Ohhhhhhhh . . . they built this vid-e-o game, to sail my Nintendo true . . .
From the game's main menu you have five options to choose from, only four of which are available at the very start. The first of these options is called "Play". This is what you choose when you are ready to play the game, either for the very first time or once you've got a game saved and in progress, it's all the same. Hidden Mysteries Titanic consists of 16 separate levels, spanning the time when the Ashley's first board the great ship on April 10, 1912, to when it eventually sinks to the bottom of the North Atlantic in the wee morning hours of April 15, 1912. Linking each level together are cutscenes featuring various views of the ship in action.
What makes this game so different is that there is no movement in it, per se. In each level you are usually given 4-5 rooms/areas of the ship you can explore. When you go to each area there is simply a graphical representation of what said area would have looked like on Titanic. These screens are interactive though, as you can hold conversations with some of the passengers and crew members included in the representations, and you can also search and find items to use in the puzzles you have to solve in order to complete each level. No two problems/puzzles/situations seem to be the same, just use your head and think and you should be able to solve them all on your way to getting off the ship.
The second option from the main menu is "Users". If you want to start a new game or switch to a different saved game profile, this is where you go to do so. Here you can also delete or copy saved game profiles.
Third comes the "Options" option, where you can alter some of the game's functionality. Here you will find sliders you can use to adjust the music volume, sound volume, and brightness.
The fourth option is "Credits", where you can see a list of the people who created this game for us.
At last, the fifth and final option on the main menu, which only appears once you've completed the game . . . is called "Bonus". This option encompasses a bonus level that actually features the wreck of the Titanic 97 years after the events of the game take place. The level is hosted by captain E.J. Smith, and along the way he talks, in hindsight, about all the things that could have been fixed to stop the wreck of the Titanic from happening. Things such as missed iceberg warning messages, too much speed, even faulty steel in the hull of the ship. As you complete the puzzles in this seventeenth level, the ship fixes itself and transforms from a wreck back in to the real thing.
While playing the game there is a ton of stuff to watch out for, only none of it is consistently the same. Like I said earlier, every puzzle/situation in this game differs from the next, requiring a certain way of solving using the various objects that you find amongst your environments. Objects you find may be food items such as limes or potatoes, sports items like a fishing pole or golf club, items specific to Titanic like keys or pieces of the Marconi machine, and then other more miscellaneous items like pieces of coal, prescription drugs, an axe, a knife, etc. There are a lot of items up for grabs in this game, and they are hinted at by a very faint shower of golden sparkles that will hover around any of the items or objectives in question. People are also important to watch out for, as conversing with them can sometimes give you clues as to what direction you should take next.
As for the game screen, by default it is void of any info, but when you press the B button a black bar will appear across the top of the screen. Within this black bar are some icons. In the top left corner is a red flag. Choosing this brings up the pause menu, which consists of four options, including Resume, Options (same as from the main menu), Help (a number of pages of information glossing over the main aspects of the game are displayed), and Main Menu (return to the game's title screen). To the right of the red flag is an icon representing a set of blueprints. When you select it you are taken to the level's map screen. On this screen is displayed the various rooms/areas that are available for you to explore in that level. By clicking on one of them you will then move to the area in question. Across the middle of this black bar is your inventory. Any time you obtain an item it will then appear in this area. When you are ready to use said item in the game, you simply go to your inventory and choose it from this screen. In the top right hand corner are two icons, the first of which is a magnifying glass. If you are stuck at any point during the game and don't know what to do next, you can select it and get a hint. Note that the hints are specific to the room you are in, so just because the game can't give you a hint in the area you are in at the time, doesn't mean it can't give you one in another area of the ship. Finally, the other icon is in the shape of a Titanic life ring. If you are completely stuck on solving a puzzle and believe it's hopeless, select this option to skip said puzzle. Quitter.
The game controls are pretty basic for this title. To interact with the screen amongst whatever room or area you might happen to be in, simply point the Wii remote at the screen and then press the A button on any item you may wish to try and pick up or use, or on any person you desire to talk to. Every once in a while a person might ask you to make a choice about something, a course of action usually. These choices will then be displayed on the screen. To choose either of the available options press the 1 or 2 button, whichever choice you prefer. The other thing you'll have to do is perform various actions with the Wii remote, specific to whatever activity you find yourself engrossed in at the time. For example, to use the axe you hold it in the air and bring it down in front of you like you are actually using one, or for the knife you hold it out in front of you and bring it back and forth quickly in a cutting motion. Also, to unravel the fire hose or use the fishing pole, you'll bring it up and down in a circular motion. There are lots of different things you have to do with the Wii remote, the nice part is that each activity you are required to do comes with a set of on screen instructions beforehand, so you are never left in the dark.
The presentation backing up Hidden Mysteries Titanic is splendid, just splendid!! I find the graphical representations of the Titanic and it's citizens very rich, colourful, detailed, and faithful to both the time period they are supposed to depict, as well as to the great ship itself. The sound is also very well done as the character voice overs are spot on, with some humour thrown in here and there too. Music is usually playing in the background while you explore the ship, which is also indicative of the time frame it's supposed to capture, and it always seems to suit the mood on board just right. Sound effects are spot on as well, the various noises the ship and it's equipment makes, as well as environmental noises like the wind and such. As for the controls, gameplay is great as they are very basic, simple to both grasp and execute.
In terms of good and bad, this game mostly offers up pros. I'm a huge Titanic buff, so the nostalgia, excitement and intrigue this game offers up is obviously way more of a factor for me than it might be for most people. I also love how long it is, seventeen mysterious and fun filled missions once you factor in the bonus mission, that's a good chunk of game. The unique type of game it is, is also something I found to be very cool. The relaxed, exploratory nature is something I've never tried before, and I was happily pleased. Finally, the execution behind the game, in terms of looks, sound, gameplay, fun factor, etc., was excellent. The only con I could think of was that, although the nature of this game is very different and unique, I could only play a couple levels at a time before I had to move on to a different game that had a little more action in it. I could only take so much skulking and sneaking around, eventually I had to get moving and blow something up!!
As for tips and tricks I might be able to offer up, there aren't really any that I can think of. The game is pretty straightforward, everything has to happen within the 4 or 5 areas presented to you for each level. It's just a matter of finding all of the items you need, solving the puzzles, and doing it all in the right sequence. If you get stuck there are contingencies in place like the get a hint and skip puzzle options, but if you just keep at it and use your head the solutions will eventually become clear to you.
Overall I am very happily pleased with Hidden Mysteries Titanic. It's a type of game I've never tried before, but with how unique it is, combined with my love of the Titanic and it's spot in history, I found myself smiling away the entire time I played it! It may not be everybody's cup of tea, but if you're in for a more relaxed, investigative gaming experience aboard the greatest ship in history, I would recommend you pick it up.