Reviews

• gamedeal user

  Jan 1, 2022

  Game was far too long for the story it's telling. The writers seemed to incorporate every fairytale that had a princess and even some that don't into the story. It's a slightly older game in the Dark Parables series so graphics are not great, but it's to be expected. The HO puzzles are monotonous after awhile because they are the type where the items are broken into shards and you have to find the pieces. Gets old. Music is probably the best thing about this game because it fits the scene perfectly and has a fairytale sound to it. There is a map in this game, but it's very limited in scope. It doesn't tell you anything but where you are and none of the areas are labeled, so it's tough to tell where things are on the map. It also shows where an HO puzzle can be found, but again, it's tough to figure out anything on the map. Aside from a few circles and squiggly lines, its as indecipherable as the map in Goetia. Map also doesn't have fast travel which makes for a lot of backtracking in a game of this size and this many locations. The lack of proper map is made up for slightly by the detailed objectives given every time you pass a certain point. It helps a lot because there are lots of locations that are accessible whether you are done with them or not. Without fast travel, you will find yourself lost a few times for sure. What's really cool is that there are collectibles in this game that actually have a purpose. For every collectible found, it gives you a little quicker hint recharge. After hours of squinting at shards of HO puzzles, you will be grateful for that quick hint recharge.
• gamedeal user

  Aug 18, 2016

  hello bigfish games i got problem is hidden object area at frontof swan ptincess place to look crank handle pieces but one of pieces are missing i try hint or guide but is there when i look is not there.
• gamedeal user

  Aug 23, 2016

  Great game! But there is a problem with the HO area 'Elegant Crank'. There is one piece missing so i'm unable to go any further in the game, i also used the HINT button to try to find it, but it's not there. PLEASE fix this. Thanks
• gamedeal user

  Sep 13, 2016

  Elegant Crank - final piece missing? help ?
• gamedeal user

  Jan 15, 2017

  P.S. Beware of the Positive Reviews that are less than 3 hours. This is a long game. Look at the times of the other revews. I got this because I wanted to play the whole series in order and it seemed that the one game braker was fixed according to some reviews. Some of the later ones Dark Parables are very good. This one is difficult and at one point I really did think it was broken, but managed to finish it in the end. Pros: 1) beautiful art work 2) Nice story 3) Nice music 4) I actually like the story, and now that there is a Bonus game is a very nice lead into the next in the series, The Snow Queen. 5) A very very good Strategy Guide with important items in Bold Caps to make finding things easier. Cons: 1) NO fast travel map - there is a map and it will show where the HOSs are, which is nice, but that is it. 2) It is very very easy to miss picking up something you will need later. And then you HAVE to go the Strategy Guide. Some of the voice action is not up to the graphic standards of the game. Just sort of meh. Warning: The HOSs are really really hard to see. I play a lot of these types of games and this one can be really hard - but they are all very beautiful and well worth the effort. I just finished replaying the entire game a second time with the new update/bonus chapter and must say I really enjoyed it very much - even with the map issues mentioned above. A major part because of the beautiful graphics which are such a pleasure and the sympathetic story. I do like it when there is no Evil Master but only people being people. Am planning on buying the entire series, so my rating has been changed from a moderate thumbs down to a very definate thumbs up.
• gamedeal user

  Mar 2, 2017

  I bought Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince Collector's Edition during the Christmas Sale and I must say I really enjoyed this Game. Dark Parables is a nice HO / Point & Click Game Series with Multiple Games and this one is also one of them. First of all if you havent played the first Dark Parables Game, I strongly recommend going for that one first before playing this Game as they are meant to play in Order. Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince Collector's Edition comes with a main story which is about 4-5 hours long and a hardcore Adventure Mode that brings you a refreshed yet harder adventure. I personally havent played it but I saw a few screens from a friend of mine. [strike]Sadly there was no Bonus Story as in the first Parables Game, reading the other Reviews I am not sure whether this was a bug or supposed to be.[/strike] The Voice Acting was once again very nicely made and the Art Style was absolutely beautiful! Although you couldn't change the resolution, you were able to use the Steam Overlay and also got Trading Cards now. The Hidden Object Scenes were rather well hidden and the Puzzles were challenging. I personally did like them alot and was surprised how well you can hide something in this game. The Story was absolutely lovely and reminded me a little bit on my Childhood just in a more Grimm way. All in all this Game is fantastic, however due to the fact that is rather short I do recommend getting it on Sale rather then for its base price of 10€. Edit: This Game was for a long time bugged with no Collectors Edition included, however thanks to many people complaining about this issue the developers have resolved it. You are now able to play the Game completely with the Bonus Chapter. For everybody that has completed this Game before dont worry you wont have to complete it again, for more help just have a look at the forums. Here are my other Reviews for the Dark Parables Series: [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/524600/]Dark Parables: Curse of Briar Rose[/url] (Number 1) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/499110]Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen Collector's Edition[/url] (Number 3) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/499120]Dark Parables: The Red Riding Hood Sisters[/url] (Number 4) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/465890]Dark Parables: The Final Cinderella[/url] (Number 5) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/578320]Dark Parables: Jack and the Sky Kingdom Collector's Edition[/url] (Number 6) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/629110/]Dark Parables: Ballad of Rapunzel Collector's Edition[/url] (Number 7) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/453390]Dark Parables: The Little Mermaid and the Purple Tide Collector's Edition[/url] (Number 8) [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/BabyVampireBat/recommended/678440]Dark Parables: Queen of Sands Collector's Edition[/url] (Number 9)
• gamedeal user

  Nov 7, 2018

  The second game of Dark Parables series. The story based on The Frog Prince fairy tale but tweaked to make it darker. The same detective from the previous game Curse of Briar Rose has returned after getting a new case. The chancellor's daughter went missing along with her bodyguard in the Black Forest where the Frog Prince has been sighted. The game first release was on 2011 and recently added to steam, this is why the gameplay is quite dated and there is lots of backtrack since back then there was no fast traveling map. However, this doesn't make the game bad in any way. The graphics still as beautiful as I remember, they did a good job with the locations designs, even the items you pick up looks so pretty (Especially the keys) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1209834850 The hidden objects scenes are 'fragmented' objects where you have to pick the pieces to complete a single object. There are many of them, the game is hidden objects heavy which might not be fun for some people who enjoy the adventure more than locating the items. The puzzles were not bad, some of them are difficult though, but there is an in-game strategy guide to help you if you ever got stuck. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1558844299 Although there was a map, sadly you can't fast travel anywhere, you'll have to backtrack during the whole gameplay. The journal just shows you the objective and the map next to it to check which area has hidden objects scenes. It was quite useful. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1209834976 Pros: +Beautiful visuals and locations design. +Fragments objects scenes. +Beautiful music. +Good voice overs. +Varieties of puzzles (Some of them are difficult) +Collectibles. Cons -No fast traveling map. -No steam achievements. It took me around 3 hours to finish the game with the bonus chapter. Like the previous game, the bonus chapter was the bridge to connect the events with the upcoming game (Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen) I highly recommend this series to HOGs lovers who enjoys the good old games. [i][url=https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198071375554/recommended/524600/]Dark Parables: Curse of Briar Rose Review[/url][/i] [quote]𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑐𝘩𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑚𝑦 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 [url=http://store.steampowered.com/curator/32399565/]𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑎'𝑠 𝐶𝘩𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒[/url][/quote]
• gamedeal user

  May 27, 2019

  The second title in the [i]Dark Parables[/i] series, [i]The Exiled Prince[/i] took a bold new direction. Not only did it link back to the previous game but it sets itself up as a meeting point for all future worlds, connecting the fairytales within its own cohesive framework. [list][h1]Pros[/h1] [*]Lush environments with vivid colours [*]Evokes a fairytale theme that runs from the gorgeous to the macabre [*]Some morphing objects hidden in scenes that reduce hint times [h1]Cons[/h1] [*]Immense amounts of backtracking [*]Lack of puzzle variety makes for repetitive play[/list] [h1][i]...And they lived happily ever after[/i][/h1] Endings are expected to be joyous in fairytales, an eternal optimistic union of husband and wife having overcome the evil that bars them from their fulfilment. Modern versions of fairytales deconstruct these notions in various ways, and [i]The Exiled Prince[/i] does this in a rather blatant way. By cursing the Frog Prince with eternal life, he is constantly in pursuit of a new princess to wed. The cycle repeats itself over and over until burdened by the loss, he slowly declines his kingdom crumbling with him. Enter you the intrepid detective, sent to solve various fairytale cases, fresh from Scotland all the way to Germany's Black Forest, where the kingdom awaits. It's not an awe invoking story by any means, and in many way has a hidden macabre undertone. Not a surprise at a game aimed at adults, because the numerous wives and their mausoleums are sinister despite their gorgeous depictions. The Prince himself despite his strange obsession with the past, is a melancholic and sympathetic figure, which for once does drive home the horror of his situation, giving one a compelling reason to unravel the mystery and lift the curse. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1581704419 The actions you undertake however are more in a repetitive vein of solving ways to progress rather than elucidating the narrative, your way is constantly hindered and blocked and then the story magically appears at your feet. It's always one of the largest problems with HoGs that they never quite use the environment for storytelling as much as you'd think they would. For all that though, there's a lot to enjoy, with its incorporation fo so many fairytale themes. [h1]“The whole world is a series of miracles, but we're so used to them we call them ordinary things.” ~ Hans Christian Andersen[/h1] As a fragmented object game (FrOG) [i]The Exiled Prince[/i] will have you wandering all about the forest and castle to uncover various items. The locations are for the most part successive, with interlinked areas unlocked as the narrative progresses. They offer a truly fascinating world to explore, but sadly when you've visited them multiple times, over and over, this wonder slowly begins to wear off. The backtracking is excessive, and dampens the gameplay a great deal. Add to this the lack of fast travel (although a map is available to show you active areas) and it becomes tedious to play. Hidden Object scenes will also usually be used more than once, which is not too frustrating since you are finding different objects, but it does make one wonder, how the detective could have missed such valuable objects the first time around. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1581704315 The adventure game elements are fairly standard, with some basic puzzles that add much needed variation, however the overusage of collectable item quests was frustrating and felt like an attempt to artificially inflate the playtime. There's also the usual frustrations of having an item, using it only to disappear and... it could have been used later on another scene. This carelessness of the character always leads to some frustration as a player. The UI was definitely upgraded from the previous installment with objects in the menu depicted slightly larger, and the accompanying book and hints all available for easy access. In addition the small animations when activating tools or combining them were nice to see, and added an extra layer of realism to aid in the suspension of disbelief. [h1]“She said to the Daisy girl with her big brown eyes: 'I will not have it plain. No. Fancy. It must be fancy!' ~ Angela Carter[/h1] The graphics are exquisite to look at. The colours exceptionally vibrant and vivid. The items and the scenes themselves are ornate and heavily baroque with small animations that add a slight token of life to the scenes. The hidden object scenes are also intensely detailed, offering a challenge to discover the items, with low tonal values that adds another layer of difficulty as the colours disappear alongside each other, a counterpoint to the vividness of the scenes. At some points the opulence feels exaggerated and the gorgeous intricate jewellery to be costume pieces rather than of actual value, yet these are minor issues, and it's still well worth to play for the visual feast it offers up. [h1]Conclusion[/h1] The second installment of [i]The Dark Parables[/i] series is an immense improvement on the first title. With a far more comprehensive story. But in expanding the content, the issue of tedium arises, since length is artificially constructed through backtracking and the collection of multiple items. It does however capture its two toned environments well, with the macabre rotten undertones only barely hinted at, beneath its opulent exterior. [h1]Score~ 6/10 Baroque[/h1] [quote]If you enjoyed this review please follow my curator [b][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34987471/]Virtual Visions[/url][/b] for more recommendations[/quote] My review for the 1st Dark Parables game: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/524600/Dark_Parables_Curse_of_Briar_Rose_Collectors_Edition/]Curse of Briar Rose[/url]
• gamedeal user

  Sep 19, 2019

  [h1]Short version: 45%[/h1] The Exiled Prince is not a great fragmented objects game, but it is playable and better than its predecessor. I recommend it for those who miss the old-school FROG gameplay elements. [h1]Long version:[/h1] Just like the rest of the series, Dark Parables 2: The Exiled Prince puts a spin to a known fable. This time, we learn that the Frog Prince is a nearly immortal being who had several wives during his long life. However, his latest bride-to-be is not as eager as the others, so it is up to the fairy tale detective to sort things out. Although there isn't much plot beyond this, the series still builds its underlying lore. There are several callbacks to the first game, yet The Exiled Prince stands firmly on its own. The gameplay is riddled with drawbacks returning from the first Dark Parables. There are too few fragmented scenes, so they repeat several times. The fragments and adventure-lite objects can be challenging to spot. We do not have fast travel, so there is too much backtracking with slow progress. At least all of these complaints are not as severe this time around, plus the puzzles are still fantastic. So good that they earn this game a thumbs-up.
• gamedeal user

  Nov 5, 2019

  Beautiful art and underlying background story that seems interesting, but there were too many hidden-object scenes for me that overshadowed everything else. Often several in a row. And they were all of the fragmented-object type and most of them very hard to complete. I usually never do this in HOPA games, but at some point, I started liberally using the hint button in those scenes when I had one or two objects left to find. The music was quite nice but way too short and randomly looping so it got annoying fast. The mix of story, hidden-object scenes, exploration and mini-games was too unbalanced, strongly favoring the hidden-oject scenes. Hopefully, the next Dark Parables game (the third) is much better, but I have my doubts.