lackluster, and the horrible Sandman accent is back and still grates my ears
> Really unattractive character models, it's a really recent game so there isn't any excuse for them looking like they came straight out of 2005! The cat looked like a scary muppet...
> The story didn't have any build-up and the conclusion was horribly rushed. The entire plot of this game felt like a giant bonus chapter content rather than a story of its own.
> HO scenes were weak and posed no challenge but I can appreciate that they looked consistent, hand-drawn and not horrifically cluttered
> There isn't a lot of puzzles in this game and it felt like it focused on the point-and-click item rubbing aspect

Overall, this game is even more average than the first, now neutralized by the HO scenes (they really weren't all that necessary). The graphics though was pleasing, and I really enjoyed how clean and polished it all looked. Basically, it felt like decoration---nice to look at but that's all there is. I'd recommend it to anyone who has an hour or two to spend.

It's a fairly short puzzle adventure game designed with typical HOG-type graphics. It lasts about 2.5-3 hours, counting the bonus. No HO scenes from these developers again. It was pretty entertaining although the story didn't capture me much, the gameplay itself was smooth and relaxing.

PROS:
> Simple, consistent story
> Really hilarious main character who's well aware how BS the game mechanics are if it were the real world ("Laura doesn't seem like she wants to be rescued, everything here is broken!" "Who locks drawers like this?!")
> Fun puzzles that feel like they're not wasting your time or testing your patience
> Doesn't beat around the bush and limits scenes with its items to a small amount WHICH MEANS not much backtracking
> Included morphs, side puzzle with the dreamcatcher, bonus gameplay, bonus content, and achievements which made it a pretty tight package for me

CONS:
> I encountered a bit of bug where I think I might have activated the developer's debugging/scripting program in-game
> Kinda cringy voice-acting, especially from Doctor Sanders whom I feel like their VA was paid to do a really cheesy, corny Asian accent from English kung fu movies, you know the ones that sound like they pause every 3 words? OR LIKE MOJO JOJO from the Powerpuff Girls?

Overall, pretty average. The time you spend playing this felt nice, kind of like watching a movie that isn't so hyped up but you're not regretting your money back.

"In the end, Tim didn't help Laura anyway!"

As other reviews may have stated, this isn't a Hidden Object game but you know what? It was a lot more fun than a lot of the HOGs I've recently played. Its puzzle-solving and point-and-click feature was great. I was pleasantly surprised with it (though it might be because I was a bit hardened from experiencing some really irritable gameplay recently from other games).

I was entertained and amused the whole ride, I felt like it was a pretty smooth journey without heading to a frustrating direction. I think the story was very easy to follow and very consistent from start to finish. I'd definitely recommend this game for any HOG fan who enjoys the puzzles and item-using sections of HOGs more (seeing as there are absolutely no HO scenes).

PROS:
> Felt like a full and satisfying story (especially when you finish the bonus), one that felt like the development team had a lot of fun with conceptualizing
> Simple logic but was difficult enough to give some semblance of thinking throughout
> Although there was no map to fast travel, locations were simple enough to backtrack without losing your mind
> Built-in strategy guides are always helpful (although honestly, I don't think anyone would really need it)
> No two puzzles were the same, really loved the numbered wire puzzle
> So many scenes, backgrounds, and graphics, it felt very chocful without recycling locations
> Surprisingly, I'd say no HO scene is a plus if it can be helped, I felt like it would have deterred from the flow of the story

CONS:
> Honestly, other than a less than stellar voice acting (Tom definitely has professional potential though!), I have no complaints about this game and would definitely recommend it to puzzle game afficionados who are more lenient with aging graphic designs

If you're looking for a Hidden Object game, this isn't it. It's a puzzler + find matching objects game. To make it more disappointing, it reuses elements from another game---Namariel Legends: Iron Lord. The background and object art you see used in this game is a rehash from that game.

There's a story in between the puzzles but I can't really say I've paid too much attention to it since it's only narrated in two sentences and no actual 'events' occur in the game. I'm assuming it's the same story. Basically, if you just want a quick match-up game this is for you.

But if you'd like a bit more on the story side of things, I recommend just playing/buying the game it got its sources from: Namariel Legends. I had more fun with that than this. I'm assuming both games are from the same developers, so they lose nothing,

This was a pretty average game. Quite frankly though, I was disappointed it didn't fully stick to the sci-fi premise it presented itself. A good portion of the story takes place in a more fantasy feudal kingdom and that bummed me out. There are so many HO games that revolve itself around fantasy, and I was hoping I could get away from that.

That being said though, the gameplay itself was pretty okay. There was a bit of a pixel hunt struggle since the location sparkles weren't always quite big and noticeable, but I was pretty thankful for the fast travel map and activity notification. There were also problems traveling on foot since the cursor only changes when you teeter very close to the edges of the screen.

There were way more puzzles than hidden object scenes in this one, and the HO scenes were fairly simplistic in comparison but thankfully not messy. The puzzles on the other hand... phew, some of them needed a LOT of patience, I mean a lot. Rather than complicated, they just took a lot of time to solve but I appreciate that no puzzle was the same and they were distributed all over the maps pretty evenly. If you're a HOG player that isn't fond of the puzzle aspect of any HO games, you will feel compelled to skip them.

Overall, it's okay. I didn't dislike it, I really enjoyed the space station at the beginning and wish they kept going for that theme. The graphics won't age very well sadly, but it's still very playable and I encountered no bugs. Hardcore puzzle fans will definitely get a kick out of this one.

Whatever you do, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME ON STEAM. The copy they have here is buggy and broken.

If you want to play this game, please get it somewhere else. Unfortunately, I encountered a bug where the screen was only present on the upperleft side (I'm assuming the scripting wasn't fit to resolution and was left with 800x600) which left me incapable of clicking out of the screen nor solving the puzzle there.

LIKE HERE

I managed to fix this by downloading a copy of the game from Youda and copying its data folder from there to the Steam version, but at a compromise that I had to make do with the tiny 800x600 screen nestled on the upper left of the screen. It worked, I managed to finish the game but it was pretty much a pain at that point and the story wasn't exactly worth doing that in the first place.

Honestly, I don't know what to say about this game. It was a pretty generic HOG, the plot is meaningless and all over the place. Like they couldn't decide if they wanted fantasy, steampunk, or noir. The puzzles are pretty subpar. I don't think I can recommend it in its state. Maybe if they ever came back to this just to fix those bugs/errors. It shouldn't even take very long and the game does seem to work in other websites.

Warning: This game might be broken when you first launch it. It appeared to be running but the window was not present. I experienced this, and luckily the fixed patch provided by someone in the game's discussions was able to help my problem and I was able to play it.

That being said, I'll review the game content itself although this bug should cause some concern for people who'd buy it at full price on Steam.

It's definitely an improvement from the first title when it comes to gameplay. The difficulty went up a notch, the objects now more obscured using shadows. The puzzles were a lot more well-developed and the background had extra animations that made the environments more pleasing and entertaining. The items you find in the HO scenes are used more often to progress to the next room.

The art has changed to a higher more polished quality although the resolution itself is stuck at 800x600. This made it difficult to pick out some objects, and it required a bit of pixel hunting. Basically, if the item was a string, the clickability is limited to that thin strand which means you'd be clicking frantically at it until you perfectly hit the string. It was a major struggle to click on rings, tiny bugs, and the like.

There's a bit of gripe with repetitive objects, and mixed quality again. Some objects look real while others looked hand-drawn. I'd really prefer one or the other since it sorts of breaks the immersion and makes the game itself look messy and cheap. And I don't know how many times I'd need to seek 'sack' and 'knife/dagger' in every part of the world. There are a lot of things in the world, why limit to so many similar items? And they're not even hand-drawn.

Unfortunately, the story was a lot less interesting than Hidden Roses of Athena for me, I just didn't resonate with the dialogue and found myself glazing over it. I really liked the bar area, it was a different take on HO scene interactivity but the story itself felt quite condensed in comparison to its predecessor.

Overall, it was playable and I still had some fun with it. I liked the puzzles a lot more this round but the countries chosen maybe not so much. Buy it only if you'd like to experience the continuation of Samantha Swift's journey (since it picks up where you've left off) but as a standalone game, I don't particularly feel enthused about it.