Tales of Terror: House on the Hill Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

119 of 136 found this review helpful

Wow! What a Great Game!!!!!

PostedMay 17, 2014

mrm2006

fromBelton MO

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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Current Favorite:

Bluebeard's Castle

(295)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I don't even know where to start - this game was THAT good!!!! And I do not give out 5 stars that easily.

Opening Scene:
There is a young man running for his life - doors are locked - he finally gets outside but is swallowed by a black fog and dragged back into the house.

Storyline:
You (Sophia) and your sister (Hope) decide to go on a bus tour of haunted houses. The last stop on the trip is the ...Show more

I don't even know where to start - this game was THAT good!!!! And I do not give out 5 stars that easily.

Opening Scene:
There is a young man running for his life - doors are locked - he finally gets outside but is swallowed by a black fog and dragged back into the house.

Storyline:
You (Sophia) and your sister (Hope) decide to go on a bus tour of haunted houses. The last stop on the trip is the "House on the Hill" (Sound familiar? Yeah, thought so.) Apparently, it was only recently opened by the owner. You are there only a moment when you hear a scream and watch your sister disappear behind a wall while there stands a black shrouded figure. Now you are determined to go through this Haunted House and find her.

Graphics:
Can you say...only AMAZING!? The characters are so real, as if you were watching a home movie - THAT real. The way they move, and talk (tonal quality as well as lip syncing and body movement - I LOVE games like this. And it continues through the game play. Thank you devs.) The mansion is stunningly beautiful from the outside. I repeat - from the outside. Colors gorgeous - greens of plants, rust color of sign over the driveway announcing the house's name. Colors of clothes people are wearing - all amazing.
.
Sound:
Whoa ..... May I just say WHOA? I don't recall any music, per se, however, the sound effects are amazingly real and spot on. Doors creaking, sounds of ghosts (?) moaning and crying and spirits (?) talking (to each other?). At one point, I remember thinking "wow, creepy". Very good sign - lol. I do love the creepy.

Gameplay:
Again, you trying to find your sister, Hope - I apologize if I got the names attached to the wrong sister - I am no good with names. You will come across characters who need your help. For instance, a man who was going to buy the house with his wife but was locked inside with no way out and is now being held on to by the tentacles of a plant. This, I believe, is the man from the opening scene - rescue him. The tour bus driver, find his heart medication - quickly. So, it would appear that you have "quests" to complete to gain information about how to find your sister, whom you last saw on an outside ledge near a closed window.

The HOGs are moderately easy. The hint button here takes an extremely long time to recharge. There is a random click penalty. So far, all I've come across are itemized lists, with some interaction necessary. Nothing dark, nothing tiny. Even the sparkles were beautiful.

Mini Games:
The ones I came across were definitely not easy but the instructions were very specific. The "skip" button takes a definite while to charge. I skipped through for the most part to get back into game play. When I purchase the game, I will have more time to devote to the mini games. HAH! "WHEN" I buy the game?! Guess I must be hooked already - lol.

There are 3 modes of play: Casual, Expert and Professional. You have a diary which takes a lot of notes but there may be clues in reading. The hint button is in the form of a castle or mansion - a duplicate of where you are. And it recharges faster than I've ever seen one recharge before. You eventually get possession of a map (you have to find it) which is not only jumpable but shows you where you currently are and where you need to fulfill an objective. I anticipate a longish game as the map shows a first and second floor as well as a basement. There is a short tutorial.

CE Bling:
Bonus Story
Collectibles - TONS - you need to find a heart in each scene of the game. However, when you find a heart you don't get the usual message (i.e., 3 of 25 or however many there are). There is a huge heart you can go to in "Extras" at the main Menu page and count them all but, trust me, there are a TON of them and very easy to find.
Achievements - 15.
Music - 5 tracks.
Wallpaper - I believe there are only 4, I could definitely be wrong, as they were locked up.
Concept Art - 7 beautiful pictures.

I did not see anything for "screensaver" nor did I see a Strategy Guide. One of the reasons I usually buy a CE is for the inclusion of a strategy guide. During the demo, I certainly did not need one, however, I do like one to be available, especially in a CE.

So, I think I've covered everything in the demo - NOT!~ So MUCH went on I could not possibly remember all the details and game play. I can say this, I haven't had this "WOW" feeling when a demo ends in a long time. I very loudly exclaimed - WHAT???? Are you kidding me??? "WOW" factor - lol. Obviously, I was hooked.

This Glam-ma says please try this game. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I did. I will certainly be making this a purchase this weekend. Happy Gaming. Show less

I recommend this game!

+102points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

278 of 334 found this review helpful

The House That Feeds On Fear

PostedMay 17, 2014

pennmom36

fromIf I do get out, do I get a refund?

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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

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

Current Favorite:

Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition

(82)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

A word of advice, if a house suddenly appears out of nowhere, don't go on a haunted tour of said house! This is exactly what Hope and Sophia Aldridge decided to do even though the tour guide warned that the house appeared out of nowhere just three short months ago! (okay, I'd probably go too) As soon as your group arrives, the lights begin to flicker, the house begins to morph and shift and you ...Show more

A word of advice, if a house suddenly appears out of nowhere, don't go on a haunted tour of said house! This is exactly what Hope and Sophia Aldridge decided to do even though the tour guide warned that the house appeared out of nowhere just three short months ago! (okay, I'd probably go too) As soon as your group arrives, the lights begin to flicker, the house begins to morph and shift and you are instantly shut off from the rest of the group including your sister. As you wander around this terrifying mansion, fixing everything broken and finding keys that open doors, you come across the house's last victim Sam. He and his wife were meeting a broker to purchase this lovely house when the same thing happened to him, "you cannot leave this house no matter how hard you try" he explains that the house thrives and grows larger, feeding on the fears of others. Even if you are able to save your sister, will the house allow you to leave?

I love the story, who doesn't love a haunted house? There are achievements to earn and there is a special room that will house statues of the people you come across, good and evil, including a mysterious red eyed cloaked figure that seems to control the house. There are 46 hidden hearts, one in each scene to collect and some of them are nicely blended into the decor. Even though I love the story, and I think the characters are extremely lifelike, and I like the fact that some of the puzzles are new, I don't think there is enough substance in this Collectors Edition, I think the Standard Edition will be the better value. On the bright side, some games need all the bells and whistles to make them exciting and I think this game will be able to stand it's ground without them.

I know some players will be upset, but the Hidden Object Scenes are doubled up, the first time you find items on the list and that object moves out of the way to expose a pie shaped piece of the final items need, a disc that opens up a secret compartment. The second time has different items to find, which are really easy to find because you just searched this same scene. I was happy to discover that some of the mini games were new and creative such as trying to maneuver a key disc to a lock disc. Some of the discs on the board were stationary, others moved up or down whenever you used the directional arrows to move your key disc. If your key disc touches any other disc you had to start over. Other games were more common such as completing a painting by using the clues already provided.

Hopefully you don't have botanophobia like Sam,or suffer from claustrophobia with panic attacks like our tour guy because you're going to have to remain calm so the house doesn't add a room addition in your name, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+222points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

41 of 46 found this review helpful

Don't go in the house!

PostedMay 17, 2014

MSBAM100

fromTampa, FL

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Surface: Reel Life Collector's Edition

(53)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This is a wonderful game with lots of surprises and clever twists and turns. You and your sister Hope decide to explore a haunted house that - duh - has only been there 3 months or so! Don't do it!! Of course the house morphs and mutates and separates you sister and the others from you. There is also a hooded villain and dark smoke floating around.

The house has been around a while, at least ...Show more

This is a wonderful game with lots of surprises and clever twists and turns. You and your sister Hope decide to explore a haunted house that - duh - has only been there 3 months or so! Don't do it!! Of course the house morphs and mutates and separates you sister and the others from you. There is also a hooded villain and dark smoke floating around.

The house has been around a while, at least since 1908, because you read a diary about Sir Anthony and his friend who become trapped in the house until the house - or their fear - consumes them.

Meanwhile, you find Sam who was trying to buy the house with his wife Beth, who both became trapped. You free Sam from the plants he is deathly afraid of, but he freaks and decides you are the villain and tries to set you on fire. Then there is poor Mr. Peterson, the tour guide, who is claustrophobic and has walls closing in on him. The house keeps trying to trip you up, but you keep solving the traps and are not afraid - except maybe of the nutcracker suite!

The HOS are lists -- the first one is clever, requiring you to find petals behind items hidden in the scene. The second one is the same scene with most of the items removed -- not cool. The mini-puzzles alternately hard or easy.

I couldn't find the strategy guide, but the map is a jump map and a good thing because you wander all over and the map is the only thing that tells you where to go next. The hint button is shaped like the house.

You have 15 achievements to earn, a heart to collect in each scene, plus figurines of all the characters. But I don't think this is a CE -- no HOS to replay or mini-games. There is a bonus game. I really like this game, but will wait for the SE version. Show less

I recommend this game!

+36points

41of 46voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

94 of 122 found this review helpful

No spoilers - enjoy the surprises.

PostedMay 17, 2014

Tufty57

fromCambridgeshire UK

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:

Grim Tales: The Vengeance Collector's Edition

(82)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I am not going to dwell on the story, nor go into detail as this will spoil some of the unique surprises of this game. Suffice to say, a 'haunted' house has appeared suddenly and you join the the first guided tour. You soon realise there is so much more to this house than just ghosts and you will need all your seeking, puzzle solving and thinking skills to achieve your objectives.

I played on ...Show more

I am not going to dwell on the story, nor go into detail as this will spoil some of the unique surprises of this game. Suffice to say, a 'haunted' house has appeared suddenly and you join the the first guided tour. You soon realise there is so much more to this house than just ghosts and you will need all your seeking, puzzle solving and thinking skills to achieve your objectives.

I played on expert and skipped a couple of the longer puzzles in order to advance. By the end of the demo I had played for 53 minutes and completed 16% of the game so for me, this will be a nice, long haul.

The puzzles are great, similar ideas to those we have seen before, but needing some deep, logical thinking. Only one, involving painting, was a little simple.

At first I was disappointed to see what appeared to be simple lists for HOSs, but there is more to them than initially meets the eye.

Fairly obvious pick-ups are scattered around but, again, some needed constructing and further pieces found in other scenes.

There are many CE extras:
* I was intrigued by the "Story" extra, which had a number of empty plinths. As you meet new characters, a little flag whizzes out and back from the right hand side of the screen. Popping back to the menu, I found that statues of these characters were appearing. Hmmm, interesting!
* There are 46 heart medallions hidden in the scenes to collect
* 15 achievements to earn, mainly relating to speed in HOSs and not skipping puzzles, though there is one for completing the game in "Professional" (the hardest mode) and another for completing a HOS in more than 10 minutes (aaaargh!). I defy anyone to earn them all!
* Only three levels of challenge (Casual/Expert/Professional)
* There is a jump map, which you have to pick up, showing location and active objectives.
* I could not find the Strategy Guide, but then I rarely use it anyway.

All in all, I loved it and it is a definite buy for me. It had some new ideas, some new puzzles and the 'key' of the story, which I am not going to tell you, is very well done through the clever visual effects.

Brilliant! Show less

I recommend this game!

+66points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

20 of 23 found this review helpful

SQEEZING WALLS AND DISAPPEARING PEOPLE

PostedMay 24, 2014

rosekaufmann

fromLos Angeles

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome

(214)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

SUMMARY: A fetching story about a haunted house that appears out of nowhere, where anyone entering never escapes and which moves itself. A wonderful adventure with quite a lot of intoxicating puzzles and a few HOS. A fun adventure but recommend waiting for the SE.

CE: Doesn't have enough for me to buy as a CE, but I will certainly buy as an SE. It has hearts to collect (one per scene), a number ...Show more

SUMMARY: A fetching story about a haunted house that appears out of nowhere, where anyone entering never escapes and which moves itself. A wonderful adventure with quite a lot of intoxicating puzzles and a few HOS. A fun adventure but recommend waiting for the SE.

CE: Doesn't have enough for me to buy as a CE, but I will certainly buy as an SE. It has hearts to collect (one per scene), a number of the usual achievements (which can be earned through normal game play, for the most part), the bonus game and the usual wallpapers, music tracks, et al.

ADVENTURE: Your sister is suddenly trapped and disappears behind a door with a strange man, while the room you are in morphs, closing all exits. The house is haunted: it's full of traps, constantly shifting walls, people disappear (usually leaving no trace of themselves), and you run across a man who disappeared in the same house in another state last year.

PUZZLES: There is a large variety of puzzles and mini-games, ranging from fairly easy to mildly challenging. I actually gave up on the first mini-game (getting a key to the lock on the opposite side of the board, which is very unusual for me). But I was able to solve all the others. The puzzles aren't the usual run-of-the-mill puzzles either. On casual, the skip rate is rather fast. On the hardest level, there is no skip.

HOS: There aren't too many HOS - there are many more puzzles to HOS. Some of the HOS are interactive (such as revealing a piece of a puzzle needed to open the final object to find the last item). Scenes are not too crowded and objects are clearly visible though many are well disguised.

OTHER STUFF: There are 3 modes of play: The hint and skip buttons recharge fairly fast in casual play, but you have no hints or ability to skip puzzles on the hardest level. Read the journal, because it adds a bit of backstory as you play. Map is interactive, so even though there may be quite a bit of back and forth, it is not a chore. Enough rooms that it seems to be an average-length game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+17points

20of 23voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

39 of 55 found this review helpful

Very enjoyable, good storyline!

PostedMay 17, 2014

Lilac_Nann7

fromSt. Louis, Missouri

Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

It is a very enjoyable game, sort of on the line of the "HOUSE on Haunted Hill Movie". I can't wait to purchase and find out what happens. Do all the missing persons over time get saved or just the few with your group. What is it about this Scary House?? If you like Horror Movies. books or games, I think this ones for you.

I recommend this game!

+23points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

20 of 26 found this review helpful

Freakin Awesome Game

PostedMay 19, 2014

kay1956

fromsouth lyon, mi

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

OMG. played the demo and had to buy. i really get into haunting or darker games. all i can say if you like spooky stories (not to spooky) then this game is for you.i also like that people are in this game not some computer generated person

I recommend this game!

+14points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

13 of 17 found this review helpful

Scary but not too creepy. Very fun,

PostedMay 20, 2014

Eponia

fromMississauga Ontario Canada

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Enigmatis: The Mists of Ravenwood Collector's Edition

(166)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I really enjoyed this game. I played it on expert because after a few years of playing HOGs it was time to up the anti.

The game play is fun and the mini-games are not just run-of-the mill and can be challenging. I really liked the graphics and the sound track is not too annoying. The cut scenes are polished and the character's audio track actually matches the character's lip movement. I know ...Show more

I really enjoyed this game. I played it on expert because after a few years of playing HOGs it was time to up the anti.

The game play is fun and the mini-games are not just run-of-the mill and can be challenging. I really liked the graphics and the sound track is not too annoying. The cut scenes are polished and the character's audio track actually matches the character's lip movement. I know that's a small thing but it bothers me when they're both out of sync.

It includes an interactive map with collectibles and achievements.

I'm running it on the latest Windows 8 and had no problems with the game;s performance.

All in all a very enjoyable polished game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+9points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

13 of 18 found this review helpful

Very original game

PostedMay 20, 2014

allowey

Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

The story is fresh, the gameplay is clear and easy, actors are perfect, voiceovers are normal. The game becomes slower after 2 hours of playing but if you exit the game and then run it again the performance becomes good again.

I recommend this game!

+8points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

3 of 3 found this review helpful

Fun to Play

PostedFebruary 15, 2016

gamesrgreatfun

fromNew Market, Indiana

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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):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game is fun. That's the bottom line of if I like a game or not. Is it fun? This one was for me.

Graphics: Very good

Sound: Good

H.O.s: Varies between different kinds, including some interactive. There was even a unique kind I had never seen before!! The scenes are repeated twice but usually with a different kind of search the next time.

Mini-games: I found most of them challenging, even ...Show more

This game is fun. That's the bottom line of if I like a game or not. Is it fun? This one was for me.

Graphics: Very good

Sound: Good

H.O.s: Varies between different kinds, including some interactive. There was even a unique kind I had never seen before!! The scenes are repeated twice but usually with a different kind of search the next time.

Mini-games: I found most of them challenging, even had to look at the included strategy guide for some of them to see what I was doing wrong.

Strategy guide: Yes there is one and I used it a lot. It is well written. (It is in the left hand top corner of the screen) I don't like a game that is super easy and this one wasn't, at least to me.

Map: A very nicely drawn map that shows where something needs to be done and the ability to transport there. I thought it was a very nice touch that when you are locked in one area and there is no exit that the map became clouded over and unusable!!

Length of game: I played it almost straight thru and it took me about 10 to 12 hours (including the bonus chapter) I used the strategy guide and the map a lot or it would have taken me even longer! I'm probably a slower player than most though.

I enjoyed the game and will replay it someday. I hope these developers keep up the good work and make more games like this one. Show less

I recommend this game!

+3points

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