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    Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls

    genkicoll
    genkicoll


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    Post by genkicoll Fri Jan 13, 2012 7:12 pm

    Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls
    by Amaranth Games - January, 2012

    Available at:
    Amaranth Games
    Big Fish for PC as Collector's Edition / Standard Edition
    Big Fish for Mac as Collector's Edition / Standard Edition
    iWin Standard Edition / Extended Edition

    Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls Curse-at-twilight-thief-of-souls-ce_feature

    After being summoned to a mysterious manor, you must unravel the story  of an ancient evil and discover your destiny before it’s too late in  Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls! Unlock memories from the past and  solve intricate puzzles to break the webs of a curse. Explore a magical world beyond your imagination that has been waiting for you to save it. Experience Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls, a stunning Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game!

    The Collector’s Edition includes:

    • Bonus gameplay
    • Integrated Strategy Guide
    • Wonderful Wallpapers

    For the Standard Edition

    Click images to enlarge
    Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls Th_screen1_Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls Th_screen2_Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls Th_screen3
    genkicoll
    genkicoll


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    Post by genkicoll Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:01 pm

    Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls CE (IHOG)

    There is a loading screen between scenes, so you'll want to be sure to demo the game to make sure the loading doesn't take a long time (like it would on older computer systems.)  Also, be aware that our inventory does not automatically scroll to show everything we have.  If it seems like you're missing items, try scrolling back to the left! (Yes, I re-visited every location before realizing this fact.)

    Options include separate sliders for Music, Sound, and BRIGHTNESS EEK!(happy day!), plus full-screen and custom cursor.  You can choose between Casual and Hard mode (I chose hard.)  The tutorial is optional.

    We have three sections to our task bar:  Inventory, Goal, and Objects.  Inventory and Goal are easy enough to figure out, but what is the Objects tab for? :Huh:  That's what I was thinking at first, anyway...  The Objects tab is for when you run across hidden object scenes.  This tab shows you a list of which items to find.  These scenes are lightly interactive, with the items listed in white needing some kind of task to be done before you can find them. 

    In addition to the typical hidden object scenes you will run across, we also have fragmented objects.  Periodically you will find an item and click on it, only to find that you need to find all of the pieces to complete the item before it goes into your inventory.  The Objects tab will show you the shapes you need to find.  They're sneaky, though, matching colors to the background, and sometimes making them much bigger or smaller than you'd expect! Gah!

    There IS a rapid-misclick penalty on the find-the-object scenes, but not on the FROG scenes.

    We have a MAP, but no journal.  At the top of the screen, there is a title for your current location (ie. Manor Front Yard.)  To the left of that is a counter showing how many gold coins you need to find on that scene.  Once you find them all, a photograph of the scene will show up on your map, and this photo enables you to use the jump-to action for that location.  NOTE:  There is an option at the bottom of the photograph that says, "Do not show again."  There is a box next to this sentence that you have to check in order to make the pop-ups actually stop.  I mention it because the box is well-nigh impossible to see! Silly face  Hints WILL help you find these coins, if you need help.

    There is a TON of to-ing and fro-ing in this game, and the devs help you out with that in two ways.  The first is the jump-to ability mentioned above.  The second is that on your map, each separate "area" is color coded by the pins used to hold the photos on your map.  For example, the entry levels are turquoise, the next area has orange pins, the next has blue pins, and so on.

    Using a HINT during the adventure portion of the game will make the possible exits glow if there's nothing else to do in that location.  You will NOT get a directional hint, and it will not discharge your hint.  Couple this with the fact that your map doesn't show active areas, and the difficulty level of the game amps up significantly!

    The puzzles are quite interesting, not the same-old, same-old that we usually see.  You can get instructions by clicking on the ? in the top left corner of the screen.  One puzzle repeats, but it's an interesting one, so I didn't mind Wink

    CE Content:

    • Integrated Strategy Guide
    • Soundtrack - 7 tracks which you can listen to, but not save to your computer
    • 4 Concept Art pieces
    • 4 Wallpapers - NOT widescreen, but can be stretched and still look nice
    • Bonus play is INTEGRATED, and is immediately available.  Looking at the bonus content from the main menu will show locked categories... except for the bonus play, which will look something like this (depending on how far you are in the game):

    Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls Curse_10
    As you can see, quite a lot to do!

    The Collector's Edition bonus play is INTEGRATED into the main game, rather than adding on a bonus chapter.  Here is how that works:

    During the regular-edition game, HOS do not repeat.  What happens is that as soon as you finish one, chains and a colored lock will appear over the area where you just looked.  If you have the CE, you will eventually find keys to match these locks.  Using a silver key will return you to that particular hidden object scene, BUT, instead of being your run-of-the-mill, everyday HOS, you get to do something new and different each time.  For instance, you might have items to return to the scene, find items by riddle, pair items up... Much more interesting than the first time around!  As a reward for finishing these scenes, you will find a "keystone" in each location.  When you have enough, you will use these pieces to do a mosaic puzzle, which will allow you to advance to a new area.  NOTE:  The pieces do NOT snap into place, adding to the difficulty level, but at the same time, the pieces don't have to fit exactly. You'll find out what the bronze and gold keys do Wink

    The game might be too difficult for those used to the usual IHOG's we are offered.  The primary thrust of the game is adventure, and "true" adventures really aren't easy.  If you enjoy the demo, I highly recommend the Collector's Edition.  There is a lot of bonus content, and the integrated strategy guide is very helpful.  This an excellent game for those who enjoy a challenge Okay
    JustTheFacts
    JustTheFacts


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    Post by JustTheFacts Sat Sep 07, 2013 4:22 pm

    Well, after Genkicoll's in depth review, this one looks fairly puny, but here it is, for what it's worth. (Well done genki!)

    When Persistence Pays

    Sunny Sunny Sunny

    BASED ON COMPLETED GAME


    I don’t even know how this one got into my collection I hated it so much – and said so in a scathing review on the game's web page. But it was here, and I promised myself I’d play ALL my games through alphabetically, so there was no way round it.

    It was still very difficult for me to get into this game, although I think I might even like it the next time through. It’s structured in much the same way as the “House of 1000 Doors” series, which I love. The cursed house has five doors to separate places/times where you help release a ghost. It is a very beautiful game too. The artwork is exceptional.

    It is very HOs heavy, which in my case is usually a plus, but was a bit more than even I cared for. There are three types of HOs – lists, fragments and multiples, many of them done really well. Imaginative and clever. But every item for inventory and every item for puzzles had to be found by one of these methods, so in the end, I was crying for the chance to just pick up a crowbar.

    If you can handle that, I think you’ll love this game, and I heartily recommend it.


    I recommend this game!
    genkicoll
    genkicoll


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    Post by genkicoll Sat Sep 07, 2013 4:34 pm

    I saw your original review, it definitely was scathing! Laugh  Honestly, I dislike fragmented objects in general, and usually don't enjoy games with this type of scene... and I didn't enjoy them in this game!  Despite those scenes I think the game definitely deserves recognition, for the reasons I detailed a couple of posts up. ^__^
    Esme
    Esme


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    Post by Esme Sat Sep 07, 2013 5:05 pm

    I remember I was surprised at how much I liked this game. It was one I bought without knowing a thing about it, and though in some places it seemed a little dated as far as game-play goes, I remember really liking how "different" it was. 

    I also remember it was not an easy game, I had to work at it, which is sometimes just exactly the thing I need.
    djrum
    djrum


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    Post by djrum Sat Sep 07, 2013 6:04 pm

    Actually, I didn't like Curse at Twilight: Thief of Souls when I first demo'd it. Recently, I had to fill a PC and thought, "What the heck, I'll get it."
    Initially, it was quite difficult for me to get the hang of this game, as I didn't know exactly what I was doing. But the more I played, the more I enjoyed it.
    Once I finished it, I kind of wished I would've bought the CE.
    genkicoll
    genkicoll


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    Post by genkicoll Sat Sep 07, 2013 6:44 pm

    SE's can be upgraded to CE at Big Fish. From their help article:


    "... If you've already purchased a standard version game and would like to upgrade to the Collector's Edition, we will offer a full refund of the standard version game after the Collector's Edition has been purchased, as long as the Collector's Edition was not purchased at a sale price.
    Before contacting Customer Support to process a refund for the standard version game, please purchase, install, and then open the Collector's Edition at least once. (If you've already played part of the game, this should help save your player profile and game progress, preventing the game from starting at the beginning.)
    Please keep in mind that we are not able to upgrade a standard edition game to a Collector's Edition that was purchased at a sale price. ..."


    Last edited by genkicoll on Sun Sep 08, 2013 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
    JustTheFacts
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    Post by JustTheFacts Sun Sep 08, 2013 12:16 am

    I have upgraded a couple of times. They let you keep the standard edition lol. If you bought the SE at discount or with a pcc, you effectively get the CE for the price you paid + $7. I bought the SE for $1 on one of them!

    It's a cool deal as far as I'm concerned and helps me be patient and wait for a sale on the SE, because you know you can always upgrade if the game is worth it.

    Sort of a trial of the CE by playing the SE first.

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