Silent Nights: The Pianist Collector's Edition Overview & Download

Two girls, two famous musicians. What could happen, if one of them will be abducted? Silent Nights: The Pianist will give you the answer...

Rating 4.2/5

for only $ 13.99 U.S. Dollars!

Hello, my friends,  today Big Fish Games published new game, new Collector's Edition - Silent Nights: The Pianist. As usual it belongs to the Hidden Object/Puzzle/Adventure genre combination. I can remember only two cases of Collector's Editions not being HOGs during the last year - Royal  Envoy 2 Collector's Edition, nice Time Management game and Drawn 3: Trail of Shadows Collector's Edition - pure Adventure game with Puzzle elements. Of course, there was also Fairway Collector's Edition, but I really didn't like such combination of golf and card game (although Fairway is pretty popular among other gamers). But let's watch video with Silent Nights: The Pianist gameplay to find more about today's game:

Two things connected with this Silent Nights: The Pianist Collector's Edition Trailer: first - game is about music and musicians, even some of the puzzles are connected with the music, singing and musical instruments.  Second - I wasn't really impressed by the game graphics, especially after Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle. You can miss it in the darkness, but when we are coming into the lighted location, poor detailing is fully exposing itself. But let's not judge game by its cover and start to review Silent Nights: The Pianist more closely.

For generations your family gained fame and weight for the famous musicians, grown inside the family. Tradition of the musical education for every family member is almost sacred and in the end gained the family incredible wealth. From century to century almost every member of your bloodline was a gifted, talented musician - composer, singer, guitarist, pianist, organist, violinist, cellist and harpist etc. The same happens with you and your sister Yvette, so to the time when Silent Nights: The Pianist begins both of you appeared to be great musicians - vocalist and pianist.

For years both of you gave performances all over the country, sometimes even in foreign concert halls. And the time has come to turn back home, to return where you belongs. You and Yvette are called to perform a vocal concert in your hometown, and both of you agreed to do so with a great pleasure. Maybe you haven't seen your family for a long time but it doesn't mean you don't want to. Yvette came to your homeland first, you were going just after her. Thats when the problems of Silent Nights: The Pianist begins.

When you arrived you find out that horrible thing happened - Yvette has been kidnapped! Your hometown looks deserted and empty, you can't find any man on the streets.And you are in desperate need for help of the police, your family, anyone's help!  But there is no help coming. So Silent Night has begin and it's time for musician to play role of the private detective.

Soon, exploring the half-deserted town in Silent Nights: The Pianist you will find out, that Yvette was not a random victim, she's now a part of diabolical plan, dangerous for many people. She was abducted by the ancient organization, wearing robes to hide their true identities. Those mysterious group are planning to use Yvette talent for the dark and dangerous purpose, and what is most disturbing, it will absolutely lead Yvette to death.

It's not the first time the musician will carry justice to the criminals. You may remember film El mariachi by Robert Rodriguez, where traveling mariachi was taking the guns and fighting crime. This time you wouldn't kill anyone, but you should find a way to your sister and save her before Yvette will be silenced forever. Although you just  the Pianist for your sister you will pick locks, ram the gates with your car, blow the walls with the dynamite - do everything it takes to save your singer-sister!

Members of the ancient cult will do anything to stop you and kill you - they will set traps for you, they will shoot you with their guns, they will try to lock you up forever. Only wits and clever use of usual objects may help you to complete Silent Nights: The Pianist Collector's Edition and save Yvette from the terrible doom. Can you save your sister, or her beautiful voice will be silenced?

System requirements of the Silent Nights: The Pianist Collector's Edition is moderate: you will need only 2.0 GHz CPU to play game without lags, 512 Mb of memory, 485 MB of free space on your HDD and any Windows OS - from XP to Windows 7. Windows 8 not supported. Installation file size is about half gigabyte so you will need good Internet connection to download game fast.
Collector's Edition of Silent Nights: The Pianist for Windows from the Big Fish Games costs 13.99 U.S. dollars. For this money first of all you will gain early access to the game (Standard Edition will be available only in the middle of the April). Collector's Edition also includes Integrated Strategy Guide (usual for Big Fish - detailed description with pictures and screens for every game scene), bonus gameplay (with an intriguing start start - you are finding yourself trapped and chained inside the room), Wallpapers and Concept Art. Of course, music from the game are also included in the soundtrack (it would be strange if it were otherwise - in the end game is about music and musicians).

Now let's sum up. Silent Nights: The Pianist is not a bad Hidden Object, Puzzle, Adventure game, system requirements are normal, Collector's edition complectation of Silent Nights: The Pianist is also good. But there is something missing in the game, something important. Maybe developers just didn't include their soul into the game, maybe it's something else, but The Pianist isn't so entertaining as other HOGs. Some puzzles are too easy,and IMHO there's too many puzzles with fictional alphabet created by the game developers. Some letters in it is look like Vietnamese and differences one from another only by a dot or a short line, or a little curve. In some puzzles it may be annoying. Almost all hidden object scenes are dark, not the dangerously or beautifully dark but darkly gray and without contrast. I completed the game, I liked the finale and final quests, but I gained less fun than usual from this game. But although I still have fun, I may recommend to download Silent Nights: The Pianist, at least if you have no more interesting games waiting in line. Good luck!

Rating 4.2/5

for only $ 13.99 U.S. Dollars!

Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector's Edition Overview & Download

World, created by a stroke of brush... How beautiful and mysterious must it be! But what if this stroke was dark?

Rating: 4.7/5

 for only $ 13.99!

Hi, this time Big Fish Games released Collector's Edition of newest game - Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers which is not really exclusive. Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers was developed by Alawar Friday's Games, structural element of Alawar Entertainment. If you still don't know that, Alawar is another big casual games publisher, so it published Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers as well.

And now when Big Fish Games released Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers and write "Exclusive" label on it I may say, that it's not true. But whatever.
As you can see from the Gameplay video, this Alawar game is pretty good looking and interesting.

First of all, my main impressions after the Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector's Edition completion was pretty positive. It takes about six hours for me to complete the game (including bonus content) so I may say game is not too long.

As you may see from the numerous screens and gameplay video, graphics in Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector's Edition is pretty good. All game actions are happening at night so mostly scenes are dark and gloomy, but in the will-lighted areas everything is well detailed and nice.

Gameplay of Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers is interesting and various. Hidden Object scenes are changed by the different puzzles, animated interactive scenes and videos showing to you storylines movement and creating a high tension.

Music is good, actors are voiced all game dialogs so it's another pro for a game. There is also lot of various side sounds, some of them connected with your actions and movement, other are random and created by the game environment, for example, by the rabid dogs sneaking you from behind and going to reap your flesh and tear your bones. It adds a lot to the Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers atmosphere.

But let's finally talk about the storyline. Your protagonist (avatar, if you want) is a man named Ethan Black. He lived in the strange world, where magic and technology are working together, where buildings, towns and entire realms may be created by the single stroke of brush. And Ethan lost his bride-to-be - Clair.

Clair was kidnapped by one of the most powerful, most hideous and most secretive forces in the Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers game realm - the Faceless ones order. When new member is initiated for the order, he is starting to hide his face behind the mask. They say that during the initiation procedure the Faceless ones Elders are disfigure the faces of newcomers, removing their skin. But there will always be willing to pay this horrible price for the power and supernatural abilities that the Faceless ones has.

Faceless ones headquarter are situated in the dreadful tower, placed in the center of once crowded town. When the Faceless ones has come there, some town inhabitants were killed, others run away. Son now the town become the ghost of former self, empty and rotten. Some buildings are destroyed by numerous fires, other are half-ruined without proper care. Some people are still lives here, but they are mostly hiding like wild animals, very few of them aren't afraid of the Faceless ones.

Before the beginning of Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers  story Ethan Black tried to stay away from the supernatural forces and battles of the powers, and we can say, he was pretty successful. But this time everything went wrong from the very beginning.

Your train crushed on the bridge across the river. River near the forbidden city, home of the Faceless Ones. So it's not a big surprise that they are captured your bride-to-be, your fiancée Clair and now her life is in great danger. You are the only one able to follow her to the forbidden city, looking for any clues leading you to the Faceless one's base.

But "the only one able to" don't mean that it will be easy. Faceless ones don't ready to peacefully let you enter their sanctuary, take Clair and go away. Be ready to traps and attempts to kill Ethan Black (or get rid of him by any other possible way). Firstly everything will be pretty innocent: doors will be clothing in front of you, train will closed doors just after you and will move in unknown direction, hard objects will fall from the roofs somewhere near your head...

And your most problem is that you are just a human: not a superhero, not a hero at all, you have no supernatural powers or advanced abilities of martial arts, or at least technical knowledge. You are no one and you can do nothing. Your enemies in the contrary has both technical knowledge and supernatural abilities. They can froze you, burn you, break you, do whatever they want, and they won't hesitate to do so if you will made a mistake.

Will Ethan Black be able to save Clair and defeat the Faceless ones? Can he repay the debt of his father? Will he complete his quest and find what he's looking for in the depths of fiery abyss? Download Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector's Edition and find the answers in the black heart of a decimated city.

Collector's Edition of this Hidden Object Game includes everything you may need - Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers strategy guide, integrated in the gameplay (may be in handy when you are stuck), bonus gameplay with special chapter, High Definition Wallpapers and Concept Art and soundtrack (11 tracks - more than enough).  But even without bonus materials Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers includes 58 locations, 20 hidden object scenes and 16 mini-games.

System requirements for Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector's edition is  the same as for Standard Edition: you will need 1.8 GHz CPU, 512 Mb of RAM, any modern Windows OS, starting from the Windows XP and to Windows 7 (efficiency on the Windows 8 not confirmed yet). Also you will need 682 Mb of HDD free space and DirectX 9.

Summing up Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers is pretty good Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game. Storyline is unusual (no boring haunted houses with ghosts), graphics and music are good, gameplay is fascinating. So Dark Strokes: Sins of the Fathers Collector's Edition is worth downloading.

Rating: 4.7/5

 for only $ 13.99!

Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle Collector's/Standard Edition Review & Download

Once again you will become a part of Mystery Trackers Order! This time you will go the the distant island in search of missed journalist and other islanders. Mysterious hooded figure with supernatural abilities will try to stop you in Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle Collector's Edition.
Rating: 5.0/5

 for only $ 13.99!

 for only $ 2.99!

Hello, my dearest friends and readers! It happened what we've been waiting for such a long time - Mystery Trackers 3 released. That's a third time when you should wear clothes of Mystery Trackers Order apprentice to prove your ability to fight paranormal crimes. As usual Big Fish Game released only Collector's edition of Mystery Trackers: Black Isle, this long-awaited game from the Elephant Games, trying to get maximal profits from the impatient gamers. There is also Mac version available. Let's see, what Elephant games prepared for us.

Short Mystery Trackers 3 overview can be found in the next game video:

When I watched gameplay of Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle for the first time - my jaw dropped. I have never seen such incredible character animation in any Hidden Object game, in any casual game, in any game at all! Some casual games creators already tried to use photos in the games, and until those photos was fixed  everything looked good. But when someone on the screen was moving or was speaking, nightmare begin.

This time everything is different. Elephant Games didn't spent money, received from the Mystery Trackers 1-2 for nothing (I mean, for entertainment, buying a new cars and houses) on the contrary they pay to the real actors, hired stuff for implementing character animation in the game core. And the results are really impressive. But let's talk about the  Black Isle storyline.

Before we begin our story of Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle, let's remember previous parts of Mystery Trackers game series. First Part was called Mystery Trackers: The Void, second - Mystery Trackers: Raincliff. In the first game - Mystery Trackers: The Void - actions took place in the Void family mansion. Once upon a time it used to be a gorgeous home, until Dr. Malleus Void inherited it. This creepy doctor spent his time doing terrible experiments in the home, leading to the numerous deaths among his patients, so the manor has been abandoned for an entire decade. After three world famous celebrities (writer Kevin Sting, actress Rebeca Thatcher, and magician Jerald Springs) gone missing inside this cursed Void house, it was up to the Mystery Trackers to go inside and solve its mysteries once and for all.

Someone claimed that The Void was clone of the Mystery Case Files series, because storyline and main gameplay are really similar. But this game was independent and good enough to spent time with her. Game brings real enjoyment, there was neither too small nor blurry objects. Animation was great (for example, where hint becoming available - hint-frog was climbing onto the pedestal). The story was partly hidden from you, to understand it completely you should read all journals and diaries you found. And in the end The Void become very popular among the gamers.
Mystery Trackers done their job. House mysteries were revealed, and evil was punished. and the time for sequel has come.

Second game was called Mystery Trackers 2: Raincliff. There were not only three people missing - entire group of students now disappeared in the city of Raincliff! This time you was searching town looking for any traces of missing students, and someone watches you, trying to mislead and stop you. And remember that town was abandoned for ten years, so who knows what can you meet there.

This game was really long and exciting, Mystery Trackers this time met the ultimate challenge - even bus driver, that drive students to Raincliff, disappeared too. Two phantoms was attacking you all the way through Raincliff, but unsuccessful. To find out all game secrets, just as in the first part, you should read all side info on the found diaries and papers. No hidden object scenes repeated twice - another pros for a Mystery Trackers 2. Atmosphere, graphics, music, landscape - everything in Mystery Trackers 2 was really incredible. The only minus was the absence of the voice acting.

As you may see, the scale from part to part becomes bigger and bigger - the mansion - the city - the island! And the game length of Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle is also huge (especially counting Bonus Chapter, included in the Collector's Edition).
This time actions taking place on the distant island - Black Isle. Young journalist Sarah Steplton went there with her cameraman to make a reportage about this strange place. Island was abandoned few years ago after the terrific earthquake. But this quake was really strange - when rescue team arrives to the island, worried because any contacts with the island was lost - they found nothing, no corpses, no survivors - absolute emptiness. And the strangest thing - all buildings survived the earthquake, nothing fallen apart or destroyed.

For a time island was forgotten and empty, but just before Mystery Trackers: Black Isle story starts, in search of hot news famous TV show sent his best reporter - miss Steplton - to the island. Unfortunately for everyone she was attacked by some faded figure in a mask in a middle of her live reportage. She was possibly kidnapped or even killed, cameraman has gone missing too from that unsuccessful broadcast. So the Mystery Trackers order sent you, it's best best detective, to the Black Isle to find Sarah and her team.

You will explore the entire island, looking for roots of happening, trying to discover the identity of the power, used by the hooded man and to find whereabouts of missing journalist. You will use your Hidden Object talents and solve complicated puzzles (mostly open various locks) to investigate the Black Isle and unravel all its secrets! Just like in previous games you won't know the whole answers from the main game process - instead you should carefully read all materials you finding during the game. Mystery Trackers 3 game is long, but you won't be bored - atmosphere is incredible and your life often is in danger.

It will be easy to find missing operator and other team members, but journalist itself is well hidden. So discovering her prison and true nature of your enemy in Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle will be hard and connected with various dangers (for example, wild dogs may bite you to death if you fail to stop them). Puzzles are clever and various, hints are available to help you in hard cases (but you wouldn't use them too often - most puzzles are pretty logical and not hard to solve). In Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle all necessary elements for  best hidden object games are connected in the right proportion.

Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle won't require very powerful PC for comfort play. It will be enough to have 2.5 GHz CPU (1 core will be enough) 1024 MB of RAM (I suppose it's hard to find a PC with less RAM nowadays) and DirectX 9.0 (it's free to download, so I can't see any problems with this demand). Of course, Black Isle won't work with Windows 98 - you need at least Windows XP/Vista or Windows 7. There is no version for Mac OS for now, but it will be available soon. For Collector's Edition you should have at least 800 MB of free space on your HDD, standard edition demand at this point remains unknown.

No game before gain such rating as 5.0/5 from me. But I must admit: I loved Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle. This is the best Hidden Object game I played for years. Maybe there is some minor flows I missed, for example, someone may find this game too long, but for me it's just another advantage. Mystery Trackers 3 game includes high-quality puzzles, perfect music and sounds. But the most important elements for me - storyline and character animation are really wonderful, especially animation - it's the first game where characters are completely real, just like in the best movie. Download Mystery Trackers 3: Black Isle Collector's Edition and I promise: you won't regret it!

Rating: 5.0/5

 for only $ 13.99!