Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is a game that revolves around the search for hidden objects, similar to the popular Where is Waldo game. Developed by Rogueside, this new installment takes players on a historic journey filled with thrilling new features.
Originally released on Steam in October 2023, Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic will soon be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S starting from January 25th, 2024. In this review, we will be focusing on the Xbox version of the game.
Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic presents four different settings for us to explore: 1001 Nights, The Middle Ages, Greek Mythology, and The Magical 80s. Each setting has its own unique theme and provides us with eight levels that gradually increase in difficulty. To enhance the experience, each level begins with a brief scene that reveals more details about the story.
A thorough research
The game is a hidden object search game. At the bottom of the screen, there is a list of objects to find. In the beginning, there are only a few objects, but they increase as we advance. Additionally, the setting becomes more detailed and complex as we solve levels, with more elements and characters, making the challenge harder. Clicking on each object allows us to read its description. These descriptions often provide clues that assist us in narrowing down our search.
The maps in Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic stand out because of their dynamic environment. They are filled with interactive elements. For instance, when you interact with a bush, you’ll notice the leaves moving. Moreover, certain elements and characters in the scene are in motion, which adds life and dynamism to the entire scene.
There is so much to explore in the surroundings and to make the search more exciting, you can also explore different buildings. By selecting a building, you can actually see the inside area and many buildings even have multiple floors, which adds depth to our search.
A new and exciting feature in this chapter is the ability to view the scene from various perspectives. We can switch between day and night or different weather conditions, and seasons. As we switch modes, certain elements and characters move around.
But how does this impact our searches? When we check the list of items to find, each one has an icon indicating which scene it can be found in.
You can use the architect mode to make your own maps. It’s difficult to manage the building system only with controllers. So, it would be great if you could connect a mouse and keyboard to the Xbox because the game doesn’t fully support the mouse.
Summing up
Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is a good game in its genre. We loved the addition of time and weather changes, as well as the lively scenes with a delightful cartoonish style. One outstanding aspect is the descriptive list that provided helpful hints for discovering hidden objects on numerous occasions.
However, we were not entirely convinced by the soundtrack. It often felt repetitive, which became particularly noticeable when we were feeling tense while searching for an object that seemed impossible to find. Additionally, console gamers might find it beneficial if the size of the objects to be found was improved. Some items on the list are incredibly small, making it challenging to identify them even when you approach the screen closely. It would be preferable if these objects were larger or could be magnified.
Regarding the console controls, we were pleasantly impressed. Typically, one would assume that this type of game is better suited for PC due to the convenience of using a mouse to navigate and adjust the zoom. However, to our surprise, Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is perfectly enjoyable with a controller. We utilize one stick to move around the scene and another to control Clicky, the pointer. Additionally, the triggers allow us to adjust the zoom. The only exception is the architect mode, which proves challenging to manage using the controller.
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