This game was everything I expect when I think of hidden object games. Beautiful, well drawn art, an interesting story, and of course, hidden objects. There were also fun and interesting puzzles, good music, and subtle sound effects.
Your adventure begins in what seems to be your medical office. You get an urgent call from a stranger, who tells you that a patient whom you are scheduled to see in the morning, needs urgent help. You head right out, despite the weather (a terrible storm of course). The only bridge to the inn where you are to see your patient is blown out. You arrive only to find the hotel almost completely deserted. No employees, no patient, and only a few guests. You find the guest registry, which leads you to your patient’s room. You discover that it is empty, but the phone ringing. When you answer a strange and unfamiliar voice asks you if you’re ready to play his game. As you progress through the game you learn about yourself, the hotel’s shady past, and the other people there all of whom seem to be connected to the building in some way.
Gameplay
Gameplay is pretty straight forward. You can move forward and back through the main scene, and into and out of rooms to the left and right. You can back out all the way to the beginning of the game if you need to, though there are three points where you can tell you’re done and need to move forward and explore to continue, a bit like the acts of a play. The range of motion, and the ability to go back are essential to your progression. There is a LOT of back and forth between rooms, and areas.
The main hidden object games always revolve around something in the room, or scene that you’re in. There are (in easy mode) sparkles over areas that, when clicked on, zoom in to a scene. There will be an object with bubbles around it, each bubble containing something hidden, which you need to find and place into the bubbles, to use the main object. In some scenes there are several object that need completing, in others one object many times. When you find something useful, it floats down the screen into your bag, which you can open and close at will. The objects stay there until you’re done with them. Most of the time that’s one use, but not always.
There are also a variety of puzzles and tasks to complete. Some of them are fairly obvious, but others are less so. You often have to find parts to complete puzzles before you can even attempt them. Almost everything that can be interacted with is important.
Your first hidden object puzzle, a very simple one.
Your pointer and the Help button are both in the shape of a wolf paw (which makes sense when you learn that you’re at the White Wolf Hotel). The pointer turns red when you’ve done something, which, while fun, doesn’t seem necessary.
There are a few other people in the hotel with you, and therefore some interaction. This is the only game in this genre that I’ve played (so far) that gives you a choice of responses, when you talk to people. They don’t seem to effect the story at all, but it’s nice to have the option. The characters are all voiced, in addition to their conversations appearing at the top of your screen. I liked hearing them as opposed to just reading.
There is an optional tutorial when you start the game, as well as two difficulty levels.New players will appreciate the easier option, with the sparkles, and the quickly recharging help button. More experienced players will most likely enjoy the more difficult choice, as it should make the game progress more slowly. Both challenge levels include access to your journal, which holds helpful notes, photographs, a map that shows where you are in the large setting, locations that still require your attention, and a bulleted “To Do” list which updates automatically as you progress.
Your patient’s empty room. A dripping wet coat, and a creepy mask.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this game. I think I might need to start playing on the tougher level though, because I did get through it rather quickly. That is not a negative, however. I tend to get sucked into the story, and play intently to find out more about what is going on. That was definitely the case here.
