To be honest, I was a little emotional when I saw the 18th installment in the "Escape Room" series. Playing all the way from the Symbian era, this series has spent a lot of time with me. I'm not going to brag about it, but as a long-time fan, my experience with “The Lost City” this time was both stable and surprising.
Let's talk about the picture first. Although it is an old game on the 5.0 platform, the picture quality is still comparable to similar puzzles. The scene is rich in details, including the rust on the ghost ship, the candlelight in the cabin, and the vegetation on the island. It can be seen that the development team was not lazy in the art. Although the light and shadow effects are not as dazzling as those of current console masterpieces, they are immersive enough for mobile puzzle solving. I remember when I used the Nokia N73 to play the original version, the mosaic screen made me search every corner with gusto. Looking at this picture quality now, I feel really happy 😄
In terms of puzzle design, it still has a familiar flavor: find things, play mini-games, and unlock new areas. But this time the interactive logic is smoother, unlike in the earlier films where sometimes the clues were too hidden and anti-human. For example, the world compass and the distress note in the treasure box have a very clear clue chain, guiding you step by step to explore the Lost Territory. There are also more types of mini-games than before, including puzzles, password locks, and combinations of mechanisms. The difficulty is moderate. When you get stuck, you can just flip through the prompt system in the game. You don't have to spend a long time like you did when you were young.
In terms of plot, this series has always had its own worldview, and the setting of Susan, the female warrior, is quite recognizable in puzzle games. This time it combines ghost captains, curses, and pirate legends, with a touch of mystery and fantasy, unlike some similar games that just stick to the "find the key to open the door" routine. Fragments of conversations and notes that occasionally pop up during the exploration process allow you to gradually piece together the full story, which is quite immersive.
But to be honest, the game process takes about four or five hours, which may be a bit short for experienced players. Moreover, the ending part is a little rushed. The production list comes out directly after the ending CG, which feels like it lacks a sense of ceremony. But considering that it is free and not bombarded by in-app purchases, this alone is much more conscience-stricken than many so-called masterpieces that are "free to download and charge for items".
Overall, if you like puzzles or have feelings for the "Escape Room" series, this "Maze" is worth a try. It's not impetuous or overstuffed, it quietly tells an old-school story about courage and adventure. In today's era where fast-food mobile games are rampant, it is a kind of fate to be able to play this kind of work with carefully crafted content. 😌
Finally, a digression: It is really not easy for Martian Interactive to bring this series to the 18th generation. I hope they can stick to it and not be led astray by the current skin-changing card games. After all, veteran players like us are waiting for works like this to awaken those forgotten good times.