Stray Souls: Stolen Memories > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

117 of 130 found this review helpful

Very Impressive Sequel To Best Seller Original

PostedAugust 7, 2013

JustTheFacts

fromRural Western Australia

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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

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

CE GAME COMPLETED

The original game in this series (Dollhouse Story) was an instant hit. I gave it my top rating when it was released 2 years ago, and would do so again today. I believe that its unique features, unusually creepy atmosphere and extremely well told story were the primary reasons for its popularity. This sequel follows this formula with at least equal effect.

The feel has been ...Show more

CE GAME COMPLETED

The original game in this series (Dollhouse Story) was an instant hit. I gave it my top rating when it was released 2 years ago, and would do so again today. I believe that its unique features, unusually creepy atmosphere and extremely well told story were the primary reasons for its popularity. This sequel follows this formula with at least equal effect.

The feel has been nicely continued with excellent up to date graphics of the same style as before using the same colour palette. The music is the same for the exciting bits, but varies elsewhere.

The gameplay, too, is reminiscent of the earlier game, with the figures placed in the dollhouse to find out more of the story, and getting help and advice from the voodoo doll. Many other reviewers have listed the game’s features, I’d just like to add a couple of observations.

Although there are very few puzzles, the ones we do have are mostly of a similar type, and are variations of puppet play, diorama and puzzle board. This is saved from becoming repetitious by each being handled in a slightly different way, but the result is that our movement through the game also has a unique character. Varied HO puzzle types are offered as well.

The story in the first game introduced our nemesis, an evil clown, and now we’re back fighting him again. This time he is after the whole town, not just our family. He is turning all his victims into wooden puppets. We find ourselves in some interesting predicaments before we reach the conclusion. In one of the best finishes I’ve seen in any game, our final confrontation is not then the abrupt ending where we normally just stop, we stick around to tie up the loose ends.

The bonus chapter (which I haven’t played yet) is not at all important to a feeling of closure.

I don’t feel that I have adequately covered the feel of playing this game, but since this is my third attempt *roll eyes*, I’m hoping you’ll get the idea.

This is an excellent game, something a bit different and outside the cookie cutter style, and in foregoing the CE, I don’t think you miss the most important attractions of the game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+104points

117of 130voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

71 of 81 found this review helpful

Definitely worth waiting for the SE

PostedAugust 7, 2013

Tufty57

fromCambridgeshire UK

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Nightmares from the Deep: The Siren's Call Collector's Edition

(114)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I reviewed this game as a CE and found it wanting, but then I am a collectibles/achievments fan and don't bother with wallpapers and music tracks.

Because of this, I think I was a bit harsh towards what is a thoroughly enjoyable game.

The storyline is the usual 'rescue your daughter' but has some unusual twists. Playing the demo a second time, I noticed more detail which explained elements of ...Show more

I reviewed this game as a CE and found it wanting, but then I am a collectibles/achievments fan and don't bother with wallpapers and music tracks.

Because of this, I think I was a bit harsh towards what is a thoroughly enjoyable game.

The storyline is the usual 'rescue your daughter' but has some unusual twists. Playing the demo a second time, I noticed more detail which explained elements of the story I had overlooked the first time through. It is worth playing the demo slowly and taking it all in.

Graphics are excellent and the music/sounds add to the atmosphere.

My only criticism is the level of challenge. There are only 2 choices (Casual and Expert) and, I assume, the 'helper' prompts in the same way in both which I found a little irritating. But he did seem to pipe down as the game progressed.

A good variety of puzzles make you think (has anyone managed the train ticket puzzle?) and there are only a few HOSs which will please some players.

A jumpable map and hints, plus straightforward gameplay mean you will not need to but the strategy guide.

If you want a bonus chapter and concept art then get the CE but do read the reviews from those who have purchased the game before you commit.

Downloading the full game as I write this and looking forward to seeing how the story develops. Show less

I recommend this game!

+61points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

57 of 64 found this review helpful

THEY HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!

PostedAugust 7, 2013

pennmom36

fromThis used to be a funhouse now its filled with evil clowns

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Stray Souls: Stolen Memories Collector's Edition

(85)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Nobody can outdo this developer at scary, creepy, somebody's watching, abandoned building graphics. I guarantee you will feel as if you are the one searching through the dusty hallways filled with creepy and evil puppets and clowns. Although you will find a map shortly after beginning the game you might want to go old school and click your way back and forth to keep that realistic feel. If you are ...Show more

Nobody can outdo this developer at scary, creepy, somebody's watching, abandoned building graphics. I guarantee you will feel as if you are the one searching through the dusty hallways filled with creepy and evil puppets and clowns. Although you will find a map shortly after beginning the game you might want to go old school and click your way back and forth to keep that realistic feel. If you are a HOS fan you will be a little disappointed, just a little, there aren't many they are interactive where you might have to zoom into an area or uncover something to find items. There are also "find 12 keys" and they have done a very nice job hiding the items. What lacks in HOS is definitely made up for with mini games and puzzles. Tons of puzzles such as find 12 differences between two pictures or follow the wires back to the switches and click the right switches from left to right. You will also need to collect inventory items in order to re-assemble planes or cakes. This is the kind of game that has you going back and forth as you find inventory items but there is always something that needs to be done in each scene and it really is fun and you will become engrossed in the game. Enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+50points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

56 of 66 found this review helpful

I would get the SE and not the CE. Good fun play

PostedAugust 7, 2013

neilskinut

fromBridge city tx

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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game is set up like there other game with a doll house that you have to find figures to put in that tells the story as you go. The game play is pretty straight forward but you do get a map after a short time to use.
The HOS are not as many but are good and some are interactive.
2 modes of play.
The puzzles are good but you have seen some before.
Has voice over.
Hint button works fast and does ...Show more

This game is set up like there other game with a doll house that you have to find figures to put in that tells the story as you go. The game play is pretty straight forward but you do get a map after a short time to use.
The HOS are not as many but are good and some are interactive.
2 modes of play.
The puzzles are good but you have seen some before.
Has voice over.
Hint button works fast and does help you out if you need it.
Has 14 chapters. I would say get this one and not the CE because this one has no collectables or morphine.
It is really pretty much on the same set up as stray story's. The graphics are music are really good. Show less

I recommend this game!

+46points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

29 of 34 found this review helpful

SIMPLY WONDERFUL

PostedAugust 7, 2013

rosekaufmann

fromLos Angeles

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Surface: Mystery of Another World

(224)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Spooky story - Love it! Don't even want to miss any part of the cutscenes, it's so cool! There are 14 chapters. Voice overs are very pleasant and natural sounding. The visual artwork is incredibly stunning. Extraordinary production values - in fact, everything is extraordinary about this game - can't say enough good things about it. Map shows where actions are needed and where there is nothing to ...Show more

Spooky story - Love it! Don't even want to miss any part of the cutscenes, it's so cool! There are 14 chapters. Voice overs are very pleasant and natural sounding. The visual artwork is incredibly stunning. Extraordinary production values - in fact, everything is extraordinary about this game - can't say enough good things about it. Map shows where actions are needed and where there is nothing to do which I like. Really liked the first game, so I bought the CE which has FOUR bonus chapters and it is worth it. Wonderful game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+24points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

24 of 28 found this review helpful

I Couldn't Stop Playing This! Definitely One of the Best of 2013!

PostedAugust 9, 2013

catbag8717

fromTasmania, Australia

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Chimeras: Tune Of Revenge

(72)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

NOTE:
This review is of the completed game.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had been waiting for the SE ever since I trialed the CE last month, and when it finally came out, I pounced on it, buying it as quickly as possible. The adventure I have just completed was just as good, if not better than the first, and will definitely be a contender for the best game of 2013.

The story ...Show more

NOTE:
This review is of the completed game.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had been waiting for the SE ever since I trialed the CE last month, and when it finally came out, I pounced on it, buying it as quickly as possible. The adventure I have just completed was just as good, if not better than the first, and will definitely be a contender for the best game of 2013.

The story starts off thrilling and just gets better and better. The story is your classic horror story, rarely seen in the Hidden Object Game industry these days. It’s gripping, horrifying and tragic all at the same time as you uncover the true story of your husband’s childhood. The story is also told further through 8 collectible dolls that you will find at various points throughout the game. I liked this touch as it gave me a deeper understanding of how evil the clown really was.
The ending to the story is brilliant, doing the game justice. As every gamer knows, there is nothing worse than a brilliant game with a bad ending. The final showdown between the doll and the clown thrilled me and I thought it was the best part of the game. The ending to the main game is conclusive, so you do not need to buy the CE.

The developer made some great improvements to this game, erasing my 2 main points of criticism to the last game: There were more puzzles and less Hidden Object Scenes, but still enough to make the game a Hidden Object Game. There were also voice-overs, which made the story better.
The gameplay is fairly similar to the last one, with collectible dolls, the evil clown and the helper doll. The concept of the game is similar. Some will find it to be an exact copy, but I believe this game holds its own to Dollhouse Story.
The HOS were great, and unlike the last game, included extra-step objects. Some were in the form of zoom-in scenes, others in the form of moving other objects out of the way. This provided some variation, which I liked. Other than that, the HOS aren’t very hard, but I enjoyed playing them.
On the subject of puzzles, I didn’t particularly enjoy them, but I tolerated them. There seemed to be more puzzles than HOS, but I didn’t mind. The puzzles have simple instructions, and I was able to solve a few of them, which was great. One of the things I dislike most in games is not being able to solve any puzzles, but lucky for me, this game did not have that. Overall, the main points of the gameplay get a pass.
However, there is one main problem I had with the gameplay- There were WAY too many items that you had to find parts to and assemble. I can remember about 4 off the top of my head, but I’m certain there was more. I wouldn’t have minded one or two, but the developer really went over the top in this one. It’s a shame really, because other than that, this game did not put a foot wrong.

The graphics are superb. The artwork was brilliant, especially in the scenes and character designs. There is a fair bit of detail, and the scenes are designed so well that nothing was grainy or out of place and I did not have to squint or tilt my screen back once. Everything seemed to belong in that time period, meaning that there was nothing there that seemed from centuries ago, which was good.
The voice-overs were standard for me. They weren’t horrible, but they weren’t outstanding either. No characters annoyed me, opposite to what usually happens in a game. I was not screaming at a character to shut up or muting my sound at any point in the game.
On the subject of characters, what I liked about them was that they each had their own little story, from the clown, to the doll, to the strange kid with wings you meet near the beginning of the game. This shows that Alwar really paid attention to the story of this game. Most developers don’t seem to bother with giving characters their own story, but when they do, the story is brilliant.

As stated numerous times throughout this review, this game was brilliant. I loved everything about it, especially the story. The story was really something, and is definitely way up there for the best story of 2013. Aside from one minor flaw, this game is perfect and gets a well-deserved 5-star rating from me. As many game reviewers know, I do not give out praise lightly. For a completed game to get 5 stars, it must be amazing, and this was. I cannot express in words how highly I recommend this game. No matter if it’s the CE or the SE, you’re sure to LOVE IT!

For those wondering, the game length is 3- 3 ½ hours on Casual mode. Show less

I recommend this game!

+20points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

12 of 13 found this review helpful

Playing this game will probably give you nightmares...

PostedAugust 26, 2013

Ethereal924

fromhiding from the hellish heat!

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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Current Favorite:

Fearful Tales: Hansel and Gretel Collector's Edition

(92)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

or am I the only one who finds these broken childood games disturbing?
Eek!

Your husband has disappeared. Your daughter is having prophetic dreams about him. He's managed to leave a few cryptic messages which lead you to a world of possessed puppets,talking dolls and evil clowns. What does any of this have to do with the plane crash? Is that Tim Curry behind all that make-up?

There were alot of ...Show more

or am I the only one who finds these broken childood games disturbing?
Eek!

Your husband has disappeared. Your daughter is having prophetic dreams about him. He's managed to leave a few cryptic messages which lead you to a world of possessed puppets,talking dolls and evil clowns. What does any of this have to do with the plane crash? Is that Tim Curry behind all that make-up?

There were alot of puzzles to solves...not as many HOS. The graphics and cutscenes are top notch. You are equipped with a journal,map,talking hint doll and a dollhouse to assemble along the way. Bonus points were awarded to the store keeper for cussing at the "damned costume".

Play at your own risk. Sweet dreams! Show less

I recommend this game!

+11points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

17 of 22 found this review helpful

Mystery time!

PostedAugust 7, 2013

mcgillican

fromMiddle of nowhere, NV

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Wow. This one had me from the opening scene. Dark, yes, but that did not stop me from wanting to proceed and see what is next.

Graphics, voice overs, storyline are all great. I am only 1/2 through the demo but stopped to buy the full version. I am hooked on finding out what is going on.

It has a helpful map, tutorial if you want to play casual (which I always do). The map will tell you if there ...Show more

Wow. This one had me from the opening scene. Dark, yes, but that did not stop me from wanting to proceed and see what is next.

Graphics, voice overs, storyline are all great. I am only 1/2 through the demo but stopped to buy the full version. I am hooked on finding out what is going on.

It has a helpful map, tutorial if you want to play casual (which I always do). The map will tell you if there are things to be done in the area you are in.

The puzzles have a skip button, and so far, have not needed the hint button.

A game to try at the very least! Show less

I recommend this game!

+12points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

8 of 8 found this review helpful

BEAUTIFUL GAME AND STORY

PostedFebruary 25, 2014

game_happy

fromTaunton, MA

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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, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Stray Souls: Stolen Memories

(72)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Review based on completed game in casual mode.
Animation/VOS - Excellent! Loved the wooden dolls (people).
IHOS - Fairly clear with small to larger items. Found the pounding noise every time I clicked on an item annoying.
Hint - Fast charge. Gives directions and clues.
Journal - Contains story, photos and map.
Map - Did not transport when I tried it.
Puzzles/Mini-Games - Unique. Some cannot be ...Show more

Review based on completed game in casual mode.
Animation/VOS - Excellent! Loved the wooden dolls (people).
IHOS - Fairly clear with small to larger items. Found the pounding noise every time I clicked on an item annoying.
Hint - Fast charge. Gives directions and clues.
Journal - Contains story, photos and map.
Map - Did not transport when I tried it.
Puzzles/Mini-Games - Unique. Some cannot be skipped.
Skip - Fast charge.
Inventory - Items are used quickly in other locations. Can't remember if it locked in place.
Random Click Penalty - Screen turns foggy for a second.
Really, devs, overclicking should not be penalized. When the items are small, that's the only way I can find them. :-D
Characters and scenery are beautifully drawn. Now that's the way animation and vos should be done!
Throw the line in and hook this one! Enjoy!! Show less

I recommend this game!

+8points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

9 of 12 found this review helpful

Love the Doll, Love the Game

PostedAugust 23, 2013

SkyDylKey

fromKnoxville, TN

Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

One of my favorites! Love the Stray Souls games. This one was just as great as the first. The scenery was good, the game didn't have you skipping back 10 scenes to find an object. Good flow, HO scenes not too hard. The doll is the hero as it helps Rose find her daughter and husband and defeat the evil clown. Sad about little brother Matthew. :(
Creepy in all the right places - highly recommend!

I recommend this game!

+6points

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Stray Souls: Stolen Memories Pursue a terrifying apparition into a twisted reality! 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.