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Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun

SCORE: 84

Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun may be one of the most difficult reviews I have ever had to do. Why? The nature of vampires in this Nintendo DS game is ambiguous. I will warn ya'll right now that there will be spoilers in this review. I have tossed and turned trying to find a way to avoid it. I can't. In order to properly review this hand held game, I have to go over some of the spoilers. If you want the surprises to be intact please stop reading now. Quickly scroll to the bottom and check out the scores.

With that out of the way, Emily Davis goes to solve a dark mystery in Transylvania. She sees a strange lady with powers to tell her of the future. She saves a man from Dracula's castle, and even gets to kill a vampire. Then finds out that the man she saved might also be a vampire. That is not the final twist though. She wakes up in America with a well known vampire book. Was it real, or all a dream? An artifact she looks at may be the key. So the game might have been all about a vampire or just a dream thanks to what she read before falling asleep. The player is left to ponder that.

What you see in Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun is what this game is all about. There are hidden items on the various screens of this Nintendo DS game. Players must find the hidden items on these screens. This can be easy or difficult depending on how well you can adjust your visual acuity. There are limited hints for players that get stuck. When they are all used up, then it will charge to give one more. There are a few frightening images in Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun. The screens are well done, although a bit on the darker side.

The music in Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun is moody. It fits the theme of this DS game quite nicely. I would categorize the music as eerie at best. The odd thing is I actually found myself enjoying the music in Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun. Don't ask me why, because I can not put my finger on it. I guess I just appreciate the creative effort that went into creating it.

Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun has gems hidden throughout levels. Finding every single one, and solving all the puzzles in the time allotted can take some doing. Some of the same screens are re-used, but they have different items hidden, and different items to find. We were given a reviewable copy here at Family Friendly Gaming. If you enjoy these kinds of puzzle games then you will find your money well spent on this DS game.

I like how Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun breaks up the I Spy action with some little puzzle games here and there. Some are easier to solve than others. There are also dark levels in Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun where a flashlight is used to find the hidden items. Those levels are much more difficult. The production level of Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun is fantastic in terms of the story telling. I was guessing right up to the end.

I do not believe in vampires. I like how Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun left that to the gamer. Think it was all dream, and that is cool. That is the story aspect of Vampire Moon The Mystery of the Hidden Sun. The majority of the time I spent trying to find hidden things on pictures. This allowed me to exercise an attention to detail. Finding something that was out of place, or hidden amazingly well. I hope this franchise continues, with hopefully a more family friendly storyline.
- Paul

Graphics: 82%
Sound: 79%
Replay/Extras: 89%
Gameplay: 91%
Family Friendly Factor: 77%
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: City Interactive
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
{Mild Language, Tobacco Reference, Violent References}

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