[h1] NOTHING SAYS A DEVELOPER CARES LIKE CHICKEN COOP POOP! [/h1]
It's hard not to love a Five-BN story. Every series features a female protagonist as the main character. They are confident, intelligent women who refuse to be intimidated by anyone or anything standing between them and their mission, whatever that may be. They boldly face their adversaries head-on. They may bend, but they can't be broken. They are steadfast and won't stop until their goals are achieved...yet they somehow still manage to be compassionate and optimistic.
When it comes to graphics, this team seldom gets the recognition they deserve! You can have an amazing cast of characters and an incredible plot that keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat...but without creative artwork to set the scene, the story simply can't come to life.
The Lost Lands may be a fictional world, but that doesn't stop this team from creating a realistic atmosphere. We play the game but rarely stop to smell the roses (in this case, the gaseous mushrooms, lol) of the Lost Lands. No one stops to think about the tedious, minute details that have been added to every aspect of the game by the graphics department. When a developer is passionate enough to make a chicken coop this realistic, chicken poop and all...can you imagine how much effort went into the rest of the game?!! As you play this game, take the time to notice the beautiful quality of the graphics, no detail has been overlooked because, clearly, Quality & Quantity matters to Five-BN Games!
[b] Morphing Objects/Collectibles [/b]
This is my favorite feature! There are 30 Morphing Objects that can be quite challenging to spot because they morph slowly AND morph into a similar object that always blends with the scenery. They are small, so they will never stick out like a sore thumb as they do in games by other developers, but large enough to see without straining your eyes.
Every scene also has a Collectible from several different categories. There are 8 Hourglasses-7 Horseshoes-7 Turtles-8 Shoes-12 Spikelets (in the Bonus Chapter) and 10 Lost Lands Manuscripts. You will unlock a Bonus Puzzle for each Collection & Morph category Completed and a Bonus Mini-game when you complete the Lost Lands Manuscript collection.
You can disable the cursor from changing to a hand change when you encounter a morphing object or collectible, as well as show the scenes with missed collectibles & morphs on the map.
[b]Hidden Object Scenes:[/b]
The HOS by this developer isn't a typical Hidden Object Scene; they are Interactive-Progressive Puzzles requiring you to find an object that matches the Silhouetted Shape shown. Then you use that object somewhere in the scene, interactively, to uncover the next object, lather-rinse-repeat. Trust me when I say you will open and close zoom zones over and over, trying to find something to help you progress. At times, you will be at a loss as to what to do next...something that never happens in a typical HOS! Keep in mind that these are puzzles that need to be solved, and the solution is always logical. They may be frustrating at times, but when you solve the HOS, you walk away with a sense of pride and accomplishment...and you deserve to feel this way in a game!
[b]STRATEGY GUIDE:[/b]
Yes, the Strategy Guide takes a few steps to access. First, you have to click the Menu button, which pops up a window to access all the features of the game, and then select the Strategy Guide. Another reviewer complained about the location of the Strategy Guide, but I have a different take on this opinion. All games by Five-BN Games are "thinking" kinds of games. They are NOT the typical cookie-cutter games offered by the other two developers week after week. You will have to think outside the box; you will have to solve complicated (but doable) puzzles; you will have to revisit scenes you had long forgotten had open tasks. Five-BN wants you to use your brain, follow the clues, and rely on your instincts. The point is to play this game without the temptation of a single-click, easy-to-access Strategy Guide!...think about it :)
[b]Mini-Games:[/b]
Put on your thinking caps because these puzzles aren't for the faint of heart! They aren't impossible puzzles to solve, but they will require a little bit of thought and a lot of patience. These aren't the kind of games that can be solved in one or two moves, and certainly not by luck of the draw. From the first Gate puzzle, you will know that you're in for a treat; by the time you make it to the Gem Sword puzzle, you'll rethink your puzzle skills. You'll probably want to give up on the Boat puzzle, but you won't because it feels great when you solve finally solve it! When pushing piles of leaves onto a hammock, you'll find yourself clicking the reset button multiple times, but you'll also realize how much fun you are having and be surprised that you are looking forward to the next challenge!
[b]Bonus Chapter:[/b]
The Bonus Chapter features a new female protagonist...Susan's granddaughter, Kiana. She is not a toddler, and this is definitely not an easy-breezy chapter! There are 3 incredible Hidden Object Scenes and 12 maddening Mini-Games across 12 additional locations. There are no Morphing Objects remaining in this chapter, but you will search for the final 12 Collectible Spikeletts, which unlocks the final Bonus Puzzle.
[b]Extras:[/b]
10 amazing Wallpapers, 14 Concept Art Pictures, 8 Music Soundtracks, 16 Video Cutscenes, 22 Achievements, 22 Replayable Mini-Games, (+8 Bonus Puzzles) 30 Morphing Objects, Collectibles: 8 Hourglasses-7 Horseshoes-7 Turtles-8 Shoes-12 Spikelets (in the Bonus Chapter) 10 Lost Lands Manuscripts. You will unlock a Bonus Puzzle for each Collection & Morph category Completed and a Bonus Mini-game when you complete the Lost Lands Manuscript collection. 6 very long and intense Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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