I will preface this by saying that most of my previous experience with hidden object games has strictly been published by Artifex Mundi, so this is the first game I've played that has not been through them. I will say that I am pleasantly surprised, and am glad to have played it!
I thought the storyline for this game was refreshing and different from others I had played. Just like most HOP games I've played, you play as a character trying to save or rescue another character. This game, however does have switching perspectives, and I did appreciate being able to play different sides of the story. I had gotten this game because I thought the plotline sounded romantic to a degree, and the game certainly did deliver with that.
The soundtrack also matched the events of the story, which was appreciated, though I did notice that a lot of the music remained the same. There were a select sections of plot where the music did not match the moment, and while that didn't change the emotions being depicted, it would have enhanced the gameplay.
The achievements and collectibles in the game were a ton of fun! I loved the variety given to the player: you get statues of different shape-shifters around the world, different feathers for dream catchers, and you get potions you can spend to clean and shape up an old witch's hut! The potion currency especially was a ton of fun, and I loved reading all the descriptions. I was rather sad that the Man and Bear statue didn't actually show up in my game and just a blank space, but that does happen in games occasionally. I found it so much easier to get the collectibles because you actually have a couple indicators that let you know whether you've found all the collectibles in an area, and I appreciated that a lot. The achievements themselves were neither easy nor hard to get, and didn't make that feel like a chore.
There are a couple of things that I wish the game did have though. I thought the ending for the main game seemed rushed
and underwhelming in comparison to the rest of it, so I wish a little more time and preparation had gone into defeating the villain. I had loved how much care the rest of the characters had and the buildup the villain had, so I found it somewhat disappointing. It feels to be the equivalent of climbing a long flight of stairs only to end at an impassable brick wall. The bonus story also didn't quite feel like it fit the story either. Of course, there were small hints of how it correlates, but there wasn't really anything concrete given to the player, so this story seems out of place. The bonus story was fun to play, but that wasn't quite as enjoyable as the main game and the ending ran into the same problem of feeling rushed. I feel as though both the bonus story and the ending to the main story both could have had a much more cohesive ending and correlation if just a bit more time had been placed into it.
On a smaller note, I do also wish the achievements you earn in-game were actual Steam Achievements people could earn. As an achievement hunter, I appreciate getting all those achievements and having something to show for it, but this is a very minor and personal opinion. Either way, I enjoyed having the option for achievements in game.
Overall, I really enjoyed this game, and I'll likely try other games by this creator. This game has rekindled my love for hidden object games, so I'm sure I'll be playing other ones here shortly!
