Find hidden objects in this Where's Waldo-style game that's great for families and groups.
Hidden Through Time is a game of hide and seek with objects scattered throughout the wonderful history of our world. Use cryptic hints to discover every secret as you explore the colourful hand drawn levels. Find enough objects to advance to the next stage, and make your way through all four great ages. Hidden Through Time is a cute game of hide and seek with objects scattered through the wonderful history of our world. Use cryptic hints to discover every secret as you explore the colourful hand drawn levels. Find enough objects to advance to the next stage, and make your way through all four great ages. All Games Casual Games Hidden Through Time Downloadable Content Hidden Through Time - Legends of Japan. Hidden Through Time - Legends of Japan. This content requires the base game Hidden Through Time on. Mac OS X Minimum: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system; OS: Windows 7 or later; Processor: Requires a 64. Windows Mac Linux Steam Achievements Full controller support Steam Trading Cards. Search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes. Unfurl tent flaps, cut through bushes, slam doors, and poke some crocodiles!
When I was kid, I had the Where's Waldo? video game on the original Nintendo (NES), which challenged players to help Waldo get to the moon by finding him across a number of cluttered scenes before running out of time. The game was really repetitive and the graphics were blurry, but I enjoyed it and I still look back fondly at the experience.
All of these years later, Hidden Through Time, a new Where's Waldo-style game, is coming to console, PC, and mobile devices. It features similar gameplay to that old NES title, but with modern graphics and limitless replayability.
We had a chance to try the Switch version of the game.
What is Hidden Through Time?
Hidden Through Time is a hidden object game in the style of Where's Waldo, rather than the style of story-driven point-and-click hidden object games (these games tend to include puzzles as well as hidden object scenes, among other features). The 'Story Mode' doesn't actually have a story; you're simply asked to find the required objects in each level, and there is no time limit. The game starts in the Stone Age and gradually progresses through different time periods, making stops in ancient Egypt, the middle ages, and the Wild West.
How is Hidden Through Time played?
Each stage features a cluttered scene containing a variety of objects that fit the level's time period or theme. For instance, in Egyptian levels, you may find cats, pyramids, and colorful market stalls. The objects you're required to find are pictured at the bottom of the screen, and when you think you've found one, you can move your cursor on top of the object in the scene and press a button on your controller to mark it. If you've found the correct object (some items look very similar), it will be marked off of the list and you can move on to search for another item. There's no penalty for incorrect guesses.
In each level, one of the objects is associated with a text clue that can help you find it. For instance, a clue for a banana in one level reads 'A wild fruit, only found in oases.' This tells you to look for the banana in an area that resembles an oasis.
To move from one level to the next, you'll need to find the required number of items. This number is cumulative across all stages, so if you find lots of items in earlier stages, you may be able to skip finding objects in later levels (or even skip a level altogether) if you've already found the required number of objects to continue.
While most of the game is about simply observing a scene until you spot a required object, you can interact with the scene in some subtle ways by clicking on structures like tents and pyramids to view inside them. Required objects may be found in these areas.
Finally, in addition to the game's Story Mode, you can create your own scenes in a map editor and share them with other players online, as well as play through levels created by other people.
How does the map editor work?
The map editor, along with the ability to play stages created by other players, gives Hidden Through Time endless replayability, since there will always be new ways to play even after you've completed the single-player stages.
When creating a map, you'll start with a blank screen and are required to place each and every item, one by one, inside the scene. You can mix and match items from all four time periods, or go for realism by creating a scene that fits a particular theme or tells a story. As you place objects, you can set which ones are the required objects that other players will need to find. You can also type your own text clue for one of the objects. Link film lies 1998 sub indo sub.
Unfortunately, the map editor has cumbersome controls that take a lot of getting used to. There are four separate menus positioned on the outside edges of the screen, which allow you to do everything from selecting an object to place in the scene to changing an object's orientation to 'undoing' your last action, and so on. You access these menus using the d-pad. When you want to interact with the objects you've already placed in the scene (for instance, if you want to move an object to another location), you'll use the left joystick.
Once you get used to the controls, you can create elaborate scenes, but the game could greatly benefit from a menu redesign, or at the very least, a more in-depth tutorial for players that are new to the mode.
Since we were playing on the Switch, we thought using touch-screen controls would improve this experience, but it was arguably worse. At one point, we inadvertently deleted an entire building and its contents from our scene, and even tapping the 'undo' button couldn't bring it back.
These control issues aside, we love the idea of the map editor and its potential for creating both themed and challenging new scenes to play.
Is there anything else we should know?
Hidden Through Time For Macbook Air
The game's Story Mode doesn't feature a tutorial, and while it generally doesn't need one, players should be told that you can zoom in on a scene to view objects more closely (this information is found in the game's options menu). The default 'zoom' level is virtually unplayable -- both when the Switch is docked (we played on a 55' TV at a distance of around 10' 9' from the screen) and when playing in handheld mode. However, zooming in all of the way fixes that.
What's the final verdict?
While it may seem like we were pretty negative on Hidden Through Time, we actually really enjoyed the game. We're definitely disappointed by the issues with the map editor, but if you take the time to become comfortable with the controls, the possibilities for unleashing your imagination are wide open.
The story mode is also a lot of fun, and even though it's pretty difficult to find every single object in every scene, the ability to move on once you've found 'enough' items prevents the game from becoming frustrating.
Finally, we love the game's multiplayer potential. While only one person needs to control the cursor, everyone in the room can search for objects in a scene and point them out when they spot them.
Hidden Through Time launches on Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS, and Android on March 12. The game will be $7.99 on console and PC, and $2.99 on mobile devices. It's rated E for Everyone by the ESRB. If your family enjoys Where's Waldo or I Spy books, we recommend checking it out.
Disclosure: SuperParent received a code to download Hidden Through Time for coverage purposes. Our coverage remains objective.
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Hidden Through Time
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android
Genre: Puzzle
Price: From £2.49
The Where's Wally of gaming
Sometimes, the simple things do it best and Hidden Through Time fits right within this group. The aim is very much inspired by Where's Wally, except these are motion spaces, which developers describe as depicting a 'wonderful history of our world'. The difficulty gets progressively harder, requiring you to zoom, scan painstakingly slow, and even snoop into buildings as you are tasked with finding a list of different objects in each level.
The trickier ones will bug you for the rest of the day – and even make you a bit angry – but there's also something quite fulfilling about finally uncovering them. There are some hints to give you a hand, but don't expect these to help you too much. What's even greater is the Map Editor, allowing you to build your own levels and share these with other players online – and there are some really impressive creations to have a go at, providing the game with longevity.
Skip to the end: A challenge that can easily frustrate but is also satisfying once you find the required objects. The Map Editor also gives you more game for your buck, which is always welcome.
Score: 9/10
Totally Reliable Delivery Service
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, iOS
Genre: Simulation
Price: From £11.99
Who dreamed being a courier could be so fun?
If you're looking for something silly to take your mind off things, then look no further than Totally Reliable Delivery Service. Taking parcels from A to B on a map may seem like a simple feat, but it's less so if you have rag-doll physics and need to go through extremely absurd methods such as going down a hand glider to get each mission done.
Playing alone is no fun, but adding three others locally or online takes the chaos to a new level, bringing out its true, slapstick, humoured self. However, getting stuck inside objects can be frustrating and leave you wondering if it's deliberate or a game bug – we're inclined to believe it's the latter. Pop-in graphics (where elements suddenly appear as you move around the map) also fail to impress given the basic nature of the game, but the concept provides enough light entertainment to look over this.
Skip to the end: Slapstick silliness best played with others for optimal results, Totally Reliable Delivery Service is everything a courier wishes they could be – minus the bugs.
Score: 6/10
The Complex
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac
Genre: Interactive movie
Price: £9.99
A niche gaming-movie crossover
So, The Complex is not strictly a game but it is a fine example of how the line between games and movies is continually blurring, leaving the gamer or viewer (you decide which you consider yourself) to make choices for the lead, Amy, in this sci-fi thriller. Comparing it to the big budget of Netflix's Black Mirror: Bandersnatch might be unfair, despite their obvious similarities, but The Complex holds its ground with eight different endings and well-polished visuals, as well as seamless transitions between each scene.
Decisions can vary from deciding whether or not to take a phone call, to more drastic choices such as choosing who lives or dies. Gaming roots show in the relationship and personality screen, which details how you well – or not – you're getting on with others. Acting was not always very convincing, making this a more solid game entry than a movie one.
Skip to the end: A welcome addition to the interactive movie arena with real promise from the relationship and personality screen and a well-rounded storyline.
Score: 7/10
No Way Home
Platform: iOS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £4.99 per month on Apple Arcade
Space explorer we've seen all before..
Sat in an escape pod, appearing to be the only survivor of a tourist space cruise, No Way Home sets you on a journey through the galaxy to find civilisation. The principles are basic and nothing new – explore, encounter alien bad guys and strange objects, follow objectives and carry out tasks, as you go about the search for Earth. Going back and forth can be a bit tedious when completing activities but this is a minor setback. And despite your character being a little whiny, the banter between you and your robot companion fill what would otherwise be a very silent game. Visually, the cartoon artwork approach suits No Way Home perfectly but the repetitive nature of game play left us wanting regular breaks.
Skip to the end: Easy controls, simplicity and beautiful cartoon visuals not enough to make up for unoriginal concept.
Score: 6/10
Hidden Through Time Mac
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