Botanica: Earthbound > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

136 of 146 found this review helpful

Still Stranded On Botanica!

PostedJanuary 12, 2014

pennmom36

fromI've been investigating for an hour while Ian sits on the beach!

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Mystery Case Files®: Fate's Carnival Collector's Edition

(390)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Ellie and Ian have found the portal and they are homeward bound, or so they think! I absolutely loved the CE but this is a fantastic adventure game in any format. I really like the unusual features this game has to offer especially with the HOS. Each hidden object scene has several mini games within to solve. When you zoom into a close up scene you will find mini games that need to be solved ...Show more

Ellie and Ian have found the portal and they are homeward bound, or so they think! I absolutely loved the CE but this is a fantastic adventure game in any format. I really like the unusual features this game has to offer especially with the HOS. Each hidden object scene has several mini games within to solve. When you zoom into a close up scene you will find mini games that need to be solved before finding an item such as finding and using several codes on a lock but, you have to figure out which two pictures to put together to form the correct combination. Each hidden object has several mini games to interact with. Although the mini games aren't really new, they are fun, and some of them require you to interact with them until you figure out what needs to be done such as a radio panel with lot's of dials and knobs and bits and pieces of clues. You have to tinker with different dials etc. until the radio is working, with very little clues available. The graphics are beautiful and the story is good, the continuing saga in which Ellie is trying to find her father who disappeared, and along with Ian find their way back to Earth. I don't think you can go wrong with either edition, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+126points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

15 of 15 found this review helpful

I had a little vacation in Botanica

PostedApril 17, 2015

LEIZAP

fromCalifornia

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

What a beautiful place...love the vibrant colors (I'm really tired of all the dreary, dull artwork in some of the games I've played). I really enjoyed so many aspects of this game!
1) Some of the HOG's were very unique, and they all had some interaction play to them.
2) Some of the puzzles were easy & boring, but some were really unique!
3) Nice story, with a nice ending.
4) I left the sound on ...Show more

What a beautiful place...love the vibrant colors (I'm really tired of all the dreary, dull artwork in some of the games I've played). I really enjoyed so many aspects of this game!
1) Some of the HOG's were very unique, and they all had some interaction play to them.
2) Some of the puzzles were easy & boring, but some were really unique!
3) Nice story, with a nice ending.
4) I left the sound on the whole game...very easy to listen to, and voice-overs were very good.
5) Loved the map...very easy movement.
6) Different helpers gave you different advantages.
7) You change characters multiple times between Ellie & Ian, which added a different dimension.
8) For me, the best part was that it gave multiple stopping places throughout the game! So many games you need to play without stopping (at least I do) then when you come back the next day you can't remember where you need to go.
All in all, I enjoyed it...a mini "vay-cay" for me! Show less

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

119 of 162 found this review helpful

You're no longer Earthbound. But, how will you travel to the beyond? Will you ride the Collector's Edition or the Special Edition?

PostedJanuary 12, 2014

sfr8rfan

fromThis review is based on playing the entire game plus the bonus section of the CE.

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Time Management, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Botanica: Earthbound Collector's Edition

(36)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Whichever you choose, you’re getting a very impressive game. There’s so much that’s NEW and so much that’s new AND GOOD in Botanica: Earthbound. This game is an indication of the future of hidden object/puzzle/adventure gaming in my opinion. I’d give this 250 stars if they were available. The Fun Factor is off the charts.

VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY

Visual: Exceptional. The theme is nautical/island ...Show more

Whichever you choose, you’re getting a very impressive game. There’s so much that’s NEW and so much that’s new AND GOOD in Botanica: Earthbound. This game is an indication of the future of hidden object/puzzle/adventure gaming in my opinion. I’d give this 250 stars if they were available. The Fun Factor is off the charts.

VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY

Visual: Exceptional. The theme is nautical/island tropic/botanical (duh!). This theme is supported by the artwork and you feel like you’re in the tropics as you play. You start off at the site of a boat, feeling like a passenger, or, more to the point, like part of the crew investigating a sunken ocean liner. The HOGs, of which there are only 15, are superbly drawn. I felt like I was dealing with photos more than drawings.

Sound Quality: The voice-overs are very clear and understandable. The music is pure background. Sometimes music drives the mood. This is not the case here. The musical style is appropriate and not at all annoying.

LEVELS OF CHALLENGE

a. HOGs: I’ve never complained about too few HOGs before this game. These HOS are the BEST I have ever played, and not by a small margin. The majority of items require an extra step. Many of the items require a puzzle solved just to clear them. If you’re a puzzle lover you’ll really like this extra treat. One example is the standard puzzle/mini-game where you need to remember the progression of buttons to push or you have to start over again. This puzzle has been incorporated into the clearing of just ONE ITEM in a HOG.

Other HOGs require placing the item correctly in its environment to clear it. In another you match up a couple of items that belong together but have been separated in the scene (a pair of gloves, for instance). Only after joining them do you clear the item. My count is 15 HOGs. I wish there were twice that.

b. Mini-Puzzles/mini-games: These are superior. This game presents puzzle designs I’ve never seen and it’s so exciting to see something new and brilliantly executed. Other, more familiar puzzles have a little twist to them making them seem like new. (OK, the CE version of this game has achievements. One is a rather dubious distinction at best: spend over 100 minutes solving the puzzle. I achieved this. I spent over an hour and forty minutes solving one puzzle. I couldn’t believe it when the achievement popped up but I wasn’t about to skip. I wanted to beat the puzzle and finally I did). There are over 30 puzzles in this game so if you’re into puzzles you’ll love this game.

c. There is a third challenge: making potions from items (plants) and other natural substances you collect through game play. These are stored in your botany kit. When you’ve collected the necessary ingredients you follow the combining directions and make a potion that you use to accomplish your goal.

STORY LINE

A ship’s captain, who’s had a rocky life to begin with, accepts an invitation to go on a sailor’s dream voyage, through a portal to a place not of the earth. He gets lost and in so doing loses all he loves. His daughter (somehow…without explanation) figures out where he is and tries to find him and bring him home safe and sound. She is not alone. In this tropical setting she’s joined by another scientist who’s also lost and trying to find the portal to earth so he can return home to his daughter. There is a villainess who’s trying to keep them from getting where they want to go.

The story is pure fantasy…You kind of know that extra-terrestrial travel has that strong possibility. More than that, this game is pure fun and it really ties all the puzzles and HOGs together. To that end this is a game where the story line, puzzles and HOGs are all important. This story is NOT scary. It is, though, exhilarating and very exciting. It’s a first person game in which you play two characters. This is not a central theme of the story in my opinion.

I cannot strongly enough recommend this game.

So the Question of the day: Collector’s Edition (CE) or Special Edition (SE)?

Here’s what you get for the Collector’s Edition:
a. A bonus chapter in which you play a third person.
b. The “who cares” assortment: Re-playable cut scenes, soundtrack, concept art, wallpaper.
c. A strategy guide.
d. A collectible: one item scattered through out the scenes. It’s not central to the story and you gain nothing other than an achievement if you collect all of them. It’s not distracting. In fact, atypically, it’s a little fun, actually.
e. Achievements: normal stuff PLUS one thing I didn’t see coming and when it did it made me smile.
f. A jump-to map which shows your location, where you need to finish up a job and where you cannot yet go.

This is one of the best games I’ve ever played and I think you’ll think the same way. Choose one of the versions for sure. For me I’d choose the Collector’s Edition just because it presents more game time and that’s what I want with this. It’s not because the developers didn’t write a game that’s long enough…nothing would be long enough. As I wrote in my review of the CE: This game is like a new drug: I want MORE!!!!. Show less

I recommend this game!

+76points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

10 of 10 found this review helpful

Perfect sequel.

PostedOctober 1, 2014

canadiangirl94

fromEdmonton, Alberta, Canada

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

Just when you thought they were on their way home, the portal sends Ellie and Ian somewhere else in Botanica. However, this time you're not just looking for Ellie's father but also trying to save the world from an impending doom. Big difference between the first Botanica and this one is you get to play as both Ellie & Ian which adds to the enjoyment. Still have the same excellent quality of ...Show more

Just when you thought they were on their way home, the portal sends Ellie and Ian somewhere else in Botanica. However, this time you're not just looking for Ellie's father but also trying to save the world from an impending doom. Big difference between the first Botanica and this one is you get to play as both Ellie & Ian which adds to the enjoyment. Still have the same excellent quality of visuals and the HO scenes are just as enjoyable and challenging as the original. If you liked Into the Unknown, you will enjoy this. However you do not need to play it to understand what's going on as when you open the game, it gives you a recap. Really hope they make another one on Ellie and Ian's lives after this adventure. Highly recommend. Show less

I recommend this game!

+10points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

3 of 3 found this review helpful

LOVE LOVE LOVED this game

PostedJanuary 27, 2015

linzi1nz1

fromDunedin New Zealand

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Botanica: Earthbound

(20)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

3 / 5

MORE Botanica Games please. The graphics quality just made this for me with the beautiful drawings and fine detail.
The quality of the puzzles was superb and like the locations these were beautifully drawn as well.
I am not sure about the sound as I like to play without it but I enjoyed changing characters as the story played out.
One of the best I have played this year!!

I recommend this game!

+3points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

3 of 3 found this review helpful

Beautiful and inventive

PostedMay 6, 2014

AdrianaIP

fromState College, PA

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Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

It is a really beautiful game. You just want to look at it and be entranced. The minigames are not too hard and not too easy, and the HOS incredibly inventive, more like minigames theselves. The storyline keeps up the interest and when it is over, you hope for more Botanicas in the future..

I recommend this game!

+3points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

3 of 4 found this review helpful

Really loved the game.

PostedApril 17, 2014

tutortime

fromFlorida

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Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Enjoyed playing this game. The mini games were different and interesting, not the typical ones we always see in games. Wish more game developers changed it up a bit.

I recommend this game!

+2points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

1 of 1 found this review helpful

Great Storyline and Sequel

PostedAugust 6, 2016

Kimmycoo

fromVirginia USA

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File

Current Favorite:

Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger 4

(44)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I am happy to have played both the first and this the last in the series. Perhaps there will be more of these in the future. They are really good!
One star for great and unique mini games
Two Stars for the great story line
Three stars for the great voice-overs and cut scenes
Four stars for the excellent graphics.
Five stars because you only play each HOS once!

I recommend this game!

+1point

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Overall rating

5 / 5

1 of 1 found this review helpful

Duelious! Two characters for an awesome sequel!

PostedJuly 16, 2015

smilingsun72

fromUSA

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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I enjoyed playing as Ian & Ellie. It gave the game a great twist! The snail as a pair of clippers was a unique idea, I loved all the challenging puzzles and beautiful locations. I would have felt like I was on a tropical vacation if the story hadn't been adventurous. I like how the characters carried over from the first story and tied in well. All in all another great game from Boom Zap.

I recommend this game!

+1point

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Overall rating

4 / 5

30 of 33 found this review helpful

Earth It Is!

PostedJanuary 13, 2014

tucker_ratdog

fromPowell River, British Columbia, Canada

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3

Current Favorite:

Haunted Train: Spirits of Charon Collector's Edition

(65)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Most of you already know this story so for me to review it for you again would be pointless. I simply want to share with you my overall feelings in regards to both games. For starters this sequel did indeed enlighten me! After having played the first "Botanica, Into the Unknown" (not CE) I have to admit that I had some difficulty along the way with it. Not sure why, it just seemed to push my ...Show more

Most of you already know this story so for me to review it for you again would be pointless. I simply want to share with you my overall feelings in regards to both games. For starters this sequel did indeed enlighten me! After having played the first "Botanica, Into the Unknown" (not CE) I have to admit that I had some difficulty along the way with it. Not sure why, it just seemed to push my comfort zone beyond! I loved the story, the graphics were great, yet the developers fell short on authenticity with the characters. They were believable, had definite personalities yet were somewhat chartoonie which I felt took away from the overall quality of the game. I did have some difficulty with puzzles but that in itself is not a critique, I, personally just struggled. I remember persevering despite my frustration and yet at the end found myself looking forward to the sequel. Well, hurray, I'm glad because I enjoyed it to the end and had so much more fun with the characters, feeling like I already knew them well. This to me is a special quality that the developers portrayed giving the sequel that much more credibility in its storyline despite the same cartoon like effect of the characters. The flow from one game to the next was fluid and even gave a brief review of the previous game to get you going again. Well done!! Whatever happened in the first game came together for me in this sequel. The struggle factor left me entirely! Maybe I just needed to go through the growing pains on this one to really appreciate and get the total picture. But hey, I'm glad I hung in there, I ended up loving the entire story and I hope you fellow gamers do too! Both adventures are worth the enjoyment! Show less

+27points

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Botanica: Earthbound Can Ellie and Ian find their way back to Earth? 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.