Hidden Through Time 2 review – the perfect game for relaxing

Philipp Rüegg

3.10.2023

Translation: Eva Francis

Not every game needs a complex story or fancy gameplay. In Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic, your task is to find objects hidden in animated picture puzzles. It’s relaxing and satisfying in equal measure.

Remember Where’s Wally? I loved these illustrated puzzle books about the red-and-white-striped globetrotter. In fact, I still take these books off the shelf now and then – mostly to look for the hidden Walter character and other objects with my kids. And let me tell you, finding that hidden object is a thrill every single time. The PC game Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic ignites the same joy in me.

Lively illustrations

The principle of this PC game is very simple: find specific objects and complete the total of 32 levels. Each level’s divided into four scenarios. There are Greek mythical worlds with fantastical figures such as Medusa, a medieval fantasy world where adventurers fight against dragons and goblins or a world that feels like Arabian Nights where you accompany Sinbad on his journey across the Seven Seas. And you can even visit an 80s setting with werewolves, zombies and a high school. Switching between the scenarios is possible at any time and as you like.

As in the first part from 2020, Belgian studio Rogueside has created a series of lovingly designed levels. There are so many details to enjoy. And unlike the Where’s Wally books, the hidden object pictures are animated. While most people or animals move mainly in place, there is the occasional car crossing the screen or a pigeon waddling over the roof of a house. More movement would probably make it too difficult to find the hidden objects. Still, the bustling scenes feel lively and you can interact with almost everything. Clicking on a cave, for instance, removes the roof and lets you look inside. The same goes for the car boot in the high school parking lot or the treasure chest in the bedroom of an Arab princess.

Read first, search second

At the bottom of the screen, the items you need to find are displayed. Hover your mouse over one and a clue pops up that helps you find it. Here’s an example: I have to find a bone on a movie set. A dog’s snatched it off a zombie actor. So I’m looking for a one-handed actor first. Not far away, in the attic of a small house, a dog’s happily nibbling away on something. Found it!

In the first few levels, I didn’t notice the descriptions. It took me forever to find the cunning green parrot on a green tree. I almost gave up. With the clue that he enjoys children’s laughter, I’d have searched the area around the sandpit much sooner. All levels have two different weather conditions you can switch between – sunshine, rain, fog and snow are currently available. Each search object’s marked with a symbol so you know which weather to find it in. This adds some variety to the levels.

In each hidden illustration, there’s an additional object of which you only see the outline at first. It’s the same one in every scenario. If you find all of them, you unlock secret levels. And if you want even more, you can play community-created puzzles.

Create your own levels

As a new feature, there’s an architect mode that allows you to create your own hidden objects. It’s simple and intuitive – drag and drop houses, trees, people or objects onto the playing field and you’ll have created your own level for others to explore. At the time of this review, the public’s still excluded from this creative process. That’s why there isn’t much to marvel at – except for the two levels created by Rogueside Studios. But I’m sure this will change shortly after the game’s launched and there’ll be a wave of new puzzles.

Conclusion: fun for all ages

Searching for hidden objects never gets old. I love it and so do my kids. However, whether in hidden object books or in games, it’s only fun if you enjoy the illustrations. And I enjoy the detailed illustrations of Hidden Through Time 2 a lot. There’s something to discover at every corner – a Frog King playing chess, a werewolf looking for his car keys or a movie scene with a whip-wielding treasure hunter.

The hidden objects, along with the clues, provide just the right challenge. If you have to search too long, excitement turns into frustration. Hidden Through Time 2 strikes the perfect balance between searching and finding.

Paired with the atmospheric soundtrack, Hidden Through Time 2 is great for relaxing or as an entertaining pastime with kids. On top of this, community-created puzzles make sure you never run out of challenges.

Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic will be available for PC on 5 October. Console and mobile versions will follow. The game was provided to me by Rogueside.

Philipp Rüegg

Senior Editor

Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.ch

Being the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur. more

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