[b]Note:[/b] A wonderful friend gifted me a copy of this game. ^^
[h1]A wonderful, cozy hidden object game that narrates the story of a young fox spirit and her cat companion, with some challenging gameplay.[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]Lost Little Things[/i] is a cozy, hidden object game developed by AGE Zero and Odd Grape Studio and published by AGE Zero. You're in the shoes of Kitsune, a young, female fox spirit who meets Nyaneko, a slightly snarky cat who has a bit of a dilemma. He lost the beads of his magical necklace, and although Kitsune is initially reluctant to help, she ends up doing so. Thus, she and Nyaneko end up traveling to various lands and help out yokai (magical animal spirits) who have their own troubles. Apparently, there's a malevolent spirit who's causing problems for the yokai, so what began as a simple job turns out to be something way bigger. :o
As for the gameplay, there are a total of 8 story levels, with 11 encounters (a.k.a. side levels) that are unlocked via certain conditions met in the story levels. None of the levels are timed, so you can play at your own pace. In each story level, you'll have one or more main story objectives as well as a few side objectives. They all involve finding hidden object items. Except for the first story level, each also has a side mission in which you need to find a certain someone, who has a question mark bubble above their head. Clicking on them not only completes that side objective, but it unlocks an encounter. To progress to the next story level, you need to complete all of the main objectives, but you can go back to levels at any point if you wish to complete side objectives. As for encounters, they're fairly straightforward in that Kitsune will be asked to find a certain number of a particular item, although all of the items may not be identical (but similar looking). Gameplay mechanics are those that are typically in HOGs, with left clicking for finding an item and scrolling the mouse wheel to zoom in and out of scenes. Plenty of 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]
I must admit that I might have missed out on this sweet HOG gem, had not a friend sent me a copy. There are lots of games out there (which is a good thing, I think), so it can be difficult to find ones that truly shine.
[h3]Story and Gameplay[/h3]
What immediately motivated me to play this on the sooner side is that it has a story. Nowadays, it's on the rarer side to see a HOG with a story. However, this one has quite a sweet, mysterious one. We're introduced to Kitsune, a mischievous fox yokai, so we can only imagine what she's like. She has a playful personality, but it's obvious that she wants to help out other yokai. Then there's Nyaneko. His slightly snarky personality pairs well with Kitsune's mischievous one, and they make the investigative duo. I enjoyed following their story as they help out yokai across various lands, and it all wraps up nicely, with a big, perhaps shocking reveal over the identity of the malevolent spirit and Kitsune's actual identity.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3723402484
Of course, it's the gameplay that's the main star here. Earlier, I mentioned briefly about the basic gameplay mechanics. However, I didn't mention a hint function, so to answer the question, there is one, but it's locked. To unlock it, you first have to find Nyaneko in the level. Then he'll appear as a hint function on the lower right hand side of the game screen, and clicking on him will help you see where objects to complete main missions can be found. Objects for side missions, though, don't have a hint function, so you'll have to find them on your own. This can be a bit challenging at times, especially since there isn't a guide at the time of this review. Thankfully, the levels are untimed, so you can take as much time as you want to complete the missions.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3723403051
As for the encounters, they're on the easier side. Again, you can find Nyaneko in them to serve as your hint function. Then it's just a matter of finding all of the objects and completing the encounter.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3723403562
I had no problems getting all of the Steam objectives. Assuming that you want to go for 100% completion, you'll need to complete certain side objectives and all of the encounters in addition to the main missions.
[h3]Art and Music[/h3]
The art is totally cute and adorable. It gives off that cozy vibe that's perfect for this game. There is even beautifully hand-drawn art in the still cutscenes. The right balance and vibrancy of colors are applied, and it's obvious that so much love and care was poured into the art. ^^
Regarding the music, the tracks give off that cozy, lo-fi beat, which, like the art, is perfect for this game. Also, as the story takes place in the world of yokai, the tracks sound mystical, reflecting that magic of the spirit world. The music is all instrumental and feels very relaxing to listen to.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]Lost Little Things[/i]? If you're looking for a cozy hidden object game that has an ever-present story, you don't mind a bit of challenging gameplay, and/or you enjoy finding all those Steam achievements, then this is totally worth trying out. For the asking price, I think it's worth it since with the story and art, there's just so much love and passion behind its development. Of course, you can choose to wait for a sale. To wrap things up, I'd like to give a special shoutout to my totally awesome friend for bringing this game to my attention. ^^
[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]
