This is my favorite HOG of all time. East London is now one of the most fashionable places, yet there are historical buildings and streets, which are kept untouched since the old days. The game engrosses the atmosphere of dark and rainy London with beautifully crafted scenes and music.
I've been living in London for over a decade and know East London by heart, so I have no complain how Sweeney Todd has recreated the good old rainy London scenes. When you visit now absolutely fashionable East London, you will be amazed once you turn and walk in a corner street, you discover historical scenes which are untouched by the modern society.
Take 'Hanbury Street', a notorious street made famous by Jack the Ripper as he murdered one of the victims - now it has hip record and fashion shops, but a few minutes walk from there, you will find Royal London Hospital, which accommodated the famous Joseph Merrick aka Elephant Man (yes, if you didn't know it, he is a real person who existed in the 18th century).
That's how I'm amazed by the scenes in East London daily, discovering historical buildings which are untouched and kept in immaculate conditions, and you are entering such an amazing journey by playing Penny Dreadfuls' Sweeney Todd.
Nowadays, we encounter 'forgettable Hidden Object games' which you don't want to go back and replay once you finish playing. This is not. The Hidden Object scenes are so gorgeous, or should I say, so detailed, that you have to go back and owed by incredible art works they've put in. Soundtrack is equally amazing, thunderstorm, rain, footsteps... yes, I'm afraid that's what you hear in East London nowadays. If you want to experience the atmosphere of East London, just play the game!
The game is based on the musical of the same title, so you have to endure (woops, sorry) some terrible singing. But that's a very minor complaint, since there are so many low quality games with bad graphics, non-story and terrible HOG scenes, so I really appreciate high quality games such as Penny Dreadfuls' Sweeney Todd.
[Walkthrough]
[1] Mark's Arrival (HD)
In the first Chapter, you're appointed by Inspector Fowler to investigate a disappearance of a young sailor Mark, who came back to London to reunite with his fiancé, Joanna. What happened to him after he visited the barber, Sweeney Todd...?
Puzzle Solutions:
1) Watchhouse Crest (04:32)
***
[2] Johanna's Lament (HD)
It's time to investigate Mark's fiancé, Johanna. Mark brought back a costly pearl necklace for her but it has disappeared before she received it. Meanwhile, Reverent Lupin is planning to marry Johanna against her will unless Mark returns...
You must investigate your only suspect Reverend Lupin's mysterious disappearance, while the old Church is closed due to a foul stench. People are going missing but where are the bodies...?
A young snipe Tobias who works in a Barbershop has seen what his master has been up to. Sweeney Todd is confident that nobody will believe Tobias and locks him up in the Asylum - it's time to find more evidence to see if Tobias' story is true...
Mrs Lovett's pies are extremely popular, but what's her secret recipe? It's time to investigate her since she seems to be close to Sweeney Todd. But as you follow her trace, the fate of Mrs Lovett is revealed...
Puzzle Solutions:
1) Gargoyle Knockers (05:37)
2) Barber's Door (12:30)
***
[6] Mark's Revelation & Ending (HD)
In the last chapter, you finally make a gruesome discovery in the Sewers. Can you catch Sweeney Todd before he flees? We will also discover the fate of Mark, Joanna and Tobias who went through the ordeal...
If you love Sci-Fi TV series such as X-Files and Heroes with paranormal phenomenons and extrasensory perceptions, you would love F.A.C.E.S.. It isn't about ghosts, curses, or murder mysteries - it's about people who have an extraordinary ability and the consequences they must face because of it.
You have an ability to materialise objects from photographs, and your journey starts in the Asylum where you are used as a ginny pig for the project F.A.C.E.S. (Find and Combine Extraordinary Strengths) . You discover that you are no longer any use for the project and will be disposed of tomorrow...
As you can imagine, anyone with an extraordinary ability has always a tragedy attached to it, and the game doesn't disappoint you if you are looking for a good plot line with such stigma. The reason why I like this game is because it is a well-written tragic Sci-Fi story, and the way you discover and conquer your internal demon using your extraordinary ability is very satisfying.
Aside from the storyline, of course F.A.C.E.S. has a great gameplay. The atmosphere in the Asylum is spooky and it has many areas you can explore, so it keeps you engaged as you discover new clues. It has extensive amount of puzzles, but they are all fun and not too difficult that you want to press the skip buttons at the first instance.
There are many mysteries you have to solve as well, so you need to travel backwards and forwards. Luckily, it's very easy to navigate around so you don't feel you've wasted time for all the tasks you need to complete.
Overall, F.A.C.E.S. is a high-quality Hidden Object game with good puzzles, mysteries and plot lines. The Bonus Contents (Part 8 & 9) will reveal why the whole tragic event has started, and it sure will hit you even harder as you discover the truth.
F.A.C.E.S. Collector's Edition Walkthrough
[1] Part 1 "The Asylum"
You have an extraordinary gift which enables you to materialise objects from photographs - but your gift has been misused by F.A.C.E.S. (Find and Combine Extraordinary Strengths) project. Now that they have no use of you, you will be executed tomorrow. You must escape the Asylum after helping other patients who are also trapped here...
*** [2] Part 2 "Jailbreak"
With the Skeleton Key, you are now free to leave the cell. On the 3rd Floor, you find another patient, Icarus, who can "fly". He is also due to be eliminated, but he can help you to escape if you turn the lights on for his wings and find a painkiller...
I'm a big Sherlock Holmes fan, but can it really make a good adventure game? I've played a few Sherlock Holmes franchise games before, and they all somehow lacked imagination and perhaps too faithful to the book, so they were rather flat in terms of gameplay.
So when I discovered 'Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles', I was pleasantly surprised with its playability and imaginations. The game starts as Henry Baskerville visits Holmes' famous residence, 221B Baker Street during the typical rainy day in London. After hearing Henry's story about his family curse, Holmes doesn't waste no time and heads to the Baskerville mansion with his righthand Doctor Watson, where they discover grim murder scenes from the past...
As Holmes digs deep into the mystery, you'll gain magical powers such as 'Materialisation' with which you can materialise objects from paintings. Some hardcore Sherlock Holmes fans may find it a little far-fetched, but I throughly enjoyed using the magical powers and loved the way Holmes tries to keep his head cool and straight while all these illogical phenomenons are going on! All in all, it's a well-balanced Adventure game with good puzzles, hidden object scenes and a nice twist to the original tale.
[Walkthrough]
Part 1: Rodger Baskerville Upon the tragic death of Charles Baskerville, his nephew Henry asks Sherlock Holmes to investigate the curse of the Baskervilles family, whose members have died in mysterious circumstances seemingly killed by a big dog. In this episode, Holmes will look into the death of Rodger Baskerville, a renowned hunter. Can he lift his curse...?
=Puzzles=
1. Rodger's Door Lock (05:32)
2. Picture behind the Ivy (10:17)
***
Part 2: Luisa Baskerville After lifting the curse of Rodger Baskerville in the previous episode, Holmes gains an access to the Room of Luisa Baskerville. She was a great actress who died prematurely in another mysterious circumstance. Can Holmes save her cursed soul...?
Whether you love vampire stories or not, if you love comedy, this is for you! This is not an ordinary vampire tale of 'love, death and tragedy' - it's about an ordinary estate agent saving the Malgray Castle, which is resided by vampires, from being sold to the government. Sounds boring? You have to play it to see how joyful and hilarious the game is!
Groundsman's daughter Ellen
Michael, who works for Rockwell & Rockwell, is sent by Mr Rockwell to evaluate the Malgray Castle after his colleague Jim has gone mad. What happened to Jim? Well, we soon find out once we step into the castle. Meet a ghost dog, an internet-loving butler, a sexy punk maid... these characters are all but very colourful and fun. As the game progresses, you will be introduced to yet more interesting characters while the story will take many twists and turns.
What makes this game special is our anti-hero, Michael. He has an uncanny resemblance to Keanu Reeves (he even talks a little... wooden), thus his character really carries the whole story, if you know what I mean. For instance, when Michael finds the ghost dog Rover, he doesn't go mad like Jim did. Instead, he simply asks, 'why are you in the bathroom?' This characterization mixed with Keanu Reeve's image, in my opinion, is quite genius as it definitely makes his character believable and adds comical effects.
Does Michael look like Keanu Reeves?
As for gameplay, it has a variety of tasks like hidden objects, mini-games and puzzles, and everything is tied to the story. For example, you don't mindlessly search for random objects in a scene like other typical HOG, but your task is to 'pack your stuff'. So you search for relevant items like toothbrush and razor in different areas. Puzzles are well-balanced; not too easy but not too difficult, so it will keep you with enough stimulation.
The game is also like a watching a TV series, as it's segmented in twenty-five chapters. I really loved this concept, as you know when you can take a break after each chapter, then carry on when you're ready again to play the next one. Overall, the game has a good length (my walkthrough is just short of 3 hours, but if you're playing for the first time it will be around 5-6 hours to finish), and you won't be disappointed with how the game ends!
Michael is sent by Rockwell & Rockwell to appraise Malgray Castle after his colleague, Jim, has gone mad. With no help from the Butler Glenfield, Michael has to do some extra work before he can settle in. He also makes a bizarre discovery in the bathroom...
This episode includes;
Chapter 1: Business Trip
Chapter 2: Following Jim's Trail
Chapter 3: In the Boiler Room
So what happens when a sexy vampire falls in love with a beautiful mortal girl? He is so deeply touched by her innocence and sincerity that his humanity finally awakens. The life in front of him is too precious to be consumed for his pleasure. The only way to be happy with her is to become mortal again.
Love & Death: Bitten is such a classic vampire love story that I don't have to explain why it's so good.
The story begins in a small village where a cursed prince, Damon, is fetching victims for his witch lover, Celeste. But when his eyes are gazed upon a red-haired beautiful girl, Victoria, his fate changes forever. With her help, now Damon has a glimpse of hope to unlock the potion which is protected by daylight.
Since Damon and Victoria can only share brief moment during dusk and dawn, you play as Damon at night and Victoria in daytime. By playing both characters, you can understand how they feel about each other as the game progresses, which I thought is a very clever setup. There is a funny moment when Victoria has to blow up parts of his castle, and when you return to the same location as Damon, you can see his reaction!
You can also get a bonus game if you collect 100 Golden Leaves scattered across the game. Once you collect 100 of them, you can play a short game to find out what happens between Damon and Victoria in the future, so you'd better keep your eyes peeled!
In terms of gameplay, it's a nicely balanced Hidden Object game mixed with various interesting puzzles. The scenery and HOG scenes are beautifully drawn, accompanied with wonderful music written for each scene. But the beauty of this game is storytelling. The characters are well-written and believable, and voice-acting is simply one of the best out of all casual games I've ever played.
Of course if you love vampire tales like Twilight Saga and Dark Shadows, you will definitely enjoy this game, but it's also fun for any HOG and adventure fans. I hope you'll enjoy my walkthrough!
After making a visual walkthrough of the game, I received a request to make a movie by putting together the cutscenes.
(Warning: it contains spoilers! If you are planning to play the game, watch it after you complete it)
Trapped in the darkness by the witch Celeste, Damon the vampire is ordered to hunt for a meal to feast on. As he looks for an ideal victim among the fearful villagers on rooftops, his eyes meet with the eyes of a feisty red-haired girl, Victoria. Despite her uncle's warning, Victoria decides to track down the vampire...
Have you ever visited an empty, forgotten amusement park? If you have, you know how spooky and terrifying it can be. If you haven't, why don't you experience it by playing "Dreamland"?
In 'Dreamland', you will roam around an abandoned Stephen King-esque amusement park where you encounter a dwarf and a vampire. Of course you get to visit typical attractions such as merry-go-round, roller-coaster, shooting gallery, house of horrors, puppet theatre, circus tent... you even get to build a robot on the moon!
You play as a sister who is trying to save her little brother from the curse of the evil dwarf who runs an amusement park called 'Dreamland'. He challenges you with various riddles, observing every step you make. When you make a significant discovery, he often pops up in front of you to express his annoyance or simply to scare you. Overall, he is very enigmatic and his existence is very disturbing, just like the dwarf from Twin Peaks.
'Dreamland' is a Hidden Object game, but time to time, you can also have a little fun by playing Match-3. Your journey centers around the Central Square, where you have to play the Wheel of Fortune (Match 3) to obtain tickets to rides and attractions. So if you're a fan of Match-3, it's a nice treat. Also the difficulty level of Match-3 becomes more challenging as you progress, so it never becomes mundane.
So this game is full of fun, but the greatest part is the Shooting Gallery. Even after you finish the business there, you will have an unlimited access throughout the game! You'll get a trophy if you score 1500 points, but it's not an easy task unless you practice a lot. Whether you are aiming for the trophy or not, it's fun to refine your shooting skill, especially when you want to have a break from serious tasks.
Other extra hidden objects are Starfish and Marbles. There are 20 Starfish and 17 Marbles hidden in various locations, and you'll get trophies by finding them all. I've shown all the locations in this walkthrough. You don't need to find them to complete the game, but if you're perfectionist like me, obviously you wouldn't want to miss them!
The park is massive and there are so many areas to revisit, but thankfully navigating the game is very easy. Using the map, you can jump to various areas you've already unlocked, so there is no tedious backtracking. Also you can toggle up the task list and click on one of the tasks to jump to the relevant area, and I found it very handy when you want to complete particular tasks.
In the Extended Edition, you get to visit the secret attic above the Shooting Gallery and the cemetery which are not accessible in the normal edition. They are shown in Part 8 & 9 of my walkthrough.
To cure your brother's mysterious illness, you decide to accept the invitation to the amusement park "Dreamland". Soon, you discover that the park is controlled by the evil dwarf who challenges you with various tasks...
Starfish:
1. Entrance (03:00)
2. On the map board (06:00)
3. Wheel of Fortune (07:54)
4. Path (10:30)
Items found:
- Ticket (Automatic)
- Red Clown Nose, Rusy Scythe (Ticket Booth)
- Pieces of Wood (Central Square)
- Map (Central Square)
- Coin, Skull (Popcorn Stand)
- House of Horrors Ticket (Wheel of Fortune)
- Pieces of Wood x2 (Path)
- Pieces of Wood x2, Wing, Twirls x3 (House of Horrors)
