[b]Dark Dimensions 1: City of Fog[/b] (IHOG)
When this game was first released, I felt that it didn't get enough attention. Replaying it today, I have say that it is still a favorite!
Options include separate sliders for Music and Sound, Full-screen and Custom Cursor.
I noticed that there was a small hidden object scene in the (optional) [b]Tutorial[/b] that was NOT there when I tried it without the tutorial. You'll still be able to get the inventory item from that zoom-in if you opt out of the instructions, but I thought it was interesting that the devs chose this route.
[b]Story[/b]:
Dark Dimension: A place where the border between the living and the dead has fallen away due to some kind of atrocity or injustice. What a *perfect* plot vehicle! Anything that seems weird or illogical can easily be explained by this thinning of the line between life and death, and indeed, our character often remarks upon the strangeness that s/he sees! I also love the sometimes-sarcastic comments that are thrown out... Meshes with my sense of humor beautifully! ;D
Our handy [b]Journal[/b] contains plenty of story, but without having an overwhelming amount to read. Puzzle hints are added there, per usual, as well as things that you - or at least *I* - may not notice at first, so be sure to really look at the scenes before you check out new entries!
[b]Sights and Sounds[/b]:
I found the combination of graphics, sound effects and music to be incredibly immersive. The graphics and the music are beautiful, somber and creepy, while the SFX can be downright alarming at times! Everything you see and hear combines with the story to create a decidedly-spooky environment that any dark & eerie fan should enjoy immensely.
There's an extra level of detail to the scenes that I don't often see in HOG's, which is items reacting to your cursor when you mouse-over. For instance, a chandelier may swing when you touch it, or maybe a fixture will flutter in the breeze.
[b]Gameplay[/b]:
In this game you will explore a town that was consumed by fog 100 years ago. The devs found a creative way to block off early locations of the game, and I don't want to spoil it, but I will say that it's very creative!
There is no easy-access [b]MAP[/b], but you WILL find three maps that you can examine as you play the game. Yes, this does mean that you're going to be backtracking a bit, but the environment is so compelling that I truly enjoyed walking around instead of doing insta-transports.
Using a [b]HINT [/b]during the adventure portion of the game will either spotlight an area on the scene - possibly one that you already know about, but can't do anything with yet - or tell you that there's nothing you can do there at the moment. There are no directional hints.
The SKIPPABLE [b]Mini-games[/b] are do-able without being too easy, and interesting enough that I wanted to complete them.
[b]Hidden Objects[/b]:
Hidden Object Scenes are interactive, with items in yellow needing some kind of action before you can collect them... But this is a bit more challenging than you usually see in today's IHOG's, as the cursor does not change when you mouse-over an interactive item.
Some of the items that you collect will be used to find the items listed in yellow, and if try to use it in the wrong place, it will go into your Tools (inventory). When you're ready, just grab it and use it in the proper area of the screen.
If you click on an item that you need to interact with BEFORE you have the right item, you'll get a popup that says, "A good tool sure would be nice to have." Every. Time. One of my few annoyances with the game. ;p
HOS do repeat, but they're so nicely-spaced with the adventure portion of the game that it never seemed out-of-place or annoying. Another plus is that any items you found your first time around will STAY gone.
Although the main game was a decent length for an IHOG - about four hours - it didn't feel long enough... I wanted to keep playing! Good thing I had the bonus chapter left to play!
[b]CE Content[/b]:
[list]
[*]Integrated Strategy Guide
[*]Bonus Chapter
[*]12 Music tracks[b]*[/b]
[*]5 Wallpapers[b]**[/b]
[*]9 Concept Art
[/list]
[b]*Music Tracks:[/b]
You can save music tracks individually, but if you'd rather, you can access and save copy all of the tracks at once from this folder:
[i]Dark Dimensions City of Fog Collector's Edition > data > extras > music[/i]
[b]**Wallpapers[/b]:
There are actually four sizes available - 1280x960 is the biggest - but this isn't evident when you're on the Extras page. When I set the Wall that I wanted, it just gave me a black background, so here is where to find the backgrounds:
[i]Dark Dimensions City of Fog Collector's Edition > data > extras > wp[/i]
To easily find the game folder, simply right-click on the game's name in your Steam library, then choose Properties. Click on the Local Files tab, then Browse Local Files... This will open you right up to the folder you need!
[b]Bonus Chapter[/b]:
The extra chapter starts not too long after the main game ends, and explores the source of the Dark Dimension. Gameplay is almost the same, except that some of these hidden items need a different kind of interaction. The bonus was overall pretty good, but not necessary to have a satisfying ending to the game.
[b]Verdict[/b]:
The stellar soundtrack, sfx, voices and art direction beautifully combine with the story to create a compelling adventure. It's creepy, it's interesting, it's wonderfully-immersive and it's hard to stop playing. [i]City of Fog[/i] is definitely underrated, and is an experience that I wholeheartedly recommend.
