Claire Darksage and the Accursed Objects Collector’s Edition
Developed by a studio that specializes mostly in Match-3 titles, Claire Darksage and the Accursed Objects: Collector’s Edition marks their first dive into the hidden object genre, and an impressive debut at that. At its core, it’s still a hidden object game with all the expected mechanics, but it stands out by blending elements from various other genres into an innovative experience.
The story is engaging, yet to some extent ordinary and predictable. As the last descendant of the Darksages, Claire is summoned to aid the Arcane Academy, which is attacked by cursed objects that drain the magical energy of its students. As an Elemental Harmonizer (someone capable of balancing the forces of light and darkness), Claire is immune to their effects. Thus, she sets out on a journey to uncover the source of the disturbance and restore harmony to the arcane realm.
The “cursed objects” premise cleverly explains why we must search for items within a hidden object scene. It’s a small but satisfying touch that not many other games offer. The light-versus-darkness theme also plays directly into the gameplay. Instead of traditional word lists, each scene features two categories of items. Light objects appear in the bottom-left corner, with their image shown only partially, while dark objects appear on the right as dark silhouettes.
As in most hidden object games, you’ll find collectibles, sub-areas within scenes, and objects that need to be combined. The game alternates between story segments, hidden object scenes, and minigames, but introduces a brand new layer with its turn-based battle mechanic. These battles use a variation of Match-3 gameplay, where matching two or more adjacent tiles fills an action bar. A light deck-building system lets you spend coins earned from scenes to acquire new cards, which can be used during battles to boost attacks, restore energy, or weaken enemies when this action bar is full. Other cards that you can purchase act as one-time upgrades for hidden object scenes, such as reducing hint recharge times or displaying how many collectibles remain.
The game includes a variety of Steam achievements, a few of which are missable. There is only one time-sensitive achievement, and it requires you to complete a hidden object scene in under a minute. This can be quite a challenge given the number of items that you need to find in a scene, with the list also being randomized. It took me a few attempts to learn the position of all objects so that I can click them fast enough, but it’s definitely achievable.
A particularly commendable feature is the inclusion of some thoughtful quality-of-life improvements rarely seen in other hidden object titles. For example, once you finish the game, you can freely revisit any scene or minigame to collect missed items or achievements without having to replay the entire story up to that point. It’s a small but very welcome convenience.
Overall, Claire Darksage and the Accursed Objects: Collector’s Edition is a breath of fresh air for hidden object fans. With its genre-blending mechanics and creative design, it offers something a tad different, while also staying true to the hidden object genre. The Steam version includes a bonus chapter that brings in a new set of hidden object scenes and minigames, together with a colosseum where you can experience 8 new battles. Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy a creative twist on a classic formula.