Surface: Virtual Detective Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

126 of 154 found this review helpful

WOW THE VIRTUAL REALITY WORLD IS QUITE AWESOME

PostedNovember 26, 2016

biscuitsmama

fromI think I need a Nexus 2000 to see what world I could explore

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

In this futuristic new Surface game you play a recently hired detective beginning a life or death job with the Virtual Reality Detective Agency. The only shadow on the horizon is that new Virtual Reality technology, the Nexus 2000 capsule created by Dr. Stein might not be as safe as was once thought. Recently over 1,000 people using the new capsule have either disappeared or become comatose after ...Show more

In this futuristic new Surface game you play a recently hired detective beginning a life or death job with the Virtual Reality Detective Agency. The only shadow on the horizon is that new Virtual Reality technology, the Nexus 2000 capsule created by Dr. Stein might not be as safe as was once thought. Recently over 1,000 people using the new capsule have either disappeared or become comatose after a journey into the virtual world. Not long ago you experienced an accident in the virtual reality world and you were effectively banished. After that you gave it all up until your friend Jean became a victim and went missing in the virtual reality world. Your friend Stephen begged you to join the agency so you could work with him to find Jean. Off you go into the virtual reality world via the new Nexus 2000 and begin the adventure of a lifetime. Wow, the virtual reality environment created in the capsule is quite something – or so you think as you begin to experience this new reality.

The graphics are excellent and crisp both in the real and virtual worlds and represent some of the best in the Surface series. The characters are created to perfection and seem very real with voiceovers that bring them to life. A special touch as you enter the Nexus capsule is that you can create your character’s gender as well as body type, which is nice for all the male gamers out there who are often stuck playing a female role in most HOPA games Your tools include an interactive map, a debugging device that can find and repair “glitches” in the scenes, and your computer journal. I didn’t see any fur buddies lurking around just waiting for the chance to be my helper.

The HOPS are wonderful and so well-designed that they fit seamlessly into the storyline. The puzzles are just as excellent though some might think them a bit easy. Some of the seemingly simple ones I struggled with because I just couldn’t understand the instructions. Eventually the light bulb went on and after that it was smooth sailing.

If you enjoy the CE version of games, this one includes the following extras: collectible flowers that are the signature of the Surface series, achievements, bonus chapter, strategy guide, wallpapers, concept art, music, a secret room, and replay of HOPS and puzzles.

I have never been over the moon with the Surface series so Virtual Reality came as quite a surprise. Another thing that has never really interested me is the virtual reality theme but this game is so well-designed that it is perfect for me. The developer has combined the best of both worlds with the near future “real world” and the virtual reality of the middle ages. I was so involved in the game and all of its features that I was disappointed when the demo ended. Virtual Reality would have been the perfect game for release in October as it is spooky and creepy without a lot of blood splashed all over the screen. Well done developers, you have a winner with Surface Virtual Reality. I would love to see this amount of creativity in other HOPA games. As always, even though I love the game, please try the demo to see if Surface Virtual Reality will be a keeper for you. Show less

I recommend this game!

+98points

126of 154voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes126No28

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

72 of 85 found this review helpful

VIRTUAL REALITY......TAKE ME AWAY......PLEASE!

PostedNovember 26, 2016

kdblueey

fromOhio: where it's starting to look almost like Christmas (cold, blistery). YIKES! (BTW: Hi Penmom.,,,,,love your reviews)

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):Adventure, Hidden Object, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Surface: Virtual Detective Collector's Edition

(35)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

BASED ON 60 MINS OF DEMO PLAY ONLY:

Other reviewers will go into detail about the storyline, detailed descriptions of mini-games, or puzzles, and other various things about this game, and other games as well. My review will only cover my PROS & CONS of the game:

PROS

1. An excellent storyline that is possibly believable because the virtual reality gameplay is an up and coming type of ...Show more

BASED ON 60 MINS OF DEMO PLAY ONLY:

Other reviewers will go into detail about the storyline, detailed descriptions of mini-games, or puzzles, and other various things about this game, and other games as well. My review will only cover my PROS & CONS of the game:

PROS

1. An excellent storyline that is possibly believable because the virtual reality gameplay is an up and coming type of gaming that is fast becoming popular.
2. The cutscenes (for a change), are clear and distinct. Most cutscenes (in other games) are usually blurry, but this game is an exception. The lip-synching does a fair job also.
3. The graphics in this game are superb. The color palette matches the appropriate scene without becoming overbearing or using undertones.
4. When getting inside the virtual capsule, a unique feature was being able to choose from four different male faces and four different body types. I'm not sure where this 'person' comes into play, as I thought I was a female, because prior to choosing the face or body type, you choose female or male. (But it's possible that (in my sleepiness, as it's only 0500), I chose the male symbol by mistake).
5. Another unique feature is when you have to type in messages to Steven on the laptop. You are ACTUALLY typing in your response, and he is ACTUALLY responding back, just as if you were texting each other or talking on Facebook.
6. The mini-games/puzzles were really different and unique, but still difficult, IMO (some of them). Some gamers have the brains to fly through puzzles and/or mini-games without difficulties. Me, on the other hand, not so much. This isn't an area that I usually feel comfortable with, plus the fact, that in demos, your time is limited. (I know, I'm making excuses for my lack of skills).
7. An interactive map that shows you if you've collected all of the flowers, whether you've completed a scene, and where you still have things to do (a very helpful item to have). Plus it's transportable.
8. HOS's: The HOS that really stands out is the one prior to going inside the crypt. There are four coffins (the one lying on the floor, has a skeleton hand coming out from beneath it, which just gives us an added extra 'little something' feature that makes this game worthwhile). On these coffins are green, glowing dots. Down below you have four symbols and you have to match a particular green dot to that symbol. Once you do this, you then have listed items to find. This is a HOS that I haven't seen before but hope to see again.
9. There are collectible flowers in each scene. They can be found 'anywhere'.
10. I was too absorbed in the game to hear the music, but I'm sure it fits each scene accordingly.

CONS

I could find nothing negative to say about this game, other than the fact that it was time to rise and shine and start my day, so I, therefore, had to stop playing the rest of the demo and write this review. But I will get back to it, and when I gather some extra funds, this will be a definite buy for me (and I don't usually purchase CE's because I can do without the bells and whistles).

All in all, give the demo a try. You might be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy :) Show less

I recommend this game!

+59points

72of 85voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes72No13

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

36 of 44 found this review helpful

Once Upon a Time...

PostedNovember 26, 2016

Granny_Gruff

fromThere are red eyes staring at me out of the darkness...

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:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

You stepped into a capsule and found yourself in another world, one created out of bytes and more beautiful than you could have imagined. But there is more, lots more. You had been a player in the VR world until a serious mishap sent you out of it, never to return. Now your two best friends, Stephen and Jean, are part of an agency that is investigating other players' disappearances from VR, ...Show more

You stepped into a capsule and found yourself in another world, one created out of bytes and more beautiful than you could have imagined. But there is more, lots more. You had been a player in the VR world until a serious mishap sent you out of it, never to return. Now your two best friends, Stephen and Jean, are part of an agency that is investigating other players' disappearances from VR, leaving their bodies in comas in the real world. Jean is now one of the comatose patients. Can you summon the courage to dive back in and help Stephen solve the threat that now stalks the VR players? The excitement has just begun!
Good stuff: A very real VR world, multi-layered HOPs, good mini-games, good characterizations, an intriguing story, along with collectible flowers and figurines with a mix of other CE bling.
Bad stuff: For some reason, the animation in the opening scene in the real world is laughable. And there are mono chromatic scenes in the VR world that indicate a sudden love of blue.
Mostly, this new addition to the Surface series is well done with a immersive story that pulls you along. I'm so glad to see a new game that brings players back to the glory days of the series!
I want to dive back in and save my friends and the other victims.
Please try the Demo soon! Show less

I recommend this game!

+28points

36of 44voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes36No8

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

31 of 40 found this review helpful

Oh yes!

PostedNovember 26, 2016

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:

Maze: The Broken Tower

(64)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I frequently disagree with the Key Contributors' evaluations, but this time I think that they may be a little subdued!

Wow, and I rarely say that about any game, this is as good a game as could be produced.

You want a challenge? You've got it.

You want a good, almost unique story-line? You've got it.

You want great graphics, sound, map —whatever-— you've got it.

Okay, so you ...Show more

I frequently disagree with the Key Contributors' evaluations, but this time I think that they may be a little subdued!

Wow, and I rarely say that about any game, this is as good a game as could be produced.

You want a challenge? You've got it.

You want a good, almost unique story-line? You've got it.

You want great graphics, sound, map —whatever-— you've got it.

Okay, so you figured it out . . . this is a definite buy it! Show less

+22points

31of 40voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes31No9

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

89 of 137 found this review helpful

LOSE YOURSELF IN A VIRTUAL WORLD OF AN AWARD-WINNING GAME!

PostedNovember 26, 2016

sunnyglow

fromLooking for the perfect Christmas gift for that “special person” you wish would keep their distance from you? Then think about a Capsule Nexus 2000. You will find yourselves “virtually worlds apart” from each other.

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

6 CHAPTERS PLUS A BONUS CHAPTER - REVIEW BASED ON THE DEMO PLUS CHAPTER 3

OVERVIEW: Welcome to the next evolution of Virtual Gaming - the Capsule Nexus 2000. Wow! What a fabulous 5-star game! In this futuristic glimpse of a virtual reality, players are disappearing or becoming comatose after entering imaginary game worlds. You will play a newbie virtual detective off to locate your friends, ...Show more

6 CHAPTERS PLUS A BONUS CHAPTER - REVIEW BASED ON THE DEMO PLUS CHAPTER 3

OVERVIEW: Welcome to the next evolution of Virtual Gaming - the Capsule Nexus 2000. Wow! What a fabulous 5-star game! In this futuristic glimpse of a virtual reality, players are disappearing or becoming comatose after entering imaginary game worlds. You will play a newbie virtual detective off to locate your friends, seemingly taken prisoner by the game itself! As you traverse the various virtual worlds, you will find yourself dealing with the Dark Lord, a mastermind behind the games who seems to be turning these virtual worlds into virtual nightmares. Deal with his minions, the Black Queen and her alter ego, a young girl, Naya, who seem to be tied to the inventor of the Virtual World game system – Victor Stein. Watch out – Do not end up eliminated from the game!

I have been looking forward to this game! I LOVE this game and it was an automatic purchase for me. This is a sci-fi masterpiece. The story explores the consequences of a virtual gaming world gone amok. The graphics well depict the possible dangers of a not-to-distant world of virtual reality in not only gaming but in other aspects of life as well. Both the HOP scenes and the puzzles are creatively designed. I have been anxiously awaiting this game. I purchased this game not only for the great storyline; but also for the magnificent puzzles.

HOP SCENES: In the demo the HOP scenes contain the usual silhouette scenes and lists of items. There are a couple of mini-HOP scenes in which you locate a small number of one item. There is one multiple-step HOP scene which we have seen in other games.

PUZZLES: Exquisite! They vary in both variety and difficulty. In the demo there are two easy breezy puzzles which include a jigsaw puzzle involving a stain-glass window and a sequence puzzle to light up a fallen Christmas tree. There is a modified old chestnut – the “foxes and hens” puzzle with the characters replaced by people and reapers. You must switch the position of the people and reapers on opposite shores of a lake by rowing them across the lake in a boat. However, you cannot leave any person alone with more than one reaper.

ITSY BITSY SPIDER: My favorite puzzle involves an @spider.com finding his way off the “web.” A simple click of a mouse will not suffice. This spider must maneuver his way off this web by creating a complex path. This will prove to be a tricky little venture as you lead him to a metal claw awaiting him at his final exit. Chomp!

OTHER PUZZLING DELIGHTS: There is a mathematical puzzle used to close a reaper’s hand in which each finger represents a number. You must total 27 by closing the fingers in correct sequence. There are two pipe puzzles in the demo. In one you create the physical appearance of your character by linking polygons so each link is connected to another link. The other pipe puzzle contains three tubes in which you create paths for liquid to move from the top to the bottom. Finally, choose between several answers to answer some cryptic clues.

AFTER THE DEMO: Chapter 3. So awesome (well at least to me)! Enter a virtual world of a space ship in an adventure which is out of this world! Look out for space monsters as you demonstrate your mechanical aptitude in navigating more great puzzles and HOP scenes. Chapter 3 has a top-notch “a-maze-ing” puzzle not to be missed!

LEVELS: Casual, Advanced, Hardcore, and Custom
Hints and Skips: 15 to 90 seconds

EXTRAS:
Map is provided as you play the game
9 Achievements. Some have 3 or more parts
Collect Flowers to unlock a Secret Room. They are very easy to locate
Collect 12 figurines well-hidden within the scenes.
Replay HOP scenes and Puzzles
Strategy guide - 50 pages
12 Wallpapers, 12 Concept Art, 2 Screensavers, Music

HERE ARE THE DETAILS (SPOILERS) FOR THOSE WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE HOP SCENES AND MINI-PUZZLES IN SEQUENCE

HOP SCENES:
(A) Silhouette items. (B) Mini-HOP scene. Locate 7 moons on a skeleton. (C) Multiple-Step. (1) Silhouette. (2) List of items to locate. (D) List of items to locate. (E) Mini-HOP scene. Matching. Locate 6 pairs of items.

PUZZLES: Puzzle Rating: (1) Extremely easy 2) Easy (3) A little difficult or time consuming (4) Moderately difficult (5) Difficult
A. Typing puzzle: Respond to your boss online by typing in replies. You can use your keyboard to type replies as well. Rating: 1
B. Variation of a pipe puzzle. Connect links between polygons so that all links match up with no links unconnected. 3X. Increases in difficulty. Rating: 3
C. A very old puzzle originally called “foxes and hens.” Exchange the positions of people with reapers from one shore to the other so that no human is left alone with a reaper. Rating: 2
D. Mathematical puzzle. Close a reaper’s hand by proving the correct numbers which add up to 27. Each finger has a number assigned to it. Rating: 3
E. Maze puzzle. On a spider’s web, using four circular wheels, create a path for the spider to exit through a metal claw. Very tricky. Rating: 4
F. Jigsaw puzzle. Recreate a stained-glass window by replacing the shards. Rating: 2
G. Pipe puzzle. Connect lines for three tubes containing liquid so it creates a pipeline from the top to the bottom of the square. Rating: 2 to 3
H. Sequence puzzle. Turn on all lights on a Christmas tree. Turning on one affects the others. Rating: 3
I. Cryptic clues. Answer a cryptic question with one of four answers. Rating: 2 Show less

I recommend this game!

+41points

89of 137voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes89No48

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

24 of 35 found this review helpful

WOW what a game!

PostedNovember 26, 2016

Poodlekins

fromDorset, UK

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I have all Surface games but this one beats them all. After ten minutes of playing the demo I was hooked. Thank you Elephant Games for another excellent game.

I enjoyed the HOPs and puzzles, they were different to the usual ones and I did skip a couple. I am now buying the game and will start again with a new profile.

Please give it a try.

I recommend this game!

+13points

24of 35voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes24No11

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

8 of 10 found this review helpful

Excellent Gaming! *static* Anyone there? *static* *static*

PostedNovember 27, 2016

pcpat923

fromJersey Girl

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):Large File, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Haunted Hotel: Death Sentence Collector's Edition

(88)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Very pleased with Elephant Games over the years and this newest release is a total, pleasant and welcome surprise!
My reviews don't cover the story as gamers can find out on their own--which is part of the fun--without me being a spoiler.

I like the entire sophisticated layout as it's very well organized and user friendly. Is straight forward and not too complicated, yet unique with it's own ...Show more

Very pleased with Elephant Games over the years and this newest release is a total, pleasant and welcome surprise!
My reviews don't cover the story as gamers can find out on their own--which is part of the fun--without me being a spoiler.

I like the entire sophisticated layout as it's very well organized and user friendly. Is straight forward and not too complicated, yet unique with it's own challenges.

Gamers asked for something creative and different. Well, here it is served up Elephant Games style! You guys are awesome! Enjoy! -Mama Mia- Show less

I recommend this game!

+6points

8of 10voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes8No2

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

5 of 5 found this review helpful

Robots, Aliens and Monsters

PostedNovember 5, 2017

Majestyx12

fromColoma, Michigan

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:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Arcade & Action, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3

Current Favorite:

Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare Collector's Edition

(44)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I just finished the game with the bonus chapter and let me say there are twists and turns. I read reviews that sounds like they quit in Chapter 1 or 2. Chapters 3,4 and 5 are mainly spaceship, robot related. I call that Sci-fy. Chapter 6 is the rescue with a Halloween note. The bonus is father and daughter related with a dog named Toby and a Christmas Tree. I Loved the Storyline. It was a great ...Show more

I just finished the game with the bonus chapter and let me say there are twists and turns. I read reviews that sounds like they quit in Chapter 1 or 2. Chapters 3,4 and 5 are mainly spaceship, robot related. I call that Sci-fy. Chapter 6 is the rescue with a Halloween note. The bonus is father and daughter related with a dog named Toby and a Christmas Tree. I Loved the Storyline. It was a great ride.

I thought the puzzles were hard. I skipped 20 of them. Some hops were hard too, so I wished they were in the guide. The puzzles I did like were shooting aliens and later ghosts, the elephant puzzle is where you run him through a maze and try to avoid the clowns, while picking up items that will help you get out. Liked jigsaw and grab claw to move boxes.

I collected 148 flowers out of 153. So I had entrance to the secret room where I played a game. Had a message Completed the Secret Room puzzle and unlocked bonus prize. I still can't see or figure what that bonus prize is. It took me to the screensavers. I don't know if I had 2 screensavers before. So I entered on a different profile and I still had 2 screensavers. So it's a mystery alright.

Collected 12 figures that are morphing when found. They have info when you hover by them in their room. My favorite hops in the main game has coffins and in the bonus chapter it has blowfish.

Since it is a Elephant game I have Elephant sighting in the game. 5 sighting with one being a tie pin. ( A Elephant Tie Pin)
Most of them are in the Hops.

Replay 14 Hops and 13 Mini-games.
10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art, 2 Screensavers and 5 Music.

Special detail honors goes for-Silly Skelton Trio, Bleeding Hearts, Bird whistle and Toby the Dog. Show less

I recommend this game!

+5points

5of 5voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes5No0

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

6 of 7 found this review helpful

Thrilling Voyage through Cyberspace

PostedDecember 25, 2016

spythere

fromCurious how long it takes until the real games industry will catch up on Elephant's virtual Nexus.

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):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Witches' Legacy: Awakening Darkness Collector's Edition

(44)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

All those who complain that the title is misleading and the game does not relate to virtual reality have no inkling. Virtual reality is the main topic of this excellent game which held my interest until the end. The storyline might be a bit complex for biased players, but it's all the same comprehensible and makes sense. Of course there are scenes with graveyards, medieval churches or fiery ...Show more

All those who complain that the title is misleading and the game does not relate to virtual reality have no inkling. Virtual reality is the main topic of this excellent game which held my interest until the end. The storyline might be a bit complex for biased players, but it's all the same comprehensible and makes sense. Of course there are scenes with graveyards, medieval churches or fiery deserts; they are all part of the VR, are different sceneries in which VR-players may chase monsters or whatever they do in cyberspace. The game leads us through these simulated fantasy worlds and back again to reality, where we climb out of our Nexus capsule.
There is just the right amount of sci-fi stuff, to not annoy people who are less keen on tinkering with high tech. For my part, I was happy not having to assemble motherboards all the time.

Generally I found it an enjoyable, highly entertaining adventure, since it provides such a variety of scenery and puzzles. Of truly challenging puzzles, oh yes. I needed several attempts to guide that nanobot through the blood vessel and jump all obstacles. But I prefer these kind of funny mini games any time to dull slider puzzles - of which, by the way, not a single one was found in the whole game. If I'm not mistaken. The puzzles' descriptions were at times not very clear - but we always can peep into the Strategy Guide, can't we?

The characters are drawn on the verge of being cartoonish, especially the cute, too sugary Naya and the Xenos monsters. Those weird creatures have six eyes, pointy teeth and claws, poisonous tentacles and are somewhat undecided whether to be funny critters or dangerous vermin. But they mean anyway not more than targets for a shooter game.
I also marveled about Jean's bra, a stiff hard shell construct which could contain either deadly weapons or fluid reservoirs. Above all, it just looks very uncomfortable to wear, lol.
All in all, the figures are congenial and winsome enough, even the evil ones. Even Aion has a rudimentary story and is not only a black shadow out of the blue.

It is a long game which lasted for me over seven hours, or nine including the bonus chapter. Although I believe that I had the one or other coffee break, now and then.
It certainly is suitable for kids, and also a perfect Christmas game: it ends in an sumptuously decorated living room with a fireside, under a big, sparkly Christmas tree.

These are the EXTRAS of the Collectors Edition:
- 14 HOPs, 13 PUZZLES which can be played again.
- 12 wallpapers, 10 sketches, called Concept Art
- The 5 MUSIC tracks I found a notch above the usual Muzak quality. But these are short loops of one or two minutes and can become monotonously repetitive when we spend a bit more time with difficult puzzles.
- 50 pages of Strategy GUIDE. It alas lacks for some reason the clues for the collectibles in the bonus chapter :(
- We collect 11 FIGURINES which are scattered in the main game (8) and bonus chapter (3). They morph and are fairly easy to spot.
- The 153 collectible FLOWERS are a kind of reversed hearts (buds?) in garish lollipop colours with golden, squiggly leaves. Coming directly out of granny's tinsel box? Imho, they display bad taste, obsolete times and are rather unfitting to the VR topic. However, they are well hidden and not at all easy to find. If we collect enough of them, we gain access to ...
- ... the SECRET ROOM, where we can play the dice game, the final mini game fight against Aion. But instead of solving riddles or shooting at monsters, we simply use the dice until we throw certain numbers. Pretty boring.
- We can try to get 9 ACHIEVEMENTS. One of them is for playing a HOP in over 10 minutes, but all others are genuine challenges. Some have several levels, e.g. pick up 3 items in 3 seconds / 5 in 5 seconds / 10 in 10 - so we can gain one or two or three stars. I wonder whether somebody managed to gather all rewards. To me it seems pretty impossible, since we cannot better the results by playing the HOPs again in the extras. The achievements only count how we play during the game.

The BONUS chapter is a sequel. It has 9 sceneries, six of them new, three we saw already in the main game, however they are partly altered. If I didn't mis-count, it contains 5 HOPs and 10 puzzles/mini games. We play as Naya who is trapped in her father's virtual world - which was actually invented to save her. Currently, Naya is merely an amnesic avatar. Advised by Stephen, Jean, the Black Queen and her father, she tries to find her memory, SPOILER ….......... because if she succeeds, it's possible to bring her back into the real world. …........... END SPOILER. How this is achieved is beyond me. It has to do with the fantastic idea of uploading someone's brain/personality onto a hard drive. But it's no joke, I also heard it as a proper topic in real life. There exists a whole bunch of neurologists and programmers who try to reach exactly that. They call it Whole Brain Emulation (WBE) or mind transfer.

My overall rating would be 4.3, but I rounded up since in the whole game I never had to use those darned, noxious biocides. Thank you, Elephant; it has been noted and is very appreciated :) Show less

I recommend this game!

+5points

6of 7voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes6No1

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

7 of 9 found this review helpful

Virtual Reality!

PostedNovember 27, 2016

jdylea

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I beta tested this one the first of August and it was called virtual Reality, then again when they changed the name to Virtual Detective.
I thoroughly enjoyed this game so test it out yourself. How anyone could give this two stars is beyond me.
That is why I take reviews with a grain of salt. Not everyone likes the same thing, but this game is excellent for me!

I recommend this game!

+5points

7of 9voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes7No2

Flagged as inappropriate.

Browse by Genre:

Browse by Genre:

Surface: Virtual Detective Collector's Edition

Reviews

Surface: Virtual Detective Collector's Edition

, share your thoughts about this game!

Surface: Virtual Detective Collector's Edition

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.


	, share your thoughts about this game! Surface: Virtual Detective Collector's Edition Where are the missing players? 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.