[b]Note:[/b] I received a copy of this game from a wonderful friend. ^^
[h1]A hidden object game that proves more challenging and at times, frustrating than cozy.[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]Curious Paws: hidden objects[/i] is a hidden object game developed and published by McMaush Games. When you start up the game, you're presented with six levels right from the start, so you can start with any level that you want. The objective is to find a certain number of items, and while some of these items are shown at the start of the level, others have a question mark, so you have to figure out what the item could be. The usual gameplay functions are present, such as zooming in and out of levels using the mouse wheel and clicking on the magnifying glass to use up a hint if you're stuck finding an item. Only full screen mode is available although you can force windowed mode by pressing Alt + Enter (but you can't resize the game screen, so it's really a moot point). Each level has a secret mouse, and finding all the mice unlocks a secret level. Steam achievements are available, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "Steam is learning about this game."
[h2]Review[/h2]
Ok, I admit that this game didn't get on my radar until I noticed a couple of friends wishlisted it. Then I decided to take a look at the store page and curiosity getting the better of me (and I like HOGs), I decided to wishlist it. Thanks to a totally awesome friend, I had the chance to try out this game and share my thoughts. ^^
[h3]Gameplay[/h3]
Because [i]Curious Paws: hidden objects[/i] is solely focused on gameplay, that's what the heart of my review will be about. First, I noticed right away that the game opens in full screen mode. Even after checking the settings option, there's no way to change it to windowed mode, unless you press Alt + Enter. Even then, you can't manually resize the game screen. Is it really that difficult to implement a windowed mode? I know that it takes a bit of coding, but it's certainly doable.
Getting that gripe out of the way, I do like that the main screen opens with six beautiful levels available from the start. You don't have to go in any particular order although I imagine that most people will start with the pond level in the upper left corner, which is probably the easiest since it indicates what items you have to find. The objects blend very well with the backgrounds, almost too well in my opinion. The best way to find the items is to zoom in as much as you can. I do like the easter egg mouse option in each level, especially since I enjoyed playing the secret level that's unlocked, which is honestly my favorite level since it's on the simpler side.
As for achievements, they are all obtainable in one playthrough. However, I have a major gripe with one of them, and it caused me so much frustration that I can't classify this as a cozy game. It's the achievement for not clicking on bees at all. Now, if the bees all stayed still in the backgrounds, this wouldn't have been an issue since I can easily avoid clicking on them. However, some of the bees move (yes, they're animated) on the screen. I'm sorry, but I really hate this. I'd be extremely careful not to click on a bee and then, when I'm read to click on an item, a stupid bee would suddenly appear out of nowhere in front of that item and I'd click on it. Going into this game, I wanted a cozy, relaxing experience, especially since I've been dealing with some stressful things offline recently. However, when I go into a game with positive expectations, only to find out that it gives me the opposite effect (I'm going to have to find a really cozy, relaxing game after this. :/), it's just ruined for me. I will say that the game is a challenging HOG, so it's good for those who like a challenge, but I wanted a more relaxing experience. If I wanted a challenging game, I would have played a different genre, like a RPG or roguelite.
[h3]Art and Music[/h3]
I will say, though, that the art is gorgeous. The hand drawn style is lovely, and the backgrounds are very beautiful to gaze at. There's a great combination of colors and such a wide variety that are used.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3757236782
As for the music, the tracks have this relaxing vibe, great for playing through the levels. Each level has its own unique track, which I appreciate in HOGs since some tend to use the same track in different levels. Of course, all the tracks are instrumental.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]Curious Paws: hidden objects[/i]? If you want a hidden object game with some challenge, then this is a great game to play. However, if you want a more relaxing experience or if you're more on the colorblind side, then this game may be a tough one. I like that it's challenging, but as I said, I wanted a more relaxing experience and I didn't get that after finishing this game. It felt more like a relief that I finally got all the achievements. If the developer reads this review, I hope that my criticisms will be taken into account. I think that if you want to give people a cozy experience, it's better not to put frustrating challenges in games. It's fine to have some challenge but not to the point where players just end up feeling angry. Well, that's just my two cents.
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