Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden is only my second encounter with a so-called "Hidden Object Game". It's a prime example of the quality that Artifex Mundi delivers in this particular genre of games, which can best be defined as a point-and-click adventure light with as an extra ingredient the Hidden Object-screens. Artifex Mundi delivered a really interesting game with this one, which is like an overtly hommage to Bioshock. The setting shows a lot of parallels to that of the famous and revolutionary shooter: just as in Bioshock, I found myself exploring an underwater city where an utopian society had crumbled into tyranny and civil war. Even the art déceau-style of the city is very similar in Abyss to that of Bioshock. It may be a bit too obvious for some, but it's so well done and the screens are so well-drawn and full of details, that for me it felt more a parallel reality, an alternative, to the world of Bioshock than like any sort of plagiate.

In all possible departments, Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden truly shines. Artifex Mundi invests a lot in putting a convincing story into their Hidden Object-games, and they certainly managed to do so in this game. They also managed to integrate the several hidden object-screens and the mostly cleverly designed puzzles very convincingly into the story. The adventuring-part of the game plays very smoothly and intuitively, helped by the minimal inventory. As far as the musical score and sound-effects are concerned: they do their job in conveying the sometimes scary atmosphere in the game. It would be too much to call this a horror-game, but there are some very rare scaring moments.

Being a collector's edition, there are quite some neat additions included, such as an extra chapter to the story and some downloadable screens. All in all, this is a very recommendable game. Hidden Object Games-lovers will certainly know that they safely can expect a high level of excellence from this company, but I'd surely recommend it as well to those gamers who haven't yet played this genre before. They may not be difficult or competitve, but certainly entertaining and addictive!

Overall score: 7.5/10

After the atrocity that was Empress of the Deep, I wasn't particularly excited to take on another Bioshock "inspired" hidden object game (or HOG for short). Nevertheless I descended into Abyss and its city of Eden, cautious but hopeful that it wouldn't be the stodgy adventure I half expected it to be. Color me surprised then when I became completely swept up in the remarkably high production values, enjoyably casual puzzles, and varied mini-games peppered throughout (heck, there's even some squirrel love). Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden isn't only exceptional for its genre, but a polished and entertaining game in its own right. It's elements may be something less than inspired, but Artifex Mundi mixes them together into far more than the sum of its parts, and certainly one of the best HOGs I've yet to find.

The obvious influence of Bioshock on Abyss can be seen everywhere, from the narrative of a lone traveler entering an underwater city intended as a bastion of all of humanity's greatest minds and creations, to the neon art deco environments, and the persistent theme of a city that failed under its own ambition. Abyss doesn't pretend to be more than it is though, and actually uses its limited resources to rework the plot of the game it so heavily borrows from into something more manageable, forgoing the heavy questions of morality for a more simplistic ghost story that while nothing remarkable is enough to hold the game together. The iffy voice acting and horrendous facial animation is another matter, but thankfully you are subjugated to these often enough to make you turn the game off in horror.

I call Abyss a HOG, but often it falls far more along the lines of a basic point and click adventure game. You explore locations, picking up objects along the way to help you solve puzzles, with just the occasional mini-game popping up often enough to remind you that you are still playing a HOG (if only in some respects). Personally I enjoy this combination quite a bit more than straight up Highlights, and found the simplicity of the puzzles oddly satisfying. It doesn't require much thought and there's always a hint button if you should get stuck, but it also doesn't treat you like a complete imbecile, requiring just enough from the player to keep from feeling like an interactive slideshow.

If you have been turned off from HOGs in the past from their lackluster presentations, mind numbing stories, or over reliance on the sole act of finding hidden objects, I'd suggest you take a look at Abyss before writing the genre off entirely. Its visuals are top notch, the gameplay at just the right level of casual friendliness without becoming tediously easy, and the whole experience feels like its operating a far higher budget with a better development team than I've come to expect from this sort of game. Let's just say I'm impressed, Artifex Mundi; here's hoping this is a sign of the quality we can expect going forward from one of my favorite gaming guilty pleasures.

If you have played an artifex mundi game before, by this point you know what to expect; a beautiful blend of puzzle solving, object hunting and hidden object finding (or domino playing instead), all bundled in a gripping adventure, full of mysteries, that slowly unfolds before your very eyes. If not, grab your mouse and relax: the ride is thrilling and wonderful.
There is usually some curse or supernatural element involved in their games and Abyss (the hidden object game version of Bioshock) is no exception. As you travel in a ruined underground city that aspired to be a beacon of freedom and enlightenment, you face and have to overcome mysterious adversaries that look like demon-eyed Wraiths in order to free your beloved (and also save the few free people that were left, some tired bloke pushing his forties and about three kids).
It turns out that the cause for all this is Cthulhu, or rather a strange statue found deep inside a mining shaft at the bottom of the ocean, depicting a humanoid body with the head of an octopus. Sounds familiar? I hope so.
At this point I am sure that Artifex Mundi have a Cthulhu and Cthulhu-mythos obsession and I love them for it (Cthulhu statue in Abyss, fishmen in nightmares from the deep: siren's call and the Necronomicon in 9 clues:the secret of serpent creek).
The avatars in this installment have really stepped up their game, the faces are life-like which is mostly due to the vivacity of the eyes and that is a delight to watch - although I also enjoy their painterly ones in other games.
The shock value of corpses showing up everywhere is also thrilling and adds to the unsettling atmosphere of Abyss, making it just the right amount of creepy.

TL;DR: *Cthulhu possesses underwater city people and tries to expand his empire.
*Explosions!
*Giant octopi!
*Dinosaur skeletons!
*Corpses! Corpses everywhere!
*Save Cthulh---eeerrr the world!

Artifex Mundi probably make the best hidden object / point and click adventure games, no exception here. To say the setting is a rip-off of Bioshock is putting it lightly, and the storyline lacks any of the nuance of that game, but it's suitably atmospheric and the gameplay uses it well. As for the rest, it's a point and click adventure game interspersed with set-piece puzzles and hidden object challenges. The artwork is very good, the character animation is pretty dated, the puzzles are mostly fairly undemanding although there's the occasional headscratcher (usually due to missing a vital clue or scene somewhere, so you'll need to search the entire map at times), good music and - as usual with these games - truly dire voice acting. Still, there's something about these games that makes them a nice, relaxing diversion.

It's an ok point and click hidden object. Sort of a vaguely bioshock feel. Worth a few dollars max.

Fun story, pretty visuals. Made me think of Bioshock for a bit. That said, I liked this less than 9clues for 3 reasons:
1) lot's of backtracking
2) no fast travel like in 9clues
3) maybe a bit too many 'hidden object puzzles'

Totally not Rapture in a hidden object game, sounds bad but it isn't.

Gameplay was fun, nice mash-up of puzzlles along with the reason I got the game - hidden objects. I played throughit on casual in one sitting and plan on playing the higher diffculties soon.

Main downside (but not a deal-breaker) was the really bad voice acting and story in general. It's not really a drawback because you're not expecting a triple A story from a game like this but some moments just made me go "...what?"

If you happen to be a fan of hidden object games or point and click adventures then this is the game for you. A very creative game that does a very good job with it's limited budget.

Enjoyable Hidden Object game with a 'BioShock'esque story.

The minigames/puzzles vary in difficulty but most of them are pretty simple, the Hidden Objects parts are of average difficulty. There's a lot of backtracking in this game and sadly there is no fast-travel like in some other HO games. Overall it is a bit too easy to complete but still a fun game nonetheless.

Encountered no bugs or broken achievements.
A second run-through is required to get 100%.
One of which needs to be in expert mode.

7/10

What do you get when you combine Bioshocks underwater setting and artdeco style with HP Lovecraft and the casual adventure game genre? I would say Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden.

Is it good? Yes i think so! Its a competent adventure game with casual elements, but the Lovecraftian story tickles me the right way and is actually not bad at all.

This is my second hidden object game I played by this developer, the first being Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart, and this one is pretty comparable.

This means that, if you haven't played that many hidden object games, this is a great introduction to the genre.
The player is tasked with helping a diver explore an under water city in search of her husband who's gone missing in these waters. Things quickly become tricky as the city appears to be deserted save for a ghost (or group of ghosts) as well as a pretty creepy little girl.
On the actual game side of it you have point & click adventure game style playing, where you navigate a series of screens and gather objects to manipulate the environment (open doors, fix machinery, feed squirrels, etc.) which in some way helps you along.
Gathering some (but not all) of these objects requires a mini-game. This mini-game is either the standard hidden object gameplay or a simple but entertaining enough domino-stone based puzzle. The awesome part, as with Nightmares from the Deep, is that the choice which mini-game to play is completely left to the player and can be switched at any time.

The elephant in the room, something the other reviews undoubtedly also go into, is that this isn't the first game set in a weird, creepy under water city that has fallen into disarray where creepy girls walk around. The (excellent) game Bioshock had a very similar setting, and it's very unlikely that the developers of Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden didn't at least take some inspiration from Bioshock. I personally didn't mind, but it might irk you if you're a fan of Bioshock I guess.

All in all this is a solid hidden object game. Don't expect anything ground breaking, but if you are looking for a little casual adventure this is a solid choice.

I like point-and-click adventure games, especially when Artifex-Mundi makes them. Abyss is no exception to the great games they have made so far. The puzzles, story and artwork was great.

Abyss: The wraiths of Eden is a point & click game. The story is quite intriguing and the game features unique puzzles besides the usual "find these items" puzzle. The game takes a while to beat (2-3h if it's your first time and you're not using any walkthroughs) so it'll keep you busy for a while. I recommend this if you love casual point & click games.

Besides the main story, it also has a bonus story which will take you roughly 1h to beat. If you're any achievement hunter like me, the achievements aren't hard to get but it'll require you to beat the game a second time (which is quite boring).

A great game by Artifex Mundi as usual. I have already played some of their games and will continue to do so. Keep these adventures coming guys!

So... it's a bit hard for me to actually choose between recommending this game or not... but I will do my best to talk about it and explain my reasons.

This game, if you couldn't tell already, is a point and click game, and if you like that kind of game you might enjoy this somewhat.

There are a few different ways of interacting with things, perhaps this isn't the best way to explain it but you'll get what I mean in a minute, some of these make sense, other don't make any.

When you can examine something a magnifying glass icon will appear, this usually zooms in on the object or makes your character "say" something (which appears written on top of the screen). Hand icon you usually take or grab items (when "grabbing" you don't take them but can use them to interact with other items). These are the interactions that make sense, and little minigames where you solve puzzles to open a secret lock or something, that makes sense too.

What doesn't make sense is that throughout the game you will encounter a type of minigame that's just stupid in context, it's one of those "screens full of garbage" and that you have to find a certain amount of items. This doesn't make sense for a lot of reasons: Firstly, the purpose of finding all of those items is so that you get ONE of those items to use, for example, if you need a handle, you can find the handle in the minigame but you still have to find a whale, a box of crayons, a fedora, 3 lollypops, etc. JUST to get to keep the handle.

Also worse than that, some items aren't even there, you have to "make" them. An example of this is in a part where you need a "Dotted tie"... however the only tie there is 1 solid color... what do you have to do? Grab a crayon and click the tie, you will then draw dots on the tie and THEN you can get it. I know it's supposed to entertain the player a bit but it's just stupid! Specially most of those item combinations! Oh yeah, and many of the items you need aren't even items, they can be drawings or something like that... so yeah...

However, if you don't want to do that minigame and look for everything you can do a domino game instead, there will be a big grid with some 2x2 trees scattered about, when you get a domino piece to touch one of them it's the same as finding an item in the other minigame. You get 3 dominoes and you can flip them however you like. There is also a handle on the left that changes the 3 dominoes you have in case you can't use them or want something different.
Any combination of finding objects or playing the dominoes is fine, nothing changes really.

You cannot combine items in your inventory also, so don't worry about that.

My biggest issue with this game however is that it is very very linear, and if that wasn't enough, you even have a map that always tells you where you should go next, sure, if you have a good memory you don't even need that map, but it still looks a bit too much hand-holding (although you only open the map if and when you want it).

Another thing that makes the game much worse is the voice acting, SERIOUSLY! Specially the protagonist, she looks like she has no emotion, a monster can appear right in front of her face and she's all like "Oh, what is this?" like she doesn't even care.

On the aesthetic side, the game is actually quite well drawn and animated, there's a thing here or there but in general the looks of everything really fit well with each other and are gorgeous... HOWEVER! This is not the case for when someone talks to you!

Even though the characters look very well made (could be better in some cases but still), when they start talking it's just horrible and makes you want to look the other way, the ONLY thing that moves is the mouth, they don't even blink unless it's part of a cinematic speech, just the mouth moves and on top of that the mouth only has like 4 different poses, each stays there for almost a second and looks REALLY unnatural, it would look a lot better if they didn't move the mouth at all.


But all in all, it's a decent game if you're not looking for a hardcore point and click and just want to finish one, it doesn't take too long to finish and it's almost impossible to get stuff (even if you never use the "skip" or "hint" buttons).


So play this game if:
- You just want to casually play a point and click game;
- Want to look at some pretty sceneries;
- Do random stuff that make no sense whatsoever in context.

Do NOT play this game if:
- You want a good story with awesome voice acting;
- You want a challenging point and click where you have to figure out what to do by yourself;
- Want a deep and engaging story;
- Want to see realistic facial expressions.


So that about wraps my review, from 0 to 10 I think I enjoyed this game about 5... wasn't that good but wasn't that bad either, just enough to keep me going, but just because I wanted to try it out... took me about 2:30 hours to beat this game.


Oh, and the ending was the most stupid thing ever xD

Abyss: The wraiths of Eden Completed primary story line but still have a few achievements.

This is the second one of these that I have played now and like the first one I really enjoyed it. If you would like to see my other review, please follow this link: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197979162305/recommended/284870/

The overall meta of this game is similar to the last one. It's a casual point and click adventure with find the items in a big pile mini games. Compared to the last one I felt that this one was slightly harder which is good but I still managed to finish it in less than 4 hours. I would again recommend that you play it on Expert mode because it is a very easy game really.
This one I enjoyed quite a bit more than the last one. I have no idea if this one is chronologically older than the first but the production values seem to be much higher this time. The characters have some wonderful 3d modeling and very nice animations.

I wonder if the main character is supposed to be the same? She uses the same voice actress at the very least. I wonder if it is, I think that if it is she must be one of the most unlucky person in the world! Unlike having the ungodly detective powers of the first, there is a bit more MacGyvering this time around. This feels a little more realistic and I do appreciate it.
The game had a couple of jump scares that got me so well done with that :) The last one didn't manage at all.

If I had to complain I would say the music got really repetative really quickly and I ended up turning it off after an hour or so and listened to my own MP3s. Your milage may vary on that.

I don't want to say too much as a point and click game is all about the story and its hard to talk about it without spoiling anything however its a nice story line and your character is fun to play as. It's nice to see more games where you get to play as a female that isn't there purely for fan service.

I feel that this game deserves a very well earned 7/10!

It's short and sweet but its very high quality and if you like point and click games I think you should consider buying it!

Is this an overall better product than Serpent Creek? Maybe....I am not suffering as much from the dysphoria today so maybe that put me in an overall better mood. Frankley I am happy to have played and experienced them both however :)

This is a nice little studio, I think I would consider myself a fan and I will hopefully get a chance to play some of their other games soon!

Pretty good hidden object game. Just lacks fast travel. Good art, good puzzles. 4 h play time.

Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden offers everything one can want in a hidden object puzzle game: a good story, fluent game flow, interesting puzzles, nice graphic design. A definite grab if you like this genre.

There are hidden object games that try to ascend the limits of their genre to stand out. Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden chose to be good in the known game elements instead.

Although the story is just a mishmash of Bioshock and Cthulhu, it is an almost perfect mixture. It is engaging, features genuinely good twists, and has a realistic, interesting main character. The only real downside is the voice acting, it is spectacularly bad even by hidden object standards.

The puzzles themselves are spread out evenly and offer a steady progression. They require a fair amount of backtracking, but the map design doesn’t make you feel like you are walking around endlessly. The hidden object scenes are drawn well, although they have a few problems, especially if the required item is in the water.

I also have to mention the bonus chapter: not only it gives you great insight of the main story, but it even puts one of the side characters in the limelight, adding even more depth to the game.

The futuristic theme is not my thing. I like Hidden Objects that set in the past. Regardless, overall it's a good game. I did jump few times when suddenly a body shows up -not fun. The only complain I have about this and almost all the HO by the same company is the female voice actress. They keep using the same one, Kristin Price, I mean she's good but it becomes very repetitive when she does every single character’s voice in every game.