Lost City of Z: Special Edition comments and reviews

Items too hard to see - radar was ok but seemed like the game was not fast paced - won't buy.

I just tried the demo, and I got stuck in the "place the Z stone" area. You are supposed to use the knife to cut through some vines, but it wasn't working. It kept giving me the "random click" message (yes, very annoying). Don't cha just hate it when you can't move on? Should have beta tested this one a little longer.

EcclesCakes wrote:Gosh, you folks are tough! I'm always on the lookout for games to play with my 9 year old grandson. We haven't tried this one yet, but I think, being an animal lover, he'll really enjoy this. The graphics are clear and the objects are appropriate to the settings. Ambient sounds are great, as are the soft background themes. I rather like the hint system, particularly since it shows a picture of an object and its positioning as a first step, and then a general area for a hint if you choose. Even the general area, which has been criticized, isn't a bad idea, since you still have to look a bit in the large circle indicated. My only hesitation on biting the bullet is length. If a walkthrough shows I'm less than 25% through in the first hour, than I'm in for the $6.99. So, based on the first hour, I'll give this 4 thumbs up..

Ecclescakes--- you found the graphics to be good??? Must be my old, tired eyes then because I found it difficult to find some items even after using the "hint" --which was of no use at all. Enjoy. I won't be buying it.

Well, I think this game has good scenes, except they're a little grainy when you're looking for something small and a little too dark. I find that "too many clicks" thing very frustrating because there have been 2 scenes so far that I'm pretty sure I've found the objects, but it won't respond. That radar thing tells me also I'm in the right place, but still no response, except too many clicks. The graininess doesn't help with this either. Also at the 3rd or 4th scene when I first got there there was a small section in the middle/bottom of the screen that had a "tic" and just kept twitching, and if memory serves me right, there were 2 small items there to be clicked and was difficult because of the twitching.

The story is rather simple, not too engaging, but the scenes are generally pretty and the wildlife are beautiful. It's not a very challenging game, but IS fun to kill time. Other than the error messaging and dark screen, it would be a relaxing, fun game to relax with. I also liked the info that goes with the pictures of the animals when they go into the album.

I would give it a 3 out of 5. I did already buy it, it wasn't until I got past the demo that it became frustrating. I do think it's a keeper and could be played again after a couple of months or so.

It's probably that the Drawn game is a tough act to follow. Sure hope the sequell comes out fairly soon, though I'm sure it's a lot of work to create. When I try to imagine what the "game makers" must have to do to make these up, I'm really impressed, and know I could NEVER do what they do. Anyway, "back to the salt mines". I just had to take a break because no matter what I do (hints/pictures and radar) I can't get to the flashlight, flag and parachutes yet without that message, but maybe after a break I'll find it or the game will "give it up". Talk to ya'll soon.

Have to agree with most of the posters. over all it was a good game but if you have less then good eyesight some of the objects can be difficult to find, even after using a hint. Also it seemed you had to click on the exact spot they want you to or the item would not respond a good example were finding the keys I had to click on some of them numerous times before it would let me pick it up and kept getting the annoying random click message. will not be buying this one.

I can't get past the first few searches, the curser will not pick up the scarlet macaws or what ever they are.

I have just begun playing "Lost City of Z"; so far I like it, but I am having a problem on clicking on the Macaws. I've used the hint button which shows me that I am clicking on the right thing i.e., the two birds, but I keep getting a message telling me that random clicking is not good, yet it won't accept the birds. Am I doing something wrong?

foundling wrote:I have just begun playing "Lost City of Z"; so far I like it, but I am having a problem on clicking on the Macaws. I've used the hint button which shows me that I am clicking on the right thing i.e., the two birds, but I keep getting a message telling me that random clicking is not good, yet it won't accept the birds. Am I doing something wrong?

You need to take a picture of them with your camera rather than just clicking on them.

MerscomLLC wrote:

forensicMD wrote: if any of the money does go to National Geographic, it is money well spent.

Half of the revenue to the game goes to National Geographic.

Unfortunately NG isn't going to see much $$ from this game, judging by the many,many negative reviews. Soooo many problems it makes one wonder if this game was beta tested. Also wonder if anyone who can do something about the problems reads any of the reviews.

It could have been a fun HOG if it worked properly, but how much trouble does one want to go through to pick up a key!

I got all the way to the jeep on the way out and can't get the sqweegie, belt or other items to pick up or show themselves in the radar and all I get is that stupid grab message. Had I known this I would not have bought this game. There is nothing more frustrating than spending money on a game you can't complete.

I was hoping - desperately - that this game would be beautiful, exciting and imaginative. It was none of those things. After playing for awhile I became so bored & I wondered why there was so little effort made to make this game more that one of those old fashioned HOG's. There's nothing new here. They could have taken a lesson from "Hidden Expeditions: Amazon. That HOG was really gorgeous, the diary was incredibly funny and and the puzzles took some real effort. If Lost City of Z had been just a little more imaginative and challenging I would have purchased it. Sorry, Nat Geo. This one's being deleted.

annbenn wrote:I can't get past the first few searches, the curser will not pick up the scarlet macaws or what ever they are.

annbennI can't get past the first few searches, the curser will not pick up the scarlet macaws or what ever they are

Did you figure out or read in other posts that you need to take a picture of the macaw's? It was "hi-lited" on the list of objects. Had me stuck too!

Well, I must say, I am feeling kind of, how do you say it, ALIEN??? I LOVE THIS GAME!! I just finished the demo and would love to know how many scenes are left, but, finding out half goes to NG, I SURELY WILL BUY IT!!! As for the "problems" people are having,
1. if it is an animal, USE THE CAMERA!! ie. macaws, spider, ant, frog.....
2. if the cursor doesn't work in the dark room because it is a flashlight, move it a bit off of the key so the light shines on it just a bit and it works.
3. the vines in the z stone scene can't be cut until you click on the sparkles, THEN pick up the knife and they will cut.
4. I have had zero problems with darkness or the finding of things so far once I did the things mentioned!!!
The only thing I didn't like was the frog & bird noises in the waterfall scene got a bit monotonous. I need to go finish it now, I'll update when I do!!
I don't know how to put the thumbs but it's a 5 thumbs up for me!!

I wish that they would put a ranking on these games according to age. I would find this game educational and intersting if I was maybe age 8; this is a fall asleep game for anybody older! The only thing this game had going for it was better than average graphics. Most hidden object games have really poor graphics making it hard to find the objects, but this game is pretty crisp. That is all the good I can see in it. Otherwise it was a very stupid and confusing storyline, as most hidden object gamess are.

I was hoping for better with a National Geographic game which is why I purchased it. I thought there would be a lot more discussion of the devestation to the rainforest. Also, many, many, many more "photos" and captions of all the animals and plants in the rainforest rather than 10 or so this game showed. They also did what every hidden object game does: (1) they constantly have you going back to the exact same screens about 5 times each - BORING! (2) they put in STUPID objects that have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE STORY!, and (3) they repeat the same objects OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! Why can't somebody design a really good hidden object game that has these 3 main design attributes - (1) good story line, (2) scenes that follow the story line and do not repeat EVER, and (3) new objects to find each time? No more wasting my money on hidden object games , even when they are couched into something like "National Geogrpahic" to make you think that you are getting something greater than the same old hidden object game! This game was a total waste of money!

I am most sincerely disappointed and it is sad that National Geographic would put their name ont his game!

As I promised, I am back when I finished. Well, not exactly, there is a definite glitch in the game as another poster already stated!!! It is in what is probably the last scene, there are 3-4 objects we can't get to because there is a "sparkly" spot on the windsheild of the jeep that does not work!! It is only faintly sparkling and would be missed except for the radar telling you the things were there!! I used the camera as a magnifier as I did through most of the game when stuck and you can just see the sparklies but it will not open like it did throughout the game!! Hopefully they will fix this and get back to us!!!
That said, up until then, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT!!!!! It is actually the first game I have ever left the sound on for!!!

Stuck on the McCaws..tried the click, tried the photo, got the "random clicking" message,
tried the hint.. nothing works. Won't buy this one..

I just finished the whole game. It took about 3 hours.

The complaint about the random click warning is valid - it comes up too often and does not do anything except make you click it to close. Since this is not timed, there is no time penalty. I did not feel punished, just annoyed.

The graphics are very good. Items are clear and sharp and well integrated into the scene. I have a wide screen high res monitor set at 1920 x 1080 pixels. I buy less than half of the HOG I try because of the poor graphics. Not a problem at all here.

I wish there were more animals to photograph. It is easy to tell which ones - they are on the menu in a different color. The resulting wallpapers are lovely images - as we would expect from National Geographic.

The story is rather far fetched, as it is with most HOG, but it is not terribly intrusive. The sound effects are very good and the music is not the typical drive-me-insane repeated bars.

I do not like the returns to the same scenes either - but most games have that. Some of the scenes require night vision goggles or a flashlight (nice and bright but the click point is not where you expect it be as noted above). I did not find ANY of the scenes to be overall too dark and that is another frequent complaint of mine. If you want it to be hard, make it hard not just dark.

The outline when you click on something on the list is a nice addition that seems to be on more and more games. I did not have any problem with the hints. I used one about every other scene - typical for me. Once I got the hint I had no problem finding the item. I like games where the items are the right size - nothing harder to find than a shoe as big as a house or a bridge smaller than an acorn.

And I will disagree with a poster above who ranted about items that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the game. While certainly not perfect, this game is much better than the majority put on offer. Ropes. Boots. GPS equipment. Food. Canteens. No Eiffel Tower. No ballerina. No dolphin. I hate those too but did not find them here to any degree.

I had no problem with ANY of the technical issues anyone has listed. I did struggle with cutting the vines at the helicopter - I think the clickable spots are poorly placed. But no developer of any software can test on every possible configuration. You may need to upgrade your graphics card.

Overall 3.5 out of 5. I'll play again, but it will not be one of my all time favs. I don't regret the purchase.

I must agree with everyone else. It reminds me of games that didn't sell so now it's free. It's a game game that I have played many times before and I'm sure I will see it again. I don't think I would buy this even if it was on sale.