Enlightenus

Game Category: Adventure - Casual, Hidden Object, Puzzle
Developer / Distributor: Blue Tea Games / Big Fish Games
Release Date: 30 Jun 2009
Rating: ESRB - Everyone
Reviewed by: Editor

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Enlighten us please!
Fancy a good adventure that comes with challenging hidden object scenes? I'm not talking about the glut of casual games that feature vanilla style find-the-hidden-objects mechanics. What I'm referring to is game play that makes you use your brain a bit more than you would normally do? Or, if you are a puzzle lover, then this game will definitely be right up your alley.

Intrigued already? Well, if you like this premise, then I highly recommend you try out Enlightenus, a superb game developed by Blue Tea Games some time back in mid 2009.

You shall truly be enlightened by the end of this game!

Enlightenus is a strange name for a game, isn't it? Well, it just happens to be the name of the alternate world you'll be visiting shortly after watching the game's interesting welcome scenes and playing the first few minutes of the introductory tutorial.

The story goes like this - a reclusive author by the name of Edgar Lee needs a detective to help him find the missing chapters from his novels. That detective just happens to be you. This case sounds innocent enough, but that's until you find a really big surprise waiting for you inside his house...

Edgar needs your help urgently!

Game Play
The Introduction you play through at the start of the game will give you an idea of the game play format for the rest of Enlightenus. There will be some adventuring involved as you walk around exploring your immediate environs. Look out for arrows that indicate areas you can explore in the Floral Mansion - Edgar's abode in Enlightenus.

A magnifying glass means you can either zoom in or pick up a game item and place it in your inventory. You may occasionally find objects like keys and such; these will be of use later on somewhere in the game. Otherwise, you may uncover a puzzle that is begging to be solved.

Don't forget to search the drawers as well

The most important thing in the game though is to find the missing chapters of Edgar's novels. Missing chapters look like pages stuck on walls, left on tables, or even hidden in containers. Clicking on these chapters will bring you into enchanting hidden object scenes.

Each of these scenes represent the story from the novel you found. For example, chapters from the Darkwood Manor Haunted Stories brings you into a scene from a haunted house, while the Enchanted Forest and the Seven Seals looks like you are in a fantasy scene featuring a huge tree and a wall behind it covered with stylised windows.

Venturing into the Darkwood Manor Haunted Stories

There are 14 novels in the game, and each novel has 3 chapters that you must find - that works out to 42 scenes of hidden object hunting. You have a handy book at the bottom right of the adventuring screen to check out which chapters of which books you have found.

Each hidden object scene comes with a list of eight plot items found at the bottom of the screen. However, this is where all similarities with other hidden object games end. You must match up each of these eight objects with another object from the scene. For example, a large bulb matches up with the empty bulb holder of an electric lamp, or a bolt cutter matches up with a locked chest -- one that is sealed by a secure lock, or a blue ornament must be painted red with a red paint brush so that it matches all the other red ornaments hanging from a chain.

The handy mini tutorial will get you started

Sometimes, objects can only be used in a certain sequence within a scene. For example, you can't use a carving knife until you have first scooped out the flesh from a pumpkin. And, you can't place a candle until you've carved out the eyes and mouth with the said carving knife on the same pumpkin.

But wait, you may think this game is tough... well, no worries. You have at your disposal two help features found at the bottom left of the screen. The first is a crystal orb that will give you hints at the adventure screen or in a hidden object scene. If you do use the crystal orb however, you will find you must wait quite a while for it to recharge.

The second feature are the Enlightenus cards - these are distinctly recognizable as they have a letter E printed on them. There are two of these waiting to be found in every hidden object scene. Activating a card will speed up the recharging time of the crystal orb from agonizing minutes to lightning seconds.

Thanks crystal ball... the solution is now crystal clear

After completing every hidden object scene, you are given a button-like disc. Throughout the game, you will find picture portraits with several slots by both sides. Above each set of slots will be a plaque giving you a wide hint of which buttons to place in each of these slots. For example, if a plaque reads -- Tools for a Hunter, this means that the button featuring a deer horn obviously fits under that plaque. Fill all slots to find missing pages and other useful items used in puzzles.

Enlightenus also comes with several puzzles; none too overly challenging. You will easily solve them or if you prefer, skip them (but at a cost of losing all your Enlightenus cards). A type of mini-game that you may also find are matching games. These are simple memory type concentration games that require you to match pairs of cards. You can also activate the orb to provide you hints to three matching pairs.

Don't be shy using the Enlightenus cards for useful hints

Graphics
The graphics in Enlightenus looks elegant and nicely done to a quality that you'll come to appreciate. Nothing looks blurry or indistinct and you will likely enjoy the lovely artwork that is found throughout the game. Even the movie cutscenes look decent with simple animations to complete the effect of a truly immersive style of gaming.

Audio
The featured music is very soothing and peaceful such that it makes playing this game a stress free experience. The sound effects also follow suit by being on the quieter side. Finally, I must congratulate the voice acting and script for bringing to life a lovely story that you will not soon forget.

Going deeper into the Floral Mansion

Pros:
The novel approach to the hidden object scenes truly make this a delightful little game to play. You will be so enthralled by it all that you may wonder why aren't there more games like Enlightenus.

Enlightenus features a great twist to the hidden object genre -- one that performs a fusion of hidden object together with conundrum style puzzles.
The puzzles and mini-games are also well designed and not too challenging that you will feel overwhelmed by it all.
The quality in the game can be felt throughout - there's lovely graphics and artwork, soothing music and sound effects, an enchanting story, and of course great game play.
The story behind Enlightenus is charmingly good, and the pacing is just about right.
The hint system is fair and you will not be pressured by lack of time in any way.

Cons:
Not everybody will like the extra emphasis on puzzling over a hidden object scene.

The matching up of plot items with objects in the scene can be difficult since some of the solutions can be truly obscure. For example, there's a knife where I thought I had to cut a rope attached to a basket or to cut a strap used to tie up a bundle of books. Well, it turns out I was totally wrong! Spoiler ahead - triple click (LMB) on the black patch at right to see the solution: The knife is meant to complete the carving of a love symbol on a tree branch.
Enlightenus could have provided us more hidden object scenes and fewer revisits of a novel.

No points for guessing where Woody belongs

Conclusion
If you've never played Enlightenus before, then I'll stand up here and boldly shout out and proclaim to all that: Enlightenus is not a game to be missed... it's simply that good!