After a string of average hidden object games (HOG), G5 has had a number of great releases in a row with the most recent being ‘Nightmares from the Deep’. Now they are back with Spirit Walkers: Curse Of The Cypress Witch, which looks to have a significant and interesting plot wrapped around a hidden object adventure. Let’s take a look!
The Hype:
Inspired by the legend of a hiker-attacking ghost living in the forest, Maylynn and a group of friends decide to go on an entertaining, investigative trip. Almost immediately, things take turn for the worse when one of the friends gets seriously injured. In order to survive, they must travel between times and dimensions to overcome an ancient evil and save the souls of the innocent. Help these friends solve brain-twisting puzzles and explore the world of ghosts and lost souls in this heart-pounding Adventure game.
32 Gorgeous hidden object scenes
Nearly 20 ingenious puzzles
Eerie, engaging atmosphere
Intriguing storyline
Astonishing 3D graphics
New iPad Retina Display Support
Game Center Support
The Reality:
The story of Spirit Walkers: Curse Of The Cypress Witch centers around four young women heading out on an adventure to investigate the legend of a ghost trapped in a tree attacking hikers. You play as Maylynn, who is skeptical but goes along with her friends. Soon things turn serious as a ghost of a woman appears and then one of your friends is critically injured. You manage to free your friend, and get to a safe place (as part of the game, of course). The ghost reappears and explains the situation, who she is and how the friend was hurt … and that you need to get involved in this cross-dimensional struggle if your friend has any hope of survival!
Spirit Walkers: Curse Of The Cypress Witch is nominally a HOPA (hidden object puzzle adventure), but in reality it is much more of an adventure game with elements of puzzle and hidden object genres. The gameplay bends all three genres without feeling forced. In terms of moving around you tap on locations that will take you from location to location. But within each area you need to explore – tap to talk to people, tap on items or oddities you spot around the scene to see what might be significant.
The great thing about the exploration is that it feels free and open, but you are actually being guided through the plot similar to most every other hidden object game. Each area has puzzles, free-search objects, and specific ‘find the objects’ scenes.
The hidden object portion of the game is challenging but never frustrating – and best yet it is done in a non-traditional ‘silhouette’ format. Some objects are simple to find, others take a while. But I never found myself just tapping like a madman out of frustration, nor was I tapping on what I thought was correct and then used a hint to discover I was off by a pixel.
Puzzles are similarly well-balanced – you are frequently tasked with finding objects in order to solve a puzzle and being turned away if everything isn’t in place yet. These multi-stage puzzles are a blast and remind me of many successful PC adventure games more than most hidden object games.
But the thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the best part of the game – dimensional travel. I don’t want to give away too much, but as noted in the press release description, you are tasked to travel in time and dimension in order to unravel the complete mystery. This is neither a gimmick nor an afterthought. You have to cross dimensions to solve puzzles, and the way the game presents the changes and interactions is well thought out and makes sense.
The degree to which the game feels like a cohesive and integrated story with compelling gameplay makes the time slip away as you play. It is an immensely enjoyable experience, and while it is sad to have it end there is no letdown from an abrupt or unfinished ending. For a casual game in a genre based around short and thin experiences, Spirit Walkers stands out for having been thoughtfully put together in a way that give you a solid story, excellent gameplay, and a flow that carries from start to finish and leaves you satisfied.
Here is the trailer for Spirit Walkers: Curse Of The Cypress Witch HD:
Review: Spirit Walkers: Curse Of The Cypress Witch HD
Where to Buy: iTunes App Store for the iPhone and iPad
Price: Free with full-game unlock via in-app purchase: $4.99 iPhone or $6.99 iPad ($2.99/$4.99 on 9/13 only)
What I Like: Interesting story; great visuals; great integration of time and dimensions; challenging puzzles; evolving gameplay
What Needs Improvement: Nothing.
Source: Publisher provided review code