Report: April 2019

Hidden object game which is not per se hidden object game. XD The game is composed of different puzzles - jigsaw, pexeso, picture made of slides and then there is large pile of things in which you search for the two or three same. Except for jigsaw and sliding picture the difficulty is getting higher - you still have to find the same things but some time those thing are constantly moving and changing their position or you search one in normal color and the other in grey. Even though the puzzles were changing each time it get repetitive as you are looking at the same things all the time. The biggest problem of the game is the length (they promote 12 hours - nope!), because you have to get through 91 levels!!! I think that 50 would be more than enough. XD
The story is simple, but nicely told through pictures and is quickly progressing. The end is, well, there is space for some sequel. XD
Some users report it being broken for they are not able to move things and then progress, I played it on win10 and didn't have any problems, so they have maybe repaired it? o.O

The story of Samantha continues. Same graphic, characters and principles. I think that I have made fewer misclicks than in the first game, maybe I got better. ;)
There is apparently some compatibility issue with win10 as I had some problem starting it. For me to play the game I had to download working exe - I was really hesitant to do it, but my antivirus said it was okay (many many times) so I risked it. Other than that it's nice casual game and again: I like my museum. ;)
One more thing - as I have noticed there are probably more games about Samantha, but only two are on Steam. Shame, would be nice to see all of it (especially as she is uncovering some hidden truth about her father o.O).

Okay, this was... strange. Narrative adventure game where you play as a fresh FBI agent on her first task. You follow the story without any words. The graphic design has an artistic impression and suits the game rather well, also music is very good (recorded live by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra!). Some things in the story are pretty clear, some are less clear and then there is symbolism which can shuffle it all up. At the end I wasn't really sure what had happened. The second play-through was better as you already new the whole story and you had time to focus on the little things around. Also, reading discussion with an explanation of the story just proved what I have thought. So if you like mystery, detective stories / movies, I believe you will have no problem with orienting in the story.
I had to play it three times, as I have missed some collectibles for an achievement and even though you can choose chapter to play, you don't have the items you have collected beforehand.

Very nice adventure about famous dancer and very likely a spy Mata Hari. At the beginning she wishes to get a patron for her dancing career, but she also get captured into web of spies from which she can't never leave. Remaining story follows her life in the background of forthcoming World War.

Through the game you will notice few references on the historical situations, which was very nice! In addition to standard adventure "point and click" mechanics there are some mini-games. Traveling via railway - as a spy you need to avoid enemy spies so you have to choose your way carefully, also you have an option to skip this completely, but you won't get any points to improve your spying skill. Dancing - first you need to find an inspiration for a new dance, only then you can perform - when Mata Hari starts her dance, you will see four circles and flying notes, you need to catch them in the middle to get best score, if they get outside you get minus points, you have limit which you need to achieve otherwise you fail, according to your skill you get the money. In some cases the notes were flying really fast and it was hard to catch them properly with a mouse, would be better if it was suited for a keyboard, but still with some practice it was doable (I think you can skip it, but I am not sure as I have not used it). I got the best score with just few of them and still was able to manage the highest possible cash. When you have found all of the inspiration, you can choose whatever dance you want and make your fortune on the easiest = slowest one. ;) Not really a mini-game, but you have at your disposal the art of seduction. You have to choose the right seduction on the right type of man. Well, I have always succeeded on my second try, that probably mean that I wouldn't be a good spy. X) Beside the clues and info you need for the main story you can find some other information that can uncover more secrets. These are optional, but completing them will improve your spying skill greatly.

I have enjoyed playing Mata Hari, it reminded me of old adventure games. It has such nostalgic touch to it.

It's still as good as I remember it. I really like this game! I have enjoyed playing it again so much!
My first time playing Fahrenheit was many years ago and I was very much captivated by it. I liked the story, characters, design, concept, motion capture. The game mechanics and dynamics was something completely new to me. I remember that it was really hard and I had problems with concentrating on more aspects of the game simultaneously, I was able to follow colors I had to push but not what was happening on the screen. XD This wasn't a problem anymore and I have enjoyed the story properly even when mashing the buttons. ;D

Story in Fahrenheit is told through different eyes and that's amazing! I love how you play as a man on the run from the law, but in the same time you play as detectives hunting him! This adds little twist to standard preferences to whom you actually like and support. Another great aspect of the game are action sequences where you have to dodge flying furniture, large green bugs, cars and so on or you dance, fight in the ring, play basketball or just take deep breaths in dark archives, there is really a lot to do. Some of those encounters can cost you your life other just boost your morale if you do them successfully, if not you let your characters drown in their misery and depression. That's another great element of the game!
The story will uncover some events that happened in the past and you will relive them. For both of those parts sneaking is mandatory, I made the first one without any problem, when the second one proved to be somewhat frustrating as I had encountered a game breaking bug. Luckily it was solved with help of discussion forum.
Fahrenheit is full of mysticism and supernatural powers, which are most revealed during fights. I have noticed that a lot of people don't like those sequences later in the game. Well, I have enjoyed them. X) They really reminds me of Matrix movies (especially the later ones). ;)

This is one of the best adventure games of all time! If it's your first time seeing it, go and get it now! ;)

You play as a young member of Weavers guild, Bobbin, who is pulled into events far beyond his imagination. It's up to you to help him on his way to finding his guild members and maybe even more than that. On your journey you met with some of the world inhabitants - members of Blacksmiths, Shepherds, Clerics or Glassmakers guild. You will uncover their secrets and with it even something more than you would anticipated.
In this game you don't have any inventory. Instead you have Distaff (weaving staff) with musical scales, which help you to weave songs and change things around you. It's something like magic, just play some of notes you learn through your story and see what will happen. You can try them on any interactive thing you come across, also you can undo those spell... find the way yourself. ;) It's important to make notes of the notes as they change with every game (few of them are actually same, but there is a lot of them so it's better to have them written).

There are few versions of the game as I understand it. On Steam and even on GoG you have this remastered version with smoothed graphic and music. In this version the characters are dubbed. So... as I said, this game is perfect, but do not play this version and if you do, find the old Dosbox version (EGA version) too. There are many differences that hurt the story and characters very much - in my opinion.
First the graphic. The smoothed graphic is pleasant to look, but is somewhat boring. The "true" Loom had many colors and they were very expressive, I like it that way more.
Second the music. Track is made from ballet Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and it's beautiful in its very existence. And again I had to say that the old version sounds much more better and corresponds with story more nicely. The remaster often cuts off the sound too soon and you don't have a chance to enjoy it.
Third the story. Story is pretty much the same and yet very different. When some characters talks there is often a closeup upon their faces - these are not in the remastered version!! So you have some parts of the story stolen from you as those conversations are not included! Instead you are watching characters stomping from one side of the screen to the other. The reason for this was apparently, that the dubbing wouldn't match the lip sync. Well, those closeups were not moving their lips so I think that it was really unnecessary. Other then that many sentences are different and they give different meaning to them. Also, the dubbing is not very good. It's very hastened and often ends before the sentence is complete. (Interesting thing: You will find only one closeup in the remaster and it's even in the place where in the original is not!) These conversations that you miss are very important for the whole story and your understanding of characters, without it everything is empty. Also, I take Bobbin as a young boy who is left in the dark and knows nothing, but in the remaster I saw him as an arrogant guy, which is really sad.
Another difference is that when playing in the "original" Loom at expert level (you are left just with your Distaff, but you don't see the notes when they are played) there are some added scenes as reward. Those scenes you see right away on remaster, even when playing at lowest setting. That's rather surprising, because I had the impression that this version is censured. And then there is no need to play it on expert other than you want to surpass yourself.

Loom is amazing game which deserves a proper sequel. But believe me that the old version will offer you much better experience. Below you can see screenshots from both versions, I think you will recognize them. ;)