Mirrors of Albion HD Review

Game Insight has released a brand new object-finding adventure, based on the works of Lewis Carroll. Mirrors of Albion HD promises to deliver an extensive alternate reality narrative centered on the disappearance of Alice. Should players jump through the looking-glass? Or will this hidden object game leave you searching for something better?

If nothing else, Game Insight has delivered a very attractive game. It's no surprise that Mirrors of Albion HD is iPad-only, because beautiful hand-painted graphics beg to be seen on a bigger screen. If you've got a Retina-equipped iPad, you owe it to yourself to download the extra graphics pack in the game to see all of the pristine details. The graphics also serve to greatly enhance (and ramp up the difficulty), of the object finding portions of the game. But fortunately, Game Insight also managed to produce a lot of substance to complement all of the game's style.

Mirrors of Albion HD loads you up with quests that flesh out the story and introduce you to a very large cast of characters. Quest givers will have you search buildings for hidden objects, which upon completion will reward you with items vital to continuing the story of Alice's disappearance. Some objects, like punching gloves, will give you the ability to apprehend criminals walking around the gorgeous over-world map of London. These criminals sometimes drop items to needed to complete collections.

If you're having trouble finding objects, the game offers tools to help, though they come at the cost of gems, the game's premium currency. Some of these tools are Sparks and Tesla Coils that point out where the target items are in the scene. A useful tool for those with a lack of both patience and visual acuity is the Bomb, which automatically finds all of the objects on your list.

The game features a "Night" mode, which shrouds scenes in complete darkness. During these segments, you'll have a small circle of light with which to scope out the environment. You can buy premium lanterns that either increase the radius of your searchlight or completely illuminate a room for 30 seconds. For those worried about the constant ticking of the in-game timer can buy Bruce's Watch, a handy device that freezes time for 40 seconds.

The game is best played at a leisurely place, taking on quests in short bursts. But if you're hungry for more, keep in mind that the actions in this game are based on energy. Each location requires a different amount of energy to investigate, so constant sleuthing will mean your playtime will end quickly. You can buy premium items like English Breakfasts and English Cereal to replenish your energy and keep the story steaming along. Of course, just simply waiting for the energy to regenerate is also a viable option.

A location will sometimes be affected by conditions that modify your play experience, like spirits or weird supernatural storms. These effects can raise the amount of energy required to explore the location or make it difficult to view scenes. It can be annoying to play under these conditions, especially if you don't have any objects to remedy the situation, like Disco Balls to drive away spirits. But with that said, it is pretty cool to swirl your finger around some ghostly mist that's obstructing your view of a scene.

Mirrors of Albion HD has a seemingly endless list of objectives for you to complete. Even if you were to just investigate the many different locations, without touching the story, you'd be occupied for quite a while. The graphics are jaw-dropping on a Retina display. I've personally spent perhaps way too much time tracing ripples cross the surface of the River Thames. With the amount of content this game is offering, it's hard not to recommend it, especially with a whopping price of "Free". So go ahead and jump down the rabbit hole, dear reader, because you have nothing to lose.

App Store Link: Mirrors of Albion HD for iPad | By Game Insight | Price: Free | Version: 1.2 | 46.8 MB | Rating 4+