Bonfire Stories: Heartless Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

44 of 46 found this review helpful

Bonfire story

PostedSeptember 23, 2018

RPgames

fromNM

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):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Path of Sin: Greed Collector's Edition

(38)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I did like this game . Good graphics ,sound and voices were good.
As others did say one does search for items but it is a mystery game. Not sure what others want in this type of game but you do search for clues and items to help .Yes it is called a Hidden Object game for a reason!!
The puzzles I had no problem seeing what to do but as others might say I guess I'm not as smart as them so the ...Show more

I did like this game . Good graphics ,sound and voices were good.
As others did say one does search for items but it is a mystery game. Not sure what others want in this type of game but you do search for clues and items to help .Yes it is called a Hidden Object game for a reason!!
The puzzles I had no problem seeing what to do but as others might say I guess I'm not as smart as them so the puzzles didn't seem boring to me.

I played the game to the end which I think others should do if you review a game since this game had some twists.

Story line was different. At first I thought it was going to be one way but ended up going in another direction. Not going into detail to ruin it for others.

If you like mystery games this is for you . If you don't like searching for items try another game or watch TV. Show less

I recommend this game!

+42points

44of 46voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes44No2

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

19 of 19 found this review helpful

Campfire Excellence

PostedSeptember 29, 2018

timothya

fromSandpoint, Idaho

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, Puzzle

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I was fortunate enough to beta test this one and all I had to say at the time was "See if you can keep this up." And they did! Plot, graphics, atmosphere, and voice acting are all top-notch this time through. This series now has two definite winners.

Pros: Excellent writing - several nice reveals and some surprising not-so-nice ones. Male POV for a change but the female characters definitely ...Show more

I was fortunate enough to beta test this one and all I had to say at the time was "See if you can keep this up." And they did! Plot, graphics, atmosphere, and voice acting are all top-notch this time through. This series now has two definite winners.

Pros: Excellent writing - several nice reveals and some surprising not-so-nice ones. Male POV for a change but the female characters definitely drive the thing. Graphics are detailed and colorful without being overwhelming. Even the title page, with the girl hiding behind the tree, has enough motion to make it creepy. Nice mix of puzzles and HO scenes. A definite treat at the end of the bonus game - is all this real, or only a spooky story? Or both?

Cons: Not much variety in the HO scenes, mostly junkpile with certain objects only partly visible. Music spooky but a little repetitive. I can't decide whether it's creepy or just funny to be stalked by a giant bunny, but it was pretty good. These are very minor flaws.

Overall, five stars for this one. No spoilers, but there is a subtle moral ambivalence that makes the plot far more than the usual linear good-versus-evil pasteboard writing. Now I hope the devs can keep this up for another entry. Show less

I recommend this game!

+19points

19of 19voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes19No0

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

16 of 17 found this review helpful

Bonfire Stories: Heartless Collectors Edition

PostedSeptember 23, 2018

hytra

frompennsylvania

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Best game in a very long time....Had everything to hold your interest and long playing....ENJOYED need more like this...……..too many same old same old.

I recommend this game!

+15points

16of 17voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes16No1

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

129 of 186 found this review helpful

WHAT LIES WITHIN THE CRIMSON MIST? A CAMPFIRE STORY WITH A SURPRISE ENDING!

PostedSeptember 20, 2018

sunnyglow

fromUnsolved mystery: There may be no dangling participles in this tale; however, there are dangling participants. After being left to suffocate in the crimson mist, what happened to acid-tongued Chloe, the bumbling ranger, and Margaret’s giggling buddy?

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

REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter - Strategy Guide: 40 Pages

OVERVIEW: What happened to your father on a camping trip many years ago? As Tom Gilbert, you are off on your yearly pilgrimage to Calispell Forest to continue your search for the answer to that question. On the night of a crimson mist, your father was kidnapped; the next day he was discovered murdered. ...Show more

REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter - Strategy Guide: 40 Pages

OVERVIEW: What happened to your father on a camping trip many years ago? As Tom Gilbert, you are off on your yearly pilgrimage to Calispell Forest to continue your search for the answer to that question. On the night of a crimson mist, your father was kidnapped; the next day he was discovered murdered. It appears that this year your question will be answered when the same crimson mist reappears at your campsite. Screams, lights in the forest, shadowy animal-head masked men, and ghostly visions of your father will be part of this year’s camping trip. Is the same nightmare happening again? When one of the fellow campers, Margaret, is kidnapped, you are off to investigate. What is the mystery behind these woods? Let the hunt begin to uncover the mystery!

OPINION: I have mixed feelings about this game. I gave it 5 stars because of the story and the puzzles. There is a fantastic story behind this game – a well-written spooky tale which engages the player. The player will not have the complete story behind the mystery of this game until the end. There are some unexpected surprises awaiting within this game! This game should appeal to those who love ghost-filled mysteries. Kudos to the author who wrote this narrative!

Nevertheless, I found the game to be short. You spend most of the time wandering around the forest trying to figure out the mystery behind the crimson mist and the masked hunters. Dark graphics add to the creepy ambiance, adding an element of suspense. I did find it somewhat irritating listening to the protagonist, Tom, narrate the entire game. I would have preferred the game with less conversation from talkative Tom. It is a decent, but not outstanding game. It is missing those little extras other developers provide within their games including a replay of the puzzles and HOP scenes. I would have liked to replay some of the more difficult puzzles. I liked the first game in the series a little better than this one, but it is still a decent game.

MECHANICS: There are the usual four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are nine (9) achievements, all with three (3) parts. Collect twelve (12) figurines of the characters from the game and twenty-two (22) hearts. I found most easy to locate. There is an indicator bar showing the number of collectibles you have received, but not one indicating if there are any within the scene. There are fifteen (15) wallpapers plus concept art, music and video sequences.

BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. While our story telling campers are hiking through the woods, one of them falls through a hole into an underground bunker. This camper is in for a terrible surprise. Can the ghost story told around the campfire prove to be real after all? The chapter is very short with only three (3) HOP scenes and two (2) puzzles. There are no collectibles within this chapter. I found the story rather boring after the fantastic one in the main chapter. To me, this chapter is not worth the extra money to purchase this game as a collector’s edition.

HOP SCENES: There are only fourteen (14) HOP scenes within the entire game, including those in the bonus chapter. Many of them require searching for a specific number (ten to twelve) of one item such as ghosts. birds, or traps. There are junkpile lists of items with some interactivity. There are a few storybook scenes with items in highlighted letters to locate plus a couple of matching scenes. I was somewhat disappointed in the lack of variety and creativity of the HOP scenes.

PUZZLES: There are twenty-four (24) puzzles within this game, including the bonus chapter. They are much better than the HOP scenes, with most creatively designed. They vary in style with most of them being of medium difficulty. There are also some which are not designated as “puzzles” but probably should have been designated as such. There is a jigsaw puzzle which requires placing the pieces into position on a grid. Afterward, you must turn it over and enter a code as per symbols on the back. I did not feel this was an easy task, but it is not designated as a puzzle. It is also necessary to write down codes to open doors and safes because they are not written down and placed within your inventory.

SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:

A. Maze puzzle. Using a handle, move a latch through a maze to open a door. Move the arrow up-and-down and across the maze. There is a grate which covers the maze making it a little more difficult to see the maze itself. I found this puzzle a little tricky
B. Tangram puzzle. Place boards into position on a grid so no spaces remain between the boards.
C. Logic puzzle. On an electrical panel, set the number for each of four (4) dials to correspond to the number of capacitors and lights attached to each dial.
D. Strategy/maze puzzle. Move a hunter and his prey through a maze along paths of the maze so that both pick up their designated colored tokens (green for the prey and red for the hunter) at the same time. Continue until all the tokens have been removed from the grid.
E. Map puzzle. On a grid, toggle arrows so that the figure is led from the beginning to a bridge at the left end of the screen. You only have 11 moves.
F. BONUS CHAPTER: Battle scene. Simon says. Repeat a sequence on lights to defeat an evildoer. 3x Show less

I recommend this game!

+72points

129of 186voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes129No57

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

10 of 10 found this review helpful

Bought after 5 mins...

PostedSeptember 30, 2018

jillaroogirl

fromAustralia

Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

That's how good it is. Nothing better than a game that sucks you in straight from the beginning!

I won't repeat what everyone else has already said...except that this is the FIRST game I have not seen that annoying intro to turn your sound on! Yay!!!

*doing a happy dance*

Can't wait to put some time aside and play this until the end!

I recommend this game!

+10points

10of 10voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes10No0

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

10 of 11 found this review helpful

excellent game

PostedSeptember 24, 2018

crusades

fromfrance

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

What's all the moaning about with the other reviewers?
This is an excellent game and all the zipper pull moments actually make sense for a change as there is an urgency to the whole story. I am loving it.
The collectibles are really hard to find which also makes a change cos at last someone has realised that we are not idiots!
Great fun

I recommend this game!

+9points

10of 11voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes10No1

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

48 of 70 found this review helpful

Definitely Something Creepy Going On!

PostedSeptember 20, 2018

HeavenBound7729

fromOcala, Florida

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

Current Favorite:

Beyond: The Fading Signal Collector's Edition

(35)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I quit the demo with 21 min of play remaining. Became very bored and tired of looking for so many things! Just didn't get past the hospital and left Tom hiding behind the tree. He is on his own, trying to catch up to the sinister, scary looking bad guys. From what little I did finally see of the storyline really disturbed me, so I know I will love this game.

Camping in a dark forest, people ...Show more

I quit the demo with 21 min of play remaining. Became very bored and tired of looking for so many things! Just didn't get past the hospital and left Tom hiding behind the tree. He is on his own, trying to catch up to the sinister, scary looking bad guys. From what little I did finally see of the storyline really disturbed me, so I know I will love this game.

Camping in a dark forest, people disappearing, a vanishing rider on a black horse. The cult of disguised kidnappers! Oh my gosh, you just know something very wicked is about to happen once again!!! I love the anticipation of events and my being scared out of my wits with this kind of story! And camping has a huge creep factor, to me anyway!!

The scenes in the demo were all pretty dark so I found only 2 collectibles. But truly I was too engrossed with the tasks at hand to look for more. I really liked the few games and HOPs I played, The characters and voices were pretty good. I hope the scenes in actual game are not so dark,

The previous Bonfire game was great fun, so I will be purchasing this new mystery thriller when a good sale comes along. I appreciated the custom settings as always, the game ran smoothly. Looking forward to the extras I was unable to find in the demo, also I love the bonus chapters in the CEs. Length of game doesn't concern me, I'm just wanting some quality entertainment.

I recommend this game, if you like "getting the willies" as we use to say back in the day!

God Bless.... Show less

I recommend this game!

+26points

48of 70voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes48No22

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

8 of 8 found this review helpful

Very Entertaining

PostedMarch 27, 2019

tootierufflz

fromAlabama

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Note: The following review is based on the full Bonfire Stories: Heartless CE. I completed the game in about 4 hours.

Bonfire Stories: Heartless surprised me a lot. Going in, I expected a traditional "horror" HOPA (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure), however it's unique story, and a very satisfying "surprise" twist ending, made it much more memorable.

The story is BS; Heartless is pretty ...Show more

Note: The following review is based on the full Bonfire Stories: Heartless CE. I completed the game in about 4 hours.

Bonfire Stories: Heartless surprised me a lot. Going in, I expected a traditional "horror" HOPA (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure), however it's unique story, and a very satisfying "surprise" twist ending, made it much more memorable.

The story is BS; Heartless is pretty unique. It starts out pretty traditionally, however it slowly turns into something more interesting. It isn't revolutionary, by any means, but it is more than compelling enough to keep you interested throughout the game's roughly 4 hour duration.Also, there is a very cool "twist" at the end that I did not expect.

Visually, the game is very well done. The atmosphere is spot on and the locations and environments range from creepy woods to gothic-pastoral architecture. The characters are designed well and I especially loved the design of the masks. Sound is also very good. The environmental sounds and voice acting are what you would expect from a top-tier developer.

Gameplay is fun and engaging at best and typical at worst. Some of the puzzles were very unique and challenging, while others were your basic HOPA fair and easy to solve.

Overall Bonfire Stories: Heartless is a strong addition to the series and I strongly recommend it to those who enjoy horror and atmospheric games. Show less

+8points

8of 8voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes8No0

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

37 of 54 found this review helpful

CAN YOU SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF THE HEARTLESS?

PostedSeptember 20, 2018

biscuitsmama

fromTrying to save Margaret and escape the Hunt

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

Yes, folks as we enter autumn it is time for BFG to delight us with a bunch of scary games to fit the season – after all Halloween is right around the corner! Bonfire Stories Heartless is the second game in the series and for me it seems much better than The Faceless Gravedigger. This time around you play the game as Tom Gilbert who has been seeking answers for his father’s death during a camping ...Show more

Yes, folks as we enter autumn it is time for BFG to delight us with a bunch of scary games to fit the season – after all Halloween is right around the corner! Bonfire Stories Heartless is the second game in the series and for me it seems much better than The Faceless Gravedigger. This time around you play the game as Tom Gilbert who has been seeking answers for his father’s death during a camping trip to Calispell Forest. Year after year Tom, who is still haunted by nightmares after seeing his father captured by half-human beasts with the heads of animals. When Tom arrives at the campground he soon realizes that this year he might find the answers when another camper is dragged into the swirling red mist by the same creatures who took his dad years ago.

Since other reviewers have provided in-depth details of the game I will only tell you what I did or didn’t like about the game. For me this game is all about the storyline that grabbed me right from the beginning scene. It is not often that I am so engrossed in the storyline that when the demo ends I am totally surprised by how involved I was with the game. For me at least the game was a bit difficult because it was not always easy to figure out what my next step should be. Of course, there was always the obvious item that would be used right away but there is a lot of back and forth between scenes to find items and then remember where they fit. I don’t mind the back and forth between scenes as much as some gamers because for me it makes the game far more interesting when I must remember where I can use a specific item.

As much as I loved the storyline and trying to solve the mystery, for me the HOPS were a major disappointment. Although the HOPS might have been creative, or at least an attempt at something different, I think they are the weak point in the game. I disliked the scene after scene of finding twelve of a specific item or even finding sets of specific items. I much prefer the old school and more traditional HOP scenes where there is some interaction and a variety of items to find.

The puzzles were good and some were difficult but none, IMHO, were super challenging. Recently, I am seeing more of those toggle type puzzles in games and I dislike those particularly when there seems to be no consistent pattern to the sequence. There were some puzzles that I enjoyed such as those where you must remove posts in a particular sequence, or the one where you must move tokens simultaneously on different sides of a grid. All in all the puzzles were not horrible but I hope to see those toggle type puzzles go away!

As I mentioned above, for me the game was about the storyline and about the gameplay. I felt that this was an excellent game with terrific graphics and just the right touch of fear factor. There were times when I found myself holding my breath because I wasn’t sure what was behind the next door or hallway. The story was told in a very consistent manner and I wasn’t left feeling like it skipped all over the place and half was missing as happens with some games. As another reviewer noted, kudos to the script writer because they did an excellent job with telling this this Bonfire Story. The gameplay had me very entertained as I tried to rescue Margaret and get both of us out alive. Even though Bonfire Stories Heartless is one that I had to buy, please try the demo to see if this is a game you will enjoy. Happy gaming! Show less

I recommend this game!

+20points

37of 54voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes37No17

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

6 of 6 found this review helpful

This is in my top 2 favorite games of 2018

PostedSeptember 29, 2019

kerith90angel

fromNew England, USA

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

Current Favorite:

Fright Collector's Edition

(127)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

BASED ON COMPLETED GAME & CE BONUS PLAY

I LOVED this game. I wish I could rate it higher than 5*. The story is SO thought out, and you don’t even learn most of it until you get some files in chapter 6. They look like authentic documents with life like photos. They were so incredible I found myself reading every little thing about each character to learn more of the story. The storyline is way ...Show more

BASED ON COMPLETED GAME & CE BONUS PLAY

I LOVED this game. I wish I could rate it higher than 5*. The story is SO thought out, and you don’t even learn most of it until you get some files in chapter 6. They look like authentic documents with life like photos. They were so incredible I found myself reading every little thing about each character to learn more of the story. The storyline is way more involved than the demo suggests; like reading a great book you don’t want to put down. This game will keep you on your toes until the very end. You think it’s going one way and a twist happens here and there. This DEV took the time to create the most incredible end to the main game. I actually did a fist pump (that caught me by surprise LOL) at the end of the main game. :)

The SE portion took me 3hrs 15min (my total game play for the CE version was 4hrs 05min).

I play on custom, @ a normal pace, and like to work things out on my own. I don’t like a lot of the fiddle type of MG and will skip them the second I’m frustrated. I adore HOS and play with penalty when I can- so it will take some ppl a bit more time than me.

So much time, effort & detail went into many things such as notes, articles, photos, as well as environmental sound effects with A+ voice actors. The people that did the background effects and the voice actors need to be commended. I’ve been playing games for years and this game did it the best I’ve ever encountered. Just before the demo ends you hear people shouting through the woods and it wasn’t just a first person voiceover with a mic. The way it was done here, the player feels a part of the action because the baddies voices are “off in the distance” and it makes the fear of the player heighten because you as the player feel like you are actually there with the action. Some voices sound far off and some sound like they are right beside you. I’ve never seen this done in casual gaming and it was PERFECT.
You can hear the echoes off in the distance and other woodland effects. I even liked the game effect sounds which aren’t too loud or annoying; they are understated.

The graphics are incredible from the beginning to the end of this game. I adore when a DEV still make game scenes beautiful to play in (gorgeous waterfall and woodland scenes) despite being a paranormal/horror game while at the same time give the player a sense of urgency and fear. PERFECTLY DONE HERE! Inventory items are not held all that long so you actually remember where they go. The cut scenes were also done with care.

There is no journal/diary in this game and it would have really benefitted from one since the story was so well done. I prefer when a journal is provided (with the cutscenes added to the journal) because quite often I will wait to buy the CE on sale, or play other games in between and can’t remember the storyline from the demo to when I purchase the game. That creates a disconnect for me with the game in general. By having a journal, I am way more invested in the characters and story if I have a way to refresh the story to what I’ve played so far before buying the game.

I loved the color theme used in this game. Gray & natural tones are mostly used and they feel realistic, which again makes the player feel like they are in a more authentic environment as a whole. I’ve grown so tired of neon colors in games or oversaturated scenes from the beginning to the end of a game that has no change in the color scheme.

If you liked this game, I thought these had some similarities, so you may want to try the demo here @ BFG:

1. Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood
2. Shtriga: Summer camp
3. Paranormal Files: Fellow Traveler
4. Fear for Sale 11: The Curse of Whitefall
5. Phantasmat: Curse of the mist
6. Campfire Legends Trilogy

Thank you to BFG & all of you at Mariaglorum that worked on this. You should be so proud of this series!
I am such a fan yours, and can't wait for the next one. Show less

I recommend this game!

+6points

6of 6voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes6No0

Flagged as inappropriate.

Browse by Genre:

Browse by Genre:

Bonfire Stories: Heartless Collector's Edition

Reviews

Bonfire Stories: Heartless Collector's Edition

, share your thoughts about this game!

Bonfire Stories: Heartless 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! Bonfire Stories: Heartless Collector's Edition Death arrives in the red mist. 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.