Hidden Folks

Does it really count as hand-drawn if most of the art is just a photoshopped collage of duplicated elements? Sure, I can draw one tree, but then if I copy and paste it 100 times to make a forest, that isn't really a hand-drawn forest. I mean, I guess it is... but also not. I dunno. Anyway, good game. Well done.

I got this game on another platform but seeing it here on GoG I wanted to leave a review because I really enjoyed it. I got this as part of a game pack a few years ago, so I wasn't expecting much. I thought it would be a simple little game to play while watching youtube videos, but once I actually started playing it caught my full attention. The art style is interesting and there are so many funny little things to find and click on. The little figures are all moving around and doing things so the world feels very alive. It very much reminds me of Finding Waldo where you get a glimpse of this little world.

Hidden objects games seem like a dime a dozen nowadays, especially with free-to-play ones popping up now and then. So what makes ‘Hidden Folks’ worth your while and the hard-earned money in your wallet? ‘Hidden Folks’ is all about the large levels, so forget about looking for the hidden folks and objects without the help of clues like in ‘Where’s Wally?’ (a.k.a. ‘Where’s Wally?’). To find the concealed people and items, you’ll NEED to read the written clues, and manipulate the highly interactive environments (e.g., stop traffic, get a production line moving). It’s in these ways that ‘Hidden Folks’ differentiates itself from its contemporaries. Hidden objects puzzles are also punctuated by the occasional puzzle in which you clear up a path for a folk travelling from point A to B. It’s a welcoming diversion from hunting tiny drawings on huge, visually busy maps. Yet, it took a while for ‘Hidden Folks’ to get really entertaining. Compared to other hidden objects games I’ve played recently, it was tedious for the first 2 chapters (i.e., forest and desert themes). I almost gave up on it until I reached the third chapter, and that’s when the game truly shines and differentiates from its peers by showcasing more of its location interactivity and more interesting themes. ‘Hidden Folks’ is a fun hidden objects game that can be casually finished in a few hours, and in several more if you are a completionist. Given its slow start, I think this game is worth checking out when it goes on sale. But because the thought and creativity that the developers put into the level design is so obvious, ‘Hidden Folks’ – compared to its free-to-play peers – is still worth shelling out money for.

Les personnages ont beau se ressembler, on finit par les distinguer grâce aux indices. Il y a des interactions avec certains éléments (interrupteurs, voitures…), ce qui apporte un peu de changement à la mécanique d'objets cachés. Beaucoup de décors à parcourir sont immenses… Ne manque qu'une gestion aléatoire des personnages/objets à trouver pour renouveler l'expérience du jeu.