Haunted Legends: The Cursed Gift > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

52 of 60 found this review helpful

HAUNTED LEGENDS 11: IS THIS THE END OF SAINT GERMAIN?

PostedSeptember 22, 2017

skullfun

fromTennessee

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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, Puzzle

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

The malicious dwarf, Saint Germain (SG), is back again with another Haunted Legends installment. Long ago, Sebastian’s father made a deal to allow Sebastian to communicate with the spirit world. Now that the father is dead, SG is intending to steal this boy’s ability that will grant him immortality. Can you save this innocent boy from the grasps of the tricky dwarf? After the 10th installment of ...Show more

The malicious dwarf, Saint Germain (SG), is back again with another Haunted Legends installment. Long ago, Sebastian’s father made a deal to allow Sebastian to communicate with the spirit world. Now that the father is dead, SG is intending to steal this boy’s ability that will grant him immortality. Can you save this innocent boy from the grasps of the tricky dwarf? After the 10th installment of the Haunted Legends sequel I did not have high expectations, but this edition was a surprise. The Cursed Gift is actually quite entertaining and worthy of Editors Choice. The storyline is nothing revolutionary, but it managed to grab my interests and I was engaged all the way through! The story development allows for moments of excitement as well as suspense, which is ideal for a horror-lite game like this. However, the game could have reduced the amount of readings and still remains effective. Haunted Legends: The Cursed Gift features stellar sights and sounds, as one would expect from this veteran developer. The scene designs are spectacularly-drawn and stunningly-painted, so are the special effects and the animations. The audio does not disappoint either; the background music provides great atmospheric support for the game and the majority of the voice-overs are on-point. If there is another installment, ERS/AMAX Interactive (whatever they are calling themselves these days) could try thinking outside-the-box and layering different styles of puzzles with their future releases. I have played all the Haunted Legends series and found it fascinating to learn that the inspiration for the Haunted Legends series came from the works of the famous Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin. He’s widely considered the father of modern Russian Literature, and wrote a number of poems, stories, and operas. Many of his works had elements of horror and fantasy, which fit well into a casual game. Each Haunted Legends title draws elements from these stories, though the games as a whole are largely original. I recommend all the editions of Haunted Legends. Cheers!

•Haunted Legends: The Queen of Spades (Dec. 2010).
•Haunted Legends: The Bronze Horseman (Sept. 2011).
•Haunted Legends: The Undertaker (November 2012).
•Haunted Legends: The Curse of Vox (June 2013).
•Haunted Legends: The Stone Guest (November 2014).
•Haunted Legends: The Dark Wishes (May 2015).
•Haunted Legends: The Secret of Life (November 2015).
•Haunted Legends: The Iron Mask (July 2016).
•Haunted Legends: Faulty Creatures (December 2016).
•Haunted Legends: The Black Hawk (March 2017).
•Haunted Legends: The Cursed Gift (August 2017). Show less

I recommend this game!

+44points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

19 of 21 found this review helpful

I LOVE SEEING THAT EVIL LITTLE DWARF HAVE A TANTRUM WHEN HE DOESN’T GET HIS WAY!

PostedSeptember 24, 2017

biscuitsmama

fromMThe pesky little dwarf is stomping his feet and grunting his way through another Haunted Legends game

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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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

What would a Haunted Legends be without that horrid little dwarf the Count St. Germaine (SG) and, yes, he is back in game number eleven in the series The Cursed Gift. Just as I was tiring of this series the Cursed Gift seems to hold promise as a game that is a bit different and has a storyline that I happen to find interesting. Although most of the games from this developer seem to be sliding down ...Show more

What would a Haunted Legends be without that horrid little dwarf the Count St. Germaine (SG) and, yes, he is back in game number eleven in the series The Cursed Gift. Just as I was tiring of this series the Cursed Gift seems to hold promise as a game that is a bit different and has a storyline that I happen to find interesting. Although most of the games from this developer seem to be sliding down a slippery slope to darkness, the Cursed Gift isn’t quite as bad as some recent offerings from ERS/AMAX.

You once again play the game as a detective and you receive a letter from Lucas Malloy asking you to save his son Sebastian. It seems that Sebastian has a very rare gift that SG wants. In an effort to save his son, Lucas signed a contract with the dwarf that would transfer Sebastian’s gift to him but then later realizing his error in judgement has spent his life trying to undo the contract and it has now cost him his life. When you arrive at the home, you find Lucas gone and the home is truly haunted with a variety of ghosts, some good and others who are not quite so good at all. SG is out to get Sebastian’s gift and nothing will get in his way, even you detective. As you play through the Cursed Gift you will need to overcome obstacles and work with a pair of ghostly knights to save Sebastian. Are you up to the challenge?

The graphics are excellent, as one would expect from this artistic team even though we are romping through a decrepit haunted house there are still touches of color and the game does not seem overpowered by the dull browns and grays we often find in haunted house types of games. I do have to say though that many of the graphics seem misty or foggy but I believe that is intentional given the nature of the game. The interactive map is present from the beginning of the game and, although I didn’t find any special tools or gimmicks there is a special box that requires seals to open. We will find those seals as we move through the game and I once we open the box there will be something we must do with it later in the game.

The HOPS include variety and some interaction to acquire the items we eventually need to use before moving forward in the game. The do not seem to be quite as many list type scenes as they do vary quite a bit. I happened to enjoy several of the different scenes, particularly the one where we must find objects on a special kaleidoscope using the story presented in the scene. Even the scenes where we find matching pairs were not too bad. The puzzles were nothing new but I did struggle with one where we place colored gems to open a door. Overall I enjoyed the demo enough that I know the Cursed Gift is sure to be quite an entertaining game. At this point I will need to honestly say the game is very easy and there is not a lot of brain-drain involved with the gameplay. I did have to use the hint button once or twice because an item didn’t seem to work as it should but it turned out it was me – lol.

The CE version of the game includes Collectible Amulets to find. You will earn coins for each amulet found and they will be used later to purchase items for your Haunted House. There are the ever-present achievements to earn as well. I don’t generally care for achievements but must admit I liked the pop-up for the first achievement I did earn and now look forward to earning others. Even though I don’t use Screensavers or Wallpapers I might decide to use one of the 9 available Wallpapers as I play the game. Other extras include: 9 Concept Art, 5 Screensavers, 4 Music Tracks, Movies, replay of HOPS and Mini-Games, a Haunted House, the 29-page Strategy Guide, and a Bonus Chapter. This developer is not known for adding a lot of extra content but what is included is enough to entice me to purchase the CE.

After a recent release from this developer, I said I would never purchase another of their games but it seems that promise is short-lived since I added this new Haunted Legends game to my collection. I found the pace of the game to be quite good and there were enough “hooks” along the way to keep me wanting more of the storyline. As soon as the game was released I couldn’t prevent myself from hitting the buy button so now I will shut out the rest of the world (for at least a few hours) and immerse myself in the world of Haunted Legends and that pesky little dwarf who it seems I love to see be thwarted in his efforts to obtain his goals. Happy gaming! Show less

+17points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

29 of 41 found this review helpful

The Cursed Gift

PostedSeptember 22, 2017

2020moonlanding

fromOuter Hebrides

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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, Match 3, Puzzle, Time Management

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I have enjoyed this game immensely. It has an old school charm to it with graphics and storyline that remind me of my favorite games from a few years ago. But also has all the bells and whistles of today's games. For me, it's the best of both worlds. I'm planning on checking out some of the earlier Haunted Legends that I have missed. This is a series you don't want to pass on.

I recommend this game!

+17points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

5 of 5 found this review helpful

extremely fun

PostedSeptember 27, 2017

Snowview

fromMadras, Oregon

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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):Card & Board, Hidden Object, Mahjong, Match 3

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I had only bought one other Haunted Legends game and thought it fell apart at the end.
This one kept the story and excitement going till the end. I enjoyed frequent interaction with family and friends rather than just a villain and objects.
I very much appreciated the minigames that were more like jigsaws or just putting things in place. I get tired of brain-straining puzzles.
So fun I will ...Show more

I had only bought one other Haunted Legends game and thought it fell apart at the end.
This one kept the story and excitement going till the end. I enjoyed frequent interaction with family and friends rather than just a villain and objects.
I very much appreciated the minigames that were more like jigsaws or just putting things in place. I get tired of brain-straining puzzles.
So fun I will replay. Show less

I recommend this game!

+5points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

6 of 7 found this review helpful

great game

PostedSeptember 25, 2017

georgi101

frombellflower california

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

I loved the little man in this game, it was so well done very good graphics it kept me very entertained.Different games to play really loved this one

I recommend this game!

+5points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

1 of 1 found this review helpful

love it

PostedMay 10, 2018

rpadder

fromKingsport,TN

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Time Management

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I have more of their games and I'm not ever disappointed . Replay is good. Everything is perfect

I recommend this game!

+1point

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Overall rating

5 / 5

0 of 1 found this review helpful

This one is a keeper

PostedAugust 11, 2019

tophatmcgee

fromKC, MO

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Dark Parables: Return of the Salt Princess

(23)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Other than the very last mini game, which is the type that I hate and I admit that I am probably in the minority, this is an excellent addition to the series. I like the ones that feature SG, and it is always great when he gets his comeuppance. I love watching him stomp around. Good graphics, I like the vintage feel. Great story line, I am sad that I didn't get the CE version, that is my only ...Show more

Other than the very last mini game, which is the type that I hate and I admit that I am probably in the minority, this is an excellent addition to the series. I like the ones that feature SG, and it is always great when he gets his comeuppance. I love watching him stomp around. Good graphics, I like the vintage feel. Great story line, I am sad that I didn't get the CE version, that is my only regret on this one. Show less

I recommend this game!

-1point

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Overall rating

4 / 5

17 of 20 found this review helpful

CHARACTER VOICEOVERS ARE REALLY BAD

PostedSeptember 23, 2017

pennmom36

fromI'm glad you're feeling better son, don't try to talk, really don't talk your voice is fake and annoying!

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Skill Level:Expert

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

That evil dwarf, Saint Germain, is at it again, and he's anything but a saint! SG has his sights set on Sebastian, an innocent little boy, a boy with a gift, or a curse, depending on how it's used. Sebastian has a unique ability, an ability that allows him to mediate between the living and the dead, an ability that SG so desperately desires, an ability that can grant the evil dwarf immortality. ...Show more

That evil dwarf, Saint Germain, is at it again, and he's anything but a saint! SG has his sights set on Sebastian, an innocent little boy, a boy with a gift, or a curse, depending on how it's used. Sebastian has a unique ability, an ability that allows him to mediate between the living and the dead, an ability that SG so desperately desires, an ability that can grant the evil dwarf immortality. Evil that can never be eradicated is bad enough, but evil as annoying as SG is even more frightening! (wheres Lord Tyrion when you need him, am I right?)

I've gotta hand it to the new developers, Amax, (formerly ERS) they were somehow able to revamp a dying series. It's obvious that they have combined new forces with the old, to bring this series up to speed with fresh new ideas and features, while still keeping the original essence, inspired by the father of Russian literature, Alexander Pushkin. The graphics are stunning, the game mechanics are flawless, and the storyline flows well from beginning to end. I'm still disappointed however, in the fact that they continue to overlook the fact that none of their games automatically support widescreen. Their games always require me to either play in windowed mode, or adjust my screen resolution (which is a huge inconvenience, after the game, I have to go back into my screens resolution and readjust back to the original setting) If I don't opt for one of these solutions, the game plays in a stretched manner, and I lose the ability to see anything on either side, particularly during a Hidden Object Scene! If other devs are able to solve this issue, why can't they? The second feature I find annoying, is that the HOP's are always repeated in the same location at least once, which becomes boring a second time around, even though they usually change the type of HO's.

In the Collector's Edition version, each scene has one of three different valued hidden mechanical hearts. The Red Heart is worth 1 coin, the Silver Heart is worth 5 coins and the Gold Heart is worth 10 coins. You can use the coins to repair your humble abode, by removing boards covering the windows, replacing 5 different windows, repairing the front entrance, landscaping the gardens, bring trees back to life, new pavement and even somehow managing to replant an entire forest that sits behind the house! As far as CE value, I'm not so sure this one is worthy of the higher price tag, so in my opinion, unless you really like fixing virtual mansions, and only the outside at that, this Standard Edition version is just fine.

The Hidden Object Scenes are decent, but nothing new is presented in the demo, and so far, there aren't any alternative games offered in lieu of the HOP. There are Keywords in Sentence finds, Multiples of the same item finds, Silhouetted Shape finds, uncovering Matching Pair finds, and several Zoom Zone HOP's with Fragmented item finds. As I stated earlier, several of the scenes are repeated in the same location, but usually with a different type of HOP.

The Mini Games are actually fairly entertaining for the most part, although they tend to be on the easier side of difficulty. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:

1) Move all the stones along the lines, to their matching colored slots. In the Hard mode, stones can only be moved when a hand isn't over it.

2) Open all "marked" crates to find matching pairs.

3) Swap tiles to complete the image.

4) Arrange pairs of symbols in the correct order at the bottom, matching symbols must be placed next to each other.

5) Repeat the sequence of stones that light up.

6) Place statue fragments correctly within highlighted areas.

7) Arrange the statues correctly according to color and symbol clues on the base.

8) Follow a recipe in the correct order.

9) Select and drag the circle through each pattern, without going outside of the lines.

HAUNTED LEGENDS GAMES AVAILABLE IN ORDER
Title***Collector's Edition Release Date***Average Rating

1-The Queen of Spades (December 15-10) 4.2
2-The Bronze Horseman (September 11-11) 4.0
3-The Undertaker (November 15-12) 4.4
4-The Curse of the Vox (June 30-13) 4.0
5-Stone Guest (November 15-14) 4.0
6-The Dark Wishes (May 15-15) 3.7
7-The Secret of Life (November 5-15) 3.9
8-The Iron Mask (July 30-16) 4.1
9-Faulty Creatures (December 3-16) 3.1
10-The Black Hawk (March 9-17) 4.3
11-The Cursed Gift (August 24-17) 4.2

The Collector's Edition has 5 Screensavers, 9 Concept Art pictures, 9 Wallpapers, 9 Movie Videos, 4 Music Soundtracks, 13 replayable Mini Games, 14 replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Achievements to earn, Collectible Red, Silver and Gold Hearts (worth 1-5-10 coins) Upgradable house with earned collectibles, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+14points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

You gotta love SG

PostedOctober 28, 2020

tesamoine

fromJersey Girl

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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):Hidden Object, Large File, Strategy, Time Management

Current Favorite:

Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker

(144)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

Storyline

3 / 5

I needed a pretty easy game on this dark dreary game, so I went to my stock of games and came up with this one. I believe I have most in this series and most are pretty good. Not a whole lot of thinking needed. However, it kept my attention and I love the puzzles. Very simplistic for this non-puzzle lover. A far amount of HOS. The game is short, but I really don't think they could make this any ...Show more

I needed a pretty easy game on this dark dreary game, so I went to my stock of games and came up with this one. I believe I have most in this series and most are pretty good. Not a whole lot of thinking needed. However, it kept my attention and I love the puzzles. Very simplistic for this non-puzzle lover. A far amount of HOS. The game is short, but I really don't think they could make this any longer without it becoming bland. Think I'm going back in to find another Haunted Legend. No motivation for much else, so games it will be today :) Enjoy if you haven't yet played this one. Show less

I recommend this game!

0points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

10 of 11 found this review helpful

Great Game but Problems

PostedSeptember 25, 2017

codom

fromChicago

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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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

1 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This has been a surprisingly good game. That said, it does have some serious issues too. First, it is EXTREMELY short, I have played less than two hours with no skips and I'm almost done with it. It seems many games on BFG have this issue and it's a big one. With graphics quality where it is these days combined with the cookie cutter plot lines and tasks, this is a 3rd major issue for BFG games. ...Show more

This has been a surprisingly good game. That said, it does have some serious issues too. First, it is EXTREMELY short, I have played less than two hours with no skips and I'm almost done with it. It seems many games on BFG have this issue and it's a big one. With graphics quality where it is these days combined with the cookie cutter plot lines and tasks, this is a 3rd major issue for BFG games. For the 2nd issue with this game - the puzzles can't even be called puzzles. I think a fairly smart young child could figure these out in a minute or two. If you can get past these issues, It's main redeeming quality is that it is fairly well executed game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+9points

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