Princess Isabella: The Rise of an Heir
- July 6, 2016
- Gogii Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StorePrincess Isabella: The Rise Of An Heir is a hidden object puzzle adventure game from the creators of Enigmatis and Grim Legends
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and enjoyable experience, especially for casual gamers and children.
- Graphics and visuals are well done, with some beautiful scenes and decent voice acting.
- The game features unique mechanics and a variety of puzzles that can be engaging, despite some being easy.
- The story is weak, rushed, and filled with plot holes, making it hard to engage with the characters.
- Gameplay is often repetitive and simplistic, with many puzzles lacking challenge and creativity.
- There are numerous technical issues, including bugs, glitches, and poor translations that detract from the overall experience.
- story46 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in this game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it weak, rushed, and lacking depth. While some appreciate its fairy tale inspiration and straightforward narrative, others criticize it for being overly simplistic, contrived, and poorly executed, often feeling disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, the storyline fails to engage players, leaving them disappointed compared to previous entries in the series.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“The story is a fairytale of jealousy and deceit.”
“Play this game to have fun ~ it's campy, it's a little (sometimes a lot) on the easy side, and the plot is pure Disney.”
“There is also not much story nor motivation... I mean... you just go and fight an evil witch.”
“The storyline was complete tripe, utterly banal and hackneyed even by hidden object game standards, and while some of the mechanics were interesting, for the most part gameplay was just excruciating.”
“The story is weak and rushed, the puzzles are way too easy and short.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay across the series is characterized by a mix of traditional hidden object puzzles and some unique mechanics, though many players feel that it suffers from recycled elements and a lack of innovation. While some mechanics, like using animals or special abilities, are appreciated, the overall execution is often criticized for being simplistic, uninspired, and occasionally frustrating due to unclear objectives and slow animations. Overall, the gameplay experience is seen as inconsistent, with the latest installment being particularly noted for its weaker dynamics and lackluster story integration.
“Having played all 3 games, I highly recommend this series mainly because it contains game mechanics that are unique to the HOG genre.”
“I loved the previous two games because some gameplay mechanics felt original and worked well with the story.”
“Okay, the instructions on the color wheel puzzle are completely useless, and it does have a few 'what the hell just happened?' moments, but other than that I'm finding it to be a decent HOPA, with mechanics I've not yet seen in a HOPA (e.g. the wand's abilities) and a nice atmosphere.”
“3 hours of gameplay without any major obstacles.”
“You really need a talent to make something as horrible, because this game failed in all possible aspects: story, visuals, gameplay, and even technical condition.”
“Tldr: casualized minigames and HOG with recycled mechanics and uninspired finale to a poor quality series.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the visuals as beautiful and well-executed, while others criticize them for being dated or sub-par compared to modern standards. Although there are moments of artistic merit, many players note inconsistencies and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics seem to be a point of contention, with opinions varying widely on their quality and execution.
“But the visuals are gorgeous, and it's very relaxing.”
“The graphics are beautiful, the strategy guide gave help where I needed it, and I like great sound quality.”
“I want to mention that the visuals in the game are well done.”
“You really need a talent to make something as horrible, because this game failed in all possible aspects: story, visuals, gameplay, and even technical condition.”
“The graphics are even worse than in the screenshots displayed.”
“The graphics quality is slightly sub-par for modern HOPAs (but better than the time-whatever series), and the video cutscene quality is notably sub-par, but the voiceovers and music are well done.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as relaxing and suitable for casual gameplay, though some players note it can become repetitive. While the background music enhances the experience, there are instances where it overlaps with cutscene music, which can be distracting. Overall, the soundtrack and voiceovers are considered well-executed, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“The music is nice, but does get repetitive - you can turn it off if you want to (I just turned it down).”
“I appreciated the soundtrack too.”
“When in a cutscene, sometimes the normal music keeps playing.”
“The cutscene music plays as well.”
“The graphics quality is slightly sub-par for modern HOPAs, and the video cutscene quality is notably sub-par, but the voiceovers and music are well done.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its stability, with users reporting numerous glitches and bugs that hinder the gameplay experience. Many found the overall performance to be slow and tedious, detracting from the enjoyment of the story.
“There were also quite a few glitches.”
“It was buggy, the story was lamer than usual, and it was just plain tedious to play.”
“The gameplay is very slow and quite buggy.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its dark and ironic undertones, particularly in the context of its Catholic themes and exaggerated villainy. While some players find the comedic elements amusing, others view them as unoriginal and overly reliant on familiar tropes. Overall, the humor adds a layer of absurdity to the otherwise serious setting.
“I find it kind of funny how early Artifex Mundi games had so much humor woven into their narratives.”
“The setting is filled with a humorous take on the concept of Catholic evil, featuring a wickedly laughing villain and a curse so sticky it takes three games to clean thoroughly.”
“The absurdity of the situations and characters adds a layer of humor that keeps the experience entertaining.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as generally nice, though some players feel it contrasts unnecessarily with the original setting, which diminishes its impact. Despite some confusing moments and ineffective puzzle instructions, the game offers unique mechanics that contribute positively to the overall experience.
“Okay, the instructions on the color wheel puzzle are completely useless, and it does have a few 'what the hell just happened?' moments, but other than that I'm finding it to be a decent HOPA, with mechanics I've not yet seen in a HOPA (e.g. the wand's abilities) and a nice atmosphere.”
“As a personal choice, I found that a bit of an unnecessary contrast with the original setting, lessening the atmosphere.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players found the grinding aspect to be tedious and frustrating, compounded by bugs and a lackluster story that detracted from the overall experience.
“It was buggy, the story was lamer than usual, and it was just plain tedious to play.”
- 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.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel tedious.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by the bonus chapter, which users find to have a dull story and uninspiring gameplay, leading to a lack of engagement and emotional connection.
“The bonus chapter has such a boring story and gameplay, it's frustrating!”
“I felt no emotional connection to the characters; their struggles seemed forced and unrelatable.”
“The attempts at emotional depth fell flat, leaving me feeling indifferent to the outcomes.”
