Name: Fabulous Finds
Genre: Puzzle/Hidden Object/Brain Teaser (supposedly)
Recommended Ages: 120 & up (It's too boring for anyone younger)
Pros: Nice graphics, Good additions to a worn-out genre
Cons: Very, very, very repetitive; A good idea poorly executed
Overall Rating: 3/5
In a Word: Borrrrrrrrrring!
*Snore ... snore ...* Huh? Oh, excuse me! I was just playing Fabulous Finds, and I guess I fell asleep! Anyway, in Fabulous Finds, you've just inherited a house in California from your Aunt Bea, but you arrive to discover that your new abode is in desperate need of remodeling. Rummage through the house for themed goods and hold yard sales to raise money. This game combines three genres: Puzzle, Hidden Object, and Brain Teaser. Sounds good, right? Trust me, it's not.
Don't get me wrong: I like hidden object games, especially ones that have a gimmick or distinct component that makes them stand out from the others (I will review such games in the future). With unique features like room decoration, themes, and riddles, Fabulous Finds could have been a great game, but it's just a great big disappointment. It kind of feels like all those elements confused the game developers and they ended up half-assing the entire thing.
I guess I wouldn't mind as much if the game didn't look so great at the start. The graphics are really quite good, and I love the car ride sequence (the trees look awesome). All the graphics in Fabulous Finds exceed expectations... and then you play the game.
Game play itself is very easy, and that's one of the problems. You are given far too many hints and too much time to explore tiny, sparsely populated rooms. Things are pretty much handed to you on a platter. Hardly any thinking involved! Hover over any clickable object, and a word bubble appears, bearing the object's name. A nice feature for a more challenging game, but it just makes this one more boring. Once you collect all the required items for a level (and extra items needed to fix busted ones), you throw a yard sale, which is set up automatically for you. As customers arrive from the neighborhood [How did they hear about the sale?], you are given a series of slightly difficult riddles to help you figure out what each customer wants to buy. The only time limit in this section is the customers' patience meters, but they are very patient, so take your sweet time. Go to the kitchen and make a sandwich. Wash your car. Take the dog for a walk. Your customers will still be there when you get back.
After satisfying all of your customers and raising funds, it's time for some interior decorating! This'll be fun, right? Sure, if you like being told how to decorate your own friggin' house. In order to get enough stars to pass the level, you have to decorate the room according to specifications ("Curtains with a touch of red. Add a white chair..."). It looks pretty good, and you can go back after beating the game and redecorate the rooms however you want, but I want to decorate it however I want right now! Another downside: floor and wall choices are severely limited. Is it really that difficult to add two or three more designs? Is it?!
At least the music and sound effects are relaxing. That's not necessarily a good thing in this case, but seriously, the music and sound effects are nice.
One notable feature of Fabulous Finds is the mini game where you use a flashlight and sort out odds and ends in a neighbor's closet. It's done with a spotlight effect, so it's like you're actually in a dark closet, sorting things into boxes. There's also a short time limit, so you have to work quickly. This is one of the few aspects of this game that I actually enjoyed, and I think it only occurs four times in the game.
This game had some great features that were so poorly executed and easily beaten, that it just ended up being a snoozer. It may be worth a free hour-long trial, but I don't recommend buying this thing.
Hey, Insomniacs: Click Here To Play The Free Online Game Fabulous Finds!
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