DARK ARCANA: THE CARNIVAL

"DARK ARCANA: THE CARNIVAL"
Carless Yen

    Dark Arcana is another point and click hidden objects games from those guys at Artifex Mundi. Like usual they deliver a well rounded game. Games like these take me back really to retro PC gaming like Police quest, and other Sierra games I loved so much as a teenager. Artifex really delivers that same feel, and storytelling. I've found myself loving about everything they have done. Dark Arcana is no different. Although some of the hidden object games feel repeated, and found myself looking for the same objects again in the DLC it wasn't enough to take away from the fun I was having.
     You play as a lady detective called to a carnival to find the missing mother of a little girl there. The Carnival is owned by Jim Gibbons a famous knife thrower, who opened the park 25 years after the death of his wife. Carnivals are a wonderful destination on games. It is always so bright, colorful, and Whimsical and Dark Arcana is all these things. The backgrounds are gorgeous, the sounds and music are delightful, and this time we get another adorable partner in a cute little monkey. You can use him to retrieve things out of reach, and it really is fun when you get to use him, I wish you used him more, and he was part of the story more cause he really is a delight.
     In Dark Arcana you go between two different worlds, so you get to see the carnival in two different lights. One is the normal delightful Carnival we all love with merry go rounds, ferris wheels, colorful tents with amazing entertainment like Lions, clowns, and performers like the man on the flying trapeze. All the things that make it the greatest show on Earth. The other is a dark side, full of the occult, and other creepy things that make you feel eery. It is really entertaining having two worlds to go back and forth through. It really keeps the game fresh in the few hours it will take to finish it.
        The puzzles are rather simple, probably the easiest I've came across in their game library. Wish they would have been a little more difficult, and more of a variety, but I was still very much entertained. Dark Arcana might not be Artifex Mundi's best Hidden Object title so far, it still holds the same quality, and fun your used to. it still begs to be played, and played again because if your an Achievement hound it is going to take a second play to get them all. So fans of these type of games, here is another for you. I know if you've loved their games in the past your gonna love this one as well. Same quality, as your used to from these guys.

Pros: Awesome Carnival Atmosphere, all the sights and sounds
         Fun companion
         Great retro PC feel
         Fun characters, and villain. Good voice acting

Cons: Hidden Object games feel repeated at times
           Stories good,but lacks a little then used to from these guys

Overall: 7.0 If your a fan of Hidden Object games, and Artifex Mundi you can't go wrong. The same quality your used to from them.