Mystery of the Ancients: Three Guardians Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

350 of 386 found this review helpful

Best Game Of The Year So Far!

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

pennmom36

fromWhere can I find those blue lit up silver bullets?

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Hold on to your computer chair folks, yep, it's epic! There are millions of evil red eyed crows attacking everything that moves so if you have a phobia, close your eyes! Everyone else keep your eyes wide open and hang on to your mouse. (it will help trust me) This is one of the most professional and thought out games I have seen in a long time, they have paid so much attention to detail. There are ...Show more

Hold on to your computer chair folks, yep, it's epic! There are millions of evil red eyed crows attacking everything that moves so if you have a phobia, close your eyes! Everyone else keep your eyes wide open and hang on to your mouse. (it will help trust me) This is one of the most professional and thought out games I have seen in a long time, they have paid so much attention to detail. There are 33 hidden squirrels to find as well as 9 collectible statues, and a bunch of achievements to earn such as finishing a mini game without reading instructions. The HOS are progressive finds, you find the first item which is then used to find the next object as so forth. Most of the mini games are actually within the HOS, small puzzles within that require you to open discs and match identical pairs for example. I can't think of a single complaint, this is my favorite genre, the graphics are some of the best I've seen and there are so many activities in each scene that surely you won't get bored, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+314points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

93 of 105 found this review helpful

Mystery of the Ancients Three Guardians - Best Game in the Series

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

biscuitsmama

fromSacramento, CA

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

In the prologue to the game your niece Elena is on an outing in the forest with her boyfriend Stephen. Just as he is about to propose, something interrupts the moment and Stephen rushes off to find out what is going on. Elena, left alone in the forest surrounded by menacing crows and something even worse, picks up a rifle to fight off the attacking birds as the cutscene ends. As the game begins ...Show more

In the prologue to the game your niece Elena is on an outing in the forest with her boyfriend Stephen. Just as he is about to propose, something interrupts the moment and Stephen rushes off to find out what is going on. Elena, left alone in the forest surrounded by menacing crows and something even worse, picks up a rifle to fight off the attacking birds as the cutscene ends. As the game begins you have received a phone call from Elena telling you that Stephen has disappeared and she needs your help to find him. Being the wonderful aunt that you are you rush to help but just as your train arrives at the station in Green Hill it crashes into the station and this is where your adventure begins. Will you be able to find Elena and Stephen and solve the mystery of what is happening in Green Hill?

From the minute we open the game and see the very first video we know that this is a game from one of the top-notch game developers and that we are in for a treat. The graphics are excellent with wonderful hand-drawn artwork and liberal use of color. The voice overs are extremely well done, well at least most of them. I have to comment though that although the setting and overall feel of the game screams European village, it is very strange to hear the village sheriff speak with a distinct southern drawl. Even with that, bit of oddity though the voices are excellent and I particularly love the one that sounds like one of my favorite actors, James Earl Jones. The rest of the sound package with the music and ambient effects is excellent.

The iHOS are silhouette and list type, with the silhouette ones being done in a grayish tone with clear depiction of the item to be found. The other great thing about the HOS is that they all have one or more mini-puzzles that must be solved to find some of the items. The mini puzzles outside of the HOS are fun and not too challenging but be warned that some are quite tricky.

You have the standard set of tools consisting of a diary and an interactive map but the diary is a bit different than usual. The diary seems to be made up of character cards and video clips that provide information as you travel through the game. In addition you also have an amulet that will bestow some magical powers that will assist you on your adventure. As needed, the amulet will be charged with energy by finding its components and by performing certain actions that will enhance its power.

In the CE you have collectibles to find and achievements to earn. As far as the collectibles we have puzzle pieces, statuettes and squirrels. The puzzle pieces will presumably be used at some point later in the game or bonus section.

Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable game with an interesting story line and wonderful gameplay. IMHO, this developer always rises to the challenge and presents us with some of the best games in the HOPA genre, and this sequel to the Mystery of the Ancients is no exception. Although I loved the second game in the series, I find that this one is even better with a story line that held my interest from the beginning and only got better as the game progressed and for me it was an instant purchase. As always, I recommend that you try the demo to see if Mystery of the Ancients Three Guardians is a game you will enjoy. Show less

I recommend this game!

+81points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

184 of 216 found this review helpful

Excellent Game, Unique In Parts

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

JustTheFacts

fromRural Western Australia

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

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

BASED ON DEMO

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Mystery Of The Ancients has been a pleasant series, with a couple of good 4 star games. Three Guardians is a sure-fire 5 star hit. From the exciting and beautiful opening sequences (both the one before and after the main menu), we are in for something absolutely excellent.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
The graphics are wonderful. The cut scenes some of the best I’ve seen, and ...Show more

BASED ON DEMO

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Mystery Of The Ancients has been a pleasant series, with a couple of good 4 star games. Three Guardians is a sure-fire 5 star hit. From the exciting and beautiful opening sequences (both the one before and after the main menu), we are in for something absolutely excellent.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
The graphics are wonderful. The cut scenes some of the best I’ve seen, and the one after the main menu gets my vote for the best of its kind ever. Throughout, the visuals are beautifully crafted and distinctive, clear and bright in the HOPs. This is a fairly dark themed game, but the colours are there to produce a splendid show. There is plenty of movement and the animation is done very well.

The voices are just fabulous. No attempt has been made at lip synch, but the acting is good, the voice very much a part of the character it represents. The background sounds are fairly unobtrusive, and the music is much the same.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Your niece calls you for help. She is trapped in a town besieged by ravens, and a sinister man in a raven feather coat. Her boyfriend disappeared after the ravens attacked him, and others have gone missing as well. On your (extremely dramatic) arrival, you find a virtual ghost town, the only people in sight disappearing before your eyes beneath the ravens. There is dark magic around, and you don’t know how you are going to counter it, but so far, being handy with a gun has helped! A broken amulet finds its way into your possession, and you find something you can use to defend yourself – if only you can find all the missing crystals.

GAMEPLAY
So far, the HOPs in the demo are a variation of the progressive silhouette style, with grey scale pix rather than silhouettes. Each has an easy puzzle to complete within them. They are fun rather than challenging. I can remember only a couple of mini-game outside these HOPs, although there are of course the usual locks and codes around. Something that I can’t define as mini-game or puzzle, a diorama that you must move along by choosing the correct (exceedingly obvious) objects, begins the tale of the origin of the Three Guardians.

The journal is unique. It offers only character cards, which are added to as you gain information, and replayable videos. It will be interesting to see how that works out. The map is an interactive jump map, and hint is directional. So you have help for the many little errands you must run to get the items you need. This adventure component represents a larger portion of the game than other recent games have offered, but it is not difficult. There are 3 sets of difficulty options if you want a tougher challenge.

Finding pieces of the amulet increases your powers of magic in breaking down magic barriers and defending yourself against minions. One mini-game is associated with the amulet and crystals. To charge them, you must play 3 align-the-stars puzzles. These are easier than it normally is. And fun!

CE BLING!
There are 33 adorable squirrels to collect, plus 20 jigsaw pieces and 9 character figurines. These have achievements associated with them, as well as performance based ones. There is also an achievement where you must answer a simple question from the game. Each achievement gets you a piece of fresco and if you get all the achievements you can put together the final fresco to win the “ultimate” achievement.

There is a lot of concept art, very very good, and unfortunately not saveable. There are also some excellent wallpapers, and music. Heavy on the collectibles but a bit light on in the other standard CE bling! Of course, there is a bonus chapter and an in-game strategy guide.

COMBINED IMPACT
A very impressive game. The delightful artwork is combined with not-quite standard gameplay, it is relaxing and fun, and the story is intriguing. The whole package is so professionally done, I just want to sit and admire. *goofy grin* Show less

I recommend this game!

+152points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

55 of 65 found this review helpful

Crows...jeez...not only can they rip apart your garbage, they can derail trains!

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

donadriedger

fromNova Scotia, Canada

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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:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Wow...these graphics are amazing! I was hooked when I saw the grass waving from the blast of the passing train! It's worth it, just to watch the animation.
I love the entire game, though. The story is different, the HOs not all list types and interactive, and the mini games nice and not too difficult.
There is more than one type of collectible, a transporting map and a fractured amulet to ...Show more

Wow...these graphics are amazing! I was hooked when I saw the grass waving from the blast of the passing train! It's worth it, just to watch the animation.
I love the entire game, though. The story is different, the HOs not all list types and interactive, and the mini games nice and not too difficult.
There is more than one type of collectible, a transporting map and a fractured amulet to encounter along the way.(Although, I'm not sure what squirrels have to do with the story)
The VOs are quite good....love the evil crow/person's voice. Even the heroine is not too whiny, which is a first.
Looks to have a lot of places to visit on the map, so it should be a fair length.
All in all...great fun! Show less

I recommend this game!

+45points

55of 65voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

25 of 28 found this review helpful

Another Great Mystery of the Ancients

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

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:

Enlightenus

(34)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I absolutely love this developer and have enjoyed the first 2 installments of this series. We have your niece phoning you for help because her boyfriend Stephen has disappeared in the forest. When you arrive, you see swarms of crows, well swarming :) The graphics are beautiful. The music is fitting and suspenseful. Dialogue is nice, not too chatty. There are squirrels and jigsaw pieces and ...Show more

I absolutely love this developer and have enjoyed the first 2 installments of this series. We have your niece phoning you for help because her boyfriend Stephen has disappeared in the forest. When you arrive, you see swarms of crows, well swarming :) The graphics are beautiful. The music is fitting and suspenseful. Dialogue is nice, not too chatty. There are squirrels and jigsaw pieces and characters to find. There are achievements to earn. The HOS are progressive in that you find one object to continue on to find others. There are mini games in the HOS. You get a journal with facts about the characters and a nice map. Looks to be a fairly long game. There are 3 modes of play to choose from. I always demo in casual so I can get as far as I can with the story. This looks to be an excellent game. It is my favorite genre and one of my favorite developers. If I had one small complaint, it would be that developers need to increase the difficulty of these games lately. This one is linear but all the other things make up for that in my opinion. I am disappointed that this game was released so close to the end of the month with my punch card empty. LOL I will try to wait until the First of February to purchase . Enjoy :) Show less

I recommend this game!

+22points

25of 28voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

45 of 56 found this review helpful

Mystery of the Ancients:Three Guardians Collectors edition

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

cincjanis2

fromCincinnati, Ohio

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I never write reviews no matter how good a game is, but this game is so good I had to comment. I give this 5 stars only because I can not give it more. Bravo!! Off to purchase.

I recommend this game!

+34points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

20 of 22 found this review helpful

A Rare Review From Me

PostedFebruary 6, 2014

ChocPeng

fromUSA

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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

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

REVIEW BASED UPON COMPLETION OF FULL GAME AND BONUS GAME.

As you can see, despite being a member here since 2007, I have left relatively few reviews. I have to really love or really loathe a game to come and review it. This is a love review!

First, the graphics. They are tremendous. There is such an attention to detail, that when one of the females is sad, she actually has tear streaks through ...Show more

REVIEW BASED UPON COMPLETION OF FULL GAME AND BONUS GAME.

As you can see, despite being a member here since 2007, I have left relatively few reviews. I have to really love or really loathe a game to come and review it. This is a love review!

First, the graphics. They are tremendous. There is such an attention to detail, that when one of the females is sad, she actually has tear streaks through her "makeup" on her face – she looks like she really had been crying and had streaked her makeup. Impressive.

I usually don't care one way or the other about story lines. Give me good games and few hidden object puzzles and I'm a happy girl. However, this game had a compelling storyline that sucked me in and I very much enjoyed it.

The characters were likable (when appropriate) and were believable. Their actions always made sense.

The hidden object puzzles were few and well placed. Even though I am not a fan of HOPs, I really enjoyed playing these because they were nicely appointed and basically just fun to play.

The mini-games were a delight. Some were more difficult than others, so there was something there for everyone. I applaud the developers for making an effort to be innovative in offering new types of games.

The game was a perfect length.

Also, I truly enjoyed the bonus game. The developers actually introduced a whole new element in the bonus game, so they kept creating right up until the very end!

The collectibles were fun to find. There are a couple of them so you don't have to keep up with a bunch of different collectibles that will distract you from the game.

I will say I would have preferred more offerings in the "Extras" area, like the ability to replay HOPs and mini-games, or just something extra other than only the bonus game and wallpaper, etc. Developers now are finding so many clever things to offer in the "Extras" area, like new puzzles, new doors to open – you know what I'm talking about. I would have liked to see the kind of innovation and cleverness that went into designing the game also used to bring the "Extras" section alive.

All in all, this was a great game and I highly recommend it. If developers get frustrated when they get rated low on BFG and want to know what it is they are missing, they should play this game and take notes. THIS is how you develop an Adventure game.

Bravo! Bravo! Show less

I recommend this game!

+18points

20of 22voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

47 of 61 found this review helpful

Crows and sorcerer and disappearing townspeople!

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

MSBAM100

fromTampa, FL

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Myths of the World: Spirit Wolf Collector's Edition

(60)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game always has something going on! Your niece Elena has summoned you to her town of Green Hill because lots of people are disappearing, one of whom is her boyfriend Stephen. The opening scene is pretty exciting with lots of crows with red eyes and a huge bear that Elena shoots with her silver bullets and shotgun! As you wander around town, looking for your niece, you see a few people ...Show more

This game always has something going on! Your niece Elena has summoned you to her town of Green Hill because lots of people are disappearing, one of whom is her boyfriend Stephen. The opening scene is pretty exciting with lots of crows with red eyes and a huge bear that Elena shoots with her silver bullets and shotgun! As you wander around town, looking for your niece, you see a few people disappear in a cloud of crows. You also see a strange feathered man, Ingram Draco, who of course tells you to get out of town or else. And you finally find your niece, with the sorcerer, in her burning house!

You find an amulet and as you fill in the stones you get the spirit of the amulet who looks like Gandolf who tells you to find more stones and fully charge the amulet and you can beat the sorcerer, who is actually the servant of Morrigan the Terrible - whom I suppose you will eventually meet and have to fight. You also have an attractive teleporting map that indicates where you should go next.

The graphics are clean and crisp. The HOS are challenging, not because they are a muddled mess, but because they are silhouettes that you must find one piece and interact with the puzzle to find the next piece. The HOS even have a mini-game in the middle (not too hard) to find one of the pieces!

One of my favorite parts of the game is the Story Book Puzzle, that you interact with, while it explains a key background part of the story - like Greta and the Fox and the sorcerer. What fun!

There are 3 modes of play - sorry, no custom. But you get to collect 33 squirrels, 9 character figurines, and something to do with a fresco but wasn't part of the demo. Of course there is a bonus game, a strategy guide, art, wallpaper, and music.

This game is a lot of fun and nice surprises. Try it and see! Show less

I recommend this game!

+33points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

27 of 36 found this review helpful

Fun to play

PostedJanuary 30, 2014

A1psyko

fromGeorgia

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Skeptical at first. I only played the demo but I really like the different HOG games. They are not the normal HOG's. You have the challenge of finding the object and using it to find another object and so on. This is a definite purchase for me. The graphics are good, clear pictures. You get credit on the mini games for figuring out how to play them without looking at the instructions first. On the ...Show more

Skeptical at first. I only played the demo but I really like the different HOG games. They are not the normal HOG's. You have the challenge of finding the object and using it to find another object and so on. This is a definite purchase for me. The graphics are good, clear pictures. You get credit on the mini games for figuring out how to play them without looking at the instructions first. On the achievements page you can answer questions for the game and get credit for the correct answers but don't worry, if you are wrong you can play again. I liked the challenge and to me it is a new way to play. Kept me interested in continuing and was disappointed when the trial was over. Show less

I recommend this game!

+18points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

24 of 33 found this review helpful

Must buy! 6 stars !

PostedJanuary 31, 2014

HappyMaxim

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

There is a lot to do in this game and I liked it. MariaGlorum did a very nice job. Best game of the month. And i think of february too ^_^

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Mystery of the Ancients: Three Guardians Collector's Edition

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Mystery of the Ancients: Three Guardians Collector's Edition Rescue Green Hill from evil! 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.