Forbidden Secrets: Alien Town Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

198 of 213 found this review helpful

REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME

PostedNovember 12, 2012

Sheerija

fromEdinburgh, Scotland

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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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Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Forbidden Secrets: Alien Town Collector's Edition

(117)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoyed playing this game. This is how a CE should be. It is just perfect on all levels.

The graphics are excellent. The iHOS are not junkpiles and there are just the right amount of them. There are 2 different types. The music is very fitting - eerie and haunting. The navigation is instantaneous, not one nanosecond of delay. There is a terrific jump map which ...Show more

I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoyed playing this game. This is how a CE should be. It is just perfect on all levels.

The graphics are excellent. The iHOS are not junkpiles and there are just the right amount of them. There are 2 different types. The music is very fitting - eerie and haunting. The navigation is instantaneous, not one nanosecond of delay. There is a terrific jump map which highlights the active areas, which is really needed since there are over 40 locations in the main game alone.

The story is a Sci-Fi loosely based on the movie "Village of the Damned", but they have put their own spin on it and it is different. Talking of endings, this game has one of the best I have come across. It took me somewhere I never expected and was so well done. The puzzles/mini-games are fun and not designed so only Einstein could solve them.

There are morphying objects to find, which are also marked on the map, so I did not miss any like i usually do.

The hint and buttons are fast and there is a very well laid out and clear SG which stays open where you left it.

The main game took me 5.45 hrs and ended satisfactorily for SE players, but I would not have missed the BC for the world. Interesting, relevant and totally engrossing. At 75 mins long, that makes a total of 7 hrs of absorbing play.

As far as I am concerned, all of the above totally makes up for not being able to get it in the sale. Worth every penny and then some.

Good work, devs. You just shot to the top of my best devs list. More games of this calibre, please.

I highly, highly recommend it!!! Show less

I recommend this game!

+183points

198of 213voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

151 of 173 found this review helpful

Forbidden Secrets - Wow!

PostedNovember 11, 2012

SrRat

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game is satisfying on all levels!
The storyline is not new but the presentation is well done and interesting. I played the trial and was very sorry when it was over. I may have to take advantage of the BF weekend sale.
The graphics can be a bit hazy but when they are, the effect fits right in with the location and sense of the story, as does the music. At one point I shivered and realized it ...Show more

This game is satisfying on all levels!
The storyline is not new but the presentation is well done and interesting. I played the trial and was very sorry when it was over. I may have to take advantage of the BF weekend sale.
The graphics can be a bit hazy but when they are, the effect fits right in with the location and sense of the story, as does the music. At one point I shivered and realized it was because of the music which I hadn't noticed until then. Eerily creepy (yummy)!
A map is provided which shows where you are and pending actions, as well as morphing objects.
Locomotives, alien carnivals, spooky kids... This game has everything! Show less

I recommend this game!

+129points

151of 173voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

85 of 95 found this review helpful

Great fun game!

PostedNovember 11, 2012

swissraven

fromSwitzerland

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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, Large File

Current Favorite:

Mystery Trackers: Four Aces Collector's Edition

(134)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Although the graphics were a touch rough and the movement between scenes a little slow, I really enjoyed this game.
There were a lot of detailed areas to investigate, morphing objects to find, a great map where you can select or deselect options, 2 game modes.
HOG's were always different, not just the classic type, but also more interactive ones which I thought were great.
The general spooky ...Show more

Although the graphics were a touch rough and the movement between scenes a little slow, I really enjoyed this game.
There were a lot of detailed areas to investigate, morphing objects to find, a great map where you can select or deselect options, 2 game modes.
HOG's were always different, not just the classic type, but also more interactive ones which I thought were great.
The general spooky atmosphere of the game was good as well.
Nice voice overs and cut scenes.
Very good intro which closely resembles the final scene of Alien (the movie). Show less

I recommend this game!

+75points

85of 95voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

137 of 160 found this review helpful

Strange virus.......................

PostedNovember 11, 2012

Poutoule

fromPoitiers, France

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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, Large File

Current Favorite:

Scratches Director's Cut

(51)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Played 20 minutes, casual

- 2 modes, casual, expert

- Integrated SG

- 7 chapters + bonus play

- Voice overs

- Note book

- Map, you can jump from one location to another, shows places of interest and places where beyond objects can be found

- 40 beyond objects to be found throughout the game

- Gorgeous graphics, very realistic

- Hint refills slowly, even casual

- H0, you interact, some ...Show more

Played 20 minutes, casual

- 2 modes, casual, expert

- Integrated SG

- 7 chapters + bonus play

- Voice overs

- Note book

- Map, you can jump from one location to another, shows places of interest and places where beyond objects can be found

- 40 beyond objects to be found throughout the game

- Gorgeous graphics, very realistic

- Hint refills slowly, even casual

- H0, you interact, some objects are really small

- Didn't come any mini game in the time I played, but I've seen that I will need a ring for one ;)

You work for an agency, trying to stop different virus from spreading. In this case people just turn into unmoving, dumb, mute creatures. Where does this virus come from ? Up to you to find out, I will as this game is a buy for me. Can't wait to play !!!!
Instant buy.... Show less

I recommend this game!

+114points

137of 160voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

74 of 83 found this review helpful

Eerie Story With Out Of This World Graphics!

PostedNovember 11, 2012

Nilosh

fromIstanbul, Turkey

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Death Upon an Austrian Sonata: A Dana Knightstone Novel Collector's Edition

(76)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

A town not found on a map is now stricken with a mysterious plague that has turned its ctizens into zombies. There are orphans that mysteriously appeared from nowhere and something sinister is definitely going on. Is it a military accident or something supernatural? That is what Clarissa, our government agent has been sent to find out. The story resembles a film I saw many moons ago, Village of ...Show more

A town not found on a map is now stricken with a mysterious plague that has turned its ctizens into zombies. There are orphans that mysteriously appeared from nowhere and something sinister is definitely going on. Is it a military accident or something supernatural? That is what Clarissa, our government agent has been sent to find out. The story resembles a film I saw many moons ago, Village of the Damned which was based on a novel, Midwich Cuckoos. Definitely curious as to where it will lead. The openning scene was superbly done and what follows is a solid HOPA with outstanding almost life-like graphics, good voice-overs and sound-effects that enhances your gaming experience. Game features two game modes, a notebook and a interactive map where not only can use to jump locations, but it offers you progress on each location. Game mechanics offer interactive HO scenes that also include reverse HO where you need to place items in their proper place. There are 40 morphing objects in each scene and you can check your map for locations. Minigames are well placed but were almost too simple which I found a bit dissapointing. Overall the game gets full marks for visuals and sound quality as well as for the storyline. I would have liked a bit more challengeing gameplay. It just seems to me that developers are putting their all into visuals and designs but they lack imagination when it comes to puzzles and mini-games. Nevertheless a definite addition to my already over-crowded list of CE games. Must remember to clear out some from my game manager. Show less

I recommend this game!

+65points

74of 83voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

73 of 86 found this review helpful

An a1 star of a game.

PostedNovember 11, 2012

truddi

fromUK

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):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

This has it all for me. From a good storyline to great graphic's, interactive scene's and morphing objects. There are mini games within mini games and that's a difference I liked. The intro is film like and the characters are well done. I have yet to see the affected so cannot comment on those.

I cannot think of anything this game lacks, It flows along beautifully and is a joy to play.

I did not ...Show more

This has it all for me. From a good storyline to great graphic's, interactive scene's and morphing objects. There are mini games within mini games and that's a difference I liked. The intro is film like and the characters are well done. I have yet to see the affected so cannot comment on those.

I cannot think of anything this game lacks, It flows along beautifully and is a joy to play.

I did not want to stop the demo to write this but once I have its back to the game and a definite buy for me. Show less

I recommend this game!

+60points

73of 86voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

44 of 52 found this review helpful

Great Game

PostedNovember 11, 2012

colorsplash

fromWest Palm Beach, Florida

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Dark Arcana: The Carnival

(150)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

So I vowed I wasn't going to buy another game until Thansgiving but this game was just wonderful. Great artwork..good puzzles...has a map..good hint system...morphing objects ..bonus game.I love it I bought it....So much for saving money this month!

I recommend this game!

+36points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

28 of 31 found this review helpful

Extraordinary - A Guy's Review

PostedNovember 21, 2012

TnT_TJ

fromKongsvinger, Norway

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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):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Forbidden Secrets: Alien Town Collector's Edition

(117)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

*review based on completing the full game in expert mode + bonus content*

This game is right up my alley. I'm mostly talking about the storyline. A sci-fi alien conspiracy mixed in with religion and Indian culture, and it is really well written. Now, this might not be for everybody, but for me it is perfect. Beware if you are extra sensitive about your religion, or find alien conspiracy theories ...Show more

*review based on completing the full game in expert mode + bonus content*

This game is right up my alley. I'm mostly talking about the storyline. A sci-fi alien conspiracy mixed in with religion and Indian culture, and it is really well written. Now, this might not be for everybody, but for me it is perfect. Beware if you are extra sensitive about your religion, or find alien conspiracy theories blatantly stupid. You might get offended. If not, then there is nothing to think about, buy it as soon as you can and join a spectacular ride.

The graphics in this game are high quality on the most part. Like many others, it has mostly dark and dreary locations, but they are highly detailed and interesting sites. The cinematic cut-scenes might be the best I've seen so far in the casual game scene. It's dramatic, moves smoothly and basically looks similar to what you would expect in a movie. There are no live actors though, but the characters are well drawn. I tend to like drawn characters better anyway.

Animations are not that smooth elsewhere in the game though. They feel somewhat stiff and they have not spent much time on the lip-sync.

The voice-overs are mostly nicely done, but there is a few exceptions. It sounded like the same kid voiced all the children, and wasn't that believable. A funny note is that all the kids growing up with American adoptive parents in North America from birth had a very British accent. Unlikely.

The music ranged from ok to terrible. Something sounding like a orchestra warming up made a very intrusive sound in many scenes. Sound effects are perfectly fine though.

If ratings were separate I would give Visual Quality 5 (excellent) and sound 2 or 3, so ended up with 4.

The game had quite a bit of adventure elements. Some typical and some quite creative. I usually enjoy the adventure elements the most and this game kept me happy all the way through.

Puzzles were varied with some easy and some quite hard. Some we've all seen before, but also a few that had some originality to it (at least for me). I like when a game mixes the difficulty levels on their puzzles, so a nice fit to me here.

The hidden object scenes were quite cluttered clutter scenes, but were highly detailed and nice and colorful. There was a few objects that were hard to find in dark areas and rather small, but nothing that got too frustrating. All HO scenes were mildly interactive and had at least one smaller scene within it. You have to visit all of them (I think) twice, but once for finding items listed and another time to place (reverse HO) objects on/in/next to matching ones. That kept all scenes fresh and interesting, and it didn't feel repetitive.

The game mechanics functioned well as far as I can tell. The interface was easy to use. You have a journal and a map. The journal felt almost completely necessary a couple of times and the map is your best friend. The map is interactive and you can use it for fast-traveling. You can also opt for highlighted active zones and morphing object locations right on the map itself. Hook it on or off and own leisure. Brilliant.

You can choose between two difficulty settings:

Casual:

-Sparkles on interactive zones
-30 second recharge of hint/skip function

Expert:

-No sparkles
-1 minute recharge of hint/skip function

I played it in expert mode and found the game moderately difficult. There was one or two times I had to use skip/hint. The map is of course very helpful to find out which locations you have stuff to do.

The CE version of the game also have a nice bonus chapter. Not lasting especially long, but was highly interesting and beautiful made as well. It also adds new locations and it is nicely connected to the main story. It does not ruin the conclusion of the main game, so if you want to wait for the SE you will not miss out on any essentials. It adds 40 morphing objects to find, a strategy guide and the typical wallpaper/art. It has no achievements or trophies. I wish at least one would get something for collecting the 40 morphing objects, but at least I couldn't find anything.

The game has a nice length and with the bonus additions I felt I got my moneys worth. I still haven't found many CE's that is worth the extra credit, but at least this one doesn't feel like a rip off.

I recommend this game to everyone who likes these types of games, and especially if you like alien/government conspiracies and such. If you are a strict religious person, you might want to try it out before buying to be on the safe side. But for most people this should be pure enjoyment. I classify it as moderately difficult and it would suit mediocre and seasoned players. That does not mean that you should avoid it as a beginner. I think this game would be an excellent introduction game as well.

For the guys:

You play as a female character, but it is not very apparent. The story should suit both genders, so you don't want to miss this one.

TJ Show less

I recommend this game!

+25points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

23 of 27 found this review helpful

just a great fun adventure game

PostedJune 19, 2013

neilskinut

fromBridge city tx

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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, Puzzle

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Happened across this one and boy is it good.
The graphics are great and so is the music.
Has voice over.
Has a map that really is the best ever.
Not that many HOS but the ones they have are good and interactive. The puzzles are good and some challenging.
More of an adventure and a good one at that. Not that much running around so when you find an item you use it fast.
The collectibles you need to ...Show more

Happened across this one and boy is it good.
The graphics are great and so is the music.
Has voice over.
Has a map that really is the best ever.
Not that many HOS but the ones they have are good and interactive. The puzzles are good and some challenging.
More of an adventure and a good one at that. Not that much running around so when you find an item you use it fast.
The collectibles you need to find makes it fun and interesting. Show less

I recommend this game!

+19points

23of 27voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

13 of 14 found this review helpful

Look at all of those babies !!!!!

PostedNovember 12, 2012

woodawooda

fromKennebunkport, Maine

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:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Forbidden Secrets: Alien Town Collector's Edition

(117)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game was excellent !!!! It had it all. Once again a superior game from one of the best developers out there.
Some of the best things for me was the way the hint system and the map worked together so you knew just where to go next. No need for a strategy quide here. I also like the way the map let you know which scenes had morphing objects so you could go back and find them. The games ran ...Show more

This game was excellent !!!! It had it all. Once again a superior game from one of the best developers out there.
Some of the best things for me was the way the hint system and the map worked together so you knew just where to go next. No need for a strategy quide here. I also like the way the map let you know which scenes had morphing objects so you could go back and find them. The games ran beautifully too, so smooth and each scene had a function in the game that made perfect sense to the story line. No need for monsters here. No hysterical crazy people crashing things down in my path. Just a great story about a very quiet invasion and how the town coped with it. It did lack the subtle humor of some of the ERS games but the story was so well told I did not miss it. Lots of great voice overs and cut scenes. I alway like it when I reach a location and there is a character to talk to . It really personalizes the game. Loved the childrens accents. So cute. Tons of beautiful artwork in the locations. HOS were very clever and fun. I really enjoyed this game. If all of the games we get were all like this one I would never get anything done!!!
It amazes me how much difference there is in the quality of the games out there. This one is one of the best. Enjoy it, I did. Show less

I recommend this game!

+12points

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Forbidden Secrets: Alien Town Collector's Edition Investigate strange goings-on! 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.