After all this time, you would think the combination of “hidden object” and “haunted mansions” would have just about run its course in the world of casual gaming. But Big Fish Games continues to find ways to reinvent the genre time and time again, and their latest take on the haunted mansion scenario, Dark Manor, looks to be no exception.
After all this time, you would think the combination of “hidden object” and “haunted mansions” would have just about run its course in the world of casual gaming. But Big Fish Games continues to find ways to reinvent the genre time and time again, and their latest take on the haunted mansion scenario, Dark Manor, looks to be no exception.
The story of Dark Manor follows the player character after he or she receives a sizeable estate from their wealthy Uncle Sterling. But of course, as the game’s official press release tells us, “all is not what it seems.” In addition to the classic mix of hidden object and social gameplay, players will also be able to fully customize the 1920’s mansion with new furniture and a handful of other surprises. Although the game is predominately a single player experience, gamers will be able to visit their friends’ mansions, and compare how everyone else is progressing in their own respective quests.
One of the most intriguing features about Dark Manor is the game’s alternating day and night perspective, which lets you design your mansion during the day, and then switch over to night mode to see your creation in a completely different light. From the first few released screenshots of the game, we can see a glimpse of this night mode in action, as the bright and sunny world map is all but transformed into a murky sea of dark purples and blacks. I’m not sure yet how this interesting dynamic will affect the overall gameplay besides the appearance, but Big Fish tells us that its role will be pivotal.
We also get a sneak peek of some of the moody locations we’ll be hunting for objects in throughout Dark Manor, like a wild garden overrun with man-sized mushrooms, and a futuristic in-door stable. The concept art features a seriously spooky-looking ghost girl in a creepy old-fashioned dress, and I sure hope that she’s not going to be one of the hidden objects I’m supposed to be searching for! In either case, it won’t be long before we find out, as the free-to-play social hidden object game is currently available on the Canadian App Store, with a release in other regions to follow soon.
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