As a street orphan, your life is hard. Since your parents disappeared, following the appearance of the Shadows in your town, you're fending for yourself. However, the Elder managed to capture you because you weren't respecting her rules. In the Workhouse, in your cell, trying to find a way to escape, you meet Reed, a magical being and Emily, a young girl that claims to know how to defeat the Shadows. Too bad, the Elder decided to give Emily to the Shadows... Can you save her?
I've played the sequel first and wasn't convinced by it. I decided to play the first game so that I've done the series (at least the games sitting in my library). I must say that the plot was efficient (I didn't expect that twist) but the ending didn't clarify what happened to the Elder and the Mistress of Shadows. You also play as a child, so, expect some lightness in his observations. But well, you can see the adult side: handling a chainsaw, diving into the lake...
The gameplay is less focused on the hidden objects scenes and minigames but more on exploring around. The hidden objects scenes are easy, even with the green words which are items hidden in a scene. While I'm not an English native speaker, I must point that I've at least encountered a scull insteal of a skull or words that I felt coult have been easier: trumpet bugle, screw jack (I was expecting a screw), etc.. But otherwise, the items were easy to find. The real challenge were the minigames. Apart one or two that were easy, the rest was challenging. Some of them were classics for the genre, others were refreshing (like the minigame at the bridge where everything must be at 0 or spelling correctly APERIRE). I've enjoyed that side. However, sometimes, it was hard to come back to a previous location, so I've used the map, which is something I rarely do. I also encountered a bug where I solved the minigame I've mentionned at the bridge. I solved it but I click once more on a sign, so I didn't have 0 anymore. However, the minigame faded, considering that I've solved it... but my inventory wasn't shown, I still had the explanation for the minigame. I couldn't select any item to advance forward.
Also, it's worth mentionning that there are four difficulties: the last one doesn't allow you to switch to a lesser difficulty. I didn't try it though.
The art is good. You can feel the creepy atmosphere. And the cutscenes as drawing is a really good idea. The HUD was also good, kinda reminding me of a game for a tablet.
However, there was a major incovenience for me. Yes, you have music. Yes, you have sound. But there is no voice acting. I was reading everything. I must say that I've missed it because you didn't have, like in a book, any indication of the tone. I really felt that we were missing something in this game.
And the extras... I was expecting a bonus chapter with them. Collecting the suns is a nice feature but if it's for unlocking only wallpapers, sketches and sountrack, I'm quite disappointed.
Anyway, should I recommend it? I'm not convinced by the game but I must say that it was a refreshing approach to the genre. At least, I've enjoyed it more than Darkness Came, though I will play it a second time to see if I'm still standing by my opinion for it. There are better games than Beyond the Invisible: Evening but still I'm going to recommend it at discount price. It's too bad that we don't have a mixed option, because I would have chosen this one.
