Lost Horizon

About

Lost Horizon is a single player puzzle game with a historical theme. It was developed by Animation Arts and was released on September 24, 2010. It received very positive reviews from players.

1936: Soldiers of the Third Reich roam the world seeking occult weapons for their insane plans of conquest. When Fenton Paddock, a former British soldier and hapless smuggler, is asked to look for his friend Richard, who went missing in Tibet, he has no idea that this search will lead him across three continents to a secret that could turn the whole world upside down. Enough mystery? Not in the mo…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 400 reviews

story112 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game is a nostalgic homage to classic point-and-click adventure games, particularly reminiscent of Indiana Jones, with engaging storylines and beautiful hand-drawn graphics.
Puzzles are generally logical and well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating, making it accessible for both newcomers and seasoned players.
The voice acting and character interactions add charm to the game, with a light-hearted tone that enhances the overall experience.

The game suffers from long cutscenes and excessive dialogue, which can disrupt the pacing and lead to moments of boredom.
Some puzzles rely on obscure solutions or 'moon logic', which may frustrate players and require the use of walkthroughs to progress.
The protagonist can be unlikable at times, and the story occasionally falls into cliché territory, lacking depth in character development.

story
248 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging plot, memorable characters, and cinematic presentation reminiscent of classic adventure films like Indiana Jones. However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, overly long cutscenes, and a tendency for the narrative to feel clichéd or forced, particularly towards the end. Overall, while the story is entertaining and well-crafted for the genre, it may not resonate with everyone due to its occasional predictability and reliance on dialogue.
- “Fantastic story, memorable characters, outstanding interface, really good voice acting, gorgeous graphics, good puzzles, great writing.”
- “The progression of the story makes so much sense and the places you go are diverse, beautifully crafted and presented, with an almost magical allure; from the governor's mansion in Hong Kong, to the Himalayas and the streets of Marrakech.”
- “The story is mostly mature with a healthy dosage of cheeky humor which gave me a few laughs and nods along the way.”
- “The story is embarrassingly bad most of the time.”
- “Instead I got a clunky bore of a story with a forgettable and unlikable cast.”
- “The story line is pretty dull at most, it starts out ok then just kind of stutters along as you go....”
graphics
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
36%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds and overall art style, while some note that the 3D models show their age and can be mediocre compared to modern standards. Despite occasional graphical glitches, the visuals are generally considered appealing and contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and storytelling. Overall, players appreciate the artistic design, which evokes nostalgia for classic adventure games, making it a visually enjoyable experience.
- “Amazing graphics and an exciting globe-trotting adventure story.”
- “The artwork in this game is magnificent and every scene you step into looks astonishing and highly detailed.”
- “Gorgeous hand drawn graphics”
- “Graphics for the 3D models show their age.”
- “The graphics are reasonably pretty but uninspired.”
- “No, it was the occasional graphical glitch, where characters would clip behind pieces of the background and suddenly become invisible.”
gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The gameplay of "Lost Horizon" is primarily a classic point-and-click adventure, featuring a mix of enjoyable puzzles and some original mechanics, though many puzzles are described as straightforward or occasionally obtuse. Players appreciate the polished mechanics, such as inventory management and the ability to skip sections, while the game offers a balance between challenge and logical problem-solving. Overall, while the gameplay is not overly complex, it is engaging and provides a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic adventure games.
- “It's easy to play, and there are some original mechanics.”
- “Game mechanics are well done; for example, to save you time and frustration, you can tell if an item can be combined with another or applied to something else just by hovering it on a target, no need to try and click everything and listen to the same responses from the main character that this 'doesn't work'.”
- “Lost Horizon is not complicated or complex gameplay, and the puzzles are kind of crazy at times, but it's just so much fun.”
- “Even though the game took just shy of 12 hours to complete, the gameplay itself is not very complex.”
- “History is quite cliché, characters are bland and forgettable, gameplay is classic point & click but the puzzles are quite unimaginative.”
- “The first tier and the end of the game is a really good Indiana Jones-like adventure, but the middle just looks like a filler to increase the amount of gameplay hours.”
humor
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
6%
The humor in the game is a mix of clever one-liners and cheeky remarks, often eliciting smirks rather than outright laughter. While some players found the humor enjoyable and fitting for the adventure genre, others felt it was hit-or-miss, with certain jokes falling flat. Overall, the game features a blend of amusing dialogue and quirky puzzle solutions that contribute to its entertaining experience.
- “Lots of beautiful locations, well crafted puzzles, lovingly made animations, great voice over as well as good humor.”
- “The story is mostly mature with a healthy dosage of cheeky humor which gave me a few laughs and nods along the way.”
- “I often smirked about the humor and did not grow tired of it over the whole 12 hours of the game.”
- “The dialogue and remarks are filled with one-liners that are so unfunny, it's sad.”
- “The humor falls flat, relying on tired clichés that fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
- “Attempts at humor feel forced and often miss the mark, leaving a sense of disappointment.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
44%
9%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with an excellent score that complements the visuals and storytelling. However, some players noted that certain tracks can become repetitive and annoying, particularly when staying in the same area for extended periods. Overall, while the soundtrack is well-received, it may not be particularly memorable for all players.
- “The musical number at the beginning is particularly good and sets the mood well.”
- “An excellent musical score and voice acting that add to the scenes and never distract.”
- “The unbelievably gorgeous, detailed and very historically accurate backgrounds were supported by unobtrusive, atmospheric and fitting background music.”
- “Also, the music is on repeat and a bit loud, so it can get a bit annoying if you are in the same area for a while.”
- “I got this on a Steam sale for an insane $2.49, but honestly, it's probably worth full price... my only major gripe is some of the music is really annoying.”
- “The unbelievably gorgeous, detailed, and very historically accurate backgrounds were supported by unobtrusive, atmospheric, and fitting background music.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunningly detailed and historically accurate backgrounds, complemented by fitting and unobtrusive music. Reviewers highlight the effective combination of hand-painted visuals and 3D characters, which together create an immersive pre-World War II setting that enhances the overall storytelling experience. Despite some criticisms of originality, the atmosphere is considered a significant strength of the game.
- “The unbelievably gorgeous, detailed and very historically accurate backgrounds were supported by unobtrusive, atmospheric and fitting background music.”
- “They made the atmosphere complete and added to the story in a great way.”
- “Hand-painted backgrounds with 3D rendered characters, pre-World War II atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels derivative and lacks originality, borrowing heavily from better sources without adding anything new.”
- “While the hand-painted backgrounds are visually appealing, the overall atmosphere fails to create a compelling or immersive experience.”
- “The atmosphere is inconsistent and does not effectively contribute to the storytelling, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of many puzzles that feel disconnected from the game's setting. This disconnect contributes to a sense of monotony, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The biggest issue I have with the game is the tediousness of many game puzzles and the fact that they are often uninvolved with the current game setting.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate a lack of concern for troubleshooting issues related to stability, suggesting that users may not have encountered significant problems or are indifferent to addressing them.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently highlight the game's cinematic quality, which immerses them deeply in the experience and evokes strong emotional responses, making them feel as though they are part of the narrative.
- “It had a movie quality about it that really made me feel like I was there.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect has drawn criticism for the misleading representation of characters in-game compared to promotional materials, leading to frustration among players. This disconnect is seen as a superficial issue stemming from marketing decisions rather than the game's core experience.