Cadenza: The Eternal Dance Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

89 of 117 found this review helpful

Music can take you everywhere

PostedJanuary 11, 2018

rainworm

fromTimeless or: music may bring you to other worlds

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This is the 5th installment of Cadenza. Music accompanied us over the games, starting in New Orleans with good old jazz and bringing us to contemporary rock music in the last game. Always combined with murder mysteries, this time violin sounds will lead us through a strange course of events with a magical music machine, a contract with some mysterious man with supernatural powers and our bride to ...Show more

This is the 5th installment of Cadenza. Music accompanied us over the games, starting in New Orleans with good old jazz and bringing us to contemporary rock music in the last game. Always combined with murder mysteries, this time violin sounds will lead us through a strange course of events with a magical music machine, a contract with some mysterious man with supernatural powers and our bride to be, who has been taken somewhere, we cannot easily follow.
You are about to propose to Elaine, who is waiting together with her brother Theo, a musician, in the restaurant, they reserved for this special event. But on your arrival your joy soon changes to dismay and shock, when you see a masked man threatening both, your girlfriend and Theo, insisting on some contract being fulfilled. The unwilling Theo and Elaine vanish together with him, when he forces you out of the restaurant, which overgrows with plants as soon as you are out of the room. Before he had exclaimed, the eternal dance would have its claim. So it is your task to find out what this eternal dance may be and find and free Elaine and Theo.
Your investigation starts in the restaurant after working your way in again, then goes on in Theo’s appartment. He left a note in the restaurant, saying, if he at some point would disappear without a trace, one should look at his piano. Behind the instrument you find a secret room, where a mysterious book gives the clue to go on with your search in Harmony Cliff. A strange abandoned place with a hut, a boat, the shore. On a hill a music machine, in front of it the masked man. He won’t stay and explain but vanishes again, leaving you to find out more in the hut and finally repairing the machine to enter the realm, where Elaine has been taken.
As in all Cadenza games, music and musicians play a role. Theo has found out, his mother must have signed a contract long ago and left her family to go to the Eternal Dance. The music machine on the hill in Harmony Cliff is more a time machine than a mechanical piano. Playing it, places the applicant into a ballroom with couples, swaying to the sounds of a speric music: an eternal dance. It is the instrument, here the music machine, that causes the change, same role as in the last game, where the guitar did the magic.
Title and plot don’t go together much till the end of the demo. Then we will be brought into the ballroom by the music machine and meet Elaine again – and the masked stranger. A cryptex is given us in the restaurant, as a helpful tool and combined with returning puzzles, variying in difficulty. HOS are fairly creative, partly combined with puzzle elements. Pace is relatively fast, best of all here, at least for me, is the story. Show less

I recommend this game!

+61points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

35 of 44 found this review helpful

Review based on demo

PostedJanuary 11, 2018

nadaze2da

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Word

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Lately Mad Hat games have been hit or miss and mostly miss. Mad Hat was one of my favorite developers but lately they have put out some real stinkers. This game is the best of their offerings recently. I don't know how many games have been offered to us with a Faustian theme but this one seems unique in that a contract is executed that sells one's soul in exchange for talent. Many games offer the ...Show more

Lately Mad Hat games have been hit or miss and mostly miss. Mad Hat was one of my favorite developers but lately they have put out some real stinkers. This game is the best of their offerings recently. I don't know how many games have been offered to us with a Faustian theme but this one seems unique in that a contract is executed that sells one's soul in exchange for talent. Many games offer the theme of black magic overtaking someone or an evil machine or even love turned tragic by obsession. Here the contract offers a life of acclaim but when time is up and the eternal dance begins for you, there is no way out although many have tried to cheat their fate. In this story, you play the part of best friend to Theo and lover of Elaine, Theo's sister.

There is a gimmick in the game which is a cryptix that allows you to play musical instruments you encounter. At least it is not a fluffy kitty or yappy dog helper.

We always complain that HOs are unimaginative but I would really like to know what could be done to make them more imaginative. How do you turn a list of items into something that will be ground breaking? There are morphing objects in the HOs but in the demo, I didn't come across anything imaginative. Voice acting is good and as usual the graphics are great. This CE edition offers collectibles, achievements and the usual CE fare. The mini games in the demo are not brain drainers but fun. Some people may want more of a challenge, but occasionally I like some that don't give me a migraine.

I will definitely purchase this game because I found it engaging and there was not a missing zipper pull anywhere - yet. I may have to change that statement later however because the missing zipper pull strikes just about every game. The demo is short but as usual try it before you buy it. I do not recommend that anyone ever purchase a game without trying it. A five star game to some may be a two star game for others. My review is my thoughts on the game and just because I like it doesn't mean that you will. Try it and see what you think. Show less

I recommend this game!

+26points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

25 of 31 found this review helpful

~~CADENZA 5 CONTINUES TO CAPTIVATE FANS OF THIS POPULAR SERIES!~~

PostedJanuary 12, 2018

skullfun

fromMad Head surprised me with this game and it was a "must buy" for me to complete the collection!

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

The fifth chapter in the famous Cadenza series is here and the stakes have never been higher. Theo is about to propose to his girlfriend, Elaine, when a masked man appears out of nowhere and kidnaps her in the restaurant and is holding her hostage. You play Nathaniel in this edition a family friend to Theo and Elaine. You soon learn that Theo is the undersign of a devious contract created by this ...Show more

The fifth chapter in the famous Cadenza series is here and the stakes have never been higher. Theo is about to propose to his girlfriend, Elaine, when a masked man appears out of nowhere and kidnaps her in the restaurant and is holding her hostage. You play Nathaniel in this edition a family friend to Theo and Elaine. You soon learn that Theo is the undersign of a devious contract created by this masked villain known as the Phantom of the eternal dance. The adventure quickly becomes fast paced as you race against the clock to find the written enchanted melody of the eternal dance and play it with a violin in an attempt to save Elaine. The Phantom warns you that the eternal dance will NOT BE DENIED, but the music in your heart has the power to free everyone. The storyline is unique and I love the eye candy graphics. I love the awesome voices of the characters who do not just dry read the script but instead puts emotion in their voices. I feel more involved in story with great voice overs. The cryptex gadget that you use in the piano is a clever and useful tool that adds an extra surprise to the adventure too. I can say nothing negative even though it was a very short game.
You know the old saying: “You can please some of the people all of the time and you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.” I think it's the appropriate metaphor for the Cadenza Series as a whole. While Cadenza continues to maintain an average 4 star rating, some editions are better than others. Fans of the series may be undecided during demo play but are likely to enjoy this one if played from start to finish. I did and I look forward to more Cadenza games in the future. Cheers!

In this series:

•Cadenza: Music, Betrayal and Death
•Cadenza: The Kiss of Death
•Cadenza: Havana Nights
•Cadenza: Fame, Theft and Murder
•Cadenza: The Eternal Dance Show less

I recommend this game!

+19points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

105 of 154 found this review helpful

BRAVO TO MAD HEAD! DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF A MADMAN IN ANOTHER CLASSICAL MASTERPIECE

PostedJanuary 11, 2018

sunnyglow

fromAre you “dancing your life away?” Marrying into this family could give a whole new meaning to that concept!

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

OVERVIEW: With ring in hand, you are off to propose to the love your life, Elaine. However, be prepared for future in-law problems with her violinist brother, Theo. Theo has made a devil’s deal with a crazy masked virtuoso concerning what he refers to as the “Eternal Dance.” He has kidnapped them both. You better act quickly or the first dance for your bride will not be with you but with this ...Show more

OVERVIEW: With ring in hand, you are off to propose to the love your life, Elaine. However, be prepared for future in-law problems with her violinist brother, Theo. Theo has made a devil’s deal with a crazy masked virtuoso concerning what he refers to as the “Eternal Dance.” He has kidnapped them both. You better act quickly or the first dance for your bride will not be with you but with this masked psycho.

MECHANICS: The story is a play upon the “Phantom of the Opera,” with a masked virtuoso as the evildoer. This is a great game for music lovers with its haunting musical background. The game is beautifully illustrated as all the other games from this developer. It is truly both eye candy and ear candy as well with the haunting melodies played throughout the game. It should appeal to beginning and intermediate players or those who like easy breezy games. However, advanced players, unless you are music aficionados or have a penchant for “Phantom of the Opera,” may find the puzzles a tad too easy. I do like the romantic story behind the game. However, I do wish some of the puzzles were more difficult.

I find the pace decent within the game. For me, what sells this game is the excellent story behind the game. Mad Head is not known for many extras within their games. There is only one collectible within the game – dancing couples. I found them easy to locate.There are morphing objects within the HOP scenes. You can replay some of the HOP scenes. All the achievements have three parts so there are more to collect than in most games. There are no other collectibles nor any game to play in lieu of the HOP scenes.

HOP SCENES: This game is a HOP lover’s dream. They are the best part of the demo. There are only three in the demo, but they are better than the puzzles. Beside the lists of items, the other scenes are quite interactive in which you locate items and then return them to the scene, interacting with them within the scene. There is also a mini-puzzle within one of the scenes, a jigsaw puzzle.

PUZZLES: The puzzles are cleverly designed and thematic. However, for the most part, they are all easy – a little too easy for my taste. I wish this developer, along with others, would offer the ability to choose the difficulty of the puzzles. Some developers are now providing this feature and their games are a pleasure to play. It is truly something I think Mad Head should investigate. I also regret that Mad Head does not provide for a replay of the puzzles, although there are probably none which I would wish to replay.

FAVORITE PUZZLE: There is only one puzzle which I felt was somewhat interesting. This puzzle involves chisels with patterned ends. You must align the chisels so when placed upon a grid, each chisel matches up with indentations upon the grid. I have seen this puzzle before, but thought the concept of using chisels a novel idea.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES - PUZZLE ME THIS! I was surprised by the missed opportunities to create puzzles within the game. In one instance, you are given a map to a house on the coast. This would have been a perfect device to offer a map puzzle of some type. Obstacles could have been placed for the player to overcome. Instead, you open the map and watch a car make its way around the map until it ends up at the house. Why the developer did not make this into a map puzzle is to me, a missed opportunity to create a better game.

LEVELS: Novice, Artist, Virtuoso, Maestro, Improviser (Custom)
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds

EXTRAS:
Map is given to you at the beginning of the game.
10 Achievements – All with 3 parts.
Cryptex – a gimmick to help in the game.
Collect dancing couples.
Replay 14 HOP scenes
There are Morphing objects within the HOP scenes.
Wallpapers, Concept Art, Music track

HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE

HOP SCENES:

(A) List of items. (B) Multiple step. (1) List of items (2) Locate and replace items into their proper position on a shelf. (C) Same as B except this one has a mini-jigsaw puzzle.

PUZZLES: (1) Easy 2) Moderate difficulty (3) Difficult

A. Sliding rings puzzle. Slide numbered tokens into position so that the two rows of numbers match those of a given code. Rating: 2
B. Rotating tiles puzzle. On a grid, move four musical symbols to the middle of a grid. Rating: 2
C. Match-3 Puzzle. On a “cryptex” match up all jewels so that none remain on the grid. Rating: 2
D. Mathematical puzzle. Turn off valves by adding and subtracting the numbers on the valves so the total equals zero. (Number is 15) Add and subtract those numbers from 15.
E. Search and replace. Search for items and replace them back within the scene in the proper location. Rating: 1
F. Sequence puzzle. Play bells on a door in correct sequence to open it. Rating: 1
G. Matching puzzle. Place chisels in correct alignment so they match up with the shape of the cuts made at the bottom of the screen. Rating: 2
H. Sequence puzzle. Press organ keys in proper sequence to play a melody. Rating: 2 Show less

I recommend this game!

+56points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

17 of 23 found this review helpful

Cadenza Dance the way to excellence

PostedJanuary 12, 2018

heartblob

fromsouth australia

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I enjoyed this game, I think we have a lot to do in the game graphics good hos, good love the puzzles , yes we have had Cadenza's that may have been more interesting, but if you want an enjoyable pleasant to play game this is for you,

I recommend this game!

+11points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

6 of 6 found this review helpful

Best Cadenza yet!

PostedJanuary 21, 2018

valjoy

fromSydney, Land of Oz

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Lost in the City

(52)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Just gorgeous. Sophisticated and detailed in plot and design.
After simplistic and predictable games, this had nice twists in its take on the old Faustian tale. HOS had interesting variations and puzzles mostly fitted into the storyline. Mostly, the music was very appealing. Puzzles were a bit easy but for a muso like me, this was always engaging and intriguing. Would I sign the contract? Of ...Show more

Just gorgeous. Sophisticated and detailed in plot and design.
After simplistic and predictable games, this had nice twists in its take on the old Faustian tale. HOS had interesting variations and puzzles mostly fitted into the storyline. Mostly, the music was very appealing. Puzzles were a bit easy but for a muso like me, this was always engaging and intriguing. Would I sign the contract? Of course! Show less

I recommend this game!

+6points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

12 of 16 found this review helpful

Fun Hidden Object Game!"

PostedJanuary 12, 2018

dfrigibier

fromThomasville N C USA

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Mahjong

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I couldn't stop playing this game. Didn't last long enough.

I recommend this game!

+8points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

27 of 42 found this review helpful

Perfect as usual

PostedJanuary 11, 2018

anneframboise

fromSwitzerland

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Another amazing MadHead game. Bravo to Novi Sad Team (I was there last summer... what a beautiful place and creative people living there).

I recommend this game!

+12points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

17 of 26 found this review helpful

WOW

PostedJanuary 11, 2018

RiaBonus

fromCork Ireland

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

What an exciting game as i wished it would never end tricks around every corner

I recommend this game!

+8points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

4 of 4 found this review helpful

Another really enjoyable Mad Head Game

PostedJanuary 24, 2018

78gameam

Skill Level:Intermediate

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Madhead Games does a really good job in the Cadenza Series of creating a good story line, nice puzzles, and great looking graphics.

It is never tedious, always challenging, and enjoyable to play.

I recommend this game!

+4points

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