Time Mysteries: The Final Enigma Collector's Edition
3.4
5
36
36
REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME
There is no doubt that this is a beautiful game. Wide screen graphics so wonderfully designed and executed, a real pleasure to look at.
The time travel device is terrific. Even though it is just a glorified map, it is wonderful. It transports instantly and it is a lot of fun travelling between the different centuries, which are very well depicted. Perfect navigation between scenes, like a well oiled machine. Really appreciate that. The music is good, a mix of sweet and dramatic. The hint button has no refill time and is ready straight away. The skip button is very fast.
The story, whilst not exactly riveting, is interesting enough. There are all sorts of gorgeous toys and gadgets and the like, to repair and play with. The puzzles are mostly lovely to look at, easy enough, though I found no new ones. The iHOS are well done, with quite a fair amount. Could have done with a few less, but nothing major. The SG is really well laid out, but again, and I am always saying this, superfluous. The map is all you need. All active areas are green and it is so quick and easy to find one.
That last sentence is part of the problem with this game being a CE. It is just too easy and as a result, too short. It took me 3.5 hrs for the main game and 45 mins for the BC. The BC is not worth the trouble, not just because it is too short, but it really adds nothing more. It is just a tack-on. Those aspects, coupled with the fact that there are no achievements or collectibles, make it not worth the CE price. What do you get? 45 mins extra play. For double the price, that's unfair.
So, while I admire the work and effort and all the wonderful things that went into making this very good game, I cannot recommend it as a CE. It just falls too short of the mark.
January 13, 2013
Time Mysteries: The Final Enigma - CE
Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure
Gameplay was really smooth.
Graphics very clear.
Puzzles - good fun.
HO scenes - find by word list - interactive (or opt to play match 3 game).
Map - yes and transportable - shows active areas.
Tasks - yes in the form of objectives.
Any hidden extras i.e. morphing - No.
Voiceovers - good.
Inventory - doesn't lock in place.
My verdict - I am going to enjoy playing this game but without any hidden extras then IMO was not CE material and will buy SE with PCC.
January 13, 2013
If you like very easy games ...
... then this is most probably the one you should try.
The graphics are in general well done, cut-scenes overall very good, pretty good voice-overs, eventhough a couple of scenes are very blurred and simply don't meet my taste.
I did buy one installment of this series, but honestly I guess I just outgrew this kind of game. It's extremely easy, absolutely no challenge, even if you play in expert mode (I'm not sure what the difference is between standard and expert mode in this game as you always get hints); the problem with this game is that you jump from one year to the other, and you have to use the time zeptre to do so, and hence you see exactly in which scene there is a task to do; at least in expert mode they could have left that out. Where's all the fun in seeking?
The mini puzzles are ridiculously easy, absolutey nothing new, the HOS are standard. Overall this game is just another disappointment.
I also didn't "feel" the story as you always have to go backwards and forwards in time. Then the style of music changes and considering that you stay in a scene for rather a short time, I've found this extremely annoying.
Furthermore, having finished the demo I was almost at the end of chapter 3 and there are 6 chapters in total, plus a bonus chapter - so I guess this is a very short game and most certainly not worthy a collector's edition.
This game might be fun for kids but most certainly would not be appreciated by people who love a good game play.
January 13, 2013
Travel back in time to save our world....
I loved the last ?Time Mysteries - The ancient Spectres?!! Great gameplay, fantastic graphics; similar to this one. We have two modes to choose from, a helpful diary with tasklist. Hint is also useful outside HOS; showing you the direction where to go. And what I love most is the Portable Time Device, which is also a map; allowing you to travel back in time to change history by solving several puzzles which finally will rescue our world? We find lots of HOS with interaction. Very nice designed minigames, not too challenging. - But: Even though I love this game, I?ll wait for the SE, as the bonus-content isn?t sufficient for me; There are no collectables/ achievements?
January 13, 2013
Interesting but way too easy!!!
I liked the story and was disappointed the demo is over but not interesting enough to buy the CE. The map tells you where to go next so that is easy and the HO games were also easy as were the puzzles. Why would you need a strategy Guide? I may consider this when the SE comes out, but this just seems not challenging enough, even though I dislike puzzles so this worked fine for me there, but the HOs and where to go next were not challenging at all.
January 13, 2013
Not worthy of being a CE
I'm not sure I would even buy the SE. I own nearly every CE from the past 5 years and this game wouldn't even qualify back then. Way to easy! Jumping back and forth between time periods where they show you exactly where to go is boring. I think it may be too short for me too.
January 13, 2013
Actually giving this one a 3.75!
I have Time Mysteries: Inheritance and The Ancient Spectres and thoroughly enjoyed them both. This one is a bit different. Graphics don't seem quite as good, although clear. Music the same, game play is very nice. The HOGS are extremely simple, but I like the ability to change to a different game if I want. SG is nice, but cryptic, not wordy and games are very simple.
Too bad we can't play a demo twice to get a real feel for the game. I'm just not sure this is CE worthy, but it is a nice game. Uncle is a real oddball to say the least. Fun jumping from time to time. Story line is the same as the other two, but unique to itself (does that make sense to anyone but me?). Looks to be a nice game length as well, but hard to tell just yet.
It didn't make me want to run out and buy the game to see what happens, but I do like it enough to buy it. Adding an SG and one more scene does not mean that much to a game, most of the time. Most games you don't even need to use the SG, just a map and/or the hint button. Anyway, it will be added to may collection. Not sure yet if I'm going to get the CE or wait for the SE.
As always, try it for yourself and see what you think. We all have different tastes in games and you may not care for it at all. Thanks for the reviews.
January 13, 2013
this is the bomb
I don't see why this game didn't get better scores. I loved the time travel and the graphics are beyond compare. Its not a super hard game I agree, but I play games for fun, not to get a headache. I really enjoyed the demo and bought it right away. there was NONE of the boring 'fix the well' and broken down car startscene that are so overused. I felt like a kid again playing it, very beautiful and inventive game.
January 14, 2013
Ok, but too slow
This one just doesn't capture the imagination. And there is just too much time spent waiting for items to be dropped into inventory, or for cut scene conversation -- which you should be able to move along on your own by clicking, like other conversations that take place. Everything is quite slow. Is this done to prolong the game time? I'm never in a rush to finish a game, but even this one is boring me. The music is ok to irritating. What's with that monotonous marching-of-to-war track?
This is not worth the CE designation or the cost.
January 13, 2013
Oh Boy
Not sure if I like this one. Had great potential. Scenes beautifully drawn. Cut scenes were okay and the HOs were fairly nice and smooth. The time machine was easy to use and gave the green exclamation signal as to where to jump to for things to do at. BUT that was a lot of jumping around. The game was fun enough even though all that jumping was edging on tedious. I would buy it if nothing better to do. Can not recall how I like the first one. So it is worth a shot but not for everyone.
January 13, 2013