Video Game Review - Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic

Rob (and Grace) review Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic on Xbox Series X…

Back when Grace was a wee toddler we’d always have fun looking through those hidden object books. From the brain teasers of Where’s Wally (Waldo for you Americans), to the likes of Meerkat’s, Wookiee’s, and Penguins, we’ve hunted for them all. Some times we’d be successful, and other times we’d give up. But we’d always have a fun time looking at the crazy goings on that adorn each page. Now that she’s 14 it’s very rare that Grace wants to do anything with her old man that doesn’t involve Overwatch 2. So it did come as a surprise when she wanted to sit down with me and hunt some inanimate objects across various historical locations

Where Hidden Through Time 2 is a recent title for the Xbox, it has been available on PC and Mac for a few months. It’s a casual game that’s perfect for any age group, and any ability. It’s gorgeous hand drawn art draws you into the page, and the sheer amount of maps and hidden objects to find means the game never outstays its welcome. 

Even though it’s a hidden object title, Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic has a story driven campaign mode. Set across four different eras we follow a set of characters as they get into all sorts of scrapes and tangles along the way. Each scene is set with a brief voiced introduction that lays out the narrative that our “heroes” have found themselves in. It’s not a deep story by any means, but helps to sell the “story” of the world you’re scouring through. For example the 1980’s era follows a group of mythical creatures as they get ready for prom. It’s very much inspired by the actual time period and there’s plenty of Easter eggs from a few well known movies of the era. Likewise the medieval era has a narrative where a group of adventurers travel in service of The Lady of The Lake. 

Each time period is made up of eight individual maps and a hidden bonus map to complete. There’s no need to find every item in the map to proceed to the next, with each being unlocked after a minimal amount of objects have been found. The hidden objects you’re looking for are also reminiscent of the current time period and range from well hidden jewels, to goblins hiding within a grand buffet. Much like other titles in the genre, each location is packed full of different characters that all serve to distract you from easily finding the required objects. In an effort to keep you on the path, the location of each object is teased with a brief description on whereabouts it could be. However quite often this description leads you to a general era, rather than to the object it’s self. You’re also able to freely zoom in and out of the environment which allows you to really focus on a particular search area. The developers over at Rogueside have placed a few objects in some rather fiendish spots which would be impossible to find if set to a fixed view point. 

To keep things fresh and entertaining, each stage in Hidden Through Time 2 features two different variations. These “time shifts” can be switched at will with different objects needing to be found across both periods. Rather than a simple palette swap, changing the time alters the area in quite unique ways. For example during the medieval period you’ll be tasked with finding items inside a castle as it comes under siege from a band of goblins. One version of the map features the castle during this time, complete with patrolling guards, and the goblins forming at the gates. Switching to the “future” time and you’ll be presented with the same battle albeit after its conclusion. Here the castles inhabitants will be having a grand feast while the goblins retreat back into the woods. It’s a great mechanic and gives extra depth to each area, while adding longevity to the title. 

In addition to the story mode, there’s also the added ability to create your own maps to then publish them online. I didn’t delve too much into creating my own maps as my imagination is pretty terrible. However I did play around with the editor which seemed to be built more towards mouse and keyboard than the Xbox Series controller. While I no doubt imagine that experienced players will utilise every tool that Rogueside have made available to them to create some near impossible challenges, I found it to be a mess of menus and functions. 

Moving off of this, and the creativity shown in the playable published maps are pretty impressive. There’s plenty to download with numerous difficulty settings found between them. It’s an ingenious way to add more hidden object goodness for those who want it, without needing to develop DLC. 

All in all, Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is the quintessential casual hidden object game. It caters for both the casual player, and the hardcore hidden object finder alike. Its landscapes are gorgeous to spend time in, with each featuring an abundance of charm and whit that keeps you engaged whilst scouring every nook and cranny.

Rating: 9/10 

A code was kindly provided for this review. 

Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic is available now and can be purchased via the Xbox Store by clicking here. 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow us on X/Facebook @GeekCultureRev, TikTok/YouTube @Geekculturereviews, and BlueSky @geekculturereviews.bsky.social