Night Mysteries: The Amphora Prisoner
- February 25, 2015
- Anvate Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Night Mysteries: The Amphora Prisoner" is a hidden object adventure game set in a haunted mansion. You play as a detective tasked with solving the mystery of a cursed amphora and freeing the trapped soul within. The game features a variety of puzzles and hidden object scenes to search through as you uncover the mansion's secrets.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique 3D art style that adds a fresh perspective to the hidden object genre.
- The atmosphere is engaging, with eerie music and a storyline that, while simple, provides a decent backdrop for the gameplay.
- Some mini-games are creative and offer a different challenge compared to typical hidden object puzzles.
- The gameplay is often frustrating due to poorly designed puzzles and hidden object scenes that require pixel-perfect accuracy.
- The story lacks depth and coherence, with many plot points feeling rushed or underdeveloped.
- There are significant technical issues, including a non-interactive map and unresponsive controls that hinder the overall experience.
- story65 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it either uninteresting or poorly executed, often describing it as cliché and lacking depth. While some appreciated the basic premise and found it serviceable, others noted issues with pacing, coherence, and a lack of engaging elements, leading to a general sentiment that the story could have been more compelling. Overall, it seems that the narrative does not significantly enhance the gameplay experience, with many players prioritizing the puzzles and mechanics over the story itself.
“The biggest of these surprises is the story: we follow a struggling young writer named Natalie, who – while being on board a ship to America – has to battle an undescribed mysterious force in order to save the missing crew.”
“Night Mysteries is a hidden object game that also tries to be a lightweight Lovecraftian horror story on board a seemingly abandoned ship, and it does a surprisingly good job at both.”
“Nice little casual game: not only is the music good, but the story is also well written - I didn't really find any plot holes (apart from how the captain and our heroine seemed in love without any indication from her to have feelings).”
“The story was boring and written in a clunky manner; the journal was unhelpful in figuring out objectives because it contained only the most obvious prompts.”
“The story is weak and not really explained.”
“The story does not have much of a hook.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the blend of 3D models and hand-drawn scenes that create an eerie atmosphere, while others find the visuals dated and inconsistent. Although there are commendations for the detailed artwork and appealing 3D style, issues such as a lack of resolution options, graphical errors, and frustrating hidden object scenes detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are described as decent but not groundbreaking, with some unique elements that stand out in the hidden object genre.
“The graphics are phenomenal.”
“Loved the graphics and found them very appealing.”
“The graphics, a mix of 3D models, gently swaying in the ocean waves, and drawn cut scenes, are terrific and capture the eerie mood very well.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“Although the copyright in-game shows 2015, amphora prisoner actually came out in 2013, so it's no surprise that the graphics feel dated.”
“In short, this is a mediocre hog with a clunky interface, inconsistent graphics, frustrating hidden object screens, bad translation errors, a contrived story, and too many vermin, that just happens to include a couple of enjoyable mini-games, a bonus scavenger hunt, and an interesting camera gimmick.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its atmospheric and soothing qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some noted it can be repetitive, others found it enjoyable enough to listen to on repeat, and the inclusion of a free soundtrack was a nice bonus. Overall, the music effectively complements the game's ambiance and storytelling.
“The eerie music fits itself so well with the atmosphere.”
“The music and sound effects are nicely environmental, and there are no voice overs - much preferred to bad voice overs, I must say!”
“I love the ambient music; it's pretty soothing to listen to!”
“Music is repetitive.”
“Terrible graphics, repetitive music, and a story so linear that you can't even visit an open room until you're supposed to, but those are all flaws common in hidden object games.”
“And the music wasn't boring either, like most of the games I've played!”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered generic and linear, relying heavily on outdated hidden object mechanics and frustrating puzzles that disrupt the flow of the game. While some players appreciated the challenge posed by certain elements, many found the gameplay to be simplistic, with a focus on clicking hotspots and completing mandatory bonus collectibles. Overall, the experience lacks innovation and often feels disconnected from the game's setting and narrative.
“I'm never interested in the story of any game; the mechanics, journey, puzzles, and hidden object games are what make a good hidden object game for me.”
“The gameplay is entirely linear, but you will need to refer to your journal to figure out where you should be trying to go next and why it matters.”
“Gameplay consists of clicking around on hotspots in various scenes, which triggers a few simple clicking puzzles and hidden object searches.”
“The puzzles are not only terrible, but they also don't really fit into the gameplay.”
“There were some annoying features like the fact that you can't pick up things until you need them, which made gameplay very linear.”
“As for gameplay, it relies on some really outdated hidden object mechanics, and I swear this is the first hidden object game I met where the bonus collectibles are promoted into a mandatory element.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally described as eerie and suspenseful, enhanced by effective graphics and fitting background music. While some players noted a lack of depth in the atmosphere, many appreciated the light horror elements and immersive effects, such as flickering lights and sound design, which contribute to a captivating experience. Overall, the atmosphere is a highlight, successfully creating a mystic and engaging environment throughout the gameplay.
“A box-standard hidden object game set in a mysterious, eerie atmosphere, made better by the graphics and complementing background music.”
“The eerie music fits so well with the atmosphere.”
“There's a little bit of a light horror atmosphere, though it's mostly subdued by other features such as the display of fireworks, which one player cited as a negative aspect.”
“But still there isn't enough atmosphere and style to build on.”
“Flickering lights, eerie sound effects, and triggered time-bound survival mini-games are all welcome flavors, successfully presenting a light horror atmosphere.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players found the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious, with many mini-games feeling repetitive and drawn-out, although some were enjoyable and offered a refreshing break from the norm. The ability to skip the more tedious mini-games was appreciated, but overall, the experience was marred by the lack of engaging content.
“The minigames were tedious and the story didn't really draw me in.”
“I paid for this, played it, and I beat it, but the 'fascinating mini-games' were a lot less fascinating and a lot more tedious as all hell.”
“Some of the mini-games were tedious, and involved either 'do this repetitive thing for a full three minutes' or 'see how fast you can click and drag.' Other mini-games were actually fun, though, and were different from any of the formulaic genre standards.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players appreciate the lack of noticeable glitches typical in indie 3D games, others report frustrating bugs within the game engine that affect gameplay, such as misleading visual cues and non-skippable issues.
“Unfortunately, the game engine is a bit buggy.”
“I found these buggy and frustrating experiences, and unlike the puzzles, they are not skippable.”
“It is a bit buggy, though, because it will also make areas where you have already picked things up sparkle, or areas where there is absolutely nothing of interest sparkle.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting specific instances like the amusing phrase "xax fire" as a notable example of its comedic elements.
“I found matches that said 'xax fire'; that was hilarious!”
“The witty dialogue and unexpected puns kept me laughing throughout the game.”
“The absurd situations and quirky characters made for some genuinely funny moments.”
