Punished Talents: Dark Knowledge > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

35 of 37 found this review helpful

A LONG AWAITED AND EXCELLENT PUNISHED TALENTS GAME

PostedNovember 25, 2018

biscuitsmama

fromIt might take a while but I will find out who is trying to even the score by kidnapping my brother

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Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Punished Talents Dark Knowledge is the long awaited third game in the series as the last one was developed over two years ago. Since I thought that both of the previous games were excellent, I knew this would be a game that I would enjoy. That being said, the rather gory opening scene put me off and I almost didn’t bother with the game, but I am happy that I decided to give it a try.

I found ...Show more

I found the game to be a great mystery and one that I enjoyed as I put together the clues to save my kidnapped brother and solve the murder that was committed to get my attention. For me at least the game was very entertaining since we don’t often have a good mystery game come our way here at BFG.

Although some might find the HOPS and Puzzles a bit old-school, I loved them. I happen to like HOS where I can identify the objects to be found particularly when they are not hidden in dark closets or corners where they are barely visible. Even though most of the scenes are the standard list type they don’t bother me at all. Sometimes I become tired of all the interactive scenes and long for a bit more simplicity where I can search for items without having to figure out what I must do before I find the one object I am trying to find. The Puzzles were not difficult and some are old favorites that I haven’t seen in a while.

Even though the game might seem old-school I still think it is an excellent game. I loved it when I had my “aha” moment in the game and figured out what to do with a wet dollar bill. It has been fun trying to determine my next move and what I needed to do to progress in the game. At least for me this is a great game and I encourage you to try the demo to see if it is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming! Show less

I recommend this game!

+33points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

17 of 19 found this review helpful

A Surprisingly Good Crime Mystery!

PostedNovember 25, 2018

HeavenBound7729

fromOcala, Florida

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Time Management

Current Favorite:

Magic Gate: Faces of Darkness

(27)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Kidnapping usually doesn't grab my attention, but after reading the CE reviews I decided to try the demo. Turns out it involves much more than kidnapping. It was, IMO, an excellent storyline and it held my interest throughout the entire demo.

I thought the animation and graphics were very good and unlike several other reviewers, I didn't think they looked old school. The music was actually ...Show more

I thought the animation and graphics were very good and unlike several other reviewers, I didn't think they looked old school. The music was actually rather nice, especially for this type of story. The puzzles and HOPs didn't provide much challenge, but I did really enjoy them. Also, I loved following the clues to find the loony-tune responsible for these crimes.

This is another gimmick game, Gimmicks just irritate me to pieces. Why do we need them anyway? They certainly don't enhance the game-play, at least not for me. But I managed to continue the fun. Probably because I enjoy crime mystery stories so much.

The CE reviews mentioned not many extras so I went for the SE and $4,50 in today's sale is an okay deal for me. I think i will not regret purchasing.

God Bless.... Show less

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

3 of 5 found this review helpful

A Five Star Whodunit

PostedDecember 2, 2018

Kirland

fromCalifornia

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Family, Large File, Mahjong, Time Management

Current Favorite:

Lost Lands: The Four Horsemen Collector's Edition

(144)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Punished Talents: Dark Knowledge is one of the best mysteries I have played in a while. I just hope the detective would be able to save the victims in time before the serial killer took their lives.

The graphics were great and loved the dark, cold winter scenes which made me want to see the dectective save the kids quickly. Was pleasantly surprised at the end of the game.

Fun and ...Show more

Punished Talents: Dark Knowledge is one of the best mysteries I have played in a while. I just hope the detective would be able to save the victims in time before the serial killer took their lives.

The graphics were great and loved the dark, cold winter scenes which made me want to see the dectective save the kids quickly. Was pleasantly surprised at the end of the game.

Fun and chaallenging mini-games. Nice selection of HOPAs.

Looking forward to another addition to this series. Show less

I recommend this game!

+1point

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Overall rating

5 / 5

1 of 2 found this review helpful

Not overly difficult but still interesting challenges

PostedDecember 18, 2018

jtholland13

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I've done a few of these and a lot of them are too repetitive or simple. Enjoyed this one from start to finish.

I recommend this game!

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Overall rating

4 / 5

30 of 33 found this review helpful

WHO COULD IT BE NOW?

PostedNovember 25, 2018

pennmom36

fromI can handly poor lip syncing but can't you at least stop the lips from moving when they stop talking?

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Skill Level:Expert

Current Favorite:

Gravely Silent: House of Deadlock

(94)

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I played the entire game and I really liked the whosdoingit plot. I did, however, feel that the ending was a little lame, it's almost as if they dusted off this unfinished game after sitting on the shelf for a few years, and thought they'd slap together the final chapter, or at least the final scene?

The CE Bonus Chapter is fairly long and it's a decent addition to the plot that takes place ...Show more

The CE Bonus Chapter is fairly long and it's a decent addition to the plot that takes place shortly afterward, forcing you and your family to flee for safety when the madman strikes again. The Bonus Chapter has 5 remaining Hidden Object Scenes and 4 Mini-Games, but there are no Morphing Handprints after the Main Chapter in the Collector's Edition version. As far as the game goes, if you like suspenseful plots, this one has a good plot. As far as the differences between the two versions, I thought the Bonus Chapter had a decent plot, unlike many games from some of the bigger devs. Because the CE reviews were all over the board as far as ratings, I'd say that if you enjoy the demo, you'll enjoy the game and I'd take advantage of a sale and spring for the CE because of the BC. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:

There's a madman on the loose tonight at the University and he's taking great pleasure at watching you play his cat and mouse game. As you follow the breadcrumbs left behind as clues, they lead you to one victim after another. Each victim, you find has a recorded message of clues to taunt you onward. The stakes are high in this who-dun-it mystery, the grand prize is the final victim, your brother! Why has this madman chosen you to play his twisted game? How does he know you? Why is he so desperate to destroy you? The biggest question is, will you find out all of the answers a little too late?

Yes, there is a gadget, possibly two if you count the fact that there's a device that morphs you to the Crime Lab, as a gadget. The first device is a Magic pair of sunglasses that allows you to find evidence in a room after a crime took place. No, this gadget was NOT necessary and should NOT have been used. As I'll explain in the HOS section, the end result of finding evidence HOS style was an excellent concept, but Magic Glasses took away all credibility. They should have stuck to just being a regular detective doing a regular investigation and this would have been an exceptional game, a memorable game. In the CE version, there is a Morphing Handprint in each location that morphs at a nice pace and is a perfect size, not so large that it's impossible to miss, but not so small that you need a pair of magical glasses to search for it either.

This is a good game, yes, the graphics are kind of "old-school" and the game seems a bit dated, but there is a reason for it. The last Punished Talents game was released two years ago, the beta for this game was released last year, so it probably sat on a shelf for a while for unknown reasons. Blam Games has recently been acquired by a new dev who undoubtedly dusted the game off and decided to let it take a spin around the gaming block to see what happens. I'm certain that the new devs are going to read every review to see what we liked and didn't, so I'm not going to slam this dev because the storyline piqued my interest, I love a good who-dun-it, and this is a great who-dun-it. I wanted to continue playing so I could find out why me, how do I know you, why do I know you, why are you leaving a trail of clues and taunting me every step of the way? I have explained the reason's for my own personal likes and dislikes in this review, and I have given some suggestions, but I want to encourage them to continue. We have a unique opportunity to help mold this dev into creating games the way WE like them, and I really hope everyone writes their own review to tell them how you feel and offer suggestions on how to improve it.

The Hidden Object Scenes are all Listed Item finds with slight Interactions. One of the reason's I only gave this game 4 stars was because some of the listed items had multiple items that fit the description, such as coins. There were 2 different piles of coins but only one was acceptable. One HOS listed item was a screwdriver, but no matter how many times I clicked on the screwdriver, it wasn't accepted. Out of frustration, I clicked the hint, and the hint led me to the same screwdriver. It wasn't accepted until I clicked on a small, very specific area of the screwdriver! I wouldn't normally care but forcing me to use a hint or clicking the wrong object will knock you out of earning a couple of CE Achievements as well! There were items in the scenes that were small and blurry and unidentifiable. On the brighter side, I loved the HOS that involved finding evidence in a room. As you found an item from the list, the item would have a pop-up window that explained how the item was used in the crime or how the clue related to the kidnapper or victim. To me, this makes the HOS relevant, especially in a who-dun-it crime, and in my opinion, all of the HOS in this particular game should have been that same way.

The Mini-Games could have been better but they aren't horrible games either. I actually found the video surveillance clue game rather interesting, and it would be beneficial for these devs to run with that type of game. If it was tweaked a tad bit to make it a little more complicated, such as jumbling up the numbers and leaving spaces blank so you had to figure out which numbers went into which placement, it would be a really fun way to allow us to "solve" problems rather than just practically give us the answer. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the game:

1-Select directional arrows to navigate the ball through the maze with a flashlight.
2-Choose details to match the victim's photo, face shape, nose, hair etc.
3-Use clues found to enter the correct word to open the door.
4-Use directional arrows to move the drone until both heartrate windows match.
5-Watch the surveillance video and find the numbers that are entered for the same 3 products.
6-Adjust dials that close at different rates to allow the water to flow uninterrupted.
7-Select colored levers & directional arrows to move matching transistor pairs in place.
8-Use directional arrows to guide the ball through the maze w/o falling into holes.

The Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 8 Concept Art pictures, 11 Music Soundtracks, 17 Movie Video Cutscenes, 14 Achievements to earn, 15 re-playable Mini-Games, 25 Morphing Handprints, 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy the madness!

PUNISHED TALENTS SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating

1-Seven Muses (December 15-2013) 4.2
2-Stolen Awards (April 3-2016) 3.7
3-Dark Knowledge (November 25-2018) n/a Show less

I recommend this game!

+27points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

Trial: Interesting

PostedFebruary 8, 2019

Yurnmesis

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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):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Good start. Trial wasn't a waste of time, moved right along and left you wondering what happens next. Characters are well developed. Excellent graphics and voice overs. Hint teleports. Back and forth with a number of tasks. Easy hidden objects. Not a mini-fan so just skipped. Overall, its a little different and that makes it a game I might consider purchasing.

I recommend this game!

0points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

7 of 8 found this review helpful

Could Not Follow the Logic

PostedNovember 27, 2018

LikeAGoodStory

fromFlorida

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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

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

3 / 5

It may be my skills (or lack of as a player) but I found the storyline inconsistent and the task requirements puzzling at times. There's no storyline I enjoy more than a whodunit but this one ends abruptly; more than once in the game, scenes end illogically or are hurried (again, to me). Yet, it is a whodunit and I did enjoy the adventure aspect of this game. It made me think. My review is really ...Show more

My reviews are based upon completed play of the game.Try the demo, as always. And as I have found, what is a 3.5 game for one player is a solid 5 for another. Enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+6points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

1 of 1 found this review helpful

I won't buy it, but...

PostedJanuary 1, 2019

roaming

fromTexas

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

...I thought the graphics, voiceovers, and story factors were excellent. Even outstanding. If you can play it without needing as many hints as I did, I'd say go for it.

I'd wish I could give it four stars, but I just can't given that I had to keep hitting the hint button. Definitely try before you buy in case you have the same problem I did.

I recommend this game!

+1point

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Overall rating

3 / 5

2 of 4 found this review helpful

Kids and newbies may like this one.

PostedNovember 29, 2018

dollfaye

fromIndiana, USA

Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management, Word

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I felt it had very little challenge with just so-so puzzles. I may be jaded after 20 years of HOP playing but this was just very simplified to me.

0points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

1 of 2 found this review helpful

What Can I Say?

PostedDecember 1, 2018

PATinPNS

fromPensacola, FL

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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

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I have been trying to think how to write this the whole game. It's a okay game, not great nor good nor bad. Just okay. I enjoyed parts and some of it was just plain silly. Not sorry I got it, but glad I didn't have to pay to get it. It did keep me entertained this rainy Florida afternoon. The reason I bought got this is it wasn't ghosts, witches, goblins or anything that went bump in the night. ...Show more

The graphics were well done. Not dark and dreary. They were clear and pleasant to look at. Music and effects went along with the action in the scene and weren't intrusive. Voice overs were good so far as sound. The lip sync, well that's another story. I felt like was was watching an old Japanese movie. The lips kept moving after the sound ended. Very weak in that department.

Hidden objects were very varied. I think probably I would have understood more of how the game played had I done the previous games, but this is the first one I recall seeing. The mini games.. well they were mini games. Some I did and some I couldn't figure out and some were just way past my patience level. I am one who uses the map a lot. I had a devil of a time trying to understand the map. I finally caught on, but it was hard for me to understand where to go.

I liked the story and the great twist in the end. Totally caught me off guard. however, the ending left a bit to be desired. It just quit basically. That was kind of a let down, but all in all it was great story.

Give the demo a shot and see if this isn't to your liking. As I said it is an okay game. Show less

I recommend this game!

0points

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