Are Interactive Hidden Object Games (IHOGs) becoming more like adventure games? Read about games that demonstrate this trend in this second part of a series on IHOGs, written from the perspective of a long-time adventure gamer.

Hidden Objects and Beyond

Thanks Becky! Great Editorial.

Ana

Thank You, Becky

I feel casual gaming is getting better when it comes to IHOGS....

To name the first one I enjoyed was..
Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst

Then the second was Dire Grove..."Great Game"

You have made it very clear that some of these games that are called IHOGS can be considered Adventure Games.

I really don't like mini games...But...I did enjoy some of the games in RTR...

Thanks Ana!

Hi Darleen -- I think IHOGs are adopting more adventure elements, but they are still different than adventure games in some ways (I mention them in the article). I agree that IHOGs are getting better and better.

Thanks Becky very nice article IHOGs are more fun to play

Great article Becky!

I certainly like the trend to make these games into lite-adventures.

Linda

Thanks Becky - part 2 is great too. I agree that IHogs are becoming better and more adventure like too.
I would add to the wish list that the conversations were voiced as well as written and more had diary/journal type ways of expanding the story line too so that those who don't care for so much dialog could play and those of us who like more story could get that wish too. Both of your articles were well written and have gotten the ideas/wishes going for me. I am looking forward to the next installment.
Kathy

Great article Becky!
I can explain why one item on your wish list is not more widely offered, more word puzzles. While word puzzles are popular, they suffer the issue of most being impossible to localize to other languages. As nearly 50% of sales are now outside north America, for games to be profitable, they need to be translated into many laguages. BFG learned this th hard way with MCF: Madame Fate. It had many great word games, but when it was localized into 9 other languges these all had to be removed. They tried making the same puzzles in each language but that was taking way too long and it was difficult to find native speakers who weere also good word game designers.

Great article. I will pass in onto our development teams!

Thanks BFG-Guy! It's always a pleasure to hear from the other side.

Ana

Hi BFG-Guy -- thanks for the explanation! It makes a lot of sense. I didn't realize that so many gamers were playing the games in different languages. That's great that the games are increasingly universal.

I think it isn't easy to be a developer these days.

Hi - I enjoyed your writeup about hidden object games and found it most helpful. I would just like to add some comments of my own. I have for the past nine years since retirement been playing the "true" adventure games ie myst, schism and basically any other game I could get hold off.(I have around 70) Recently the game market (at least here) has dried up so I decided, for a change to try hidden object games. I started with ravenhurst and games like that and truthfully wasnt to impressed. Then I found and tried a couple of others with some success I ENJOYED THEM. SURPRISE. No one was more surprised than I was, I havent played many but the ones I do recommend are both Drawn (Big fish) and Jade Rousseau (masque) I played all without a walkthrough just using the hints and found them to be enjoyable and in some cases challenging. These at least make you think, they will never replace the old games but will fill the void for now. Just a comment.

Thanks teresa!