Eventide: Slavic Fable

Developer: The House Of Fables | Publisher: Artifex Mundi sp. z o.o. | Release Date: 2016 | Genre: Adventure / Casual / Hidden Object | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Let’s face it: ghosts, vampires, and other typical monsters are a little overdone at this point, especially in the hidden object game genre. That’s why it is refreshing to see titles like Eventide: Slavic Fable that deviate from the usual cast of creatures. As the name suggests, it is a game inspired by Slavic mythology, which appears to be filled with all sorts of weird and wonderful beings. The setting is a contemporary heritage park where the protagonist’s grandmother is the curator. Grandma invariably ends up kidnapped, and you need to save her with the help of the mythical creatures dwelling in the park.

When Mary, the game’s protagonist, arrives at the heritage park, she quips, “Equal parts cute and creepy. Yup. Definitely Slavic.” This pretty much sums up the game’s visual style as well because the creatures definitely fall into the “cute and creepy” category. In addition to the fantastic creature designs, the other visuals are very nice, too, and each scene is filled with plenty of detail. We hoped the game’s setting would result in some unique new locations, but genre favorites such as a creepy old castle and dark forest once again make an appearance. Those who play many hidden object games will have already trudged through their fair share of these locations, but at least Eventide features better-looking versions. In total, there are 38 locations to explore, and thanks to the handy map feature, you can jump to any of the ones you’ve visited previously. The hand-painted art style of the game fits the theme perfectly, and the artists have used a rich color palette to give scenes a unique mood. The subtle animated elements added to the primarily static scenes also enhance the experience. Even the cut scenes are done well and do a good job of making some scenes feel more action-packed. In addition, these scenes also use the same hand-drawn style as the rest of the game.

Eventide: Slavic Fable is enjoyable but also one of the easiest hidden object games we’ve played recently. We breezed through the 34 hidden object scenes, and even the puzzles proved to be relatively easy. Of course, the game features multiple difficulty settings, and playing in “Expert” mode makes things a bit trickier. Still, its straightforward puzzles make it a good starting point for players interested in the genre.

In typical HOG fashion, you get to wander around collecting objects to use in your quest and talking to other characters for clues. In addition to the usual hidden object scenes where you are given a list of objects to find and a pile of junk to locate them in, there are also fragmented object scenes. In these, you must assemble an important item by finding all the different components hidden in the scene. Instead of a word list, these scenes provide a picture or outline of the components you must find. Then there are the puzzle scenes, which can involve anything from placing tiles in the correct order to form a picture to assembling gears or connecting pipes. All of the puzzles proved relatively easy, but players who struggle can always turn to the built-in hints for assistance.

A magical plant called the Fern Flower plays an essential role in the tale, so it is a good thing that the protagonist is an experienced botanist. The plant also features prominently in the bonus adventure that is unlocked after completing the game. We quite liked the bonus adventure as it got straight to the point, but sadly, it is also on the short side and can be completed in one sitting.

The soundtrack features some nice tunes, but a few more tracks would have been great as the selection is a little limited. Due to the relatively short length of the game, this isn’t really such a big issue, though. The voice acting is a mixed bag, as some lines are delivered perfectly while others sound hokey. Overall, it is still decent, though, and much better than some of the other titles in the genre. Artifex Mundi uses about the same interface for all their hidden object games, so if you have any experience with their previous titles, you’ll feel right at home here. You have a journal on the bottom left corner of the screen to keep track of your objects, along with a map and hint button on the right corner. The bottom area is reserved for your inventory. It is a clean, straightforward interface that works well and lets you get on with the task of solving puzzles without any fuss. In addition to the bonus chapter, you can access other goodies, such as a music player, wallpapers, and concept art, after completing the game.

If you are a fan of the genre and want to experience something a little different from the usual supernatural fare, then be sure to try out Eventide. The story doesn’t veer too far from the genre tropes, but including the creatures from Slavic fables gives it a more unique feel. Because it is one of the more accessible titles in the genre, it is also a good place for newcomers to start.