Phantasmat: Death in Hardcover Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

159 of 192 found this review helpful

WOULD IT KILL YOU TO READ A BOOK?

PostedOctober 4, 2018

pennmom36

fromDid you know that the original Phantasmat was the first Polish developed game to reach the #1 slot on BFG? It also won awards for Best Hidden Object Game and was in production for two years! (it takes time to create a masterpiece!)

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Skill Level:Expert

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Ron Parks was an aspiring young writer who waited anxiously for a reply from five of the most famous Horror Novelists even known, after all, he was their biggest fan! As the weeks turned into months, it became abundantly clear that none of them had even bothered to read his manuscripts, a blow to Ron's ego that would send him over the edge of darkness. It's a fine line between reality and insanity ...Show more

Ron Parks was an aspiring young writer who waited anxiously for a reply from five of the most famous Horror Novelists even known, after all, he was their biggest fan! As the weeks turned into months, it became abundantly clear that none of them had even bothered to read his manuscripts, a blow to Ron's ego that would send him over the edge of darkness. It's a fine line between reality and insanity and an even finer line of Ron's deranged revenge plans. They say the first is always the most difficult, but it looks like Ron has already crossed that threshold many times, and your daughter Joan is his next target!

This has an excellent storyline, however, it's a horrible Phantasmat! I just think they are distancing themselves too far from the creepy vibe of past games to stories about the deranged. If you've played the original Phantasmat and most of the earlier games, you know that the entire time you're playing, you have a nagging feeling that you might actually be dead, and that was so cool! I'd give anything to be able to write the next script for Phantasmat, my favorite series that's slowly going down the tubes :( There are 36 Ghostly Signs located in each scene and a Morphing Object in about half the scenes. There are icons that show the availability of both of these features in each scene, neither is difficult to spot because a white ghost and a piece of paper with a morphing pumpkin are hard to blend in naturally with the scenery.

These games get shorter and shorter, don't they? I was able to complete this game in less than 3 hours without skipping any of the puzzles, not to mention stopping to take notes! The Bonus Chapter is okay, I've never played a BC that was an "on the edge of your seat" thrilling kind of game, but it is a sequel which takes place shortly afterward. You will search for the remaining 8 Ghostly Signs and 4 remaining Morphs, after completing the BC you can return to 20 of the scene locations to find a souvenir.

The Hidden Object Scenes are varied and are the typical Eipix style of HOP's, finding 5 of the same objects to receive a tool that will open up the Item List, Silhouetted Shape finds, Multiples of the same object, Sketched Picture finds, Morphing Objects, and Progressive, Interactive Silhouetted Shape finds where you have to interact with the objects in the scene and find items to help you progress. Many of them are multi-layered offering several different types of Hidden Object finds within the same HOP. Most of the HOP's have an alternate Match 3 game available and they can be replayed within the CE Extra's section.

The Mini-Game Puzzles are recycled games that aren't in the least bit challenging which was a huge disappointment for me personally. One feature that I've always liked about the Phantasmat series was that the puzzles were the kind that required tinkering with, such as setting specific water levels in tanks or connecting various wire configurations, games that you had to put some logical thought into. These puzzles, however, were basically the same ones that they include in all of their games lately, some of which required little thought or skill to solve them and they are easily solvable on the first attempt. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo and a few afterwards worth mentioning:

1-Rotate & swap path sections to move gems from end to end.
2-Slide tiles to complete the animal images on a cross-shaped puzzle.
3-Rotate rings to complete the image, slide pins to hold rings in place.
4-Drag the silver ball through a maze, stopping on all white circles first.
5-Rotate & place faces on the box correctly.
6-Use directional arrows to navigate a ball to the hole (tricky)
7-Move chain by selecting numbers, arrows will change the direction of moves.
8-Solve the math clue and change the numbers accordingly.
9-Navigate the swamp using directional arrows & a UV lamp to show hidden paths while collecting items to progress.

This Collector's Edition has 6 Character pictures with before/after slider bar & dialog recordings, 8 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 7 Music Soundtracks, 12 Movie Video Cutscenes, re-playable Match 3 Games, 14 re-playable Mini Game Puzzles, 13 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 13 Achievements to earn (some available in 3 categories) 16 Scene Location Morphing Objects (11 in Main Game, 5 in BC) 36 Hidden Ghostly Signs (28 in Main Game 8 in BC) a Souvenir Room with 20 Souvenirs (one souvenir in each of the scene locations) 4 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy the madness!

PHANTASMAT SERIES LIST
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating

1-Phantasmat (January 7-2011) 4.5 (Codeminion)
2-Crucible Peak (December 6-2012) 3.8 (ERS Studios)
3-The Endless Night (January 10-2015) 4.0
4-The Dread of Oakville (July 9-2015) 4.2
5-Behind The Mask (December 17-2015) 4.4
6-Town of Lost Hope (April 7-2016) 3.6
7-Reign of Shadows (October 6-2016) 4.3
8-Mournful Loche (April 13-2017) 3.6
9-Insidious Dreams (September 14-2017) 3.8
10-Curse of the Mist (December 23-2017) 3.0
11-Deja Vu (July 7-2018) 2.9
12-Death In Hardcover (October 4-2018) n/a

by: Eipix Entertainment Show less

I recommend this game!

+126points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

92 of 119 found this review helpful

DEATH IN HARDCOVER IS EVERYTHING THAT PHANTASMAT SHOULD BE

PostedOctober 4, 2018

biscuitsmama

fromGripping my chair as I follow a madman

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

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

To be truthful, I lost interest in the Phantasmat series long ago and didn’t even purchase the last game – one of the few that I haven’t since the CE version of games was introduced. With this being the third Phantasmat game released this year I didn’t hold out hope that this would be a good game but what a surprise when I played the demo and found Phantasmat Death in Hardcover to be an excellent ...Show more

To be truthful, I lost interest in the Phantasmat series long ago and didn’t even purchase the last game – one of the few that I haven’t since the CE version of games was introduced. With this being the third Phantasmat game released this year I didn’t hold out hope that this would be a good game but what a surprise when I played the demo and found Phantasmat Death in Hardcover to be an excellent game.

There is no need for me to recap the storyline, which by the way, I found to be excellent and thrilling. It was a storyline that held my interest from the very first scene as I tried to find out why this madman was targeting me and putting my family at risk.

What made Phantasmat Death in Hardcover such a great game? Aside from the well told storyline, what really grabbed me were the very creative HOP scenes. Those scenes were excellent and sometimes challenging with one of them having me a bit confused until I figured it out. The puzzles are terrific and some seemed quite challenging at least for me.

Although I am not a fan of the thriller theme in HOPA games, Death by Hardcover gripped me from the very beginning. As I played there were times I was on the edge of my chair but I still couldn’t stop playing since I had to see how this all ended and if Marcia would be able to rescue her family. This game is fairly intense and one that might not be appropriate for all members of the family. For once, all those warnings that we see in games, really is true. If you are able to handle an intense psychological thriller, then you will most likely love this game. Many gamers, I am sure will agree that this is the game we have been waiting to see: a game that is designed for adults and one that elicits a range of emotions while playing. EIPIX did an amazing job with this Phantasmat that, IMHO, would definitely qualify as a candidate for game of the year. Congratulations on an excellent game! Even though I really found this to be an incredible game, PLEASE try the demo to see if Phantasmat Death in Hardcover is a game you will enjoy. Show less

+65points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

75 of 109 found this review helpful

Finally Phantasmat goes really scary!

PostedOctober 4, 2018

rainworm

fromDon't miss this thriller

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

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

A thrilling story, a great performance and a lot of scary moments, this is, what we experience as Marcia, novelist and the famous author of horror bestsellers.

On coming home, we realize, the house was broken in. Our daughter is at a resort with friends for some days, so she should be safe. Then, the next call, an anonymous man informs us, he has kidnapped our daughter and her friends and we ...Show more

A thrilling story, a great performance and a lot of scary moments, this is, what we experience as Marcia, novelist and the famous author of horror bestsellers.

On coming home, we realize, the house was broken in. Our daughter is at a resort with friends for some days, so she should be safe. Then, the next call, an anonymous man informs us, he has kidnapped our daughter and her friends and we should come to the resort. He won't tell us, who he is, but asks for remembering our truest fan, whose letters we never answered.

Step by step we come to know, who this man is. We find prove for the murder of a close friend and realize, we are confronted with a psychopath.

Fast pace, very impressive effects, variable features (HOS, puzzles) - this Phantasmat has all, a scary HOPA should have. Show less

I recommend this game!

+41points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

34 of 47 found this review helpful

The Best kind of Scary

PostedOctober 4, 2018

Ndwelt

fromRedding, CA

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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:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Psychological thriller!! The best kind. I don't usually play with sound but found it added so much to this game. Loved the crisp, clear, clean graphics. Starts out with a bang and keeps you on edge waiting for the next move. Not at all phony scary if you know what I mean. No bloody ghosts and corpses' and weird monsters with over the top powers (yet). A good thing. Just plain good ole Alfred ...Show more

Psychological thriller!! The best kind. I don't usually play with sound but found it added so much to this game. Loved the crisp, clear, clean graphics. Starts out with a bang and keeps you on edge waiting for the next move. Not at all phony scary if you know what I mean. No bloody ghosts and corpses' and weird monsters with over the top powers (yet). A good thing. Just plain good ole Alfred Hitchcock type Thrills. Not a fan of Halloween but this is just the right timing to release this game. Right? A definite "Collection Edition" buy as I am sure I won't want to miss the bonus chapter! Show less

I recommend this game!

+21points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

123 of 188 found this review helpful

MEET AND GREET ASPIRING AUTHOR RON PARKS IN ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR!

PostedOctober 4, 2018

sunnyglow

fromThere is a lesson to be learned from playing this game - Keep up with your correspondence!

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

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME:
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages

OVERVIEW: As the famed horror novelist, Marcia Clay, you have an extensive fan base. While you are off on a book tour, your daughter, Joan, is off on a road trip with friends. However, you will find yourself in your own horror story, Marcia, when your daughter’s car breaks down and she is kidnapped by ...Show more

REVIEW BASED ON THE ENTIRE GAME:
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages

OVERVIEW: As the famed horror novelist, Marcia Clay, you have an extensive fan base. While you are off on a book tour, your daughter, Joan, is off on a road trip with friends. However, you will find yourself in your own horror story, Marcia, when your daughter’s car breaks down and she is kidnapped by “your biggest fan,” a demented aspiring author named Ron Parks. This deranged fan is now sending you messages and clues as to where your daughter is located. In this cat-and-mouse game, you must follow his exact instructions to locate and rescue your daughter and her friends. Experience some twists and turns on this wild goose chase. However, you will get some needed assistance from some “ghost writers.” You are off to the ghost town of Rose Bay. Time is of the essence. Can you stop this psychotic serial killer?

OPINION: Kudos to EIPIX! What a superb psychological thriller! This is a long game steeped in suspense and oozing with ghosts! In my opinion, this is one of the best psychological thrillers I have played this year. This game is a vast improvement from recent games from this developer. This game should appeal to those who love this genre of games. This is not one for children; the macabre element within this game is intense. The graphics ooze with creepiness. The ghostly ambiance of the ghost town, Rose Bay, with its dilapidated buildings, add to this chilling tale. This is not as scary as it is macabre. The physical appearance and personality of the unhinged Ron Parks add to the overall unsettling feeling while playing this game.

MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are thirteen (13) achievements. Collect thirty-six (36) ghosts and sixteen (16) morphing objects. There are eight (8) wallpapers along with concept art, video cut scenes, and music selections. Collect twenty (20) souvenirs at the end of the game. You can replay fourteen (14) puzzles and thirteen (13) HOP scenes.

BONUS CHAPTER: It Is a sequel. You, as Marcia Clay, return to Rose Bay after receiving a letter from an unexpected source. It appears that the final chapter is not yet completed on Rose Bay. There are five (5) puzzles and four (4) HOP scenes in this chapter. I found it of decent length and worth the extra money for the collector’s edition.

HOP SCENES: There are twenty (20) HOP scenes in the game. They are standard fare seen in other games. I found one which is somewhat unique. Silhouette items to be located are placed on a lazy susan with six different shelves which must be rotated to locate all the items. There are two (2) scenes with morphing objects and one with rebus clues (which is a type of HOP scene I enjoy). Most of the others are straight lists of items or silhouette scenes with some interactivity. There are a few storybook scenes with items highlighted in colored letters. You can play a Match-3 game in lieu of the scenes.

PUZZLES. There are twenty-eight (28) puzzles within the game. I enjoyed playing the puzzles more than the HOP scenes. There are not many puzzles in the beginning of the game; however, toward the end, there is an avalanche of them. They vary in difficulty and style, with most being of middle difficulty with a couple which I found difficult. For once, I found the directions easy to follow. I like the twist EIPIX took in modifying the “Queens 8” puzzle. EIPIX revamped this old chestnut, bringing it into the computer age with a board set on a computer screen using tokens instead of chess pieces. Quite clever and unique!

SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:

A. Pinball wizard! Connection puzzle. On an arcade-type pinball machine, use four (4) arrows to maneuver a ball to an exit slot, hitting bumpers along the way. If you miss a bumper to stop the ball, it will go out of the grid and you must restart!
B. Connection puzzle. On a grid, create a path by rotating tokens with arrows upon them so that all arrows are connected while avoiding “X’s” in the path.
C. Let’s go bowling. Bullseye puzzle! Strike bowling pins with two balls, clicking on a bar to build up strength, then clicking on the ball when a green circle is centered to knock down the pins. You get two chances to remove all the bowling pins.
D. Mathematical puzzle. Move a latch along a scratched path choosing a number on a grid at the side. The latch will move that many spaces. You will need to calculate how many squares you need to go forward and backward to reach the end.
E. Sequence puzzle. Pop balloons in a specific order to keep a level centered in the middle of the screen. If you choose the wrong balloon, the level will dip causing you to start over.
F. BONUS CHAPTER: Connect-the-Dots. Connect dots on a home security device. In this case you will need to choose the correct dots in the proper order so that all dots are visited once.
G. BONUS CHAPTER: Queens 8 puzzle. In this case, place tokens (not queens) onto a computer screen so that there is only one token in each row and column. Show less

I recommend this game!

+58points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

15 of 23 found this review helpful

Fantastic game!

PostedOctober 5, 2018

brandy914

fromFlorida

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 am really surprised by the negative reviews. I have not finished the game yet but so far I love it. The graphics are great, the story line is great, it is creepy (I love creepy)! The mood and tone of the game really pulls you in. The HO scenes are fun and interactive. The first Pantasmat was one of my favorites but I felt like they just went downhill after that. Not anymore. I am really enjoying ...Show more

I am really surprised by the negative reviews. I have not finished the game yet but so far I love it. The graphics are great, the story line is great, it is creepy (I love creepy)! The mood and tone of the game really pulls you in. The HO scenes are fun and interactive. The first Pantasmat was one of my favorites but I felt like they just went downhill after that. Not anymore. I am really enjoying this one. I will add more when I finish the game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+7points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

8 of 11 found this review helpful

A Thrilling Game-- Do Not Miss Out!

PostedOctober 7, 2018

HOGeek

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Match 3, Word

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat: Death in Hardcover Collector's Edition

(37)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I highly recommend this game for its immersive, thrilling plotline, numerous characters encountered along the way, excellent dialogue and overall an impressive experience. I strongly suggest you do not skip this game, it is one of the best in this series!

I recommend this game!

+5points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

10 of 15 found this review helpful

A Murderer is in Rose Bay Florida

PostedOctober 6, 2018

Majestyx12

fromRose bay Florida is a real place. Drive from Miami to Daytona is 3 hours and 53 minutes.

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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:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Based on the finished game with the bonus material.

At the start you see ghosts and don't know what to make of it. Your a writer of horror and a top seller. It starts in Miami, Florida, which is on the Atlantic ocean side.

I like the mystery of it all. The gameplay is good, using some non-traditional items. Liked all the Hops and most puzzles. The puzzles I liked were bowling, ball and ...Show more

Based on the finished game with the bonus material.

At the start you see ghosts and don't know what to make of it. Your a writer of horror and a top seller. It starts in Miami, Florida, which is on the Atlantic ocean side.

I like the mystery of it all. The gameplay is good, using some non-traditional items. Liked all the Hops and most puzzles. The puzzles I liked were bowling, ball and arrows, shooting the gun and the animal gate puzzle. I liked the map-like hops the best. Some hops had multiple morphs. Liked the vending machine.

I was disappointed in the 16 scene morphs. I would of liked colorful pumpkins morphing into different items. The 36 ghost collectibles could of been hid a little more. I didn't like the ghost voices. (They echoed too much). The sign in the bonus is dated Nov. 20, 2018 which hasn't come yet. Miss the morphs in every hop and would like them back. Would like the hops in the guide.

The Bonus Chapter, continues with the story. I liked the way it ended.

Liked the increase in souvenirs 20. Could of been hid a little more. Love the replays of 13 hops, 14 puzzles, 12 videos match-3 and 7 music. Has 8 wallpapers. Show less

I recommend this game!

+5points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

7 of 11 found this review helpful

Enjoyed it anyway!

PostedOctober 7, 2018

Marja67

fromSpokane, WA

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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

Yeh, kinda gruesome, but...I enjoyed it.
Found it very easy. Good graphics. Had lots to look for.
I would say play it .

I recommend this game!

+3points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

20 of 37 found this review helpful

Phantastic Phantasmat May Be A Contender For Game Of The Year!

PostedOctober 4, 2018

Kiandi

fromAustralia

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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, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Labyrinths of the World: Shattered Soul Collector's Edition

(58)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

The wait is over! When I first played the demo, I just knew there was something special about this game and I couldn't wait till it was released! With an intriguing story line and scary ambience, this solid game gets 5 stars from me!

I recommend this game!

+3points

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Phantasmat: Death in Hardcover Collector's Edition Your horror stories are coming to life... Heres what your review will look like once it’s posted. Click Submit if you’re happy. Your review should appear soon. To make changes, use the Edit or Cancel buttons. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this game! You’ve already shared your thoughts about this game. Thanks for submitting the review below.