Faces of Illusion: The Twin Phantoms
- February 1, 2017
- Moonrise Interactive
"Faces of Illusion: The Twin Phantoms" is a hidden object puzzle adventure game set in 19th century Paris. As a journalist, you investigate the disappearance of a rising theatre star, Beatrice Le Brun, and follow the kidnapper to uncover the truth and secrets behind the Parisian theatre. The game features hand-painted locations, challenging puzzles, and a mysterious romance.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and graphics that enhance the visual experience.
- Some players found the hidden object scenes enjoyable and challenging, providing a decent level of engagement.
- The game offers a quick playtime, making it suitable for casual gamers or those looking for a short experience.
- The story is weak and poorly executed, with many players finding it predictable and lacking depth.
- Voice acting and dialogue suffer from poor quality, including awkward translations and unconvincing performances.
- Puzzles are often too easy or derivative, failing to provide a satisfying challenge for experienced players.
- story83 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The story in this game is generally criticized for being choppy, predictable, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting its clichés and poor execution. While some players found moments of enjoyment and humor, the overall consensus is that the narrative is mediocre, often confusing, and marred by poor translations and voice acting. Despite decent visuals and gameplay, the story fails to leave a lasting impression, making it feel forgettable and uninspired.
“I liked the story and twists, no matter how short it was, and that monkey was hilarious.”
“The story was pretty interesting and the settings were gorgeous.”
“The story puts players in the role of a young journalist in Paris going to a show so she can write about it; however, things quickly go south when the star is kidnapped and you must team up with the singer’s little brother to find her.”
“The story was too choppy, lacked little details that would have added something interesting - the plot twist was entirely too predictable.”
“The story is mediocre with some terrible English translations and the inventory puzzles are definitely pushing the logic.”
“The more you progress, the more idiotic the story seems to become until the ending, which is all kinds of absurd.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant colors, detailed backgrounds, and beautiful artwork that transport players to the game's historical setting. However, some critiques highlight issues with character design, stiff animations, and a lack of originality compared to previous titles in the genre. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered good, they are not without their flaws, and the execution of animations and voice acting leaves room for improvement.
“The graphics are also at a high level, even considering the year of release.”
“The graphics are bright and uplifting, as per Artifex Mundi's usual.”
“There is no denying that this game has gorgeous artwork, vibrant colors, and highly detailed scenery.”
“Also, the graphics are awful, the plot is nonexistent, and the voice acting is awful and cringey throughout.”
“Graphics are quite basic and the voice acting leaves a bit to be desired but if you enjoy hidden puzzle games you'll like this one.”
“The story's not too original and the graphic artworks don't match former games.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for being overly linear, repetitive, and lacking precision, leading to a generally boring experience. While some players found enjoyment in the mechanics and visuals, many noted that the gameplay felt derivative and short, with frustrating undocumented mechanics that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a weak point, overshadowed by its shortcomings in variety and engagement.
“Gameplay lasted about 3 hours with a reasonably low amount of times where we had to hint spam to get us unstuck.”
“The gameplay is the standard one: use objects, combine them, find them, solve puzzles, and clear hidden object scenes.”
“What the game may lack in story, it makes up for in gameplay.”
“But the gameplay is too linear and a little boring.”
“However, the gameplay is just boring and derivative.”
“Repetitive formulaic gameplay loop.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game received mixed reviews, with some players finding it pleasant but not particularly memorable or outstanding. While the soundtracks were generally described as "ok" and complemented by nice sound effects, there were criticisms regarding inconsistencies, such as inappropriate background sounds like birds chirping in certain scenes. Overall, the music contributed positively to the game's atmosphere but did not elevate it significantly.
“The soundtrack was nice.”
“Very colorful graphics and nice music.”
“The sound effects and music were all fine but the voice acting was painful at times.”
“I'm a little nitpicky, but there were some music tracks with birds chirping periodically that would play when there should be no birds around.”
“Art and animation were nice, the sound was okay, I always turn the music off and keep the sound down low.”
“The sound effects and music were all fine, but the voice acting was painful at times.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many users noting that it starts strong but loses momentum, leading to a lackluster ending. Despite some features like Steam trading cards and achievements, the absence of bonus content and engaging gameplay makes it less appealing for repeated playthroughs. Overall, it is recommended only if found on sale, as there are superior hidden object games available.
“The replay value for the game is low.”
“While the game has a promising start, it fizzles out towards the middle with a rather bland ending and has no replay value.”
“There are better hidden object games to play. I suggest picking this one up only if it’s on sale because it’s average at best. It has Steam trading cards and achievements, but there is no replay value and no bonus content in the game.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing character interactions, particularly with a comedic monkey and the ironic reliance on a child companion for dangerous tasks. While some moments are intentionally funny, others come off as unintentional, contributing to a mixed overall impression of the game's comedic elements.
“I liked the story and twists, no matter how short it was, and that monkey was hilarious!”
“I found it hilarious that any dangerous task or heavy lifting was left to your child companion.”
“Overall, while this isn’t the worst adventure game you could play, it has some unintentionally funny moments.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is hindered by significant grammar issues in the dialogue, which detracts from the overall quality of the voice acting. This affects the immersive experience, particularly during key narrative moments.
“Grammar issues plague the dialogue, which impacts the voice actors’ performances quite a bit.”