The Secret Order 2: Masked Intent

The Secret Order: Masked Intent
by Sunward Games - March, 2013

Series links:  The Secret Order 1: New Horizon, The Secret Order 2: Masked Intent, The Secret Order 3: Ancient Times, The Secret Order 4: Beyond Time, The Secret Order 5: The Buried Kingdom, The Secret Order 6: Bloodline

Available at:
Big Fish as Collector's Edition / Standard Edition
GameHouse as Platinum Edition
iWin as Collector's Edition
Steam



Sarah receives shocking news from her father. One of the newest members in the Order of the Griffins has turned traitor, murdering one of the Secret Five, the heads of the Order. What’s worse is that very traitor is about to join the Secret Five, and he’s wearing a mask that gives him supernatural abilities. Sarah has to race back through time and search for the one artifact that can subdue the mask: a magical scepter.  Hop aboard the Royal Griffin and help Sarah unmask the traitor before he destroys the Order in The Secret Order: Masked Intent, an exhilarating Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure Game.

The Collector’s Edition includes:

• A special bonus chapter!
  
• Concept Art gallery and Videos
  
• Downloadable Soundtrack and Wallpapers
  

For the Standard Edition:

• Walkthrough
  
• Strategy Guide (Big Fish)
  

Players are saying that this "special bonus chapter" is part of the story, part of the main game. I would then beware of the SE, not knowing how they will take it out!

Interesting. I've only seen a few games that have done that.

I've been told that this game offers mahjong as an alternative to doing the hidden object scenes, so I've added it to the list of IHOG's that allow you to do something instead of find hidden objects HERE.

I love games that offer a choice! I do the hidden object scene first, up to the last item, then switch over and play the other game! Then I get to play both!

Good Game, Particularly If You Like Realism ***

BASED ON COMPLETED DEMO

Nothing intrigues me more than a little battle between Good and Evil, or in this case, Peace and Chaos. Add to that some time travelling, ancient gods, and underwater scenes and I’m pretty much content.

I guess it’s just me, but I don’t like these pseudo-realistic graphics. They seem so clunky and grainy and pixelated on my big monitor. Give me a swath of hand drawn canvas any day.

This business with the graphics aside, I am still not sure this game is all it’s cracked up to be. From the walkthrough it is clearly not very long. There seems to be very little actual movements in time, just get to where you need to go and get on with it, and the overall texture of the game is fairly flat.

The HO scenes are not ‘alive’ with animations. Some do have some interaction, but not all. They visited only once, and there are two per chapter. There are six chapters.

The puzzles seem pretty straightforward, and I noticed nothing really eye catching. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of them.

What I’ve seen of the game play seems logical, although I did need to use the hint button (it’s a directional hint) in the trial a couple of times.

What it comes down to is, this game is okay. There’s nothing going against it as far as I could see, if you like realistic graphics. But it won't be winning awards either.

For me, it will stay in my “fillers” folder til the next time I need that one.. more.. game .. for my punchcard.

I recommend this game!