Princess Isabella: Return of the Curse Collector's Edition is a point-and-click hidden-object adventure game. You play a princess who's baby is kidnapped by an evil witch, and embark on a journey to not only get her child back, but also defeat the dark foes that run rampant throughout the kingdom. Because it is the collector's edition, it features some extra puzzles here and there, as well as a built-in strategy guide among other things.

Even though most of the scenery is static, the overall environment feels alive because of several subtle animations in the background. For example, a wind might blow through some curtains, or a bat might open its eyes. This adds some mysterious atmosphere to the game, and also keeps you on your toes because it is ultimately a haunted environment.

The game's tutorial is neatly incorporated in the storyline and also guides you throughout the game each time a new feature is presented. The guide is under the form of a fairy who teaches the princess how to dispose of evil, and gives hints on how to solve puzzles. The two difficulty settings are great for both casual and advanced players. The casual mode is generally for people who are interested more in relaxing and enjoying the story and the artwork, while the advanced setting is for those looking for a challenge.

The graphics are amazing for a hidden-object game, the attention to detail is outstanding and you can clearly see the amount of work that was put in to this game. It does however have some problems. For example, some hidden objects are just way too simple to locate because they don't really fit in the background. On the other hand, the sound effects are really good and there is a lot of voice-over dialogue from actors. I've always enjoyed that more than just simple plain text conversations.

Overall, it is a very well made game that can appeal to any hidden-object game fan.

DN Senior editor

Dennis Niels

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