Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty Collector's Edition Overview & Download

What will you do, if evil witch will steal your beauty? Will you follow her to her lair?

Rating: 4.5/5.

Hi, friends, sorry for my vacation over 1/2 of a year. OF course it isn't a vacation, in a contrary, I have absolutely no time to write even about best casual games you can imagine. Now I'm back, but don't sure for how long. But what I'm sure of is that my posts will definitely become shorter because of the lack of time. 

Today we will review newest Hidden Object game from Big Fish, published in a middle of August 2012 - Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty. For now game released only for PC and only in Collector's Edition variant. But experience telling us that in the future Big Fish Games will also publish Standard Edition and Mac OS version too, we just have to wait. But lets get to business and we will start our review from the official gameplay video.

Great spooky landscapes and unusual story in Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty Collector's Edition game, somehow familiar with the Howl's Moving Castle.

Exciting, but let's stay sharp and continue our overview of Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty.

Scary thing, huh? It's a witch, your in-game antagonist. And your protagonist will meet her very soon. Actually, at very beginning of Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty Collector's Edition game.

Just at the beginning of the Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty story grandma of your character (20-years old girl named Angelica) started to tell you stories from her childhood, including story of spooky portrait from these times, portrait of her school director.

This woman was very dangerous and evil, every pupil in grandma's school was scared to death by her, and grandma wasn't an exception. They say even that director even was familiar with black magic. So when one day director glanced at the grandma, she just run away and never returned.

Director's name in Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty Collector's Edition game was Madame Flemet. But when your grandmother said it, something horrible happened. Portrait of Madame Flemet suddenly turned alive and terrible creature, similar with Madame Flemet but likely eons older, came from there.

This morbid monster started some unexpected and horrifying actions in Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty game. First it took your grandma's soul, so she died. And then it steal your beauty, Angelica's beauty! Now monster turned into a nice woman, and you become ugly! Then witch has disappeared.

Now when Angelica lost her grandma and her beauty too, she must made a choice. She must start a witch hunt, and find a way to obtain her lost beauty once again and to punish Madame Flemet for her crimes. Fortunately, grandma leaved a trace - one of her previous stories was about Flemet's house.

So Angelica will travel there, break into Flemet's mansion and started her battle against the witch and her henchmen. She will discover, that Madame Flemet feed on captured souls of her victims and that's a way for her to gain immortal life. Is this a way to stop the immortal witch? Download Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty Collector's Edition and find out!

Summing up, Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty Collector's Edition game is pretty good. Graphics is realistic and great detailed, music is fine, tense in the right moments. HOS are well-drowned and interesting, and some puzzles are truly out of common. Finale hiding some surprises for you. So Witch Hunters: Stolen Beauty game worth your attention and place on your hard disc. Good luck!

Rating: 4.5/5.

Shiver 2: Poltergeist Collector's Edition Overview & Download

What can spoil the joy of inheriting a manor in the Great Britain? Only the Poltergeist!

Rating: 4.4/5.

 for only $ 13.99!

Hello, my dear friends, once again the time has come to review new Hidden Object game from Big Fish - Shiver 2: Poltergeist. As usual, Shiver 2 isn't pure HOG - it's also includes Puzzle and Adventure game elements, and that's good. And as usual Big Fish Games released on March 2012 only Collector's Edition of the Shiver 2: Poltergeist game. Big Fish simultaneously released game for PC (download link can be found upper) and for Mac. Standard Edition will be available in the end of April. Or never :) But speaking seriously lets firstly watch video with gameplay elements, and only then we can do some conclusions about game.

Nicely drawn landscapes and locations, great interactive game videos, looking like a real thriller to me. Also Shiver 2: Poltergeist includes pretty interesting story. Can't say it's revolutionary but it isn't boring too. At least I payed attention to the storyline until the very end of game.

Long time ago a young girl was in love with the master of the Kangale Estate. He loved her too, and their destiny was appeared to be great and happy. But that was only a dream, reality changed everything to worse. Much, much worse.

From the ancient times there is some supernatural force in the Kangale Estate and it claimed to have influence on the actions that are happening there. Those force didn't like the girl and didn't want her to be a mistress of the Estate. That's why she died.

When the girl visited the lighthouse, the fire suddenly started. She was cut off from the exit by the fire, and firestorm was spreading dramatically fast. The only way for her  was to go up to the lighthouse's top. But there was no salvation, fire followed her there, so the only way for her was to jump. Her beloved one seen the fire, he took the boat and sailed to the lighthouse, but he was too late. Girl jumped, girl died.

But all of this is history. Your avatar's name is Ricardo Chellini and until the age of thirty his life was really dull. But then he received a letter that he inherited a manor in England. The Kangale Estate. And now the time has come for scary adventures!

Estate placed on the island, where even in the middle of summer you won't see the light of sun - only the myst and the rain. You took the boat and sailed to the island, to your new home. No one met you on the pier, but it's even better: you can familiarize yourself with your manor by the way you want.

Soon Ricardo will find out, why the game is called Shiver: Poltergeist. Strange things will occur with him all the time. It's enough to turn around - and objects behind your back will change their positions. Fire in the Fireplace will appear by itself, doors will open and close whenever they want. Scary place to live.

Some rooms and even buildings around the manor are ruined or half ruined: looks like they was abandoned many years ago. Meet the ghosts from the past times (they can be seen in the mirrors and dark rooms of the manor) and find out, what gruesome actions happened in the Kangale Estate!
If you experienced some technical problems - go to the game forum.

Now about my impressions and feelings from the Shiver 2: Poltergeist Collector's Edition. First of all, it's continues the story of the first game - Shiver Vanishing Hitchhiker, but the connections between the stories are weak. Gameplay is interesting, but there is nothing extraordinary - simple puzzles, usual Hidden Object scenes. But there is also no significant cons in the game.

Main Shiver: Poltergeist game advantage is atmosphere. It's really great, you feeling that there is no hope for the lost souls and maybe there is no hope for you either. And by the way, piano melodies in the game are just perfect.
Buying Collector's Edition of Shiver 2: Poltergeist will give you some pleasant bonus features (absent in the Standard version) - Integrated Strategy guide, bonus gameplay (more quests connected with the rusty lighthouse and ferry), Wallpapers (in various resolutions) and Concept Art. As you may notice, everything is pretty standard for Big Fish Games Collector's Editions.

What I may say in addition? There is nothing really new or revolutionary in this game, but Shiver 2: Poltergeist Collector's Edition will be successful because of this great atmosphere of darkness and despair. Ghosts are suffering and you can feel those suffers. No hope, no salvation can be found in the Kangale Estate. And that is why gameworld is so bogging, that's why it's hard to stop playing. Download Shiver 2: Poltergeist CУ - it's worth it.

Rating: 4.4/5.

 for only $ 13.99!

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!