Flo is back in a new game and it’s not a Dash sim play. Imagine that! If you know about the Dash Diner series of Mac games, you’ll know that Flo is the one who saves the day usually from big business and helps her friends get started in new professions. Each game in the series is a very similar sim play where you drag diners or guests to a table, take their order, get paid and clean up. This is usually done in a frenzy manner because the customers are all hotheads and will leave in a huff if you do not serve them in a timely manner. It’s usually a fun play. Avenue Flo is a completely new type of play. Yay! When you have enjoyed more than half a dozen Flo Dash games, you want a change of pace.

Avenue Flo is somewhat a sim play where you take Flo throughout Diner Town talking to individuals who may need her assistance in one way or another. Flo leaves her Grandma and Cookie alone at the diner so she can go and help her friend Quinn the wedding coordinator. She needs Flo’s help because the big wedding she is putting on this week is going wrong and she needs Flo’s assistance. Flo needs to find the $50,000 wedding rings and find out who is causing all the problems for Quinn.

The play takes Flo down the streets of the town looking for answers, butterflies, dog, and empty plastic bottles. When you collect 15 bottles you can take it to the recycling vending machine and receive a token. You’ll need tokens later in order to take the subway to other parts of this metropolis. Flo can go in and out of the shops talking to the proprietors and helping them if they request it. This will take you to many side puzzles you can solve in order to move on in the game. 2 of the games are string the beads in a pattern and packing pet supplies to ship out. These side games are fine, but when you have to complete 3 puzzles (not difficult) at a time and there’s no skip button, it slows your play a little. I would rather roam the town looking for clues.

This game is interesting since now you get to see all the places you played in the Dash games, take a subway to other parts and meet old friends you know from previous plays. It has hidden objects, logic puzzles and a funny story. Find who is responsible for creating all the havoc in Diner Town. Is it Bernie the bookworm, the pizza guy or the ex boyfriend to the bride? The only way you’ll find the answers is to hoof it through Diner Town.

Features of Avenue Flo:
-In-scene Mini Games
-Talk to Diner Town Residents
-Explore Diner Town

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I was ready to be scared or at least a little spooked in Mac Hidden Object Adventure Frankenstein: The Dismembered Bride. However this game is more campy than bone chilling. There are a few creepy scenes but mostly it is a straightforward hidden object game with mini puzzles to solve.

The story is about Brad who is looking for Janet, his fiancée, who disappeared suddenly on one of his work related trips to Europe several months ago. He waits this long to go searching for her? His car breaks down in Bavaria in front of a manor. Lucky for him this is the very castle he was looking for even though he doesn’t know it. Here begins your adventure trying to enter this estate. Screams from within the establishment prompt Brad to enter quickly and find out the source of the terrifying noise. I don’t know if Brad is brave or not but he manages to find his beloved, but unfortunately, she is in many pieces and only her brain can communicate with Brad. Are you frightened yet? When Brad is feeling something like love, irritation and other emotions, you see it above his head as hearts (when he sees his favorite wine) or lightning when he is frustrated. I guess this is suppose to be funny, but I’m shooting lightning rods out of my head playing this game. Let’s get past this and go on to the games.

The hidden object play is the one similar to one I recently played Profiler: The Hopscotch Killer and Bonnie and Clyde. The objects scroll across the bottom of the screen. You may have to find multiples of the objects. In other HOGs you may just get pictures of what you need to find like in the topiary garden. Some of the scenes will need to be expanded by clicking near the edge to see a little more and find objects out of your initial view. There are other times when you need to clear an area to see things. Brambles are plentiful in and around this manor. You may also have to click on spider webs to clear a room. If you are having a problem finding an object, use the hint button to help you. When solving mini games, the skip button becomes available after 3 long minutes. There are 2 modes of play in this game. The Standard mode is not timed and the Timed mode is. Since the scenes tend to be dark and the game does tell you to brighten your screen as much as possible, you will not be able to see all the objects you are looking for. I click in dark areas knowing I’ll come across something hidden in the recesses. However, this is not fun. You get only a set amount of hints but you can look for the stars in the scenes and get more clues or if you are playing the timed, you will get extra time.

The rest of the game is looking for Janet’s body parts throughout the castle and garden and solving mini games like finding keys to use to get into locked areas or looking for gold teeth (really?) that Dr. Frankenstein lost when he slipped on Janet’s brain and died. What?

This story is like pulling teeth (groan). It did not hold my interest, it was very hokey, standard and familiar mini games, dark areas to search, and no voice acting (thank goodness). Like their other games the artwork is good, music minimal with lots of sound effects. For all of the above, I give it a 2.5 out of 5. Try it for yourself and see if you like it.

Features of Frankenstein: The Dismembered Bride:
-Crazy Story
-Lots of Hidden Objects and Mini Games
-Good Artwork, Music, Sound Effects

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

This time this Hidden Object Adventure begins with eerie music (appropriate for the story) and a ghost trying to kill you. Whew! You make it through and now you are asked by a monk to save a girl in a tower. This is the start of your wanderings through an enchanted land full of ghosts, gnomes, fairies and humans. You are Reylin of Winderalth a gypsy minding her own business until this happened.

A Gypsy’s Tale: The Tower of Secrets is not your standard adventure full of hidden object games with sparkles and a list of items to search. No, this one has hidden objects to search when you click on an item and a wheel with other things pop up. You must search for, say, a cardinal, click on it and take it back to the wheel to place it. After finding all the bubble items, you get the main item in the center. It may have nothing to do with a bird but you may need this main item later on. There are other places where you can zoom in when your cursor changes into a magnifying glass to either collect hidden items or solve a puzzle. You’ll have many varied puzzles to solve from jigsaws, match, untangle the lines and slide puzzles.

There are many different (beautifully drawn) environments to explore and search from mystical forests full of fairies and gnomes to a high tech tree house. In most areas there will be crystals to collect. Some places will have 0 crystals but at the upper left side of the screen, it will let you know exactly how many are in that scene and how many you have collected. When you collect all the crystals in 1 location, you will get a piece of the map for you to use. This map is extremely helpful since it will let you jump to different places directly avoiding having to retrace your steps. Eventually you will be using these crystals as money to buy different things from the store (once you find the shop).

Even though there is only 1 mode of play, the hint and skip (for puzzles) buttons are fast charging, and you will not have to wait long to use it again. Most of the time the hint is explicit, but there are other times when it will only make obvious observations like the monk is creepy. Let’s hope he’s not the same monk you are helping.

There are many things to do in this game and most of the puzzles are easy to do. It may not be much of a challenge for some of you who are really good at this type of game, but for the rest of us, it is a fun game to conquer. For traditional HOG fans this may not meet your needs, but you are still searching for hidden items in a different format with the same types of puzzles to solve.

The only problem I faced with this game is when I was in the garden and trying to plant the seeds, nothing happened even though I could see the pile of seeds but couldn’t click on it. I restarted the game and even though I had to start the garden sequence again, it worked the second time. I found the music good but some parts didn’t seem appropriate for the scene (the tree house for one). The wheel search also seemed at times disconnected. When you figure out how to get a key down from high on the wall, you cannot collect the key immediately. The wheel opens and you have to find 3 different kinds of flowers before you can click on the key. In Treasure Seekers the wheel opens and you look for parts of the piece you need. That game made more sense to me.

Other than those minor quirks, the game is good, the story interesting and the search fun. I recommend casual gamers try this game. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 for an entertaining time.

Features of A Gypsy’s Tale: The Tower of Secrets:
-30 Different Environments
-Interesting Tale
-Puzzles and Hidden Objects

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

A string of murders in the French Quarters in New Orleans, Louisiana does not sound very original since it’s been done before and it’s a mysterious place with many unusual stories, but throw in the death of the son of the palm reader who believes there’s more to it than what meets the eye, sightings of the paranormal kind and a weird cult trying to revive the Crescent Snake and you have a set up for an exciting Mac Hidden Object Adventure game.

Calvin Laveaux, student at Steinbeck University, is one of the many victims of a mysterious murder. He has a strange, glowing tattoo that may lead to some answers and possibly the killer or killers. His mother is convinced, and for good reason, there is dark magic behind his demise and she wants you to help investigate this case. You play as a Paranormal Crime Investigator brought in by the New Orleans police to help solve the case.

You search the streets of this famous town and when your cursor changes to a hand, you can interact with the object. If something glows or has a question mark on it, you can place it in the PCI, a case at the lower right of the screen, to analyze the item. Doing so you’ll come across a puzzle or mini game to solve like clicking on the correct color atom to fill vials to your left or match 2 identical objects. This case will also have information for you. The mini games are familiar and not difficult to complete, however, the hidden object games will take time to figure out where some of the items are placed due to size or partial hidden parts. The hint button is very useful in this game and it does recharge quickly. The items you need to find are listed at the bottom of the screen and the objects written in green will need some interaction before you can click on it. With the Collector’s Edition there is an in-game strategy guide to help you if you need it.

Your search will be hampered by a ghost-like figure that will place obstacles in your path and threaten you. Luckily, this will involve a puzzle to solve. You can skip the mini game if you choose after waiting only a short time, but I suggest you try them because most are easily solvable. Unfortunately this game is fairly short even with the bonus chapter. Depending on your expertise you can finish this game in a matter of hours with another hour for the extra bonus.

This is the first game that I’ve come across that asks you to keep the sound on during the game. There is no voice acting but the music is good. The artwork is fantastic with the wraithlike characters, voodoo items and quirky characters. There’s a lot of HOGs for fans of that type of play. I liked Paranormal Crime Investigations: Brotherhood of the Crescent Snake Collector’s Edition and gave it a 3.5 out of 5. However, can someone tell developers to shorten their titles?

Features of Paranormal Crime Investigations: Brotherhood of the Crescent Snake Collector’s Edition:
-Eerie Tale of the Supernatural
-Hidden Object and Mini Games
-Good Artwork and Music
-Collector’s Edition: Wallpaper, Sound Track, Bonus Chapter, Strategy Guide

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Nothing is as it seems in Mac hidden object game The Conjurer. The great Conjurer, the greatest magician in the world, has suffered 3 serious accidents during his magic acts. Why? This amazing performer will be retiring and has invited several worthy magicians to his spacious medieval castle to demonstrate their greatest skill, cunning and artistry. The Conjurer is willing to give the winner of this competition access to the Hall of Secrets. With this knowledge, they too will become the world’s greatest magician.

You find in the course of the play that the great Conjurer is suspicious of all his invited guests. For each visiting magician there are several locations you must search for clues and objects. The hidden object play is similar to other games, but there is one exception. There is a stage to search and find different items, then you must set up the magician’s props and finally the magician will perform their magic act. This is an interesting and different part of the usual hidden object plays. Other locations may be the bedroom, bathroom or any other room they may have entered in the castle. If you cannot find the object listed, you can click on the crystal ball for assistance. There are unlimited hints through the use of the ball, but you may have to wait a few moments after you click on it. For each magician there is 1 super hint to use where it will give you the exact location of an object.

The tale of the Conjurer is complex with the involvement of Adelaide a love interest for more than 1 magician. In addition, the “accidents” may have been planned to injure and get rid of the master. He also keeps a journal written in invisible ink to help you in your search for clues. Are the intentions of the Conjurer as it seems or does he have other motives?

This game is intense with a Victorian feel with appropriate outfits and items throughout the castle. Not only did I like the hidden object play, I also enjoyed the incredible magic acts of each magician.

Features of The Conjurer:
-Victorian Era
-Amazing Magic
-Ten Master Illusionists
-Nothing is as it seems

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Some hidden object games feel like you are in a sitcom and others read like a well written novel. Valerie Porter and The Scarlet Scandal is like the latter with 11 chapters in this Mac game.

The period is the 1920’s where a scrappy cub reporter, Valerie Porter, is trying to break into the newspaper business. She is hired by Gerald Hart, publisher of the city’s newspaper. Unfortunately, she does not realize that Mr. Hart only employed her as a secretary. In the early 1920’s everything is run by men. Luckily, there is a star reporter who by chance happens to be a female, and she is willing to give Valerie her chance at writing news articles.

Valerie is sent on various minor assignments featuring the woman’s point of view, but these stories will lead to the main reason why Scarlet Velour, a celebrity in her era, was murdered. The only person seen fleeing the scene of the crime is Johnny Jackson, a prizefighter and boyfriend of Miss Velour, making him the prime suspect in this murder mystery.

You will go to various locations in the city investigating and gathering information on this story. Finding some items may take a task to complete the level. There are different hints you must search for in each scene. 2 batteries will be in each location and there are light bulbs to help you along in the game.

In addition, there are many mini puzzles to solve throughout the game. One such game is to link all the same items in a subway train. Another is to choose the correct answer to a statement. Also you need to put found items in the right location. In order to do so, you will see an exclamation mark appear to help you with your task.

1920’s journalism was a little different from today’s age of instant reporting through YouTube, Twitter and other means of transmission, and this Mac game reveals the footwork journalists had to do in order to get a good story. Valerie Porter and The Scarlet Scandal gives you the feel of the time and does a good job with the many different environments to search for hidden objects.

Features of Valerie Porter and The Scarlet Scandal:
-11 Chapters
-48 Search Scenes
-8 Mini Games
-21 Locations

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Flux family has a lot of secrets and it continues with the sequel Flux Family Secrets – The Rabbit Hole. In this hidden object Mac game Jesse is stuck in her past because of a ripple in time and must contact her grandfather a master tinker in order to figure out how to return to the present. Search through the family manor and back in time to reveal secrets and answers to Jesse’s past.

30 years back in time brings Jesse face to face with her younger self. The child Jesse will help you in your search for your grandfather. The hidden object scenes are detailed and rich in color with lots of items to search for. In addition, there are many tasks that must be completed to move on in this game. You search for items on the tray at the bottom of the screen, and dimmed objects cannot be found in the present room. Follow the arrows to different rooms or perhaps a different view of the same room. You can move objects such as a curtain or open a drawer to see if anything is hiding behind them. You also have the use of the magnifying glass to zoom closer for a more detailed view. There is a hint button at the bottom right to use if you need help finding objects. There will be things you only see parts of so the fast recharging button is always useful.

Notes and letters scattered throughout the scenes will help reveal clues and get you closer to answers. Also you must straighten out historic things in order to get back to the present. You must get Lincoln to deliver the Gettysburg Address and insure Henry Ford makes cars instead of watches? Collect history badges to further your status in the game. There are many mini games to choose from unlocking chests to putting parts together.

Flux Family Secrets – The Rabbit Hole is full of scenes and tasks to encounter with gorgeous pictures and detailed rooms.  The story enhances the games and advances the environment when needed.  The intense colors, great artwork and good music make for an enjoyable play. Also it’s available in HD to enhance the scenes. I give it a 4 out of 5 for an awesome game.

Features of Flux Family Secrets – The Rabbit Hole:
-12 Chapters of Fun Play (6 bonus chapters in the Collector’s Edition)
-Great Story and Historic Information
-Many Objects to Find and Tasks to Perform

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Abducted in broad daylight, a young woman is taken under very scary, mysterious circumstances. Locked in her trunk, she must figure out how to escape before the air runs out. Trapped the Abduction is a terrifying hidden object/find and seek play. In order to stay alive, she must find objects to escape this hell.

Items must be found in the trunk to unlock the latch. In every scene you must first find the object and then figure out how to use them to escape each site. Following your every move on monitors located in all the rooms is your sinister abductor who will taunt your courageous attempts to escape his eerie prison. The hidden object play is straightforward with most items recognizable, and those that are not, you can use the hint button. For the tasks you must move the cursor around the scene for question marks. It will let you know what you need to do. To start the generator you must find a fan, air filter and belt. After gathering all the objects, you must put it together in the correct order, find the key and then start the motor.

Side games are incorporated into the scenes are to pick up pieces of broken glass to get safely to a escape door or put a mannequin back together. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know.

In your search you discover your California driver’s license with your name on it. Up to this point, you didn’t realize you do not know who you are. Helene is your name. Other clues will help piece together your identity. The locket you find has a picture of an older woman who looks a lot like you. Maybe your mother? Did this nut case abduct your mother also?

With each locked site you escape only to find yourself in another locked room. Will it ever end? The more you find out the more unnerving it becomes. If you are into bone-chilling stories, you will enjoy Trapped the Abduction. There’s too many realistic abduction tales and the real thing out there on the news to make me want to have to endure this game, but it is effective and too frightening for me. I rather play a fictional mystery story than something that happens every day in real life. I guess I’m watching too many news stories. The story is creepy, but the plays are good.

Features of Trapped the Abduction:
-Dark mystery
-Puzzles and Traps
-Realistic Scenes
-Help Her Escape Before It’s Too Late

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Who would answer an email ad proposing a million dollar challenge to travel the world to win the money? Well, I guess maybe a lot of people but it seemed a little bizarre to me. Luckily Sandra is on vacation and has the time to spend traipsing across the ocean in Mac hidden object game Million Dollar Quest.

You will begin by finding items you will need for your trip. The needed objects are at the top right of the screen. The hint button is at the right of the items. This your basic hidden object play with additional places to look for more things like opening the cupboard, suitcase, drawer or anything that opens up. You’ll have inventory items to use later for tasks like ironing clothes. Stars will indicate when to move an object. This game has a lot of puzzles and mini games: mahjong, connect the electrical wires, hangman, click on several of the same items, find the difference, jigsaw puzzle, pack the luggage in the overhead compartment, unscramble letters, bumper game and rearrange a list of historical figures in chronological order. All the fun type of games you find in all HOGs.

The story takes a turn when Sandra’s life is revealed. She was orphaned early in life and was in a terrible car accident. She has no memory of her childhood due to this crash. During her quest of a million dollars, she realizes that someone may have set her up on this adventure. She also gets flashes of her childhood in black and white photos. Even though the premise of this story is a little out there, the tale starts to involve you with bits and pieces like the little boy approaching Sandra at the airport quite accidentally but later finds that a strange man had requested the boy to find Sandra. Hmmm, what’s going on and why does it connect to her past?

The story in this game gets interesting as the play continues. The narration is clear and good except for the man in China with the strange accent. The HOGs are good and relates to the story but is not difficult to find the items. The artwork is good. Try Million Dollar Quest for a nice hidden object play.

Features of Million Dollar Quest:
-Lots of Hidden Objects to Find
-Many Mini Games
-Engaging Story

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

It’s that time of year to be scared out of your mind. Boo! Vampireville may not scare you but it has a haunted house to search high and low for clues to why Jim Johnson went insane.

The hidden object/seek and find/point and click game with many tasks and puzzles begins with chapter 1 and goes all the way to chapter 24. Your game will save after each chapter so don’t leave in the middle or you will have to start the same chapter again.

The story starts out with you, Michael Christensen, being ordered to go and appraise Malgray Manor that will be up for auction soon, and because Jim Johnson, your colleague, went crazy. The house itself is large and spooky looking from the outside and even more so on the inside. You meet the not so helpful butler, Glenfield, and are directed to different parts of the home. You ask for a floor plan but Jim apparently tore it into many pieces. Now you need to look for the scraps of paper and put it back together. You search for things needed to complete tasks like unlocking chests and repairing and starting a boiler. Since you are not penalized for clicking on wrong items, you need to click away to find the hidden objects behind things, in a cabinet and around curtains. Follow the arrows or sparkling stars to a different room or to another section of the same area. You are basically on your own except for the hint button. It will at times only twinkle the spot you need to search. If it is a task, you need to figure it out but on the most part it is not difficult. There are related mini games to play. There are jigsaw puzzles, memory game where you click on 2 cards with the same dogs on it, find the object that does not belong in a scene, and you will need to look for numbers to place on a dial to access a chest.

Michael comes across Rover a ghost dog who helps him through the game. Rover will threaten to bite your head off but his bark is worse than his bite so you do not have to fear him. However, you will need to watch out for the butler who looks a lot like the 300 year old paintings on the wall.

Vampireville is more a humorous story than scary, but it is entertaining. The artwork is remarkable and each character interesting, especially Michael who looks a lot like Keanu Reeves. The voices, however, didn’t seem to fit the characters except maybe Glenfield the creepy butler. A minor annoyance is the loading of the chapters can be a little slow. The music is appropriately mysterious. The play is not challenging but is fun to do. I give it a 3.5 out of 5. Don’t get bitten!

Features of Vampireville:
-24 Chapters
-Lots of Objects and Tasks
-Spooky Characters

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

By the 19th century steam power was well underway and may have been the stimulus for the Industrial Revolution. This is the setting for Mac hidden object game The Clockwork Man. The story begins with Miranda Calomy, a very talented engineering student, who is enlisted by her grandfather to deliver needed parts for a special invention. Miranda boards the first available airship to New Coventry, SA with the supplies for her grandfather Cornelius.

The scrolling and zooming hidden object play begins in Miranda’s home searching for the letter from her grandfather. You need to click on the items listed including the lost letter. Poor Miranda is great with mechanical works, but she is not a tidy housekeeper. The cursor will change to a hand when you go over an item that needs further investigation. You will need to find a crowbar in order to open a drawer. Also zoom to the loft to find more objects. Once on the airship there is a problem and Miranda needs to assist the mechanic. The hidden object play here will scroll to the right and left of the screen. Any help you need comes from Sprocket, a mechanical robot, whose talents keep increasing as you progress in the game.

In addition to the hundreds of objects you must find, there are crystals you need to click on when spotted. Also there are side puzzles like deciphering the code for a locked box and more.

The Clockwork Man is a hidden object game with a story that at times is drawn out and extensive, but if that’s your thing, this play will entertain you. The artwork is detailed and quite good, but the music, although appropriate for the time period, is dreary and not conducive to a relaxed play. I don’t really get into the scroll and zoom plays so I give this game a 3 out of 5 for its good hidden object scenes.

Features of The Clockwork Man:
-Scroll and Zoom Gameplay
-Storyline
-Steam Power and Strange Science

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Curse of the Thirty Denarii is a convoluted story about Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for 30 silver coins. This version has Judas failing to hang himself and living to old age suffering alone on an island with his coins. Upon his death the man who discovered him realized that these coins were cursed, and anyone possessing these coins will have bad luck. 29 of the coins were recovered but 1 is still missing.

This begins the search for this coin. Professor Mortimer must delay his vacation and venture to the Greek Islands to help his friend Dr. Markopoulos recover it before anything disastrous occurs. At the same time a man is escaping a high security prison.

The story progresses through cartoon strips after finding hidden objects, it will display the words in the frames, and the cut scenes will have the speaking characters pop up on the screen as you learn the sequence of this tale. The hidden object game displays the items across the bottom of the screen, similar to Public Enemies: Bonnie and Clyde. There are 6 clues available to you if you need a hint. When you use a clue, you will need to wait for it to recharge before you can use another one. Also after you use it, you will find a star in the scene and when you click on it, you will get another clue. You really do not need many clues. There are your standard mini games like the jigsaw and slide puzzles, shooting the target, getting across traffic and more.

This game is heavy on the story side with hidden objects intertwined throughout. The art is 2D in a cartoon format. The music may have been appropriate but it’s a little boring. At least it is quiet and in the background. Some of the HOG screens will move side to side for a bigger screen and more objects. All the games and puzzles are fairly easy and you might be able to finish the entire game in the hour free download. Give it a shot. I give this game a 2 out of 5.

Features of The Curse of the Thirty Denarii:
-Interesting Tale
-Hidden Objects and Mini Games
-Cartoon Strip

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

On a dark and stormy night you are shipwrecked on a peculiar, once occupied but now deserted, private island. You need to seek and find items in order to depart from this mysterious, isolated land mass in Escape Rosecliff Island. This is about the extent of the tale except for you to find the hidden objects to leave this place.

This typical hidden object play lists their items at the bottom of the page. It’ll either spell out the desired object or give written clues for tasks. Each scene is usually dark and dreary with objects spewed all about. It takes you from location to location searching for the needed items. In each scene there are 2 padlocks to uncover. After 25 locks are found, it will reveal a mystery game, and after 50 locks you get unlimited seek and find games. There are different mini games between some of the main games. One such game is a match 3 like objects to destroy the gray tiles beneath the items. After winning the game, you will get a full gas can to add to other items you will need to leave the island. Another game is the rotate the tiles to complete a picture game, and you get a compass.

Lately there have been a lot of hidden object games to review, and I can see the difference when playing these games side by side. It’s funny because sometimes I like the engaging story when playing HO games, but Escape Rosecliff Island has a very short story that I didn’t get into very much. It takes you from one hidden object game to another without the involved story line, but I find it very refreshing. The scenes are clear and not convoluted like some other games. The side mini plays are also enjoyable. Mac game Escape Rosecliff Island is a pleasure to play. Don’t forget to look for all the locks!

Features of Escape Rosecliff Island:
-Over 2100 Hidden Objects
-25 Island Locations
-5 Mini Games
-Locks for Bonus Games

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Have you noticed how many Snow White stories are on TV and at the movies? Mac games are also using familiar fairy tales as a basis for their games like The Fool and Spirits of Mystery: Amber Maiden. The latter game is about a kingdom under siege by an evil witch. She encases the entire castle in amber trapping them in this hard resin like substance. The only one who escaped this unusual prison was the king and queen’s precious infant daughter and her nanny.

The nanny took the baby through a magical portal away from all the evil. Once the princess was old enough to understand the circumstances, the nanny told her what was going on and that the royal princess is the only one who can release everyone from this dreadful fate. You play as the now grown princess searching for clues and items to use to help you on your quest.

This game is a hidden object, puzzle, point and click adventure where you begin by searching nanny’s cottage while she sleeps. She is not much help but she did take good care of you and you must help her out by releasing her beloved parrot from the amber. Each thing or person in amber will need different methods of releasing the amber. It’s usually something of value to the afflicted. The HOGs are designated in the Regular mode by sparkles. The list of items to find is at the bottom of the screen. The items in yellow must be interacted with before you can find it. There are your standard puzzles you must play until the skip button charges up. There are many areas where you will need to enter by breaking through using some type of tool, creating a magical potion or by solving a puzzle.

The journal at the lower left side will help you with what you need to do and the hint button is available when the eye opens. It recharges faster in the Regular mode. Inventory items will be placed in the file at the bottom center of the screen.

This game has 7 chapters of fascinating scenes and story to go through. Many people, objects and animals to free from the amber. The puzzles are standard and the HOGs fairly simple with its clear and beautiful artwork, this game is done well and fun to do. The cutscenes have voiced portions to make the story a little more interesting. The only gripe I have is when you place your cursor too far down the screen, the main menu pops up. This is very frustrating when you are trying to access an inventory item. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 for a great point and click adventure.

Features of Spirits of Mystery:Amber Maiden:
-7 Chapters
-Hidden Object Games and Puzzles
-Voiced Cutscenes

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Who in their right mind will send a fool to do a brave knight’s job? Well, in all honesty the king was desperate, and losing a foolish young kid is no big deal. The king’s realm is devastated with a fire-breathing dragon that decided to nest in the beautiful caves of the countryside. The king sends out a cry for help. Anyone who rids the kingdom of this menacing creature, brings his bloody tooth back will get the hand of the beautiful princess and half his land.

Many have tried and failed in the attempt, but soon a young man happens upon a flyer and decides he can do the job. In this interesting hidden object adventure, you search for outfits needed to complete tasks. You play different puzzles and hidden object games to get clothing and other inventory items to use in this play. First off anyone attempting to kill a dragon needs the proper armor for protection so you need to find, get money to buy and make deals with quirky characters like the guy in the dungeon for things you’ll need. After getting a piece of armor, you dress your man so he can venture out into the dark caves. Surprisingly enough this young fool has a plan and you need to find ingredients to make a potion. Long fairy tale short he gets the bloody tooth, marries the princess and lives happily ever after until……the extremely mad dragon wakes up to find his tooth missing. The village people chased the fool out of town.

Here you begin more adventures solving various types of puzzles like arranging bricks to match the other side of the screen, getting inventory pieces to get machinery working, picking locks and more. Many of these puzzles are easy enough to figure but you can skip it if you wait a few seconds in the Easy mode or a little longer in the Expert. In addition, the Easy mode will recharge the hint button quickly and show sparkles for areas that need more investigating or for HOGs. In the HOG scenes the list will be at the bottom of the screen with objects you need to find. In orange letters you will need to interact with things to reveal the object. There are four different cursors that will change for different methods to use like the magnifying glass to zoom in, an arrow to go to another area, the hand to pick up items and the gears for solving things with inventory items.

The beginning of the Easy mode will guide you through the initial stages of the game for anyone new to HOGs. The scenes are not scary so younger children can help you find things and work out the puzzles. They may recognize the fairy tale theme but it does go into more mysterious realm to keep you motivated to continue on in this crazy adventure. It’ll take you through the fairy tale castle, scientist’s lab, a steampunk city and more in this fascinating and hilarious story. Where else will you find a princess telling the fool he has eyes like her hamster?

A few of the negatives in this game are that you need to click on an exact spot to get the items, the game is relatively short (only 5 chapters. Maybe I was having such a good time, I didn’t want it to end?), when you clear an area, it doesn’t let you know clearly at the top like some other games. However the good parts outweigh the bad like the humor, great art scenes (looks like different artists from the beautiful, soothing fairy tale type of locations to mechanical steampunk pictures), cutscenes are narrated tongue and cheek by one of the characters, music and sounds are appropriate and different types of plays like dressing the Fool for certain occasions. The Fool is a funny, innovative game you’ll want to try out. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 for a different and surprisingly fun experience.

Features of The Fool:
-Great Tale of Dragon and Princess
-Different Types of Environments
-Many HOGs and Puzzles to Solve

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The girls on a fun outdoor outing are sitting around the campfire telling scary stories late at night. One of the girls starts telling the tale of The Hookman....  Christine’s parents’ cabin deep in the forest will make a romantic weekend getaway for her and her boyfriend. Christine arrives at the destination first to find that all is not well at the cottage. Just trying to enter is presenting an obstacle for her.

Campfire Legends: The Hookman is a interactive hidden object game with the story slowly unraveling as you proceed with the play. You must find the key to enter the cabin. The screen may be larger than what is presently there. The arrow on the right will let you know that you can scan to the right to see the entire room. You must search for fireflies for hints. You may need to go to different sites to collect all the needed items. The side games are all integrated into thestory line. You may need to collect fuses to turn the lights on. Once you find all the fuses, you must correctly place them in the box. Once you are in the cabin, you find that someone has been in the house and has scattered all your belongings everywhere. Anything broken must be fixed by finding the necessary tools and parts. Once you have fixed the radio, you hear that there is a killer loose in your vicinity: The Hookman Killer.

All of a sudden there is an ominous shadow of a man in the doorway, but before you can scream, you find out it’s Patrick, the boyfriend. He reassures Christine and tells her to wait in the car while he searches the home for anyone. In the messy car you search through his garbage only to find a medical file…

I won’t go any further in the story since that’s 50% of the fun in this hidden object play full of tasks and mini puzzles. This game is so interesting you get confused whether you or Christine is the person in danger. This is a good campfire story to tell to people sitting in the dark night. It’s also a little scary for young kids to play because there are moments of surprise. The graphics and eerie sound effects are great, and the story very engaging. Sometimes the extra tasks slowed down the story line due to the intricate pieces you may need to find before anything else can happen, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this mysterious and scary game.

Features of Campfire Legends: The Hookman:
-Surprises
-Piece Together Events to Stay Alive
-Search Locations for Clues

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Steve the Sheriff – The Case of the Missing Thing is a fun underwater hidden object play with many mini games. The cleverly drawn characters with even more original names like Mona Meduza, Raeffaeel and more are full of personality and funny traits. You have a smile on your face the entire time you are playing, even when something is challenging.

The hidden object play is the usual list of items in a scene full of many things scattered everywhere. However, this is where Steve the Sheriff goes a little further to change up the play a little. He will have air bubbles above his head to indicate he is thinking. Many times it is objects he needs. When you find the objects, you drag them to the bubble. You can use these items later for tasks. When the cursor turns into gears, you can access another area to investigate further. There are the before the crime scenes compared to the after the crime scenes for the differences. You will be searching in the museum, police office, suspects’ homes and more areas in the town. You even will be searching in the dark with a light looking for clues. There are clues, and you can get more hints by finding the cigars in the scenes. Also you need to know by lamps they mean light bulbs.

There are many mini games to play in Steve the Sheriff. You will be looking for 10 of the same items like bottles. Sometimes there are extra bottles you click on and it will not be correct so keep moving and look for other bottles. There are jigsaw puzzles putting together the sheriff’s badge, match labels, match keys, place tools in a case and more. If you do not want to play these mini puzzles, you can skip them.

The hidden object play is enhanced with the story line of Steve the Sheriff who is the local hero after apprehending a criminal, but now there is a crime spree and Steve is stumped. He goes from crime scene to office to home talking, searching for clues, and thinking the entire time.
The underwater scenes are imaginative, colorful and well done. The characters are creative and funny. The story is simple but still fun to reveal. The hidden object plays are at times challenging but manageable with items relating to the scenes in proportionate sizes. Steve the Sheriff – The Case of the Missing Thing is an enjoyable, pleasant game. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars for a good time.

Features of Steve the Sheriff – The Case of the Missing Thing:
-Capture the Thief!
-Puzzles and Mini Games
-Funny Characters

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Take the Big Bang Theory, shrink it and you have the Mac hidden object adventure The Tiny Bang Story. In a land far, far away, a tiny planet with tiny people and tiny things is side-swiped by a speeding asteroid, destroying everything on the small orb. It breaks the land into many jigsaw pieces. What is a person to do? Put the pieces back together and bring back the happiness that once reigned supreme, that’s what.

Pick up all the jigsaw pieces and put them back together again. You’ll travel from one section of the planet to another finding hidden objects and solving puzzles. On the left side you will find the number of pieces of jigsaw pieces, pipes, and more to find and put back in order to fix the planet. Mini games and quests abound in this fun game. Put machinery back and working again. You may have to find a photo for someone and when you find all the pieces, you’ll need to put the picture back. Afterwards, someone will give you what you are looking for to help solve your puzzle. Other pieces you’ll need may be hidden behind things or you may need to zoom in for a closer look. You go from scene to scene and may have to return to the same location, but you are kept in a small section of the planet at a time until you accomplish your goals in this curious click and point game.

Find pieces of metal to put together an entrance you will need to travel through. Shoot balloons to collect the right jars for your search. Put together jigsaw in order to help the planet. Keep looking and solving the many puzzles in this easy going game. If you get stuck, you will need to click on 30 insects flying around each scene. After you collect 30, you will not be able to click on anymore. There are always 2 flying insects to click on but you must use your hint button to collect more.

The Tiny Bang Story is not your average hidden object game. It’s more a seek and find, point and click type of adventure with hardly a tale to follow. There’s no voice acting, written words or cut scenes to interrupt your game. You go from scene to scene looking for things and trying to figure out the many puzzles you are confronted with in order for you to proceed through all the places on this unusual planet. Even with minimal guidance, this game will keep you interested in searching for each piece of the puzzle.

There’s no timer to rush you through the plays and the music is soothing and relaxing. The hand drawn artwork is very creative and original. The puzzles are not difficult but you may need to take some time for the answers. The game is different from other hidden object games, and that’s a good thing. The only complaint is the hint system of collecting 30 insects. If you need help, it gets a little frustrating clicking on the insects over and over. Also there is no skip button for the mini games. This is not a hardship but sometimes you do not want to do a mini game. I give this interesting game a 4 out of 5 for originality and fun. Get the tiny planet back in order!

Features of The Tiny Bang Story:
-Fun Click and Point Adventure with Quirky Characters
-Mini Games and Puzzles
-Creative Artwork

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Marcus, a lone shepherd, trekking to Rome to seek his fortune and for a better life from what he had left behind, finds himself confronted by a challenge. He sees a maiden in trouble and goes to her assistance but is hit on the head by an unknown assailant. Marcus comes to and is tied to a tree and left to die. As luck would have it, an elderly citizen rescues Marcus and gives him advice and directions to Rome. Romance of Rome has many aspects to this Mac seek and find game. You will be following Marcus search through Rome by helping people with tasks they need done. In the meantime he stumbles across imperial relics that the emperor desires. The king even offered his daughter in marriage and a vast fortune to get these ancient artifacts.

The main play is the hidden object game. However there are so many side plays to Romance of Rome that it keeps you moving from sites like the Pantheon to a ship docked in the harbor and back again. In each seek and find scene you have a list of items in green background when found can be used as a tool to open another object in the scene. Keys, of course, unlock chests and doors, but also there are other items you have to figure out what to do with in order to progress in the game. Many times these tools can be found in other places so you need to make sure you find all the objects in the picture if you are able.

There are hints to use at the right of the scene whenever you need it. After using one you will need to wait until the hint button returns to green.

Initially I found the story a little slow but got into it more with searching not only for the common citizens like earrings for Julia the gal Marcus tried to save, Octavio the elder who helped him, but also the Roman senator looking for the elusive blossom of a rare tree, and the irate Roman who Marcus trampled in his hurry to get to a site. In addition you can spend your hard earned money from searching for hidden objects at the bazaar to heighten your status as a Roman citizen. Buying new clothes is important to raise your standing in the eyes of the other citizens.

The cartoon strips progress the story line and seem to slow down your play, but you can speed up the conversations by clicking. This game is fun to play, and I can recommend it to all hidden object gamers and kids. Although some objects are difficult to make out, you can use the hint button for assistance. Look for the imperial relics and see if Marcus marries the princess or does he follow his heart and marry Julia?

Features of Romance of Rome:
-Find Stolen Relics
-Travel throughout Rome
-Love and Treachery

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Getting a tattoo may not be your worst fear, but what if this artwork gets more painful as the days go on and you can’t remember ever getting one? Of course, would you choose a large colorful floral design? Maybe not. On top of everything else, people are dying right in front of you and they have similar tattoos. Pretty creepy, right? Mac adventure hidden object game Our Worst Fears: Stained Skin will take you on a mysterious and supernatural journey full of clues and puzzles.

The story begins with a man chained on a rocky cliff and cannot remember anything. He discovers a painful tattoo but doesn't recall when, where and why he got it. Intriguing. You must free him from his chains and get him across water to where another man is standing. You are the tattooed man searching for answers. Point and click objects to help you in this task. Sparkles will outline a hidden object game for more clues and tools to use. Once you reach this man, he makes you forget everything you heard and saw at this location.

You wake up in your home remembering nothing except the painful tattoo is still on your shoulder. It is an intricate floral design you have never seen before. You want to relieve the pain and the only way you know how is to commit suicide, but there is someone in your life you care about so you search for another way out. There is no voice acting in this game. You read dialog between yourself and other people. You will see your face on the left side and another person’s on the right. As in most HOG adventures you will have a list of tasks and a journal to help you along on your journey. Throughout your play you will find HOGs and puzzles to solve to help you get more answers.

However, more questions arise when Mary, your girlfriend, tells you she couldn’t get in to see her psychotherapist. He apparently hung himself. You rush over to meet Mary and search the premise. You find a list of Death Tattoo Phobias at his office and the one you have is on this list. To make matters more confusing, the therapist has one of the tattoos. Here is when the story gets really unbelievable when you encounter doppelgängers, and you and Mary just go about searching for clues. This game does take you back and forth from one scene to another and back again. At least once you clear an area, it will tell you so you do not have to waste your time looking there again.

This game has a lot of HOGs and your standard puzzles, but the story, even though has a great beginning, drops its momentum almost immediately and becomes a standard story with ghosts put in everywhere you turn. No explanations or why they float around in some spots.

A different aspect of the HOG is the putting on goggles to see some objects. Click on the goggle button at the top and you will get 2 pieces of the scene to place in their correct location. Once you have them placed, you can see the object you need. When you are point and clicking through an environment, you will get outlined objects you will need to find.

Overall, strange things do occur in this game but it doesn’t add to the play or make it more interesting. Too bad, since the start of the game did have great potential, but the rest of the story went a little awry. The going back and forth from scene to scene is tiring. Also seeing objects you know will be needed later but cannot pick up is a little frustrating. The artwork is fine and the music appropriate. If you don’t mind ghosts meandering through your search, people dying, try this game. I give it a 3 out of 5 for good HOGs.

Features of Our Worst Fears: Stained Skin:
-Mysterious Death Tattoos
-Hidden Objects and Puzzles
-Good Artwork and Music

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars