Endless Fables: The Minotaur's Curse
- December 15, 2016
- Sunward Games
- 5h median play time
In "Endless Fables: The Minotaur's Curse," players join Pamela Cavendish in an adventure through visually stunning locations from Paris to Crete. They'll explore 48 areas, uncover 17 hidden object scenes, and solve 34 minigames using the thread of Ariadne. The ultimate goal is to uncover the truth about the Minotaur, their mythical heritage, and the ancient mystery of Theseus and the beast in the labyrinth. The game features a bonus pegasus find.
Reviews
- The game features a classic adventure feel with a fun twist on Greek mythology, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- The variety of puzzles and hidden object scenes, including interactive elements, adds depth to the gameplay and keeps it engaging.
- The graphics are vibrant and well-designed, contributing to an overall pleasant visual experience.
- The game is relatively short, taking only a few hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- Some puzzles are too easy, and the hidden object scenes can be overly simplistic, reducing the challenge for experienced players.
- The story lacks depth and coherence, with some characters and plot points feeling underdeveloped or confusing.
- story115 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its creative twists on Greek mythology and engaging plotlines, while others found it shallow, confusing, or poorly executed. Many noted that the narrative is straightforward and often serves as a backdrop for puzzles rather than a compelling experience, leading to a varied reception depending on individual expectations for storytelling in hidden object games. Overall, while the graphics and gameplay mechanics were praised, the story's depth and coherence were frequently criticized, making it a hit or miss for players who prioritize narrative in their gaming experience.
“The story is a twist on an old story of mythology, and I liked it just fine.”
“Love the storyline and how it links to the original myth, amazing art and an altogether great game!”
“With great production values, an intriguing story, and wonderful puzzles, the Minotaur's Curse is a great jumping-off point for a potential series.”
“The story in this game is nonsensical even by hidden object game standards, but the puzzles and hidden object scenes are nicely done.”
“It seems that at some point during development a bigger story was crafted, but it was shoved half-way through, leaving us with dangling threads.”
“Almost no story, jarring transitions, and disjointed cutscenes mean you better be in it just for the puzzles.”
- graphics50 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beauty and detail, with many reviewers noting the colorful and artistic environments that enhance the overall experience. However, some criticism is directed at the aging visuals, particularly in cutscenes, which can appear pixelated and blurry. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are considered a strong point of the game, especially for fans of the hidden object genre.
“The graphics are very detailed, the bonus items are hard to spot, the story is good and intriguing.”
“Endless Fables may not sit well with those hidden object game fans that play for the hidden object scenes, but its mythology-based story and wonderful graphics should compensate for its shortcomings.”
“It's still Artifex Mundi: great visuals, smooth-as-butter gameplay, and fun hidden-object scenes and mini-games.”
“The game's visuals have aged.”
“Despite the clear visuals in the background, both cutscenes and animations look blurry.”
“As with most mobile ported HOGs, there's a simplistic interface, locked/unchangeable screen resolution, next to no customizability, and somewhat low resolution graphical assets.”
- gameplay33 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay across the reviewed titles is characterized by classic point-and-click mechanics, smooth controls, and a mix of hidden object scenes and puzzles, making it accessible and enjoyable for both new and veteran players. While some games offer innovative twists, such as the "Ariadne's thread" mechanic, others are criticized for recycling familiar elements and lacking depth. Overall, the gameplay is generally praised for its intuitive design and visual appeal, though some players note issues with length and the quality of hidden object implementations.
“It sticks to the formula of fast-paced, smooth gameplay with forward momentum.”
“The overall gameplay is intuitive and easy to grasp with an intuitive tutorial that players can choose to use at the beginning of the game, depending on the difficulty chosen.”
“Tried and true gameplay for this genre of game, very casual, perfect feeling of progression, and good hidden object scenes as well as puzzles that don't frustrate or keep you from moving forward.”
“I didn't expect that it would be this short, and the implementation of the hidden object mechanics, the most important part of the game, is just too bad for my taste.”
“Unengaging story, unsympathetic characters, poor voice acting, and dull gameplay.”
“Tldr: even higher quality hidden object games end up recycling the same minigames and mechanics and reskinning different art and simple thin storylines on each.”
- music19 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its quality and how it complements the gameplay and atmosphere. However, some users noted issues with volume inconsistency and repetitiveness, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact. While the soundtrack is described as pleasant and fitting, a few reviewers found it forgettable or mediocre.
“The music is good, the mythology element is fun, the graphics are okay, the puzzles the best part of the game.”
“Great game, beautiful artwork, great music and I didn't encounter any bugs.”
“It has the usual standards of good, detailed artwork and music that fits the mood.”
“Negatives: the music will randomly play louder at some times/scenes than others.”
“Animation, voice acting, and cut scenes are kind of goofy-looking and the music gets repetitive (I ended up turning it down to 0).”
“The music, unfortunately, is totally forgettable.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, particularly due to the lack of an option to replay specific levels for achievement hunting. While the game's length is generally well-received, some feel that additional content, like a bonus chapter, could enhance the experience and reduce the grind.
“For achievement hunters like myself, the inability to choose to replay specific levels after beating the game becomes a bit tedious, especially if you are also hunting for all the additional goodies along the way.”
“Not a bad length as it prevented the story or gameplay from getting tedious or stale, but it might have benefited from another bonus chapter or something.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing voice acting and engaging storytelling, which contribute to a fun family experience filled with laughter and jump scares. Players appreciate the colorful graphics and entertaining puzzles, making the game enjoyable even for those who typically don't favor the hidden objects genre. Overall, the humor enhances the overall gameplay experience.
“It was great to do this with family; laughing and jump scares are the whole reason why I wanted this game, and it delivered.”
“The voice acting can be funny at times, but it gets the job done.”
“I must say I really enjoy playing this game; the storytelling is good, the graphics are colorful and very artistic, and the puzzles to solve are funny too.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is decent, with occasional minor bugs and graphic glitches reported, particularly when interacting with certain items. However, these issues are not game-breaking and do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
“It's not the best because a few items are buggy when you want to use them or pick them up.”
“The bugs were not game-breaking, though just some graphic glitches once in a while.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a lighthearted and wholesome tone, providing players with a fun experience that embraces a carefree attitude without delving into serious themes.
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is heavily criticized for its mobile game feel, particularly due to the presence of after-credits advertisements promoting additional games, which detracts from the overall experience.
“It still feels like a mobile game, especially with the after-credits screen advertising more games.”
“The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
“I feel like I'm constantly being pushed to make in-game purchases, which ruins the overall experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is generally perceived as lacking, with users noting a deficiency in immersive or engaging elements.
“There is hardly any atmosphere in the game.”
“The environment feels lifeless and uninspired.”
“I expected a rich atmosphere, but it fell flat.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others have experienced lag and technical issues on certain hardware configurations. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly depending on the system specifications.
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, with users indicating that there is little incentive to play it multiple times.
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“There isn't much incentive to play through the game again after finishing it.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little reason to return.”