Games

Introduction:

The legend of Shambala recent decades has had a powerful appeal in the West, since James Hilton Buddhist call this utopia Shangri-La in his book Lost Horizon in 1933. The story was made into a film several times, first by Frank Capra in 1937 in a wonderful film, and the second in 1973 by Charles Jarrott in a version far less fortunate. Animation Arts Now (Secret Files) takes up the Buddhist myth for his new job, Lost Horizon. Having proved the first phase seems to be made very long wait before trying the rest of the game.

Lost Horizon The title seems a tribute to Capra's film rather than the Hilton's book, since it only reflects the history of the existence of a hidden Shambhala worldwide and it has visual reference to the film. In fact, one of the greatest charms of the game is how well it reflects the influences of the best adventure movies of the decades of 30 and 40. Since the font has been used for the title of Lost Horizon to their characters or drawings of the videos, everything breathes an air film to another time.

Game Story:

1936: Nazi henchmen are traveling the world over, searching for occult weapons to help with plans for further conquests – and for a key artifact to unlock the mythical Shambala. When Fenton Paddock, a former British soldier and hapless smuggler, is asked to find a lost expedition in Tibet, he has no idea that his search is going to lead him through three continents, and eventually to a secret that could turn the whole world upside down...

Hong Kong, Chinese city annexed by the Commonwealth (the British colonial empire) in which we find our hero, Fenton Paddock. Our man is a good guy unlucky. After setbacks in the army that led to the court martial, he lives a quiet life as a pilot. Finally, a quiet, if you will. After an obscure affair with the linked with the local mafia, the latter looking everywhere and expects him to pay his dirty trick. To complete the picture, it is urgently summoned to the governor of the city.

There, he was given a mission of utmost importance. Richard, a longtime friend and governor's son, has disappeared in Tibet during a mission. He had to find a monastery in the Himalayas leading to a mythical place full of treasure. Before going there, he will have to get rid of his pursuers Chinese and find information about their destination, yet very few mapped at this time. Fortunately, he found an old acquaintance, the young Kim, niece of a renowned cartographer, sole holder of documents on Tibet.


Our hero is struggling then to Hong Kong first and then to Tibet where he will soon fall on the Nazi army, itself in search of valuable artifacts and responsible for the rout of the unity of Richard. Subsequently, Fenton will travel the world in search of his friend with a passage in Morocco for example. Point and click required, handling could not be simpler. The right click is used to examine the interactive objects while the left can use actions such as talking, collect, combine, etc.. It can hardly be more accessible.

Regarding inventory, simply move the cursor down the screen to display it. In addition, the right objects in your possession it is an icon showing all interactive objects on the screen as well as assistance distilling advice. I assure you, it is sometimes more useless than anything else and gives only very general objectives that had already fully understood.

Game Features:

• Unique handmade graphic style
• Exotic settings you've never seen before
• Movie-like story by novelist Claudia Kern
• Both realistic and funny dialogues
• Excellent technical appearance and minimal system requirements
• Fast-paced presentation of the exciting story in movie style
• Innovative puzzle design, always fair and logical

A classical gameplay with care:

Animation Arts titles used in classic gameplay, and Lost Horizon has decided to make the study such references to the past in his trademark style, respect and humor. A game that does not innovate at their bases should provide another attraction to the player, and in this case the asset can play it shows the tremendous personality Lost Horizon with a smart approach, charismatic characters and a pleasing aspect. Lost Horizon Secret Files recovers optional aid displays all objects that can interact with what you do not need to scan the entire screen with your mouse to find out what you can do. But then the study will surprise you by giving a twist on the concept of point'n'click, showing that you still need to observe carefully all you have on screen.

Not that the puzzles are very difficult, usually follow a logical quickly detectable by any genre fan, but they are entertaining. Sometimes they follow a model matrioska "in which to solve a puzzle you need an item that will only get if you solve another puzzle that only you can decipher if you get an object that ... luckily, for these cases to those where you've been a time without touching the title you have the option to remember what your next target for a history promising.

The scenarios have been done with great level of detail, but what stands out is the design of the characters, all appearing in this beginning of the game have a captivating personality and very well captured, from the femme fatale who acts in a slum Hong Kong mix of Anna May Wong and Mae West one-eyed assistant to the protagonist, through the drawing sly waiter or assistant governor. The protagonist himself, Fenton Paddock, air is apparently seen as Indiana Jones in a thousand times, but soon discovers he has a richer past, this is a man battered by the circumstances and background of a benefactor governed by strong values ethical. His cunning and bravado hides a big heart and a vulnerable man. References to the Indiana Jones series are numerous and are one more than the twinkle of the study to the adventure genre.


A return to the roots of the genre to keep it alive:

Lost Horizon redirects adventure game for the most basic virtues of the genre. Escape illogical and absurd puzzles that lead you to try combinations impossible, and must take into account what you can talk to each character in each moment and the talks are not just excuses are alive and can be the key to further progress if you choose the right choice at the right time. This return to the root tip the strength and quality necessary to continue talking about a genre that continues to provide outstanding qualifications and good moments but some were determined to give it by dying for years.

In no time you will feel frustrated if you read well the clues the game gives you on screen. Lost Horizon is the front and the complicity of the player seeks to involve him in their history. And it promises to be interesting and intense. At the beginning of the story we see Richard, a young Englishman, accompanied by a Buddhist priest and injured another youth who are persecuted by the Nazis. Reach a hidden room where the monk before dying tells you that you can access a secret location to protect. The action shifts to Hong Kong, where Paddock have problems with the Chinese mafia.

The character seems a mere adventurer, but when I called the British governor discovered that this is a former British officer who was expelled from the dishonor exercised by a murky issue. The governor asked to rescue Richard, who happens to be friends with Paddock from the academy, as well as son of the governor. But not an easy task given that the Nazis and the triad are keen to find him. Richard was looking at the idyllic Tibet Shambala, a place dominated by the goodness whose inhabitants have found peace of mind and enjoy extraordinary longevity. It appears that Paddock should solve that issue from his past while his friend recovers and discover paradise on earth, traveling the world.


Videos dominate the action and puzzles collect lessons learned from Secret Files:
The film tributes are mere visual reference or framing of the game. Actually, Lost Horizon is an interactive movie in which videos are most of the time but, at least in this first contact with the title, this is not a downturn or make it boring, because the puzzles are chained an incentive, like the ability to transfer objects between different characters and even play with a different character, as happened in Secret Files. As it could not be otherwise, the study has taken advantage of its own assets.

Lost Horizon has proven to be studiously classic gameplay also drinking more primitive sources of the adventure game with an impeccably point'n'clik and multiple nods to the player. There are still a few months to see if the game's development meets the expectations of this promising touchdown and whether the Shambalade Animation Arts is really a place worth staying a while.

Conclusion:

If the game runs in one hand, we also quickly discovered the solution to our immediate problem. While searching the area, carrying a maximum of items and tried to combine them (logically most of the time) soon opens the doors of the solution. The game is very accessible, even in its puzzles, which often offer you to choose between the level of difficulty or higher-friendly version of the puzzle. That should allow neophytes like to have fun without getting blocked for hours. The party graphic Lost Horizon was probably chosen to attract a wide audience. His cartoon setting, very smooth, seduces shock but also without us breaking the peepers.

The latest technology is not confined graphic adventure games, it is regrettable that modeling of quaint characters and animations still be improved. But these are the details for what promises to be a game friendly, the central character endearing and funny, a sort of Indiana Jones loser, who is funny and easy sentence seems destined to sink into the problems at each its not. Lost Horizon will be released next month, i.e August 2010, exclusively for PC.