The Mystery of the Crystal Portal

Category:  Game

Size:  17 MB

Developer: G5 Games

Requirements:  Android 2.1 and up

Price:  Free demo, afterwards about R35

If you’re into Hidden Object games, you’ll love The Mystery of the Crystal Portal. The story involves a missing archaeologist father (why are there always archaeologists in these games), who has made a discovery that could   ”change the course of humanity”.  You play from the perspective of the Journalist Nicole Rankwist, and you have to “discover the truth behind the Crystal Portal.” Sound familiar? Well if you want an original story, read a book.

The objective of this game is to find the Hidden Objects in about five different levels. The first scene is a tutorial scene showing the front door. You have to first identify the Key Object – like a box to put things in, and then you have to find the objects in the picture to fill the box. The second scene takes you into your father’s study, where there is loads of archeological junk lying around. There are 3 key objects to fill, you need to look behind objects & in other key objects to find what you’re looking for, and then when you’re done, you get whisked off to an amazing looking temple in Japan. You also get a diary screen which shows your progress, and you can toggle between scenes.

Once you have completed the Temple and the docks an ENORMOUS surprise awaits you! I will tell you what this surprise is….This game is NOT FREE. You have to pay about R35 to unlock the rest. This was a big shock for me, just as I was getting into the game. But then, after taking a deep breath, I don’t mind.  This is a high quality game, the developers have put a lot of effort into great artwork, and a very entertaining game. If they didn’t make any money out of it, they wouldn’t be able to develop any more games.

This game is ideal for a Tablet device. It looks great on my Samsung Tab. I think that playing on a smaller screen would be a frustrating experience. At 17MB it took a long time to download, and then when you start it, there is a further download, so make sure you use your PC connection or have lots or airtime.

I liked the sound. It is very atmospheric music, giving an immersive experience. I haven’t bought the full version yet, I’m waiting to treat myself for a day that I’m bored.