It's getting harder for hidden object games to stand out when compared to successful blockbusters like Mystery Case Files and the Dream Day series, but one game that definitely deserves some recognition is Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas. Through clever riddles, a compelling story and admirable attention to detail, Blue Tea Games and Big Fish Games have created a sweet, if slightly short, seek-and-find adventure.

Like its predecessor, Forgotten Riddles: The Mayan Princess, this game does a wonderful job of fusing hidden object gameplay with the intriguing tale of fictional 19th century composer Francis von Amadeus. The Moonlight Opera House, where Francis lived and worked, has been abandoned for some time, but locals say they can hear beautiful music from it and see a ghostly figure standing on the balcony. As an inspector, you're given access to Francis's journals in the hope that you can solve the mystery.

Two modes of difficulty are available; a normal timed mode called Archaeologist, and an Apprentice mode that gives you more time, extra hints, and a special alternate ending. Players then make their way through the game's 10 chapters, each of which involves investigating various rooms in the Opera House like the stage, front gate, composer's room, nursery and library.

At the bottom of the screen are a series of musical notes; clicking on one reveals a riddle that represents one of the objects you need to find in the scene. For example, "You'll be down on your luck after I cross your path; when I swipe my claws, rats will feel my wrath," means you need to look for a black cat. If you get stuck, you can switch to another room or use a hint that reveals extra info about the item's location. You don't have to find every clue in order to move on.

Being the second game in the Forgotten Riddles series, there are several similarities between The Moonlight Sonatas and The Mayan Princess. However, The Moonlight Sonatas does a few things significantly differently as well. There are no longer mini-games every few levels; instead, you'll get the opportunity to play an optional tile-matching game in order to earn more hints...

Ever since the release of Forgotten Riddles: The Mayan Princess, Forgotten Riddles series has shown an innovative approach with a new twist that is far different from the usual seek-and-find games. Hidden object fans enjoyed solving the mystery of the Mayan Princess which introduced riddles to solve a particular area. The latest addition to the series is Moonlight Sonatas. Developed by Blue Tea games, this addictive game has more puzzles, riddles and additional mini-games that promise end-less entertainment

Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas has a compelling story. The game begins in an old abandoned Moonlight Opera house, where the legendary composer Francis Von-Amadeus lived and worked. Mysterious sightings of ghostly apparitions and a skeletal figure standing on the balcony terrify the locals of Godesberg who believe that Amadeus has returned with a vengeance. As an investigator, gamers have to access the composer’s journal, filled with puzzles and riddles, to solve the mystery of the strange sightings in Moonlight Opera.

The objective of the game is to find all needed items by investigating various rooms such as the library, front gate, stage, and the mysterious composer’s room to unlock the secret of the life and times of Francis von Amadeus. Unlike other games of the Hidden Object Genre, this game has some straightforward as well as compelling riddles that need to be deciphered to solve the mystery. A series of musical notes can be found at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on any one note reveals a riddle representing an object that needs to be searched. Players also have the freedom to switch on to the next room in case there’s a deadlock...

I bet that with all the Hidden Object games we’ve played in the past, you guys have already gotten pretty tired of the same old find-the-list gameplay. And that’s why for today, we introduce a new twist to the Hidden Object genre with the Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas game coming from Blue Tea Games. But before we delve deeper, let’s take a good look first into the game’s story.

In Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas, you play the role of an investigator commissioned to solve the mystery behind the ghostly apparitions frequently happening on the second floor balcony of the old Moonlight Opera House. The city of Godesberg believes that this is the haunting spirit of Francis von Amadeus, a musical genius that once lived there, and therefore entrusted you with his journal to help you solve this mystery. But the problem is that Amadeus’ journal is filled only with puzzles and riddles, and before you get a move on this investigation, you have to solve each of these riddles pertaining to the many rooms of the Moonlight Opera House.

As a Hidden Object game, the objective of Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas is for you to find all the needed items in every room in order to unlock a chapter in the life of Francis von Amadeus. But unlike most games of this type that presents you with an item list, this game will give you riddles pointing to each item, and it’s therefore up to your own analytical thinking on determining what item a particular riddle is pertaining to. Many of these riddles are easy enough, but some are craftily designed too, giving this game a notch on the challenge side compared to usual Hidden Object games...

I'm a staunch supporter of unique games. Oh sure, they might not enjoy the commercial success of, say, another match-three game or time management sim, but a casual game reviewer can only take so many of these "me, too" clones bloating the industry. But every once in a while a game surfaces that, while not original in concept, succeeds very well in execution. Such is the case with Big Fish Games' Hidden Expedition: Amazon, a new hidden object download that proves you don't always have to reinvent the wheel - it just needs to roll along smoother than its predecessors.

You’re tasked with finding a missing professor in the latest Hidden Expedition game, and it will take you to the corners of the globe in order to succeed, including Esmeraldas, Casablanca, New York City, and of course, the Amazon rainforest, to name a few locations. The only clues you’ll have to work with are a tattered map that tells of the legendary Beetle Temple and 12 pieces of a journal belonging to the professor.

As with most hidden-object titles, the core gameplay in Hidden Expedition: Amazon involves hunting for objects in a busy scene; items are listed along the bottom of the screen – such as an apple, ornament, scissors, dog, comb and washboard – which you must find and click on to scratch it off the list. It would’ve been preferred if the items were relevant to the scene or story, as some games have done (not sure how an egg timer and a hotdog can help you catch a plane to Morocco) but at least the developer made the items difficult to find (such as a green feather duster in a tree which blends in very well) plus some items can be placed in your inventory to use at a later time.

As an example of the latter, you might get a key that can open a door, a knife that can be used to cut open a ripped chair to find something inside, a glass eye for a mystic who wants it or gopher food used in a gopher hole to bring the little critter to the surface). Some of these inventory items are to be used on another scene. Curiously, many of the same items are peppered throughout the entire game, such as boomerangs, pickles and sandwiches!

The third Hidden Expedition game of the hidden object game series takes on many new features to take the series to new heights. Hidden Expedition: Amazon promises fans a bigger adventure with more to do and it delivers.

In the latest expedition, the only thing you receive is an old beat up map with a reference to the legendary Beetle Temple to aid your search to find a missing professor. As you delve deep into the Amazonian jungles, you discover pieces of the professor’s journal to learn more.

The heart of the game comes in finding many hidden objects and crossing them off your list. Of course, these Amazon-themed scenes surround the hidden objects in hopes to make them harder to find while staying true to the theme.

Two new twists join this edition while you hunt for objects — some move into your inventory for later use. You also can click any item on your list of hidden objects to see a silhouette of the item. Does this make the game too easy? Or does it help a lot considering some objects blend in too well with the scene? Hints are still available where a circle appears around the object’s location. Seeing silhouettes doesn’t count as a hint.

But I say the game is what we make of it. If you want it to be hard, don’t look at the silhouettes period. Who says you have to use hints? We can control how easy or hard we make a game.

Seek out five beetles per scene to receive one shiny new hint added to your hint pack. If you find only four beetles when you finish the scene, no hint for you even if you find one in the next scene. The beetle count starts over with each new scene.

As you can guess from the name of the game, you are going to travel to different places in search of a professor who is missing. Of course one of the places will be Amazon rainforest.

The graphics are done very well. All of the screens look really gorgeous with some animated parts.

What you are doing most of the time is you are searching for the items that are given on the list. You will play different mini-games once in a while in between the seek-and-find levels...

Straight from Big Fish Games Studios comes the 3rd sequel to the Hidden Expedition series with the Hidden Expedition: Amazon game. This time around, your adventure takes you deep inside the Amazon Rainforest in search of a missing professor and the discovery of the legendary Beetle Temple.

Even when you just started the game, you’re already greeted with an awesome introduction cinematic that shows the game’s overall theme. The story starts after you got a pigeon-carried letter coming from a girl named Rachel asking for your help in finding the lost Professor Mandible. Mandible just went missing during his expedition towards the long lost Beetle Temple, and it is now your task to trace his footsteps and hopefully, get to discover the temple yourself.

Being a Hidden Object game, Hidden Expedition: Amazon entails you to look for clues and other items that will possibly lead you to your investigation, and just like most games of this type, every scenery is moderately cluttered with trash and other unnecessary items. One thing unique about this game though is when you click on an item; a silhouette of that item will then be given to you as some sort of a free hint. Of course, if that is not enough, you can always click the Hint Beetle to show you the exact location of your selected item of choice...

I knew before I donwloaded the demo that I would be buying Hidden Expedition: Amazon ™. The previous incarnations of the Hidden Expedition series are that good. Hidden Expedition: Amazon did not disappoint. I was up playing until two this morning and I’m a responsible working gal who doesn’t do that when I know clients will be waiting in the morning. Bah! Who needs work when there are great games to be played?

As anticipated, the artwork for Hidden Expedition: Amazon is stunning, having the quality of fine paintings. The placement of hidden objects is devious, with some worked into the scenery with such subtlety that you don’t realize you’re seeing them when you’re staring right at them. The player’s mission is find a professor who has gone missing while searching for the legendery Beetle Temple in the Amazonian rainforest. You’ll find bits of a map and other clues as you progress along your way. Some of the items you’ll find will go into your inventory for use in later searches - for instance, a key in inventory will be needed to unlock a drawer containing a hidden object.

The level of challenge is high, but Hidden Expedition: Amazon employs fair play principals. There’s no trickery. Hidden objects are well-defined, but finding some of them may have you pulling your hair out. Each time you find five beetles you’ll be rewarded with a hint. Try to collect them from each screen because you’re likely to need as many of them as you can stockpile...