I know due to them showing up recently in several bundles at the same time we've had Artifex Mundi GAs coming out the wazoo. But hear me out! They are totally fun and very easy to get through (especially on "regular" mode. Just keep hitting the hint button to get through the HOSs and play the rest of the game like a point and click adventure game with inventory puzzles.)

M y first Artifex Mundi game played was 9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek.
J ust as I suspected, it was an interesting enough story with point & click inventory puzzles, mini-games that are tough
e nough to challenge, but skipable if you really are having a hard time with them. And there are a
g ood amount of hidden object scenes (HOS) that will make you hate yourself for clicking the hint button
W hen you see the object was right in front of you the whole time.

H aving enjoyed it I moved on to the Time Mysteries series. The first in the series was a little silly but good.
Y ou travel though time to find your father after he disappears with a mysterious man. The Ancient Spectres introduces a new
g ame mechanic for solving some puzles. You also find out you're descended from the
m agician Merlin. The Final Enigma wraps things up relatively nicely. Overall a
9 /10

8 years ago*

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8 years ago
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Yeah, I think it's just the recent over saturation that has people thumbing their noses at Artifex Mundi and HOGs in general.

8 years ago
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Elunes will visit and comment on this thread. I guarantee it.

8 years ago
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+1 :)

8 years ago
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Thank you! I've played only the first Time Mysteries yet. I know that it's the worst in the series (that animation xD), so I plan to continue my exploration.

8 years ago
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I yes. I busted out laughing when the main character started to "talk" xD And some of those lines (and their delivery!) "Where are we going, Ball?"
But, yes, the other two are actually quite improved and do make a really fun story! I like the time travel game mechanic but I did find it a little annoying that after you solve a chunk of inventory puzzles there's really no indication of which HOS you need to go to next to progress (if you're playing on expert) so you wind up having to check out each scene in each time period until you find it. Or you crack under pressure and switch to regular mode real quick to see where you have to go next :P Really my only complaint though.

8 years ago
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I love the puzzle more than the hidden object itself, don't know why. Something wrong with me? ._.

8 years ago
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To each his/her own :)

8 years ago
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In defense of Artifex Mundi

but I've only ever heard good things about Artifex Mundi, I don't really think anyone needs to defend them. :p

8 years ago
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Well, it was as clever a title I could think of considering how many HOGs have been bundled lately :P

8 years ago
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I didn't think HOGs, especially AM ones, needed defending. I guess you've encountered some hostility?
Some of AM's earlier games are pretty awful (Time Mysteries 1), but there's some real gems in their more recent library (Grim Legends 1).
My only issue is that due to the minigame alternatives to the hidden object sequences, it seems like it's necessary to play each game twice to get all the achievements(once to find the objects, and once to solve the dominoes/mahjong/etc puzzles), and I'm reluctant to do that. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Is there a way around it?

8 years ago
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Nah, no hostility. Just was worried people were tired of seeing HOG giveaways for the past several weeks. You're the second one to mention this so maybe I'll change the title.

8 years ago
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oh, also, from what I can tell, the mini games for skipping the HOSs are separate from the mini games you do to get achievements. Those mini games are built into the story, like lock picking, or sliding block puzzles, etc. So just don't skip the HOSs and you should be able to get most or all achievements in one go.

8 years ago
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it's one part of the game - logical puzzles. The other one is "in excchange" with HO parts - you can either look for stuff in the image OR skip it and solve dominoe / mahjong / what images are connected with eatch other minigame.

And you can even find like half of the objects, say "f*** this, I'm out" and end by solving dominoe instead.

8 years ago
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I know about all that. My problem is that most games have achievements for finishing the HOSs as well as achievements for finishing the HOS substitution games. Once you finish a HOS, you can't finish it's corresponding game in the same playthrough (and vice versa), so you can only get one of the 2 achievements I mentioned in that playthrough.

8 years ago
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Ah, I guess I hadn't come across that yet with the achievements in the games I've played so far. I guess that's how they add "replayability" to their games. All I can suggest is play the second time around on easy mode so you can sparkle your way through as fast as possible.

8 years ago
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I don't think you can get achievements for both HO part and dominoes in one playthrough. I tried to do this, but in every guide I found it's stated that you have to play game twice go get them all.

8 years ago
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Aw, jeez, that's disappointing. Especially considering you can usually get ALL the other achievements in 1 playthrough,

8 years ago
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artifex mundy games are actually the best HOG games imho
i just dont know why they make alot of bundles for their games...

8 years ago
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I'm not really into HOG, but Artifex Mundi changed my mind, it's the first time I played a HOG game like that and really enjoy it. It's Nightmares from the Deep (the first one of series). I love it.

8 years ago
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I enjoyed that one as well, I need to play the next two in the series. Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden is really good too (has a BioShock feel to it)

8 years ago
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hell yeah exactly what I think! and Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink reminds me of BioShock Infinite too :D

8 years ago
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Love HOG and I own almost every game from Artifex Mundi, minus the ones released recently, since I can't afford the right now.
Hoping to sell some cards and maybe buy them next sale.

8 years ago
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I just remembered my friends and I did a playthrough/riff of a HOG on my youtube channel some time ago. Not Artifex Mundi, but the style was very similar. I'll post a link here... if it's ok with Pearadise?

8 years ago*
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I found that kind of games not that long time ago... and I loved it.
I played both Grimm Legends till now, but it's highly recommended for everyone! (would never expect I actually enjoyed HOGS so much, as I'm rather fps/rpg fan)

8 years ago
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I like the Grim Legend.

8 years ago
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I won several hog, but still struggling with backlog...
Hope upcoming holiday could be a big game time ^^

Thank you ^^

8 years ago
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I love them....in fact, I never hear anyone who also likes point and click adventure games have a negative thing to say about them..so i'm kind of confused why this post is sounding like most people hate the games, and yer trying to get them to just try them..like green eggs and ham..lol

8 years ago
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I have a new-found love for HOGs. Played Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride recently just to try it out, ended up playing for 5 hours straight. lol

Thanks for the GAs!

8 years ago
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I've really enjoyed AM games and I have been content with all of the ones that are out. I can really wind down while I'm playing them. I always look forward to getting a new one. ^^ I bought the bundlestars bundle not too long ago just to give out b/c I think more people should experience how fun they are. (: There was one HOG game I played back in the day I remember really liking was actually a time travel themed one, not Time Mysteries, but I can't remember what it was called. Wasn't an AM one though, so I'm not sure if it will ever be on Steam... It's on Big Fish, though. Maybe I'll try looking for it again.

8 years ago
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Their games are good enough, but one thing that they are TERRIBLE at is English localization. Seriously folks, hire a Brit expat who's living in the U.S.A. or vice-versa check out the nouns you are using to describe the items in the hidden objects parts of these games. A pinwheel is not a windmill.

8 years ago
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I haven't noticed that issue in any Artifex Mundi games. Sure, I haven't played all of them, but the ones I have played have used the language well. Are you sure the HOGs you're thinking of are AM?

8 years ago
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Yes. There's always at least one object in every one of their games I've played where they're calling something by a name that might sound or look like the word they were after, but isn't quite right. I just noticed it again on an AM game I won here the other day.

8 years ago
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Hmm. I sort of remember encountering some objects that I personally wouldn't identify by the words the game uses, but could definitely imagine someone from another region(for lack of a better word) doing so. You know, like how people from England have different words for things than Americans do.
That really doesn't take away from the game for me, though. :P

8 years ago
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I often play HO games before I sleep. Because even though I enjoy them, they still make me sleepy. :3

8 years ago
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bump for: I need more entries in one of the hidden GAs.

8 years ago
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Bump for 24 hours left

8 years ago
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Have a yes. Yes.

8 years ago
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Closed 8 years ago by Pearadise.