Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, whilst also taking the time to include some lengthy gameplay, to give you the reader, the chance to shape your own impressions and views whilst watching and reading. In this installment, we’re covering Emily Archer and the Curse of Tutankhamun by developer Ocean Media.
Emily Archer and the Curse of Tutankhamun: (The Explanation)
Emily Archer and the Curse of Tutankhamun is set in the 1920s and follows Lady (Emily) Archer on her travels through Egypt. One evening, Lady Archer is called by Lady Carnarvon to inform her that her husband Lord Carnarvon has died from mysterious circumstances. Lady Archer heads to Luxor to investigate the death of her dear friend and learn if the discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb has anything to do with it.
The player takes the role of Emily Archer’s assistant in this Point & Click hidden object game. As the story unfurls, you are greeted with screens upon screens that have objects dotted all over the place. Some pretty visible and others that blend all too well with their environments. Each screen comes with a list of ten different objects that you must find.
While a number of them are pretty self-descriptive, there are plenty that can be confusing in name as you look for what you think it is but it turns out to be something completely different. Knight is a prime example. You could spend ages looking for a suit of armor and it turns out the object you are looking for is the chess piece..
Using the right joystick, you can move a cursor around the screen and use the ZR button to interact with an object. If it is an object on your list, the icon will be highlighted in yellow. Finding a correct object will remove its name from the list. Alternatively, you can also use the touchscreen in handheld or tabletop mode.
At the start of the game, you are given five hints that you can use at any time. If you get stuck looking for an object, you can use a hint and it will higlight an object on the screen with a whirling glow. If you run out of hints, you will be forced to look for the remaining objects on your own. Fortunately, there is an Ankh to be found on each screen too that will grant you an extra hint. You can only have up to five hints though so there is no point interacting with other Ankhs if you already have five in your possession.
As well as the standard “find 10 objects” objective, there are a number of minigames like piecing together a note like a jigsaw puzzle or mixing a cocktail with the right combination of ingredients. It is a nice change of pace that exercises a more active part of your problem-solving skills than just staring at a screen and hope what you are looking for just jumps at you.
Emily Archer and the Curse of Tutankhamun is one of those games that is not overly engaging, not like action games or adventure games. It is more like a crossword puzzle or wordsearch, a coffee break pastime kind of game that you can lose yourself in for 10 minutes or so at a time. The story is like a small treat to reward you for completing a puzzle. The more puzzles you complete, the more of the story you will receive.
Emily Archer and the Curse of Tutankhamun: (The Gameplay)
Game Specifications:
Developer: Ocean Media
Publisher: Ocean Media
Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Adventure Puzzle
No. of Players: 1 player
Release Date: April 15, 2021 (EU & NA)
Price: $59.99
File Size: 320 MB
Nintendo.com Listing
