[b]Note:[/b] A wonderful friend gifted me a copy of this game. ^^
[h1]All the beautiful memories. ^^[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]Hidden Cat Memories[/i] is a cat-themed, hidden object game developed by Gemcraft Games and Bleeding Moon Studio and published by Gemcraft Games. Usually, these games don't have a story. However, [i]Hidden Cat Memories[/i] is one of the exceptions in which cats found around this spiritual world have their own fond memories with their beloved human friends. Also, there is a hidden story after you uncover all of the secrets (in the form of various hidden objects), but saying what it is would go into obvious spoiler territory. XD
As for the gameplay, you click on the kitties, any of their scrolls to reveal their memories, and other objects. You can zoom in and out of the scene using the mouse wheel. There's the option to play either in full screen or windowed mode, and of course, you can adjust music and sound volumes. No hint function is present. Lots of Steam achievements are present, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "profile features limited".
[h2]Review[/h2]
I've enjoyed many of these cat-themed, hidden object games, and I've played the dev's [i]Purrfectly Hidden Cats[/i] series. Although it took me a while to get around to playing this game, the wait was definitely worth it. ^^
First, I love that each cat has his/her own story. When you find a cat and his/her respective scroll, you learn about their sweet memories with their human friends. (I say friends rather than owners since I personally believe in friendship more. Yes, that sounds sappy, so I'll stop here. lol) I enjoyed reading their individual stories, and I especially enjoyed the hidden story that's obtainable after you obtain access to all of the five portals. It was very sweet but heartbreaking at the same time. Possibly, have a box of tissues next to you just in case. T_T
As for the gameplay, I didn't run into any major technical problems. With the option to choose windowed mode, I wish that there had been options to choose what size to play the game in. (I had to manually resize the screen.) Also, no hint option is available. Although I don't usually have a problem with this since I'm pretty good at finding all the items, a hint option would have helped in this case. Even after completely zooming in, some items can still appear way too small. Fortunately, there is an excellent Steam user walkthrough if you have trouble finding all of the items and whatnot.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3297071553
However, I will say that I liked that there is a bit of challenge in this game. When it comes to the portals, you have to search certain areas for keys to access them. Specifically, you need three keys for each portal. (Again, I highly recommend the above guide if you have trouble finding the keys.) Also, all of the Steam achievements unlocked for me without any problems although it might take a while, depending on whether you choose to blitz through or take your time playing the game. Personally, I'd suggest taking your time since games are meant to be enjoyed. ^^
With the art, the style is as beautiful as the games in the [i]Purrfectly Hidden Cats[/i] series. The background and cat sprites are drawn well, and items are colored either in a soothing blue or bright green color.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3400002884
In regards to the music, there are a few tracks present, and they feel soothing and relaxing to listen to. They're a perfect accompaniment as you're going about finding all those cute kitties, reading their memories, and finding other hidden object items. Also, the sound effects are nice to hear, like the ringing of a bell when you find an item tied to a portal.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Overall, would I recommend [i]Hidden Cat Memories[/i]? If you enjoy hidden object games, especially cat-themed ones, really want to play a game that has touching, heartwarming stories, and/or want to get those Steam achievements, then it's worth checking out. For the asking price, the quality is very good, but you can wait for a sale, and it's in a Steam bundle. ^^
[quote]For more detailed, fully complete, high quality reviews like this, please follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44702020/]The Introverted Gamer[/url], prioritizing heart and soul always. ^^[/quote]
