It is almost the start of another month so of course here we have another missing objects game. It is hard to believe that around a year ago we hadn’t really got any of these and now they turn up more often than a rash. The majority of them, it has to be said, that are just variations on a theme, with no thought or originality at all. However the developers of this title have tried by mixing both the hidden object genre with the adventure game genre whilst at the same time trying to get on the “Magic” euphoria created at the moment by the Harry Potter books and things of that nature. This is actually the second in the series and it has been promised as always to be bigger and better than what has gone before. The storyline features a young lady called Katrina who attends a college of magic. One day she is contacted by her brother who is investigating the mysterious disappearance of one of the professors of the college and she decides to help. Firstly however, she has to catch up with her brother’s progress and so the game begins. Instead of presenting you with a list of objects you have to find on the missing objects screen, the game presents you with a series of pics. Each object in these pics has been broken down into 5 or 6 pieces and you have to find the pieces to reconstruct the object. Once the object has been completed you can then use it somewhere on the screen. This will either help you to find a hidden piece of one of the other objects or might lead to the next screen if it is the final piece on that screen you have to find. In total the game features approx 1900 separate pieces for you to have to find. These are spread across 32 different levels so this is not a small game by any means. There are also 18 mini games mixed in the storyline including matching games, sliding tiles games etc plus a couple of completely new type involving fortune telling cards etc. Unlike other games in the genre there is no clock so you are not battling against time. There is also no penalty for clicking in the wrong place. Every so often if you are stuck you do get a chance of a hint. However this should only be used in extreme circumstances as you do not get one that often. Graphically as usual this is just a collection of hand drawn pictures. The artistry is fine without being anything exciting. There is a little bit of animation but this is usually just objects moving on the screen or bits of wall moving once you have revealed a secret. There is no character voices used as everything is told you in text, however there is a tune that plays throughout the game which is best described as annoying. Overall this is a good example of a genre that has been overplayed this year. The hidden object series really needs a rest before more titles are produced and hopefully some consideration of how it can be refreshed. Having said that if you are a fan of this type of game, then it is one of the better ones, although you will only play through it once, because if you start again, the objects are all in the same place. This game can be purchased here: http://www.focusmm.co.uk/shop/Magic-Encyclopedia-Moon-Light-pr-1608.html | 
Windows 
