Like any other mechanic, hidden puzzle mechanics can get old and stale and will lose the appeal they once had. This is why developers continue to find and try new ways to innovate hidden puzzle mechanics:
-Through new narratives:
While it is possible for the mechanics to hold their own in a non-narrative game, a majority of hidden puzzle focused games rely on a rich and compelling storyline to compel the player to continue. For example, while the early Mystery Case Files games stand on their own, the later games were developed with more story in mind such as the Ravenhearst story arc. The hidden puzzles serve as an obstacle to the next part of the story and the players must complete them in order receive items that will allow them to continue. Other games such as the Dark Parables series use hidden puzzle mechanics outside of designated scenes to hide objects that award additional narratives when they are all found.
Several trailers for hidden puzzle games focus on selling the story:
Phantasmat
Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull
Dark Parables: Queen of Sands
-Through secondary puzzle mechanics:
Secondary puzzle mechanics allow hidden puzzle mechanics to still be the focus of hidden puzzle games, but help break up how often the hidden puzzles are used so they do not get stale. A majority of games simply use a different puzzle mechanic in certain situations, such as sequence or swapping puzzles. But the game, Phantasmat, adds a small twist on this by allowing the player the option to switch between completing a match-3 game and completing a hidden object scene. For every eye that makes it to the bottom of the match-3 game, an object the player needs to find from the scene is eliminated.
-Through twists on hidden puzzle mechanics themselves:
Similar to how Phantasmat gave another option to complete hidden puzzles aside from using hints, games continue to find more ways to make hidden puzzle mechanics unique from the standard scene with hints. This includes morphing objects, scenes within scenes, and helpers.
-Through mixing other genres:
A majority of hidden puzzle games are a mix of puzzle and point-and-click adventure already. Though some games in other genres use hidden puzzle mechanics in a smaller capacity. For example, in the beat-em-up action game, Dragon's Crown, several sparkles are hidden throughout the levels that the player can mouse over for extra loot. Runes are also hidden in the background and can be clicked on to perform spells.
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