Feels More Like An Expansion

Summary

• Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery offers new eras, interactive puzzles, and a map editor feature.
• It is a stand-alone game, not a DLC, with three eras and 33 levels to explore.
• The level editor has potential for creativity, but isn’t user-friendly; replayability comes from player-created maps.

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is the latest entry in the hidden object puzzle game series, Hidden Through Time, with all new eras and landscapes to explore, even venturing into alien worlds in space. Developed and published by Rogueside, the game offers relaxing puzzles with interactive maps, and no time limits. Players can take their time clicking to open buildings, digging holes in the sand, and deciphering clues while they look for the hidden items in each map.

Cozy puzzle games are a popular Switch genre, and the Hidden Through Time series is known for offering some of the best hidden object gameplay. It is available on nearly every platform, so people can play on whatever system is most convenient for them, including mobile devices. With a powerful map editor, players also have the ability to become architects of their own hidden object maps that they can share online for others to enjoy. Because of this feature, even once the main game is complete, there is a massive library of player-created maps to explore.

The map editor is unfortunately not available in the mobile version of
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery
.

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery Gameplay

Three Eras Of Hidden Object Puzzles

Like any hidden object game, Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery provides a list of items that players need to find in each level of the game. By selecting the example image at the bottom of the screen, a clue will be given to help guide people to where it could be. My favorite part of this series is how interactive the environments are. Clicking on a building or ship will open it up so you can see inside. Also, things like refrigerators, boxes, safes, and more can be opened up. Mounds of sand can be dug through, characters will react to being clicked on, and there is always a sound effect to accompany things.

My favorite part of this series is how interactive the environments are.

In the previous game, Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic, developers introduced a feature called “reality shift” where many of the maps can change from night to day or rain to sun. With the transitions, the characters on the map change positions and different items can be discovered. This makes each map feel a bit larger and can add to the little story of the game. Granted, the story is not deep lore, but more of just a short, enjoyable narrative for each map to give a little more color and humor to the world.

In Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery, there are three eras that each tell a little story and have several maps in each. Overall, the main campaign of the game has a total of 33 levels covering Victorian, Noir, and Sci-Fi biomes. These three eras can be enjoyed in any order as they do not tie together at all, so if someone has a preference for one theme, they can start there.

Why Are There Two Hidden Through Time 2’s Now?

Naming Of The Game Is Confusing

Prior to playing the game, my biggest point of confusion with Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery was whether it was a DLC for the already-released Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic. Confusingly, it is not. Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is a standalone game, separate from the other titles, which begs the question of why it is not Hidden Through Time 3. I reached out to developers to ask why they chose this name, but sadly have not heard back as of the time of writing this review.

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery
is a standalone game, separate from the other titles.

Myths & Magic had four eras for players to enjoy, with a total of 32 maps, which is roughly the same size as Discovery is with its 33 maps over 3 eras. The art style remains the same, and the level editor tools feel identical other than the distinction of using items from the Noir, Victorian, and Sci-Fi areas rather than the Greek, Arabian, Medieval, and 80s themes of Myths & Magic.

Architect Map Editor Is Not Simple To Use, But Holds A Lot Of Possibility

Creating And Sharing Maps Online

I love the idea of creating my own hidden object maps in Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery, and being able to have all the items they use with customization options to change colors and create my own worlds sounds wonderful. Unfortunately, I experienced the same difficulty in Discovery as I had seen in the prior Hidden Through Time games, which is that it is not very easy to use the tools provided. Perhaps using the level architect on a PC rather than PS5 would work better with being able to use a keyboard and mouse, or perhaps I just need to be patient and spend more time with it to understand it better.

Regardless of my personal issues with the level editor, which is identical in mechanics to Myths & Magic, these tools that are provided can allow for creative players in the community to create truly incredible maps. I love playing through player-creations in Myths & Magic and seeing how large and detailed these maps can become when the tools are in the hands of capable players, and I know that after Discovery releases, it will be the same for this game. Discovery gives over 1000 new objects and 500 new characters that can be customized and used to create with.

If You Liked The First Games, Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery Is More Of The Same

It Really Should Have Been DLC For Hidden Through Time 2

Other than using different themes than in Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic, this new game ultimately feels as though it should have been an expansion rather than a separate game. Particularly as this will make the library of levels that players create be split, with people likely shifting away from Myths & Magic to play Discovery instead. There is nothing new in gameplay mechanics with Discovery, and even the level editor has not been redesigned in any way.

Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is a very enjoyable game, however, and despite it being a quick game with the campaign only lasting around 3–4 hours, having the level architect and ability to play levels that others have made does add a lot to the replayability of the game. Obviously, replaying the same levels in a hidden object game would not be very fun as you would know where everything is, but the ever-expanding library of player creations can keep people coming back.

Final Thoughts And Review Score

2.5/5 -“Fairly Good” By Screen Rant’s Review Metric

Anyone who has played a Hidden Through Time game and enjoyed it will love Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery, as it truly is just more of the same. While it could have been sold as an expansion or DLC to Myths & Magic, it still has a lot of content for a decent price, coming in at around $10, especially when you take into consideration that these maps are hand-drawn. The relaxing experience of searching for hidden items in the whimsical maps with aliens and monsters provides a cozy experience. Having more of the same isn’t a bad thing, and not every game has to be fantastically updated or changed, although it still confuses me why Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery isn’t an expansion.

Screen Rant was provided with a PS5 digital download code for the purpose of this review.