If you need a break from the fast-paced gaming titles in the Windows Store but are still wanting a challenging way to pass the time, you may want to take a gander at the hidden object genre of games.
These games challenge your skills at concentration and observation to find objects that are hidden in plain sight with a picturesque scene. Many of these games have accompanying storylines where solving the picture puzzle unlocks a clue to a larger mystery, expanding the challenge of gameplay. There are also titles that have a series of mini-games to provide a little variety to the Windows 10 game.
While there are plenty quality hidden object games in the Windows Store, these are some of the best the Store has to offer.
Flux Family Secrets
The backstory for Flux Family Secrets has you searching for clues that unlock the secrets of your past. You must explore the Flux Estate to find clues to correct errors in time and restore your family timeline.
Scenes include historical sites such as Ben Franklin's study, the Wright Brothers workshop and more. Flux Family Secrets includes ten chapters of gameplay with over 20 mini-games. The pace of play is more relaxed and calls upon you to find hidden objects that when combined restores objects that belong in the scene and can reveal additional clues.
For example, you need to find a pot, handle and cap to restore a teapot. The restored teapot can then be used to extinguish a fire that in turn reveals a section of another item that is critical to solving the overall puzzle.
Flux Family Secrets offers plenty of hints to point you in the correct direction and launches with a tutorial to guide you through the first puzzle scene. Scenes are colorful, full of detail and you have the ability to zoom into scenes to find all the hidden objects.
Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, Flux Family Secrets does have a trial version to let you try things out before buying the full version ($3.99).
Download Flux Family Secrets (Windows 10 PC) from the Windows Store
Download Flux Family Secrets (Windows 10 Mobile) from the Windows Store
Deadly Puzzles: Toymaker
Artifex Mundi offers a fantastic range of hidden object games in the Windows Store. Deadly Puzzles: Toymaker is a murder mystery game where you hunt for clues amongst hidden object puzzles to track down a murderer known as the Toymaker.
Deadly Puzzles has two game modes, both with a fair amount of challenge. There is the Casual mode where the hint and skip buttons recharge quickly and active zones where you could find an object glistens from time to time. The Casual mode also has no penalties for tapping on the incorrect item.
The Expert mode is a tad more intense with longer delays for the hint and skip features to recharge, active zones do not periodically glisten and penalties for tapping too many incorrect items.
Deadly Puzzles includes a wide range of scenes where you need to find a list of hidden objects. When successful, clues to the murder mystery are revealed and you become a step closer to solving the Who Done It. Scenes can be zoomed in to reveal the finer detail and some objects can be opened to reveal objects.
If you are a hidden object game aficionado, the Artifex Mundi series of games is a must. Deadly Puzzles is just one of the many entertaining titles the developer offers. The game is available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile. Deadly Puzzles: Toymaker has a free trial version with the full game currently running $3.99.
Download Deadly Puzzles: Toymaker (Windows 10 PC) from the Windows Store
Download Deadly Puzzles: Toymaker (Windows 10 Mobile) from the Windows Store
Mirrors of Albion
Mirrors of Albion is a Windows 10 hidden object game that sends you Victorian-era London to solve a series of crimes and eventually defeat the efforts of the evil Queen of Hearts.
An extensive tutorial greets you as you first launch Mirrors of Albion that covers the basics of gameplay and the vast assortment of power-ups and hits that become available. You find yourself traveling across London to a variety of venues to hunt down clues that help solve the game's mysteries.
Puzzle scenes are full of detail and can be zoomed to reveal the finer details of the scene. Hidden objects are listed by name or silhouette along the bottom of the display with your hints and power-ups. Power-ups include a magnifying glass that causes the hidden objects to glisten and a tesla wand that causes the items to glow with an electric field.
As you progress in the game and gain experience, additional venues become available that tests your skills at observation and concentration. Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, Mirrors of Albion is a free game with a slight addictive pull. Mirrors of Albion does a good job of balancing visual puzzles with solving the various storylines within the Windows 10 game.
Download Mirrors of Albion from the Windows Store
Hidden Objects: Mystery Society
This Windows 10 hidden object game has you being recruited to join the Mystery Society and help solve a series of mysteries that are plaguing Europe. The game sends you an assortment of venues such as Paris, London, Venice, Athens, Berlin and more to hunt down objects hidden in plain sight that can be used to uncover secrets and clues.
Hidden Objects: Mystery Society includes hundreds of items to find, two mini-games to add a little variety to the game and plenty of hints to help point you in the right direction. There is also a social aspect to Hidden Objects: Mystery Society where you can make friends with other players, compete for high scores and send gifts to one another.
Scenes are full of detail, offering a nice level of difficulty in finding the hidden objects. There is a resolution issue with the Windows 10 Mobile version of Hidden Objects: Mystery Society that prevents the game from taking advantage of the full screen. Luckily you can zoom into the scenes to make up for this bug, but the Windows 10 PC version plays out a lot better.
Hidden Objects: Mystery Society is one of the Hidden Object series of games from Rolltower Studios and while the resolution bug hinders the Windows 10 Mobile version of the game, the PC version is a entertaining title to spend a little down time with.
Download Hidden Objects: Mystery Society from the Windows Store
If you have tried out any of these Windows 10 games, let us know what you think of things in the comments below. There are plenty more quality Hidden Object games in the Windows Store, such as Disney's Find 'n Seek, Adera and The Blacklist: Conspiracy.
Should we have overlooked your favorite Hidden Object game in the Windows Store, feel free to toss out your recommendation in the comments as well.