Cinema Fans Take Notice
Detective Stories - Hollywood will appeal to film buffs more than anyone and I'm not just talking about the product's setting. The entire game is littered with show business references, from the main detective, Angela, who bears a striking resemblance to classic film actress Audrey Hepburn, to the bearded director Steven Star, a carbon copy of real-life film director Steven Spielberg. There are many other characters in the game who quite possibly contain references as well, but my knowledge of cinema isn't that expansive.
Our game begins in the office of Richard Oliver, the CEO of a movie studio simply titled Film Company. There have been problems as of late with things disappearing, namely ten million dollars, the only copy of the studio's latest motion picture, and one of their star actresses. The ten million amount makes me chuckle, as anyone who knows anything about show business knows that that isn't every much money for a movie studio!
Needless to say, the company is having its fair share of problems. Oliver has hired you, Angela, because of your "spotless reputation, excellent recommendations, and an amazing list of solved cases." That certainly is a lot of praise to live up to, but that shouldn't be a problem for you, now should it?
It All Makes Sense
One of the things I love most about Detective Stories - Hollywood is its ability to take a major hidden object cliche and make it fit into the game world. This is one of those products where every item that you're looking for is in pieces, scattered about the scene. You see this method used in a lot of hidden object games, but it doesn't always make sense. Here, however, they've made it work. All of the items that you're looking for are movie props, and movie props tend to be of cheap quality, so they break easily!
The Clock is Ticking
The difficulty you'll find here is intense enough to be satisfying, but not so hard that you'll get frustrated. You'll need to complete each level in about ten minutes. You have unlimited hints, but it takes a good while for the meter to recharge each time you use one. And make sure you don't click around randomly like a madman - every few random clicks will dock you 20 seconds. It doesn't sound like much, but get three of these penalties and a tenth of your time is gone!
A Mystery Fit For the Big Screen
Detective Stories - Hollywood is a magnificent game, simple as that. The writing is clever and funny, the visuals are appealing, and the gameplay is fun and solid. Those educated in the world of cinema will love all of the little in-jokes but for those who miss them, it won't hinder their enjoyment of the game one bit. If you feel that you're up to the challenge that this game puts forth, by all means, give it a whirl. Don't say I didn't warn you, though!
