100 hidden eternals

Developer: Anatoliy Loginovskikh | Publisher: Anatoliy Loginovskikh | Release Date: 2020 | Genre: Casual / Hidden Object / Indie | Website: N/A | Purchase: Steam

After the extremely easy 100 Hidden Gnomes and the slightly more interesting 100 Hidden Birds, 100 Hidden Eternals feels like a return to the stranger style of 100 Hidden Snails. Instead of a mine filled with barely hidden gnomes or a cartoon city packed with birds, players are presented with another surreal black-and-white illustration filled with strange shapes, odd creatures, and tiny humanoid idols known as “eternals.” As the title suggests, the goal is simply to find all 100 of them.

100 Hidden Eternals is another entry in Anatoliy Loginovskikh’s long-running “100 hidden” series. The Steam page describes it as a hidden object game in a surreal black-and-white hand-drawn style with animated puzzles, which is a fair description of what is on offer. Players scroll around the monochrome illustration, click on any eternals they spot, and unlock one Steam achievement for each discovery. The game also includes the familiar option to press “N” for night mode and “Del” followed by “Esc” to reset achievements.

The gameplay initially appears as simple as the earlier entries. Players scan the image, click on the eternals that are standing around, and gradually work toward the full count of 100. However, 100 Hidden Eternals does try to add a little more variety by including some minor puzzle elements. Certain parts of the image react when the mouse hovers over them, while some eternals must be revealed by interacting with the illustration in specific ways. These interactions can involve clicking on particular objects, dragging or guiding elements to certain locations, and even switching to night mode to reveal one hidden eternal.

These additions are very welcome because they make the game feel more interactive than 100 Hidden Gnomes or 100 Hidden Birds. Unfortunately, they are also not used nearly enough. Most of the eternals are still standing in plain sight, which means much of the game is simply a matter of scanning the illustration from top to bottom. Only a small handful of eternals are hidden behind actual puzzle interactions, so players hoping for a more elaborate hidden-object puzzle experience are likely to feel let down.

Compared to 100 Hidden Snails, this entry has a similar surreal energy, but it is not quite as satisfying as a pure search game. Snails benefited from the way their shapes could blend into the strange doodle artwork, making them harder to spot naturally. The eternals, by contrast, often look distinct enough that they are easy to identify once players understand what they are searching for. The puzzle elements help offset this, but more of them would have made the game much more memorable.

Visually, 100 Hidden Eternals is one of the more interesting entries in the series. The black-and-white hand-drawn art style is chaotic, weird, and full of small details. It has the same oddball charm as 100 Hidden Snails, and the limited animations add some personality to the image. The night mode is also useful not only as an alternate visual option but because at least one eternal requires it to be found. This is a clever touch and exactly the type of interaction the game could have used more often.

As with the other games in the series, the entire experience is very short. Players who use a guide can obviously finish it in minutes, while those playing normally should still not expect a lengthy game. Once all 100 eternals have been found, there is very little reason to return unless players reset their achievements and start from scratch. This makes it appealing mainly to hidden object fans, achievement hunters, or players who enjoy very short experimental curiosities.

The audio is basic and not a major part of the experience. This is not unusual for the series, but the strange visuals would have benefited from a more memorable soundtrack or ambient soundscape. Controls are simple, with players using the mouse to scroll, click, drag, and interact with puzzle elements. The few interactive sections work well enough, although some are obscure enough that players may need to experiment before figuring out what the game expects from them.

Overall, 100 Hidden Eternals is a better and more interesting entry than 100 Hidden Gnomes, but it does not fully capitalize on its best ideas. The return to surreal artwork is appreciated, and the animated puzzle elements are a nice step forward for the series. However, too many of the eternals are simply standing in plain sight, which makes the game feel easier and less engaging than it could have been. Still, for its low price and short runtime, it remains an enjoyable little hidden object diversion.