Reviews for Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres Collector's Edition

Hi Fishies!

What do you think of Time Mysteries: The Ancient Spectres Collector's Edition? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions about the game in this thread. We value your reviews, as do many of the other fishies in our pond! To help other players get the most out of your review, you could add a note stating if you played the trial or full version and how far you have gotten in the game!

A lot of fishies that will be reading this thread will have never played the game before. If you are posting spoilers, be sure to include the words SPOILER ALERT at the top of your post .

For any comments or discussions other than your general feedback on this game you can create a new discussion in the game forum. If you’re experiencing technical issues with this game, be sure to pop over to the support thread dedicated to the game here.

Happy gaming!

bfgRhone

cbtx, do not worry. You can cut and paste your other review to here, then delete the other ones before anyone else posts.

Based on about 45 minutes of gameplay.

Now this is what a Collector's Edition should be. This one has all the things I look for in a CE. First, the devs took the step to include aspect correction which allows the game to fill the screen--shows attention to detail and pride in the game. Second, the graphics are beautiful and very crisp. Third, the story is interesting---leaves me wanting more. Fourth, the game allows a toggle between hidden object scenes amd mini-games. Fifth, the SG keeps up with the gameplay (more attention to detail).
In addition to all these plusses, the bonus game appears long (judging from the SG) and the other extras are ok---I like being able to return to the puzzles and mini-games.
Again, everything a CE SHOULD offer for the requested money so it's a buy for me!
Kudos to the devs and BFG for this one!

cbtx wrote:
Based on about 45 minutes of gameplay.

Now this is what a Collector's Edition should be. This one has all the things I look for in a CE. First, the devs took the step to include aspect correction which allows the game to fill the screen--shows attention to detail and pride in the game. Second, the graphics are beautiful and very crisp. Third, the story is interesting---leaves me wanting more. Fourth, the game allows a toggle between hidden object scenes amd mini-games. Fifth, the SG keeps up with the gameplay (more attention to detail).
In addition to all these plusses, the bonus game appears long (judging from the SG) and the other extras are ok---I like being able to return to the puzzles and mini-games.
Again, everything a CE SHOULD offer for the requested money so it's a buy for me!
Kudos to the devs and BFG for this one!

Love this one....bought it right after my trial was over! I feel the same as above, although I would really like to see 10 hours game play come back for CE's. However, it grabbed me and I am very hesitant to buy CE's anymore due to how short and how boring the storyline's have become. This one hold's my interest.

After 45 minutes playing I bought the game. It's wonderful and very interesting. I like the puzzles and the HOS.

Happy gaming!

Yes, this is how CE should be...

Made by Artifex Mundi (Enigmatis, Time Mysteries: Inheritance), a Polish company, with tallented workers. Kudos!

This is for sure a buy. Good graphics, intriguing plot, the hint button recharges almost immediately (relaxed mode), and is active even in the main play.

Thanks developers, thanks BF!!!

oh joy, think we are on a winner here.Almost finished the demo, and so far really enjoying it.Like the option of a different game on the hog scenes,which a little junk piley, but not the worst ive seen.
The graphics are brilliant, and the story ok so far.Mini games are not too hard, and directions clear ( unlike one i played recently ).
I am a sucker for a spooky run down mansion, must be the renovator in me,

This game is "Fantastic"! Voiceover's throughout the game, not just cut scenes. The acting and story are terrific. The graphics are wounderful. I can't say enough great things about this game. "Mudrock was right when he said, it was a fantastic game, and we would love it". I know I do! This is a must try for sure and a buy for me. There are alot of good CE's, but this one for me is just one of the best. Can't wait to see what happens next. Thanks BF, this is a good one for sure. Enjoy!

I rate this game: "FINE SWINE"
Great game with the best graphics and story. Bells and whistles, best, greatest, I love it.
‘ ‘
(o)

All I can say is...................WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is an amazing game, the best for me since Phantasmat! I agree with everyone else, this is how all CE's should be, for sure.....I would buy alot more of them if they were like this one ....one of the best things, the game fills my entire screen, the first one from BFG that does on my laptop, yippee!! Don't get me wrong, I love BFG, just that games just don't fill my screen, is all , until this game..............more like this one, please Keeps me wanting to play, this game.....Kudos to the Developer and BFG!!!

Ditto on the above posts and knowing the dev made me do the trial right away in spite of all my unplayed or unfinished CEs and Oct sale games and DDs abandoned for a peek. Enigmatis Maple Creek is the best CE I played all year complete through the bonus.

Everything I love packaged into one dynamite game, graphics done with talent. Even if the HOS look junky the items are big enough to see and some interactive are fun. Then you can get a silhouette of any item which doesn't count for a hint. I play Casual, not Expert, so not even a clicky penalty if I'm guessing.

Directional arrows are marked with name of next room or area making it easier for me to know my way around without a map. Haven't had to go too far to use an inventory item (so far). I'm not even into dark and eerie but this doesn't feel "dark", ghosty maybe and eerie, suspense as in Maple Creek. Time travel fun, and story driven too. I could not ask for more in a game, CE or SE, just wish I had more time to play them one at a time to the end.

Looks like those others I hoarded will have to wait. Oh and did I mention I'm tired of decrepid old mansions? But I got to explore this one now to see if I am a Countess, hope so cuz it's gonna take a fortune to fix up this place. Have a feeling I may go on to Vienna...and Merlyn?? Trial lets you look at SG but I didn't want to see where I;m going. Probably take me a week to get there anyway so always a long journey for me. I got to stop each turn and congratulate these pros who designed it. And thanks for Enigmatis and this.

Off to buy. See you whenever and happy to know others like it too

ETA YES! widescreen on 17" laptop, and why I even bought Enigmatis too after 5 or 10 minutes. Just beautiful!

While some people are fed up with run down mansions I am not one of them and I enjoyed playing the first chapter .


Things I saw/heard that I liked:

The graphics.

Aspect correction for those with widescreen monitors.

Two modes of play ... no click penalty at all in the Regular mode and an acceptable one in the Expert version

Even in Expert mode the hint button recharges quickly.

The full Strategy Guide being available for the demo.

The interactive aspects of the hidden object scenes.

A reasonable story.

Esther's voice.

Sonar ... showing the silhouette of the objects on the list.

The option of replaying the minigames.


Things I saw/heard that I didn't like:

The music ... sorry I had to mute it after a while.

The sparkles indicating the hidden object scenes ... I would have liked to have found those areas for myself frustrating as it might have been .


Thank you Artifex Mundi, I look forward to exploring more now that I have purchased your game .

Cherb

ETA ...

Don't let your frustration at not seeing the objects make you overclick your cursor on the 'hidden' items or you will end up in the same boat as me ... unable to finish the game without having to start all over again ... details in Tech thread.

So is this as great as the Phantasmat CE ?

I agree with all the favorable comments and reviews! This game is great. I played 30 minutes of the demo and enjoyed every single second of the 30 minutes. I'm off to buy this creative, well-thought-out, incredibly fun game.

Thank you BFG and developers/designers


Faylyn

lackoo wrote:So is this as great as the Phantasmat CE ?

Better I would say

- Beautiful graphics
- Interesting story
- Turned the music and voiceover off (the girl's voice got on my nerves !)
- Very interesting hint system, the hint refills as soon as you use it (casual mode), you can see the silhouette of the object with the sonar and you can play a M3 to obtain the desired objects. A great choice., first time I see such a wide range of options in a single game.
- You interact in H0
- Mini games are not too difficult.

Yes, this looks like a grand CE, off to buy. (And I'm never tired of decayed, spooky, old houses)

Beautiful graphics but too much handholding in the game. Without the hint system, which doesn't need any time to recharge,( a huge bonus) I would have been lost. The hint system is so good that one doesn't need a strategy guide.

Rebeca_Lily wrote:Made by Artifex Mundi (Enigmatis, Time Mysteries: Inheritance),

I really didn't like the first "Time Mysteries: Inheritance" game, but do own the CE for "Enigmatis" and love that game.

This game has everything I could possibly want: Voice-over, wonderful graphics, wonderfully designed iHOS (interactive hidden object scenes), interesting story/gameplay/puzzles.

The cursor does not change when I declick the "custom" cursor box. The cursor is just a fraction smaller than the one that is supposed to be the custom cursor. However, I like the cursor just the way it is. Not too large and intrusive, but informative when pointing at different objects.

As with "Enigmatis", this game also fills out all of my widescreen monitor. Something I don't get with every developer.

Thanks also to the developers for allowing us to view the whole SG (strategy guide) in the trial version.

This is definitely a buy for me.

Hey PZ,

Your review made me want to buy this game sight unseen!

Happy Gaming Love,
OldMan44

This is a very good game - graphic is really superb, also the hog-scenes, puzzles and gameplay. And it has no black bars on the left and right site! For me its a definete buy - as the CE

You better be on your toes for this one .

You have to love games with time travel. That way you know you are not going to play the same areas over and over. This one also has a type of match 3 you can play if you are stuck on a hidden object scene! Yay!! The hidden objects scenes are interactive. Unfortunately they also have a sparkle to let you know what you need to do.

Some of the graphics were a bit blurry for me but not enough to change me opinion of the game.

There were a couple things in the demo that made me jump and if a game can do that I know I will like it

The SG is fantastic. Very easy to understand and follow.

I would have bought this immediately had I not bought a CE last night because I was out of games. Will be getting it next though.

Thanks once again BF!!!

After reading the reviews -- and you all said it better than I could -- and playing for a mere 15 minutes, the game is mine, all mine. Thanks for all the informative reviews, and thanks BF for this great game.