They are like adventures, but from Bizarro World.
- You don't just have to
steal pick up things you need, but tons of random stuff too, only there to clutter the screen. Additionally, you have to break a lot of things - There is almost nobody around, even in scenarios where there should be lots of people
- Everyone is obsessed with locks, either openable with keys (of strange shapes) or random objects fitting into slots. Locked behind these are the most random of things (which you need to progress, but it makes no sense in a working world to stuff them there, like a ruler in an ornate box that needs three keys to unlock)
- Puzzles everywhere, especially on the now-locked door the person you are pursuing just went through no problem
- Everything is broken and you need to find the parts to repair. Even though machines and doors are supposed to be in daily use, you have to get their parts from places halfway across the game world
- Due to how these games work, nothing feels like you are on an adventure, but more like a scavenger hunt, or participating in a game show
There are some good hidden object games. Some people turn their nose up at them for being too ‘casual' but there are some fun ones which have a decent story and a good blend of adventure gamey features.
I'm currently playing The X-Files: Deep State. It's a good game. The “adventurey†puzzles are insultingly easy and it's full of annoying microtransaction pop-ups which you have to learn to ignore. But the story is fun and the actual hidden-object part can get pretty challenging. Worth a try.
I've often played them with classes of kids at my english school.
They are perfect for this because they have tons of everyday object vocabulary, they repeat the same basic objects quite often, have many multiple objects with the same name to be tricky (compass, bat, pin, etc.), and they are usually fast paced, cutting from one scene to the next quickly, sometimes with a "reward" puzzle for the kids to do like a jigsaw puzzle, wordsearch, or other minigame (usually skipable if I judge it too time-consuming or otherwise pointless)...
Especially fun to play on a big screen.
More advanced students should tell me where they see objects with a sentence rather than pointing: "The anchor is next to the big clock."
Lot's of fun and educational!
I occasionally play them, for reasons that escape me.
Quote from: Stupot on Mon 12/03/2018 23:32:56
Some people turn their nose up at them for being too ‘casual'
(https://i.imgur.com/IJeUt21.png)
Playing them does not mean that I have to turn a blind eye on the weirdness. Also, I forgot:
Hidden object scenes often feature objects that have no business being there, like anachronistic toys, or in one case, unspoiled food in a room that's supposed to be untouched for decades.
Of course we could just as well list the strange stuff making up adventure game conventions. Or any other genre, really.
I played some and didn't like them for their seemingly randomness, like you said, a ruler inside a fancy box that needs three locks. I prefer a coherent story where the objects you get somehow make sense and also can be combined with other items to solve a puzzle.
Some pixelhunts in adventure games are like hidden object games, but pixelhunts in adventure games are annoying, so there is that. not really my cup of tea.
I see people can have fun with some complex puzzles but for me it is just some random puzzle after another, this is not that motivating to continue (except it is the whitnes) I need more story between the puzzles to have fun.
Haven't played one for a while but I used to get sent a fair few to review so I tended to play them as they were quick and easy to play, and some of them were rather good. I've often viewed them as "adventure-lite" since they do have many similarities to adventure games. I guess it's the immersion and dialogue that are the main difference, although often the puzzles in HOGs are pretty random and nonsensical (I suppose you could level the same charge at quite a number of AGs!!)
Can't think of many names but I remember Snarkbusters being a particularly fun HOG.
Quote from: CaptainD on Tue 13/03/2018 10:15:47
but I remember Snarkbusters being a particularly fun HOG.
They did it differently: Hiding parts of the things you had to find in front of similarly coloured scenery. That was indeed refreshing.
Ben304 mentioned some of these weird games on the Blue Cup Tool podcast.
QuoteI occasionally play them, for reasons that escape me.
I can have that guilty pleasure too sometimes :P
*Go play Apple Farm*
Yes I like playing them when I'm in the mood for something that doesn't require too much thought. They usually have pretty good art. But yes the stories are often pretty silly with very little character interaction. Sometimes the mini games are a bit absurd but I like a challenge.
I've tried to play hidden object games, but I usually can't.
I'm told that I need to find clues for a crime, and I end up having to click on the moon, or a feather that's embedded in the wall, with no ryhme or reason for any of it. At the end of the day, I just start to wish that the people who had made the game had put their talents to something more entertaining, since they usually have brilliant art and story, but such meaningless gameplay.
Hi fellow AGSrs
When I first started playing hidden object games they were, just that, and pretty boring. Nowadays, they have evolved into more adventure than hidden object. Steam have a large selection at very reasonable prices, especially when they have a sale. One of my favourite games is City of Fools. It is clever and very entertaining. I can't really say that there is one I have hated.
Quote from: BarbWire on Wed 14/03/2018 15:37:31
One of my favourite games is City of Fools. It is clever and very entertaining.
If you're told to find objects that actually make sense in the context of the story, then I'll be more than willing to play it. :-D
But unless there are inventory object puzzles, it's not really comparable to an adventure game. As a matter of fact, I remember when people kept calling Hidden Object Games "Adventure Games". It was quite annoying, especially when you were searching for actual Adventure Games.
Hi Danvzare
There are plenty of inventory object puzzles. My inventory was so full with objects I had to find a use for, in City of Fools, that I needed a very large wheelbarrow to transport them in.
The only way to assess if you like these games is to actually play them. You might be pleasantly surprised.