I usually play hidden object adventure games to relax and let myself go in dreamy, fantastical, bright and colored worlds, but every now and then a spectacular fright fest is more than welcome, and I got way more than I was expecting from an amazing Maze: Subject 360, coming from the makers of the Rite of Passage series. So let me turn on the light, look over the shoulder and start telling you about this great adventure!
The story resembles the movie series “Saw” a bit, but fortunately the game itself is not at all gory as the movies. Still, you will always feel the sense of urgency, the despair, your heart beating like crazy… and the horror!
You wake up in your Peaceful Hill Hotel room, hearing the crystalline voice of a child informing you that you’re given a test: can you survive? Without any other options, you embark on this creepy adventure in the maze-like hotel and town, directed by a demonic angel child through the creepiest hotel that ever existed. Prepare for the horror adventure of your lifetime – one that you will definitely love!
Maze: Subject 360 has a new feature that I haven’t seen in other hidden object adventures: choice making. For example, when you are in front of a door (which might be booby-trapped) you have the option to open it carefully or blast in: and one of the choices is the “wrong” one.
An interesting mechanic which definitely has to be used in our favorite games, but improved a bit. In Maze: Subject 360, if you make the wrong choice, you are simply informed that you are not correct and you can try again. No brutal deaths, no actual altering of the story.
But still, it’s a good beginning and I am sure that the mechanic will, in future games, actually influence the gameplay and make everything a lot more interesting.
But in the creepy maze-like hotel you’re trapped in by the demonic child (and all those creepy dolls), things are insanely interesting already. Atmospheric and psychological, the game focuses more on the scary story itself and the varied and amazing puzzles than on the hidden object scenes.
Actually, you’ll get just a couple handfuls of HoS to solve through, but they are varied and extremely well done.
It’s the puzzles that will keep you busy most of the time, with everything from balance puzzle to moving tiles, maze puzzles and multi-step ones. They are creative and well anchored into the creep fest that you’re part of and they do manage to add some extra emotion and intensity to the story.
Actually, you will always feel the pressure and the sense of urgency when playing the game, no matter if you’re just exploring the surroundings, completing a hidden object scene or trying to solve a puzzle…
The graphics are dark and gritty, but still wonderful and easy on the eye. The shadows and the creepiness won’t ruin your experience by making things difficult to spot and all is perfectly accompanied by a well executed voice over and creepy soundtrack.
The Collector’s Edition which is a must buy in my opinion, also offers a bonus mini-game that allows you to play the experience as a different subject, comes with a complete strategy guide, wallpapers, collectibles, achievements and more.
All in all, Maze: Subject 360 is amazing. Scary and deep, intense and creepy, this is the horror game that we’ve all been waiting for and clearly one that we’ll remember for a long time, a point of reference in the horror thriller hidden object adventure genre.
This is one of the reason why it’s the top recommended game on my list of HOPAs to play on Halloween. Make sure to check the said list to find even more great scary games if you’re up for a treat!
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