Dark Parables: Queen of Sands Collector's Edition

About

"Dark Parables: The Little Mermaid and the Purple Tide" is a hidden object and puzzle adventure game where players investigate a strange purple tide in Crete, encountering mermaids and a legendary city. The goal is to uncover the source of the tide, battle sea creatures, and solve perplexing puzzles. The collector's edition includes a bonus game that delves into the secrets of a mad king. The game features stunning locations and immersive gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Dark Parables: Queen of Sands Collector's Edition screenshot

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews

story20 positive mentions

gameplay6 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a hauntingly fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
The story offers an interesting twist on the classic Sleeping Beauty tale, making it engaging for fans of fairy tale retellings.
Despite its age, the game shows a clear love and care in its design, with many players expressing nostalgia and enjoyment from their childhood experiences.

The hidden object scenes are often frustratingly difficult, with many objects blending into dark backgrounds, making them hard to find.
There is a significant amount of backtracking required due to the lack of a map, which can lead to confusion and frustration.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks a compelling narrative, with some players finding the puzzles too easy or the overall experience boring.

story
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
74%
3%
The story of "Dark Parables: Curse of Briar Rose" is a reimagined take on the classic Sleeping Beauty tale, featuring clever twists and intertwining fairy tales, though it is often described as basic and lacking depth. While some players appreciate the intriguing premise and beautiful artwork, others find the narrative underwhelming, with a minimal presence of the main villain and a lack of stakes that detracts from engagement. Overall, the game offers a mix of interesting story elements and fragmented hidden object puzzles, appealing to those who enjoy atmospheric storytelling despite its dated presentation.
- “They always have a clear and clever plot intertwining fairytales, the voice acting is on point, and the art is beautiful.”
- “I love the twist on the classic Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty story.”
- “The story is also top notch as you play a detective investigating fairytales to get at the truth behind them.”
- “This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but the lack of an enticing narrative does not keep you motivated to find out what happens. There is no threat or stakes in the story, just you roaming the castle in search of whatever. The villain does not make a significant presence, and you never feel there is a reason to keep going, much less to spend your money on it, which I did and recommend you not to unless you really want to.”
- “Overall, the story was very lackluster.”
- “As for the story, there isn't one to speak of.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
45%
5%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and well-crafted backgrounds that still hold up well compared to other titles from the same era. However, some players note that the graphics show signs of aging and can be inconsistent, particularly towards the end, leading to a somewhat disappointing experience. Overall, while the visuals are generally appreciated, they are considered less impressive than those in later entries of the series.
- “The graphics are outstanding with well-crafted backgrounds that, while rich in detail, won’t overload with too much information. The soundtrack has a haunting and ethereal quality that upholds the mystery and the feeling of being at an enchanted castle.”
- “I find this game to be very beautiful in terms of art style.”
- “The art still holds up to this day, while many games of that era have aged like milk in graphics. The music is gorgeous, haunting, and fits the mood.”
- “I found some of the graphics horrible... unless that was their intent - to increase difficulty.”
- “Good story, interesting games, but not sure I'd recommend it with the graphics at the start... your call.”
- “The graphics are decent though I was under the impression to have a grainy screen, which made me take some distance with the atmosphere of the game.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
33%
8%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its gorgeous, haunting quality that enhances the overall atmosphere and mood, making it a standout feature alongside the art direction. Reviewers note that the soundtrack is interesting and does not become repetitive, contributing to the game's charm and immersive experience. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, elevating the game's appeal despite some criticisms of its pacing and gameplay mechanics.
- “The art still holds up to this day, while many games of that era have aged like milk in graphics, the music is gorgeous, haunting, and fits the mood.”
- “As for the music, it was also quite nice, setting the tone and mood easily.”
- “The graphics are outstanding with well-crafted backgrounds that, while rich in detail, won’t overload with too much information, and the soundtrack has a haunting and ethereal quality that upholds the mystery and the feeling of being at an enchanted castle.”
- “There are extra features in the game: bonus chapter; wallpapers; screensavers; music; concept art; 3 novels and game's strategy guide.”
- “The bonus chapter was really good, especially that you only play it to unlock the 'extra' menu (music, concept art, wallpapers, etc.) by collecting some items.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
67%
20%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it outdated and formulaic, typical of hidden object games, leading to a boring experience. While some appreciate its soothing nature and the overarching storyline, others criticize its lack of engaging mechanics and balance, noting that it shows its age compared to newer titles in the series. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, making it difficult to recommend despite some redeeming qualities.
- “The gameplay itself is what has become standard for hidden object games now, yet even though some aspects are now outdated, the game still holds incredibly well, nearly 10 years after its initial release.”
- “Expect around 6-7 hours of gameplay including the bonus chapter and the extra puzzles.”
- “Gameplay is enormous fun and the graphics are stunning.”
- “But the gameplay is so bad that it's impossible to recommend.”
- “I must say this game is a product of its time; it's understandable to say the least. The studio probably didn't have half as many resources as it has right now, but this game, although having a relatively passive and soothing gameplay, is as boring as any hidden object game can be. There's quite literally nothing happening during the whole thing as you follow a formulaic gameplay style in which you solve puzzles and construct objects again and again.”
- “It is obviously rather dated, in presentation, content, plot, and game mechanics.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its gorgeous quality, enhanced by surprisingly good voice acting, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre. However, some players noted that the graphics felt grainy, which slightly detracted from their immersion. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate a compelling story and atmospheric gameplay.
- “The voice acting was surprisingly good compared to other hidden object/point & click games, and the atmosphere was gorgeous!”
- “All in all, this game is a great and atmospheric point & click/hidden object game that I can recommend to anybody who loves a good story or those kinds of games.”
- “The graphics are decent, though I was under the impression that the game would have a grainy screen, which made me feel distanced from the atmosphere.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a sense of nostalgia and emotional dissonance when revisiting the game, particularly regarding their altered perceptions of characters like Sleeping Beauty. The absence of trailers for upcoming series also evokes a feeling of longing for the continuity and excitement that once accompanied their gaming experience.
- “Playing the game again made me realize how much I missed watching a trailer for the next series by the end of each game.”
- “I have played this before, and experiencing it again made me feel a sense of nostalgia and awkwardness about how Sleeping Beauty was not how I remembered her.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has low replayability, with many users noting that there is little incentive to play again after completing hard mode. Once players unlock and beat this mode, they find limited reasons to return to the game.
- “There isn't much replay value after you unlock and beat hard mode.”
- “The replay value for the game is low.”