We reviewed the first Nightmares from the Deep game, Cursed Heart earlier this week. Funny how the timing works out – the sequel Nightmares from the Deep 2: The Siren’s Call has just launched on Windows Phone 8! That would be good news enough, but it has also arrived before the iOS and Android versions. It seems developer Artifex Mundi has a soft spot for mobile Windows platforms.
To celebrate the launch, the Windows Phone version of Siren’s Call is on sale for $2.99 (40 percent off its regular price of $4.99) and the Windows 8 and RT version is on sale for $4.99 ($6.99 regular price). Head past the break for screenshots, Store link, and our video interview with the developer!
The return of Davy Jones
You don’t need to have played The Cursed Heart to enjoy The Siren’s Call, but it turns out that the two games’ stories are related. The museum director protagonist from the first game – Sarah Hall – returns in the sequel.
Her previous experience with the pirate Captain Remington and the artifacts held within her museum soon get Sarah wrapped up in a brand new adventure. The story this time involves a village of fish people and mermaids. One member of the village seeks the protagonist’s help in curing their affliction, while other denizens have more sinister intentions…
Oh, and the mythical sea figure Davy Jones once again pulls the strings behind the game’s conflict.
Adventure time
Like its predecessor, The Siren’s Call is a hidden object puzzle adventure (HOPA) game. Players will navigate a variety of well-illustrated environments, interacting with various objects to solve puzzles and move the story along. Some of these make good use of touch screen/mouse-style controls, such as early in the game when the player gets to drag a hose around to put out a fire.
At various intervals throughout the game, players will engage in hidden objects puzzles as well. You know how these work – you’ll have to find all of the objects from a list amidst a crowded scene. The Nightmares from the Deep games dole their hidden object scenes out less frequently than some games in the genre, probably due to their greater focus on narrative.
Players who don’t care for hidden objects should be pleased to know that Siren’s Call offers Mahjong Solitaire as an alternative. Matching mahjong tiles never gets old for me, so I’m not complaining.
Extras
Once again. The Siren’s Call offers several bonus features. Chief among these is ‘The Book of Davy Jones,’ a bonus adventure that unlocks after completing the main game. Other extras include concept art, re-watchable cut scenes, and re-playable hidden object scenes.
Wake up to the nightmare
Unlike The Cursed Heart, there are no separate free and paid versions of Siren’s Call. Just download the free version (which acts as a trial) and then buy from within the game if you like it. The game has a built in “restore purchase feature,” so don’t worry about losing your full game unlock if you switch devices.
We’ll have a full review of The Siren’s Call soon. In the meantime, check out our Cursed Heart review for more details on the series.
- Nightmares from the Deep 2: The Siren’s Call– Windows Phone 8 – 295 MB – $2.99 (Sale) – Store Link
- Nightmares from the Deep 2: The Siren’s Call– Windows 8 and RT – 564 MB – $4.99 (Sale) – Store Link
