Reviews

• gamedeal user

  Feb 15, 2022

  Continue your journey as Anna as she attempts to restore her kingdom and memories. The complaint with the first game is that it was too short and as any true sequel Empress 2 is twice as big and has twice as much to offer. Since this is a hidden object game and since you've mostly likely already played Empress Of The Deep 1 there's not much else to say, it's bigger and there's more of it, so give it a shot if you enjoyed the first game. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2389293857
• gamedeal user

  Oct 9, 2014

  I wrote a detailed review for the first Empress of the Deep and I don't feel up to writing another so I'll just quickly list the similarities and differences. - Number 2 is slightly longer than 1, much more so if you spend time in the bonus area and playing the new ZEM game. - Graphics are better. In fact, I've played this game more than once simply to view the beautiful scenery. - Puzzles aren't too difficult. - More and clearer hidden object areas than the first game. - Story is still very cryptic. - Still has "Area Cleared" stamped on places where you've completed everything. Such a great feature! In my opinion, Empress of the Deep 2 is the best of the trilogy. However, as much as I love this game, I still recommend trying to find it on sale because of its short length. Really though, I think this is one of my favorite hidden object games. It's almost as if the developers took some of the lovely places I've dreamed of and placed them in their game.
• gamedeal user

  Dec 26, 2014

  [h1]Short version: 73%[/h1] Empress of the Deep 2, the middle part of a trilogy, faithfully follows the footsteps of the first game with even more astonishing visuals, better gameplay, and a more rewarding puzzle system. [h1]Long version:[/h1] Empress of the Deep 2: Song of the Blue Whale changed little over the previous title: it still feels like a mixture of Myst-like adventure games with classic hidden object mechanics, plus a few easy puzzles added on top. This continuity is reflected in aesthetics that feature the same Jules Verne-like design (with greater detail); plot which takes the Empress to a sky temple where she learns more about what happened during the century she spent asleep; and gameplay that makes you explore four different temples and makes you do another lap after you are seemingly finished– although this time the goal is to free the spirits of the four seasons by rescuing a number of animal guardians. Maybe these recurring elements will make you feel Song of the Blue Whale is just the same game packaged under a different title, but in reality it’s a solid middle pillar in the trilogy, which itself is a good, recommended series for all hidden object fans.
• gamedeal user

  Jan 4, 2015

  First off let me say, skip the first game, you don't really need to play it to get what's going on in this one, save yourself the cash and the headache. Much, much better job in this game, lots of content even if it did only take me a few hours to get through it. I guess it feels substantial because of all the things you need to do. Graphics are great once again, mini games now come with a question mark so you can see what you are meant to do and the HO scenes are the right side of difficult. There are better HO games by this developer but this one is worth a look if you need to kill time.
• gamedeal user

  Oct 15, 2015

  Well done! After playing the first installment, I wasn't expecting much from this game but I'm glad that I decided to play it anyway. There is a decent amount of progress both in HOG scenes and puzzle design. Also Gogii Games managed to fit in some well processed plot explanations, accompanied by some bonus content. Following the explosion of the Arc of Humanity, Anna manages to escape in the nick of time. We awaken - this is becoming a thing now: passing out and waking up in completely unfamiliar territory - on a small island. The book that lets us communicate with Jacob is badly damaged, and our only clue is a doming piece of land far up in the sky: the Sky Temple is our next target. There, once again Anna's resolve and judgement will be tested by mystical forces. Will she be able to don the royal tiara and take the title of the Empress of the Deep? Let's see what has changed since the first game, shall we? Art design is just as beautiful and imaginative, this time heavily influenced by Far Eastern concept of aesthetic, alongside preserving the former Atlantean theme. I'm glad to inform you that resolutions are much better and the former grainy texture is no more. Voice acting is nothing spectacular - still a bit tedious and unimaginative - but there is a certain amount of improvement. This time, we face better HOGs thanks to resolution changing, but they are still considerably hard for the genre. Puzzles are ordinary, with still pretty art design. Now, [i]Empress of the Deep 2: Song of the Blue Whale[/i] being a collector's edition here, contains some bonus content which would present you a brief glimpse on Pandora's perspective, our evil twin sister. When you complete her story through some memory logs, you'll gain access to a pretty fun casual game. Scenario presentation is far better than the first game, and this time we face far better plot deceptions. There is an explanation for constant puzzles, the cause lying behind Pandora's evil, and even a second look on Jacob's personality and loyalty. The ending was somewhat foreseeable, yet made it obvious that Anna's story still didn't end. There are still questions to be answered and I'll salute the developer if all will be properly revealed in the last game. As it is, [i]Empress of the Deep 2: Song of the Blue Whale[/i] is a beautiful and imaginative HOG, with the only minus being that one should play the former game to establish a decent understanding of the storyline. If you managed to bear the first one, you'll most definitely enjoy this one! Please also check out Lady Storyteller's Curator page [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ladystoryteller#curation]here[/url] - follow for regular updates on reviews for other games!
• gamedeal user

  Nov 29, 2019

  [h1][i]“The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.”[/i] ― Plato, The Republic[/h1] [i]Song of the Blue Whale[/i] is the sequel to the original game and extands Anna's story past her escape from her underwater sarcophagus in the previous game. Whilst her evil sister is destroyed her machinations continue as her ghost, literally, haunts Anna as she attempts to ascend to her throne. All the caricatures and cliches from the previous game have returned, but the delivery is far more competent in this second title, and it expands the story and gameplay in new innovative ways (for the series but not the genre) making for a far more appealing experience as every sequel should strive to do. [h1]Pros[/h1] [list] [*}More expansive content with multiple paths to follow [*]Collectible items that add to the narrative [*]Unlockable minigame that adds longevity to the title [h1]Cons[/h1] [*]Some backtracking to already explored areas is demanded [*]Clicks do not always register effectively [*]Story is still overly melodramatic and cliche with significant plot holes [/list] [h1]Story[/h1] [i]Song of the Blue Whale[/i] is not a particularly memorable story, the vapidness of the characters and overly used plot points eventually blur leaving only vague impressions. Whilst playing however it is entertaining enough to offer some light reasons to advance forward in the various directions. In addition to Anna's improved deductive skills, the more expansive areas lead to a greater sense of mystery. The openness of the locations, all are rimmed by sky, give a greater sense of mystery than the oppressive atmosphere of the earlier game. The more mythical tone conveyed through the animals and art deco environments is far more appealing than the tired riff of various ancient civilizations in the previous game as well. Anna's story largely concerns her fitness to rule, and through collectable items explores her sisters unfitness, though there is no depth of philosophy here other than a slight interpretation of the divine right to rule and what makes a noble ruler as opposed to a tyrant, there is not much meat to the tale, especially since Anna's virtues (other than kindness to animals) are not truly explored, but rather focuses on her opposition to her sister. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1875878832 The areas and city itself is also better developed than the previous locations offering their own stories as well as the concept of deceit and betrayal that Anna is forced to confront in addition to her sisters villainy. The timing and pacing of all these developments is formulaic yet effective relying on tried and true storytelling beats. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] Like many games from the Hidden Object (HOG) genre the gameplay is primarily controlled via the mouse, with static scenes and specific points to interact with. The menu is easy to follow, and the gameplay is standard for the genre, with point and click puzzle gameplay dominating the main interactions and occasionally interspersed with familiar logic puzzles and of course hidden object scenes. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1875878498 The puzzles are standard for anyone familiar with the genre from making connected pathways to matching coloured edges, the puzzles are not mentally taxing and aid the leisurely and 'casual' nature of the game. The objects themselves are fairly easy to find for the most part with only a few more cunningly hidden pieces, usually due to camouflage and changes in size. The overall movement of quests and opening of areas is fairly easy as well, with areas later becoming more interconnected. For full completion of the game some backtracking at later stages is required, which is fairly annoying as there is no fast travel allowed. However if attempting to gain all the collectables the areas do welcomingly remain open and accessible at any stage rather than being closed or shut off. In addition the area/map structure allows for multiple pathways from a central hub which at least mitigates the backtracking slightly. In addition a minigame can be unlocked that may be repeatedly played again, that challenges ones thinking. It is perhaps the most mathematical and logical puzzle of the game, and is a pleasant addition as it adds some much needed longevity to the game. [h1]Graphics[/h1] [i]Song of the Whale[/i] is a vast improvement over its predecessor. Whilst the animated cut scenes are still blurry and of low resolution the actual scenes scale well to modern monitors and resolutions. The images are pleasant and typical for the genre, with a slightly more realistic edge than more recent titles boast, that lends the game a particular unique charm. The animal critters you free on your adventure are a little lower in resolution compared to the backgrounds they are set against, which is slightly jarring, yet they are still cute enough to hold up the ecological theme. A rather interesting theme considering the actual setting of the game which is an aritifical sky city, but it is well decorated with forests and garlanded with ivy to convey a naturalistic impression. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1875878699 [h1]Sound[/h1] Sound is perhaps the weakest area, with the audio quality being fairly low, in addition the voice acting is forced, especially Anna's voice acting. However Pandora's "evil voice" found in the casette tapes is campy enough to make her mildly entertaining in her role as a cliched villain. The soundtrack is nothing spectacular, however some of the sound effects are quite appropriate to their contexts. [h1]Conclusion[/h1] [i]Empress of the Deep 2: Song of the Blue Whale[/i] is a satisfying Hidden Object experience. It's expansion over its predecessor and adoption of a more traditional playthrough makes this vastly superior to its predecessor. Wihlst it is an improvement it still suffers from the same pitfalls of the genres conventions since it does not attempt to innovate but rather simply apply an laready succesful formula. The story is sadly fairly forgettable, but will offer some light entertainment value for the duration of the game. It's well worth a pick up for fans of the genre but perhaps not a good entry point for newcomers to the genre. [h1]Score: ~5/10~[/h1] [quote]If you enjoyed this review please follow my curator [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34987471/][b]Virtual Visions[/b][/url] for more recommendations.[/quote]