I just finished the game Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen. Snow White has turned... well, slightly evil. In an attempt to release the curse on her son, she believes the lies of the False Mirror and is taken in by his evil ways, this turning into the Snow Queen. She is stealing all the children in the village in order to find the Golden Child, whose tears can help her in her quest. Her father is too weak to stop her and the False Mirror's evil plans, but you're not!
Hey gamers! Fall term is over and I aced my finals! It's almost Christmas and I'm finally home. Lucy flew home, this time with her cat as she couldn't bear to be separated from him for the entire Christmas vacation, to Pennsylvania for the holidays. Myself, Jasper, and Zavy (and my cat) drove home - in my clunker - to the ranch. If you read Zavy's blog, yes, we broke down in some remote place with the worst motel ever. I think the stable where we keep the horses is cleaner! I had to sneak in my cat and even he look disdained at his surroundings. We managed to get through the night, but we were running as fast as we could when they called and said my car was fixed. I think I took the longest shower of my life when I got home. I'm getting a full inspection before I attempt anymore long distance driving from now on. Mom and I have been baking up a storm, after all you can't have Christmas without Christmas cookies, right? Meanwhile, I keep getting texts from Zavy asking me to please babysit his cousins so he can go play some more mature games in the confines of his room. I told him too bad, so sad. That didn't stop the texts though and they keep getting whinier. Boys!
Enough about my holiday woes. I just finished the game Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen. Snow White has turned... well, slightly evil. In an attempt to release the curse on her son, she believes the lies of the False Mirror and is taken in by his evil ways and becomes the Snow Queen. She is stealing all the children in the village in order to find the Golden Child whose tears can help her in her quest. Her father is too weak to stop her and the False Mirror's evil plans, but you're not!
I love the Dark Parable games. They twists on fairy tales is always well done. This one had a lot of snow, so it put me in a holiday mood even though it wasn't a holiday tale. The plot in the Dark Parable series keeps you guessing and wanting to play more. The graphics in this series always showcase some of the best in hidden object gaming. The ambiance of wind blowing combined with snow and ice actually makes you feel cold. This game is nearly perfect!
Now, I said it was nearly perfect, so maybe I should tell you what isn't perfect. First, there are over 30+ hidden object scenes, each with 15 items each in them to find, and if I was better at math I'd tell you what the grand total is, but I'm not, so I won't. If you're a hidden object lover, you'll love these as they are not easy. The other part of the game are the puzzles. The puzzles were not easy, however, instead of having new and different puzzles throughout the game, they simply had the same ones with different layouts and solutions. I would have preferred a larger variety of puzzles - and that is what makes it not perfect.
Here's a tip, after you either watch or skip the credits, watch the teaser for the next game. There is a hint at the very end that the next game in the series (small squeal) will be based on Little Red Riding Hood. I can't wait! If I were Morgan I would be sewing a red hooded cape right now in preparation.
I played the collector's edition which includes extra parables, or stories, of the various characters you find the game. You have to unlock these areas as you play. It also includes a bonus game called Hansel and Gretel, which I haven't tried yet. It has a built in walkthrough, which is why I mostly write these guides aimed at players who are patiently (impatiently?) waiting for the release of the non-collector's edition.
I've included in this walkthrough all 30+ hidden object scenes with every single item circled. Videos for every puzzle and screenshots for various other things. Plus, the step by step instructions to get your through all eight chapters (yes, eight!) of the game.
Last, but not least, have a safe and happy holidays and until next time, happy gaming!
