Right Into the Action

Mushroom Age is one of those games where instead of taking you to a main menu or anything of the sort, it instead throws you right into the action. While this can be a little jarring at times, it really helps to pull you into the experience. Besides, there's no time to waste, you have a mystery to solve!

You play as the fiance of Tom Scout, a researcher at a TimeLab and assistant to Professor Einbock. Einbock looks alarmlingly like Albert Einstein, though he insists that he's not. Your first meeting with the professor doesn't go so well, when your perfume reminds him of his late wife and he passes out. This is where the gameplay begins.

First Aid

Seeing as how you inadvertently caused the professor to pass out, it only seems right that you find a way to wake him up. You can immediately began searching the room, tossing things around to find a way. Ultimately, there's a hankerchief you'll find behind some books that you must douse with ammonium chloride. This will give him a jumpstart.

When you ask about your fiance, he claims that Tom went to a conference, though he doesn't remember where, suggesting maybe Tokyo or Amsterdam. There's definitely something fishy going on, and with the professor being coy, it's up to you to get to the bottom of the situation.

More Than Hidden Objects

On the surface, Mushroom Age plays like a hidden objects game. You use your mouse to hunt for items on a list. However, it goes much deeper than that. You're doing investigative work, not just taking part in a scavenger hunt. Most of the objects that you find have a purpose. You'll have to search for clues, like photos, and in one instance, a cell phone, that will unlock more of your journey.

There's also a lot more hands-on searching here. By that I mean that everything isn't simply laid out in front of you; you'll have to open doors, cupboards, and drawers in order to find everything. Maybe something is hidden behind an empty fuel can? Why don't you see if you can move it?

This system provides a lot more depth than usual hidden objects games, allowing you to become much more involved and engrossed. It felt like I was really there, sifting through all of the junk.

Time Travel?

Given that your fiance works at a TimeLab, and his boss is the spitting image of Albert Einstein, I'd take a guess and say that we're going to see a little time traveling. It's a very interesting subject and opens up a lot of possibilities. This isn't something I do often, but I'd definitely like to finish the game, just to see where the story goes.

A Must Have

Mushroom Age is a classic in the making. The story is engaging and the gameplay is addicting, ensuring that you aren't going to leave your computer any time soon. I definitely recommend picking this product up if you're looking for something memorable.