Explore the World With a Real Expert Mountaineer
Growing up, you probably picked up a Where's Waldo book at some point. You would have scanned the intricately detailed scene in search of that elusive cartoon character with the whimsical striped toque. That age old pastime has now been taken into the 21st century with a whole series of dramatic improvements. Instead of cracking open a book, you now have access to a highly detailed scene on your computer. What's more, instead of vaguely cartoon-looking graphics, you get near photo-realism with these fantastic scenes. Better still, certain elements are slightly animated, giving you an experience that is almost like being there in real life.
With Hidden Expedition: Everest, you will not only be embarking on a journey through the majestic Himalayan Mountains, but you will also be traveling the entire globe, soaking in the unique visual elements to be enjoyed in each country. Perhaps best of all, your entire epic adventure will be guided by a real life mountaineer. The world famous Ed Viestur will lead you though this journey as you travel to such exotic locations as the Andes Mountains in South America. But the two of you will not be alone.
It's Not a Race Against the Clock
Other "hidden objects" style casual games oftentimes employ some sort of clock, challenging you to find the full list of items before time runs out. This offering is a little different. Instead of having a clock, you are competing against three other expedition teams who are after the same goal. You must beat them to the destination by finding the objects -- which range from umbrellas and robes to turtles and jigsaw pieces -- before they do. This is represented by a moving gauge near the bottom of the screen that goes from left to right as each of the teams makes progress.
It's because of subtle yet interesting changes like this that make Hidden Expedition: Everest just so special. You will be hard pressed to find a title quite so original.
Stop and Smell the Flowers?
When you arrive at each scene, whether it be in the middle of a humid rainforest or out at your base camp at the foot of a mountain, you will be given a list of about twelve items. These are all intricately hidden at the location, oftentimes blending in with the background. An elusive green snake, for example, may be coiled around a tree branch that is flanked all around by large green leaves. The "heart" that you seek may be little more than a subtle carving in a tree trunk. In this way, you have to be sure to look through all the details, inch by inch. Some of these objects may not even be the color you're expecting them to be.
But wait, there's more. In addition to your main list of items, there are also five precious gems hidden in each scene. If you can find them all, you are rewarded with one free "hint" that will aid you in finding the rest of the hidden objects. Also tucked away within each environment is an hourglass that adds precious seconds to your searching and scanning adventure. Lastly, there are "secret" items that are hidden, each of which provide a unique reward.
Overall, this title offers literally a whole world of searching, scanning, seeking and finding. The animations and "gems" create for a nice change of pace in a genre that has produced a lot of clones.
