Haunted Hotel: Beyond the Page > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

24 of 28 found this review helpful

Fun Hidden Object Game

PostedJanuary 25, 2019

chrsmar60

fromStoughton, WI.

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I bought the SE version, and loved it. I love all the Elephant HO games, especially the Haunted Hotel Series. Great scenes, color, and characters. Plenty of standard HO and one finding pairs. Lots of mini games which I know a lot of people like. I'm not really into them, so played custom so I skip most of them. I think it is a game that any one from beginner to expert could enjoy.

I recommend this game!

+20points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

8 of 8 found this review helpful

So You Thought This Was An Interview?

PostedJuly 30, 2019

MatildaRabbit

fromMS

Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I have enjoyed playing Haunted Hotel games ever since I played Charles Dexter Ward.

In this game, you are interviewing a famous horror novelist. Then you realize that the monsters in his books are in the hotel. But these aren't your Goosebumps monsters. These are widows and wendigos, and you'll have to go to the end of the world to defeat the one who controls them all. Oh, you just thought ...Show more

I have enjoyed playing Haunted Hotel games ever since I played Charles Dexter Ward.

What really excelled here was the story. It had a nice creepy vibe to it, with the real world blending into the world of these foreign creature-monster-entities. The second area of excellence was the illustration for this other world. They were really well done and imaginative, with plants that looked like they might be some kind of succulent or an anemone from the ocean floor, and, yet, they were creepy.

What could have been done better?

Well, for one, it seemed pretty short to me. Then, some of the puzzles seemed generic. I know I've seen a couple of them before. The map was also simple, and there was a good bit of back and forth. In some cases, there was little explanation of what to do and what we were looking for. I never had to resort to the walk-through, but the directions weren't always helpful. Sometimes, I was simply pointing and clicking to see what fit where without feeling that I was immersed in the story. There was a bit of a disconnect. The player does not have a strong character, and there is no real "personality" other than when the author or the friend of the player who set up the interview speaks. I think that with advancements in technology that make creating a game easier, the results aren't always necessarily better. Gameplay will suffer, and gamers will notice the shortcuts. So, it's important that developers use technology to make games better and not simply to make them faster, regardless or quality.

Bottom line: While the game seemed brief when compared to other games I've played recently and the puzzles are rather generic, what stands out in this game is the story and this imaginative land of horror. Because it was so imaginative, I was wondering if this author was actually a real author. Show less

I recommend this game!

+8points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

1 of 1 found this review helpful

Great Game!

PostedJanuary 20, 2022

fernley_jennifer

fromReno, NV

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

This was such a great addition to the Haunted Hotel series! The story line had a brilliant sci-fi twist that you don't always see in these kinds of games. Some of the mini games were new and original and the game itself was a little creepy. Total play time 5 hours 15 minutes. Overall I'm really glad I bought this one.

I recommend this game!

+1point

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Overall rating

3 / 5

66 of 75 found this review helpful

"ARE YOU READY TO WITNESS TRUE HORROR?" why yes, as a matter of fact, I am ready, did it happen when I blinked?

PostedJanuary 20, 2019

pennmom36

fromDid you know that Brad Ziffer does the voiceovers for James & the Monster? ⛄

Top Reviewer
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
Top Reviewer

Skill Level:Expert

Current Favorite:

The Fog

(70)

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

3 / 5

This was my least favorite Haunted Hotel game out of this 17 strong series. This series has always been about Hotels that are Haunted which is why I fell in love with the series, but Beyond the Page had nothing to do with Hauntings! I may have actually enjoyed this game as a whole new Sci-fi series but not as a Haunted Hotel game with James pretending to know how to defeat Creatures from another ...Show more

As far as the biggest differences between the two versions, The Collector's Edition Version has a Morphing Object in each scene, including the Bonus Chapter, some of the scenes have a Morphing Figurine, the final 4 are located within the Bonus Chapter, and you will find Picture Fragments to complete 3 Screensavers in the Main Game and 1 Screensaver within the Bonus Chapter. The Bonus Chapter takes place shortly after the Case is solved when Mr. Carpenter calls to tell you that the Monsters have returned. There are 5 Mini-Games and 5 Hidden Object Scenes in the BC, and the Bonus Chapter is fairly long, but basically is just more of the same thing offered in the Main Game. Here's a recap of my review to help you decide which version, if either, is right for you:

Haunted Hotel USED to be one of my top 5 favorite game series. The only thing they got right on this Haunted Hotel was the excellent sound effects! I love creepy games and this series used to push the envelope with images of ghosts briefly popping up in a mirror, a ball coming out of nowhere as it slowly bounces down a flight of creaky stairs, images of dead people flash from the corner of your eyes where they met their demise, ghostly images appeared in windows, paintings that morphed slowly. A lot was left to the imagination, and it was always about ghosts in a Haunted Hotel, but this game is going down the tubes at a break-neck speed.

Monsters? Really? Cheesy red-eyed monsters, really??? This isn't a Haunted Hotel, it's a Monster Motel. Why can't anybody develop a truly creepy game? These games are getting more G-rated by the minute. If you want a light-hearted G-rated game, make a Fairytale game series, make a Fantasy-themed game, but don't continue to make games for a HAUNTED Hotel if you are afraid to scare someone and have to compromise the plot! I guarantee you Elephant Games if you make a Haunted Hotel game that is really creepy (not gory, just creepy) people will love it. I realize a lot of you don't like the horror genre, but it's the number 1 genre everywhere else, and the number 1 reason gamers have packed their bags and checked out of this Haunted Hotel!

There are no Gadgets or Helpers in this game, however, it does have every cliche HOPA feature included. Elephant Games seem to love repeating the same scenarios in every game they offer, and to me, this is proof that they don't have much of an imagination. They don't push the envelope anymore, they don't push themselves to make each game slightly better than the one before.

You can count on using Oil to remove decades of rust instantly, you can count on every zoom zone to have a box missing emblems, a door missing emblems, a statue missing emblems, eyes, and limbs. You can count on something being blocked by a swarm of bees, you can count on thorny vines requiring something to protect your hands, you can count on discarding the hand protectors only to need more hand protectors a few scenes later. You can count on giant spiders and webs to cover those important missing emblems you need to progress. You can count on having to find several torn fragments with the combination to open everything from locked luggage to locked doors in every scene and zoom zone.

The problem with these cliche tasks is that the game is too predictable. You'll know exactly what item is needed and where an item will be used. You know you'll need to use a coin as a screwdriver, you'll know the World Globe tucked in the corner of the room is going to be a zoom zone and you'll know for certain that it will require an emblem or two. You'll know the fireplace is an area of interest, the cabinet is missing a drawer pull or requires a key. This is a game you don't need Black Bar Tips or a cursor to change to a magnifying glass because it is so predictable.

The Hidden Object Scenes are boring and so easy that you won't have to worry about earning all of the HOP related achievements (except for the one that requires you to finish one in over 10 minutes) They are mostly Interactive Listed Items with some Multiples of the same object (3 bones, 3 dogs) The ones that aren't Listed Items are Silhouetted Shape finds. There are 10 HOP's throughout the Main Game and a handful of smaller Zoom Zone HOP's that require you to find items shown as Silhouetted Shapes, one item at a time. There are no alternate puzzles available.

Mini-Games were either so simple a small child could solve them, or so complicated you become maddeningly frustrated. Some of the instructions I would read, then re-read, and finally just start fiddling around with the puzzle because the directions didn't do a very good job of explaining what needed to be done and how to go about solving it. There are 16 puzzles throughout the main game, so the balance ratio of HOP: Mini-Games are pretty even. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:

1-Slide square symbol tiles using empty space to the sequence shown.
2-Press directional & angular arrows to move token thru the maze.
3-Press arrow-shaped buttons to move blocks to the order shown in clues.
4-Rotate groups of triangles to join all small squares with matching symbols.
5-Move the skeletons parts to match the sketch shown as a clue.
6-Navigate the air shaft using a map, obstacles automatically update.
7-Follow the recipe steps, if you make a mistake you'll have to start over.
8-Rearrange books so the image on their spine creates an image.
9-Follow another stupid recipe in the correct order.
10-Use side buttons to shift skulls & crystals and drag to rotate disks to recreate the image.
11-Rotate tiles using directional arrows to recreate the symbols shown in the middle.

The Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 18 Achievements to Earn, 15 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 re-playable Mini-Games, 14 Morphing Character Figurines, 20 Picture Fragments to assemble 4 Scene Screensavers, 30 Morphing Objects, a Secret Room (to locate progressive Morphing Objects in the Hotel) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy your stay at The Prime Hotel!

HAUNTED HOTEL SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating

1-Haunted Hotel SE only (March 5-2008) 2.9
2-Believe The Lies SE only (January 7-2009) 2.7
3-Lonely Dreams SE only (August 28-2010) 3.3
4-Charles Dexter Ward (July 14-2012) 3.9
5-Eclipse (November 8-2013) 4.3
6-Ancient Bane (June 27-2014) 3.9
7-Death Sentence (January 16-2015) 3.9
8-Eternity (May 29-2015) 3.8
9-Phoenix (September 13-2015) 3.9
10-The X (December 11-2015) 4.3
11-The Axiom Butcher (May 29-2016) 4.3
12-Silent Waters (October 16-2016) 3.3
13-The Thirteenth (January 22-2017) 3.4
14-Personal Nightmare (June 23-2017) 4.3
15-The Evil Inside (October 29-2017) 4.0
16-Lost Dreams (April 6-2018) 3.5
17-Beyond The Page (January 20-2019) n/a

by: Elephant Games Show less

+57points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

10 of 11 found this review helpful

Is this the Same Hotel Series?

PostedJanuary 20, 2019

PATinPNS

fromPensacola, FL

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, Match 3

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

2 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

3 / 5

This is posted after playing the entire game.

I waited for a while for this to come out in the SE, and I just wish I hadn't gotten my hopes up. It was rather disappointing. I can't believe this is the same developer who brought us all those other wonderful games in this series. To begin with, the demo was really short in my opinion. I couldn't tell if I was going to like it or not, but with my ...Show more

This is posted after playing the entire game.

Graphics were good... dark, as expected, but very well done. Music wasn't intrusive and went along with the action in the scene, but the lip sync wasn't very good in the voice overs. Kind of like the old Japanese Godzilla movies where the lips move and then the sound. Effects were really good. My computer didn't like the game for some reason. It lagged so much it was like playing in slow motion. I have a relatively new computer with gaming software so I don't know what was wrong.

I found the hidden object scenes well done. Challenging and yet attainable .. usually. They were varied from lists to my least favorite silhouettes, to a combination of both. I rather enjoyed them. The mini games were way beyond my understanding and patience level. Love that skip button. One thing I wish all developers would do, is allow the instructions to be read before the game begins. Several of the minis, especially the last one, showed things on the scene, and as I was reading the instructions, everything turned over and I had not idea where to even begin finding the matching items. I'm not a big mini fan anyway, but this was just so frustrating!

The story was out there even for this series. It wasn't a bad story at all, but it did take a while for me to get into it. Once I did, it was rather enjoyable. Others will go into the story in-depth so I'll not bore you with my rendition.

As always give the demo a try, but as I said it is rather short, so don't base your like or dislike on it. I have purchased a lot worse games, but I expected a higher quality from these folks than what was delivered. Show less

I recommend this game!

+9points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

6 of 7 found this review helpful

Storyline Made the Game

PostedJanuary 23, 2019

LikeAGoodStory

fromFlorida

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

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

The storyline does have a lot of monsters and is beyond the usual for this series but the writer in me enjoyed it. It seemed as if the developers were having a bit of fun with it.

Game play is basic and not difficult. Sometimes, the inventory gets large (not a favorite of mine) but in general, the HOPs are the usual fare, as other reviewers have mentioned. Perhaps if the HOPS had been as ...Show more

The storyline does have a lot of monsters and is beyond the usual for this series but the writer in me enjoyed it. It seemed as if the developers were having a bit of fun with it.

My review is based upon completed play of the game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+5points

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Overall rating

2 / 5

17 of 19 found this review helpful

It's time to check out of this hotel, and this series of games!

PostedJanuary 20, 2019

Pilot1

fromTaos, NM

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

Current Favorite:

Path of Sin: Greed Collector's Edition

(38)

Fun Factor

2 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

2 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

Storyline

2 / 5

I have eleven of the Haunted Hotel series, so you’d be right in thinking that I like these games.

Now comes Haunted Hotel - Beyond the Page and, being the cautious purchaser —okay, make that cynical— I downloaded and played the demo instead of just buying it, or using some of the thirteen credits I have stored up.

I’m not going to describe the game play-by-play, or the so-called extras, ...Show more

I have eleven of the Haunted Hotel series, so you’d be right in thinking that I like these games.

I’m not going to describe the game play-by-play, or the so-called extras, others have done that and there’s no point in reinventing an already well-built wheel.

Compared to some of the other Haunted Hotel games — Death Sentence, Phoenix, The Axiom Butcher, Personal Nightmare, to mention just a few— this game is very disappointing.

Apparently Elephant Games graphics engine needs a tune-up because the clarity, the sharpness, the almost life-like movements of the characters, are all nonexistent in this game. I’m searching for a word or two that adequately describe for you what you’d see. Wait, I’ve got ‘em! Muddy, blurred out-lines, wooden movement! There you go, friends, that ought to give you the, ahem, picture.

The opening few minutes of this game makes it very clear that almost no effort went into its production. Here are just a few of the indicators: there's an out-of-reach object in a pond, you have to find and put together parts of a fishing rod to get it; a locked bag and, yes, you have to find a pin to open it; a sign that's missing letters . . . I really don't need to go on, do I?

I also have to wonder if the writers of the other games have all gone to work for another developer because the quality of this story is far below the games that precede it. Even the dialogue is below par; stilted, trite, even childish.

Speaking of childish, I have to yet again wonder where the directorial finesses has gone when the voice of the child —oh, yes, we have yet another terrorized child here— is so very poorly performed by an obviously adult performer.

After about ten minutes of playing this game I began to experience a feeling all too common to most of the this past year’s offerings —boredom!

I really don’t expect much from a game, but I do expect that it will keep me engaged and, give me some enjoyment.

This game does neither. Nor does it get a recommendation from me that you buy it. In truth, I’d not even recommend it for a try-before-you-buy. Show less

I don't recommend this game.

+15points

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Overall rating

2 / 5

17 of 25 found this review helpful

hanted hotel what hotel am I in it now ?????

PostedJanuary 21, 2019

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.
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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

2 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

2 / 5

Well not much to say except ugh I hoped for better from this

but have just found it to be miserable dark and dull no excitement , in fact dull colourless and boring will we have better next time?? maybe a brighter more enjoyable Hotel.... I am not going to this place again.

I don't recommend this game.

+9points

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