Hidden City serves up eerie hidden-object puzzles

In Hidden City: Mystery of Shadows, you take on the role of an investigator trying to learn the secret of an enigmatic city and the disappearance of a friend. The heart of the game is its hidden-object puzzles, in which you try to find the relevant clues from cluttered scenes in a range of locations both exotic and mundane. There are also minigames that provide some variety, including battles with the monsters that inhabit the city.

Piecing together the clues

Hidden City: Mystery of Shadows is a pretty typical hidden-object mystery game, but it introduces some wrinkles that keep the experience fresh. Not only do periodic minigames of other types help liven things up, but the difficulty of the hidden-object puzzles increases, with restricted light sources meaning that you need to move around the scene to find the clues you need. Like a lot of mobile hidden-object games, this one has an energy system that limits the amount of time you can play. It’s clearly there to encourage in-app purchases, which is understandable but can be frustrating.

Enter the City of Shadows

With its varied puzzles, mysterious story and lush visuals, Hidden City: Mystery of Shadows is a solid choice for fans of the hidden-object puzzle genre, although be prepared to spend some money if you want to finish it in a hurry.