House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets Collector's Edition Overview & Download link

 for $ 13.99 only!

Hi there. And once again Thursday come in and game with ghosts has just begin. Big Fish Games Studios released new Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game, created by Alawar/Five.BN Games - House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets Collector's Edition. And we will start this overview with the gameplay video (quite usual for my blog, yeah?).

 House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets Collector's Edition Game is about ghosts. Lots of ghosts. Again. In my last post I already wrote about ghosts's siege of the HOG genre and new about-ghosts-games are still arrives. I'm really bored of this. But what can we done? Nothing.

I suppose, this is caused by the next: some time ago Hidden Object/Adventure games about ghosts suddenly becomes popular. Gamers all over the world actively started to download and play this kind of games. Game developers noticed this tendency and start to develop more games about ghosts.

For a time people liked it, they bought and played new and new casual games, just like House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets. And at last that was enough about-ghosts-games but new ones was releasing over and over again. Now when most casual gamers see new HOG about ghosts, they say: "What?! Ghosts again?"

All of the above didn't mean that House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets is a bad game, it's not true. This game could be priceless, if only it was released year ago. Or at least half of a year. Now House of 1000 Doors loosing huge part of it's audience because of the thematics. But I may understand the developers: when you did the biggest part of the game it has no sense to stop the development, even if the trend is over already.

But let's talk about House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets itself. Your avatar is Kate Reed, a young author, an articles writer. One day strange thing happens: Kate received the invitation to took part in the classes of the School of Spiritism. And the strangest thing was that typewriter typed the invitation itself without any human involved. There among the other psychics and mediums Kate were summoning the spirits of the dead, communicate with them and do her best to help them.

Suddenly for other teachers and students of School of Spiritism spirit of her long dead grandmother arrived and sent her a strange message. Message, that can change her life forever. Kate is going to visit a world she's never imagined!

Grandmother told Kate that there is a strange haunted building, that appears only at midnight on Badlow Island. And that is not a simple haunted house... This building is a portal, where dead and living can interact. If some spirits has an unfinished business and can't rest in peace - living can help this spirit by coming through this house with the spirit rescue mission.

And now this task is on you. Kate will solve mind-bending ancient mysteries to help the restless souls. She will discover darkest secrets of Lancaster family - owners of this haunted manor. Can you help the dead? Tasks in House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets will be tough, for example: once lady was coming to her beloved one by the train. But he wasn't on the station - he was already dead. Soon she died too but both become ghosts because of that unsuccessful meeting. You must restore the situation to let them meet on the station and rest in peace at last.

Just as usual, House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets Collector's edition includes:

• Bonus gameplay. I ended it in about an hour. Not much, but not boring too.
• Wallpapers and concept art with ghosts. Nice but nothing really interesting.
• 1 (one) screensaver. Game music, game images. Nice and simple.
• Integrated strategy guide (tips, hints, screens with lightened answers - all necessary stuff).

Summing up, House of 1000 Doors: Family Secrets Collector's Edition isn't a bad game. Why House of 1000 Doors wasn't released a year earlier? It may have much better rating. 

Gameplay is interesting, puzzles are variate and good, story isn't completely boring. But I may recommend this game only to the players, who loves ghosts thematics. Others can find better things to do. Good luck!

Rating: 4.3/5.

 for $ 13.99 only!

Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition Review and Download link

 for only $ 13.99!

Hello, my dear friends. Thursday has come and Big Fish Games released new fresh HOG - Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition. Some of you may already play Beta of this game, but it shows only the beginning of Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts, so I will review it to examine full version. And traditionally we will start with the gameplay video.

Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition game is devoted to the extremely popular for the last years ghosts thematics. Personally I'm very tired from ghosts - they are playing/non-playing characters in every second game. But I will do my best to examine the game impartially, ignoring my prejudice. And I will start with overview of the heart of any game, not only Hidden Object - storyline.

In Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition you are playing as young and beautiful girl named Sara (actually, I didn't remember the game where your avatar was an ugly dwarf, a hunchback, nasty longshanks or something - we are always playing as a charming girl or a beautiful prince or someone like that).

Sara inherited an old manor, and everything looks good until she find out that house is cursed! There are ghosts here, and there's lot of them - ghosts of a men, women and even animals (for example, cats). Actually, house may be called the Realm of Ghosts! If you want to live peacefully, you must cause all spirits to leave you be. You must let them rest in peace.

First of all in Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition Sara must take care about the first ghost you met - spirit of the girl named Emily. Many years ago, when Sara wasn't even born yet, Emily died. She dropped from an attic window and died in a moment, her death was so sudden and unexpected then she become a restless ghost.

And now it's your task to discover what happened with the Emily in the year of her death and with the spiritual help you will uncover the mystery of her premature burial! Some other ghosts may even help you, but other has become crazy during all these years and will make your life harder.

If you won't help Emily to end her unfinished business, then the restless spirit will dwell within your house until the end of times. And unfortunately there is no way to solve this mystery in our realm, and Sara must enter Ghosts Realm to do it. It is very unlike Earth - everything in Ghosts Realm is eventually changing - you are coming through a corridor and when you are trying to come back - it will be only dead end there. Ghosts are everywhere and some of them are really evil!

In our reality ghosts cannot do lot of damage - all they are capable of is to scare people and in extraordinary cases - to move some objects on a little distance. But in Realm of Ghosts they are just as material as you are, but have some supernatural abilities - there ghosts are more dangerous, than humans.

Graphically Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts game is pretty good - you are traveling in day and night, seeing the scenes inside and outside. Some Hidden Object scenes are covered with dust and rubbish, others - full of pieces of art, haven't seen so many variations for a long time. Very good job. Music and sounds are also good, but nothing extraordinary.

As always, Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts Collector's Edition includes Integrated Strategy Guide (it's designed just like in previous Big Fish games, so if you have seen at least one Strategy Guide then you know how this one is looks like), Bonus Gameplay (few Hidden Object scenes and Puzzles, united in a little story brunch - I finished it in two hours) and other usual stuff - wallpapers and concept art. Nothing special here.

Let's summarize. Haunted Past: Realm of Ghosts is a qualitative game dedicated to the ghosts. Changing the realities of the same places (Human's Realm and Ghost's realm) is a great finding for a HOG (actually, it reminds me about Silent Hill 3). So if you like ghosts thematics - try this game, it's good enough. If you bored from ghosts just as I do - try something else, for example Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen.

Rating: 4.5/5.

 for only $ 13.99!

Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen CE Overview & Download link

 for $ 13.99 only!

Good day, my dear friends. Today I will review newest PC/Mac game from Blue Tea Games (Developer) and Big Fish Games (Publisher) - Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen. As usual for A-class HOG, Big Fish firstly released Collector's Edition only. Standard edition will be available only a month later. And as usual for me, I'm offering you to start our overview with gameplay video.

I liked the videosequence of this game very much. Storyline of Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen  in the end may be similiar with some other casual games but beautiful snowed landscapes making you forget about it. Great detailed animation, wonderful weather effects - i.e. snowstorm, sunny winter day etc. Great graphics, really.

This is already third part of Dark Parables game series. It's easy to see that if someone creating third part of the game it means that first and second parts were successful. First part was called  Dark Parables: Curse of the Briar Rose, second - Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince.
In 2010 first part - Dark Parables: Curse of the Briar Rose was released. It included clever puzzle, beautiful graphics and truly wonderful Cursed object minigame that was called on of the greatest minigames ever. Curse of the Briar Rose told us the story of the Sleeping Beauty, but more spooky and dark way. Prince kissed everyone and removed the curse of eternal sleep and briars that captured the whole kingdom. The only person who stayed unaffected by prince's kiss was the sleeping beauty herself. And now, when about thousand years has passed, briars has returned and you must find out, why. Game was very good and interesting, so soon sequel was developed.

In Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince, released in the beginning of this year, you were investigating the disappearance of the chancellor's daughter and suddenly uncovering the long lost kingdom of the exiled Frog Prince! You find out that centuries ago beautiful girl kissed a frog and it become a handsome prince. But it ends badly and now exiled prince living in a black forest, yet again as a frog. Game was even more interesting, then the first part, graphics was greatly improved. So now we are facing the third part. As you may notice, stories of various parts isn't connected, so you can play any of the games independently.

In the third game, Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen you are investigate the disappearance of children. Once defeated and destroyed, evil Snow Queen resurrected from the snow ashes and attacking nearby villages. Eagles and wolves are helping her, snow giants are protecting her and her powers are growing! You must stop Snow Queen before her army will be big enough and her supernatural powers - strong enough to break Snowfall Kingdom to pieces!

In Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen to explore the Snowfall Kingdom you will break through walls of ice, survive deadly snowstorm, troll and wolf attack, explore various frozen locations with frozen humans and animals. Some of them may be helped, others - no. And remember: in evil hands even beautiful green apple may be deadly and dreadful.

 Summing up, Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen game is good. It's not so gloomy us previous parts (because of the white snow everywhere) and some parts of the story were used in other HOGs, but the most important part of any game - gameplay is practically perfect. Various puzzles and minigames (mostly logical enough), beautiful Hidden object scenes, moving according to onscreen map (like in good old-school RPG's) - great, really great. Try it, and maybe you like it just as I do.

Rating: 4.8/5.

 for $ 13.99 only!

Haunted Manor: Queen of Death Collector's Edition PC Game Review & Download

for only $ 13.99!

Hello, my friends. Today we will reviewing newest Hidden Object game from Big Fish Games Publisher - Haunted Manor: Queen of Death. It's the second part of Haunted Manor game series. It isn't hard to understand from the game name, that Haunted Manor games are dedicated to the ghost thematics. And traditionally let's watch gameplay video.

 Nice graphics, lots of ghosts and Hidden Objects... Must be interesting, let's take a closer look. Haunted Manor 2: Queen of Death is the second part of Haunted Manor game series. Although main storyline of the first and second parts are practically not connected together, the only unity for them - ghost thematics.

First part of the game was called Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors. It was long and interesting Hidden object game (includes 17 chapters + additional bonus chapter in Collector's edition). Game was wonderfully re-playable - list of hidden objects to find was always different for the same room for different players, after completion of a few puzzles you may skip one next puzzle, some puzzles may be reset by leaving and reentering the room. Hints were unlimited. All those advantages are present in the second part too.

In Haunted Manor 1 your avatar was Stan Riddle, who explored an abandoned house, full of ghosts. When our protagonist finding the giant mirror in the wall, he realizes that he look not in his own eyes, but in the eyes of some evil mystical creature. Those creature - Lord of Mirrors - suddenly attacks Stan and his soul was trapped into some diabolic realm. There are lot of likewise imprisoned, poor souls who has lost all hope to break away from this hell.

You were interacting with your environment by many various ways, solving complicated puzzles, while in the end finding the way to defeat Lord of Mirrors and escape from the cursed Haunted Manor. Creep factor in the game was strong enough to make your heart beat faster. Now let's finally talk about sequel - Haunted Manor: Queen of Death.

You are the girl named Christie, who was born and grow up in the great mansion of your family - three floors of secrets and interesting stuff, spacious loft and basement, family crypt. When you grow up, you was break your relationships with your family and leave. Your life was happy enough, until one day you received strange and spooky letter. It contains the warning about you and grave danger for your whole family. Your attempts to phone them fails and now you are on your way back home.

But when you arrive, you can hardly identify your homeland. House looks like abandoned and half destroyed. All your family are dead - murdered by the hellish beasts! And those monsters are still here and ow they are chasing you and guarding the sole survivor of the attack - your sister. So now you must be strong not for yourself but for your native sister - you MUST find a way to save her!

Soon you will know that behind this ruthless massacre is no one but Queen of Death herself! And those monsters are only her horrifying retinue. The only way to stop her is to obtain the ancient magical amulet, that was in possession of your family for many centuries. Your father didn't told you the truth and now only ghosts of your family can help you. Escape the monsters, explore the mancion, once so familiar and now so dangerous!

To save your sister Stella you must concoct mighty elixir, using this ancient amulet and use it against the Queen. All in the manor are dead, even your old nanny was killed by one of those beasts. No one can help you in Haunted Manor: Queen of Death, and death itself is after you. And remember: direct attack is no use because Queen of Death are hiding inside your sister - only the elixir may stop this unholy possession.

Summing up, Haunted Manor: Queen of Death Collector's Edition is a great game about ghosts and demons. It's not a masterpiece and in a few years it may be forgotten. But for today it's a very good game and I may recommend it for every Hidden Object lover.
Rating: 4.5/5

for only $ 13.99!

Azada 3: In Libro Collector's Edition Overview & Download link

 for $ 13.99 only!

Hi there. Today  we will review newest Hidden Object Adventure Puzzle game - Azada: In Libro. As usual for good quality Hidden Object Games, game releaser Big Fish Games firstly released Collector's edition of the game to retrieve maximum profits from the game. But let's forget about sad and watch gameplay video.

As you can see, Azada: In Libro Collector's Edition game is pretty cool. In this game you will travel to the capital of Czech republic - Prague. You will travelling by the train, but your travel won't last long. Your seeking of an inheritance will stop by finding the unusual book - most likely magical. A man who looks like old majordomo attacks you and shows his true identity - young man. He leads you to the trap and tells that Azada has chosen you. Man called you a friend, although his actions didn't look friendly (at least in the first place).

Now you must trust in struggle to protect Azada... An evil sorcerer attacks magical worlds of Azada, hidden on the pages of the ancient magical book. This magic book holds the entire worlds! You must protect those worlds from the ruthless invasion, but remember: some of those worlds in Azada: In Libro bring no less danger, than evil sorcerer himself.

To stop the sorcerer you will travel to those mystical worlds, some of them are like heaven, others - hellish. To save Azada you will overcome various mystical obstacles, fight with monsters and even demons, but not every creature you will meet is bad. Some of the original inhabitants of magical worlds struggles against the sorcerer too, so he captured and leave them imprisoned. You must free them and later some of those creatures will help you too.

Music in Azada: In Libro Collector's Edition game is really something: beautiful and melodic, tense when your life is in danger. Graphics isn't bad but pretty usual for Hidden object games. I may say that developers used the same game engine as in many previous games of this type. Summing up, gameplay is good and that is all we need to relish.

As you surely notice form the game name, Azada 3: In Libro Collector's Edition is the third part of Azada game series. First game called simply Azada. It combined standard point & click game mechanics with hidden items haunting and puzzles - for those times such combination was almost revolutionary. First part of the game series starts in a locked room, where you meeting the spirit, that called himself Titus. He was imprisoned in the manor by the evil uncle. To save him and let him free you must explore the manor and solve all puzzles, created by the uncle.

There was match 3 puzzles in Azada, memory matching, and moreover, each game chapter had it's own time limit, not little (usually about 30 minutes or so), but you were receiving some adrenaline. Game was nice, but it biggest feature - huge number of puzzles was also the weakness of the game - not everyone likes all kinds of puzzles so some gamers dislike it.

Second game, Azada: Ancient Magic, was successful sequel of no less successful first Azada game. Now young Titus himself was disarming a magical menace. Game had a great perplexing puzzles and deep wonderful atmosphere. His quest leads him through the library of classic literature, so Titus visited lots of magical places and tale stories - Dracula, Rapunzel and so on (about two dozens in the complete game). As you may understand some of the stories were very dangerous. The only game's weakness was it's shortness. And now at least we can play the third part.

As previous parts Azada: In Libro is a genre-bending title with interesting story, fun puzzles and great graphics. Game is really great and exciting. Unfortunately you may not call Azada 3 a long game, even with a bonus chapter (although it isn't short either). So this game is recommended for every Hidden object/Puzzle/Adventure game fun.

Good luck! And don't be shy - leave comments!

Rating: 4.6/5.

 for $ 13.99 only!