Mystery Manor on Facebook

Strange things are happening at Mystery Manor. The staff is terrified. Objects move of their own accord. Some conspiracy is plainly afoot. But who really is surprised? After all, the place is called Mystery Manor. Was anyone surprised when Lou Gehrig got Lou Gehrig ’s disease (his parents were deranged naming him after a disease)?

But enough about baseball’s great tragedy. Mystery Manor is a decent example of hidden object games, if not one of the prime cuts off the genre’s shanks. The game begins by introducing the player to the strange happenings at the mansion and sending you out to find clues. The first thing you’ll want to know about the game is play it on full screen, otherwise you’ll be forced to search each level with a magnifying glass which makes things a little more difficult (this may only be a matter of preference so feel free to experiment with both views). The living room is the first stop; there you will be shown the basic objectives of the game.

If you’re acquainted with hidden object games already this will be familiar enough as most of these games follow a basic foundational principle of gameplay, which is a good thing (too much deviation really destroys the point). Those who are not so familiar with the genre don’t worry, these games are easy to pick up and, for the most part, a decent challenge and decent fun. This HOG can be described best as average. It is nothing fancy, but fans of the field will surly find enough redeeming factors and challenges to make this game worth the time and effort to play. However, it does seem to lack some of the mystic and appeal of the hidden object best. The levels of Mystery Manor are pretty basic, there aren’t hordes of objects to find, at least in the early levels, but only 4 or 5 each turn. You’ll also be required to play the same levels over and over again with little variation before being able to progress to new rooms.

The game does get better as you progress. The little complaints over the design and gameplay shouldn’t be a deterrent. This game is fun, challenging and has a certain originality that, if nothing else, makes it stand out in the congested world of hidden object games and mystery games. It is a challenge, and like most games of facebook origin it has certain recognizable characteristics that add an additional challenge. Beginning a level requires energy, coins must be collected and rooms unlocked. The latter can be accomplished a number of ways. The best way to experience this game is simply to play it and see if it appeals to your tastes as a gamer. As a casual game it works and is a great way to unwind and relax with a simple, fun game.

Hidden Chronicles on Facebook

Hidden Chronicles takes the classic elements of hidden object games and adds an original story with upgrades, puzzles, competition among friends, and building management. It is one of a kind in this overcrowded genre. Few hidden object games have this many features to keep the player occupied and challenged.

The basic gameplay is the usual unwavering objective of searching a still image for a list of objects hidden among the clutter. This is the backbone (as well as the pelvis and spleen) of the hidden object genre and tampering too much with this design usually is to the detriment of the game. Luckily the studio that brought out Hidden Chronicles knew what it was doing; the innovation here isn’t from mucking about with the classic features of seek-and-find that make this genre such an addictive object detection adventure but with an entirely new set of features that take place in between levels. The hidden object levels are pretty much what any fan of this niche of games would expect. There are some added features to the usual list of objects to find like solving mini puzzles, but mostly this is the usual no surprises foundation of keeping a keen eye on the screen to find a pair of boots or a dagger among such a clutter most of these rooms should make it onto an episode of Hoarders

Hidden Chronicles has plenty to offer to the hidden objects fan, but for those that are looking for a little more this game is a great example to take notice of. There is the added bonus of building and developing the grounds of the mansion. Unlock features like topiaries, benches, light posts, gazebos, flowers and much, much more to brighten and beautify the mansion now under the player’s eager management. The more points you receive by finding objects more quickly and earning more trophies the more there will be to set and build on the estate. It will take time to unlock all of the grounds (the majority of it will be out of reach until later in the game) but this only adds an incentive to keep playing that is hard to shrug off.

The plot driving the game forward is also a fairly good one. The player is what is called a ‘Guardian,’ that is one who can see the history within objects. This adds a nice explanation behind why you’re searching for all these useless objects (like a goldfish bowl or a manhole). Every object has a story and the more you find the closer you’ll get to unlocking the mystery behind your uncle’s apparent murder. Put your brain on the charger, you’ll need every ounce of neuron power to tackle the puzzles and challenges in this game.