Everyone is familiar with hidden object puzzles. If you have spent any time in a doctor or dentist office that treats children and thumbed through a Highlights magazine you have seen a full page drawing with a list of objects to find, hidden amongst the scenery. These keen eye puzzles have come a long way in the digital age, and Artifex Mundi is one of the leading producers of them. They have just released Queen’s Quest 2 : Stories of Forgotten Past to consoles, a title that was previously available on mobile and PC platforms.
You are the alchemist of the Kingdom. The King has summoned you to help solve a murder in the once peaceful kingdom. The residents are a mixture of characters from fairy tales and folk lore, but don’t expect everyone to be full of sunshine and rainbows, there is definitely something sinister going on. Use your abilities to craft transmutation potions, keen eye, puzzle solving skills and deductive powers to get to the bottom of the mysteries of the realm.
The game works like many of the hidden object games by the company. You must complete hidden object games to earn a specific item that will be used to further your quest. Other items will be found through out the world. These items will be used to complete panels that will start a mini game that you must complete that will either give you another item or unlock a new area for you to progress to. There are also 2 separate types of collectables that are hidden throughout the world – puzzle pieces and figurines. These have no bearing on the story, but there are achievements tied to collecting all of them. One new twist added to this game is that items can change in the hidden object puzzles. This means that you can’t just endlessly press the collect button and move the controller around the screen and hope to gather everything without any real effort. You may have a butterfly on your item list and every few seconds that butterfly may morph into a caterpillar, then a few seconds later back again. This adds a new level of difficulty and observation to the game and a welcome addition to game play.
Graphics are beautiful as always. Each static scene is filled with intricate details, that will catch your eye while you are searching for objects. There are also small items like animals and lights that move across your field of view that bring each scene to life. The added collectables are expertly inserted into the main scenes and fade in and out of view to make them even more of a challenge to find. The music fits each scenario well and changes appropriately depending on the location. One of the things that I enjoy about these games is how the score compliments the gameplay and elevates it. The voice acting is well done for the most part. In the bonus chapter, one of the characters dialogue does seem to have a bit of a stunted delivery.
Queen’s Quest 2 : Stories of Forgotten Past is out now on XB1, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and has been available on Steam and mobile devices. With a campaign that can be played on 2 difficulties and a bonus chapter that takes place 2 years after the main story you will have about 3-4 hours of game play. Console price is about $15, while it is only around $10 on Steam, and less for mobile platforms. The title will keep you engaged and has an interesting story for those that like hidden object games or casual titles. It can be played in one sitting or broken up across several play sessions. No matter the platform you pick, it is worth the cost of admission. A fun story, mind teasing mini games, and mind sharpening puzzles.
