The Race is On!

The Race is one of the most enjoyable hidden objects games that I have ever played for one simple reason: they give you something to race against. Sure, a lot of games are timed, so you could say that you're racing against the clock, but that just isn't the same. In The Race, you're competing against five other teams in an effort to find all of the objects before everyone else does. This solves the one major problem I have with products in this genre, which is difficulty. I enjoy hidden objects games, they just never provide enough of a challenge for me. That's why I love this one so much. Watching the meter at the bottom of the screen to see just how close the other teams are to passing you works wonders for motivation and makes for a tense challenge.

Now please, allow me to gush about how great The Race is.

But I Just Want To Relax!

I realize that not everyone is like myself. Some people may prefer to just relax and play, and this game caters to those types as well. Before you start your game, you can choose either challenge mode or world explorer mode, the latter of which allows you to play at your leisure without the pressure of opponents. It still provides tons of fun as you'll scour the globe for objects, visiting bright and beautiful real world locales.

However, I have to go back to how great challenge mode is. I know, just bear with me! Aside from challenge mode being fantastic, you'll also appreciate how it keeps track of your trophies and percentage completed. The contest is divided up into three circuits: Western, Central, and Eastern. As you play, the game will keep track of your progress in each circuit, as well as the World Finale. It will also keep track of your World Explorer progress, should you choose to play that mode. The fact that it keeps track of both means that you can't complete the game until you've completed both modes, which adds quite a bit of replay value.

Look At The Pretty Pictures

This is a fantastic looking product. The locations are all gorgeous. When you hunt for objects at a shop in Niagara Falls, you can see the waterfall gushing through the window. When you're searching through a horse stable in Toronto, Canada, there's a Canadian flag blowing in the wind. Some of the imagery is breathtaking. But the settings aren't the only thing that looks good. Both the characters and the menus are expertly drawn and have a fun cartoon-like feel to them. A lot of tender loving care went into this product and it shows.

And The Winner Is...

The Race is an amazing game, which I'm sure you've figured out by now. The puzzles are clever, the visuals are amazing, and the challenge is, well, challenging. This game will suit your needs no matter what, whether you're looking for a way to test your searching skills or simply a wondrous tour around the world. I'd give it three thumbs up if I had the thumbs.