Returning to a Cursed Castle

The plans were set and it seemed like the kingdom was ready to welcome its new king and queen to the throne. Prince Adam was to wed Princess Isabella and then they could ascend to the top of the castle and rule over the land. With the wedding day just ahead, times couldn't have seemed better for Princess Isabella. However, things very rarely go as planned.

Upon returning to her castle after a short trip, Princess Isabella finds that it is not only deserted, but it has also fallen under a curse. All of the inhabitants, including Prince Adam, have been stricken down by a demonic witch of unknown origin. It is with this dark and gloomy situation that we find ourselves in this latest game.

It is up to the lovely Princess Isabella, along with the help of a small winged fairy friend, to free the people imprisoned in the mirrors and to lift the veil of evil.

Navigating the Non-Linear Quest

In the vast majority of other hidden objects games, you will progress from one location to another in a rather linear fashion. You may see a large map that oversees a larger territory, selecting specific locations to seek out items from a pre-determined list. Such is not the case here.

Instead, what you get is a much more involving and robust adventure that lets you navigate through the various rooms in the castle at your own pace. You really do go in through the main hallway, trying to go through doors that you can see, and unlocking new areas as they become available. Every room that you enter will be cursed and it is up to you to find out how to remove the evil from the room.

It is only through the exploration of these rooms that you will learn how to solve the puzzles hidden within. To lift a curse from one room, for example, you may find a painting in a room that is filled with several evil objects. You must find, click, and store these evil objects into Pandora's Box where they can never escape again. In other rooms, objects found in other areas must be retrieved and put back in their rightful place.

In this way, while there are certainly some areas with a conventional list of hidden objects to find, there is a huge exploration and adventure element to this title that is unsurpassed in any other offering. The action is far from linear, requiring you to backtrack and solve several puzzles along the way.

Offering a Glimmer of Hope

Thankfully, you are not going through this journey through the evil curses alone and completely in the dark. As you approach each room, you will find that there may be certain areas that glimmer with what appears to be pixie dust. Click on these and you will be led in the right direction. The unnamed fairy is also there to guide you along the way.

With one of the most involving storylines in any casual game today, Princess Isabella is positively enthralling and filled with unique challenges. At the same time, since there is no explicit time limit or limit to the number of hints (you just have to wait for the meter to recharge), this game is approachable by novices and experts alike.