iGR Insight - Hidden Wonders of the Depths iOS Review

I got the chance to review Hidden Wonders of the Depths, and upon first glance I was less than ecstatic. Hidden Wonders of the Depths basically puts a twist on the popular match-three game Bejeweled. The game takes place underwater and as you progress through the different worlds you collect relics and pieces to complete underwater treasures.

The art and environment have an ultra-polished casino slot machine feel. Everything glows and feels comfortable. The sounds and music also have that warmth that lets you slip into that opiate-like trance that will have you losing track of time.

The gameplay, like I said before, is basically bejeweled but you have to help a crab maneuver through the board to a treasure chest before time runs out. Along the way you can collect fish, jewels and relics that help you advance to other locations. The difficulty slowly ramps up as you pass through different locations and, if you find enough puzzle pieces you can get a bonus puzzle.

This is where I started to sigh and look at the time. This was supposed to feel like a reward but it ended up being a tedious task with a time limit that seemed so long that it really wasn’t necessary. They give you a reference picture for the puzzle and you have to physically rotate and move pieces to their exact location and then said piece locks in and turns gold. Rinse and repeat thirty to forty times.

Hidden Wonders of the Depths does switch up puzzles well and the progression seems coherent. I just wish that when the puzzle switched that it did not switch to a rudimentary match game or a puzzle that just takes way too long.

Overall I would recommend Hidden Wonders of the Depths to avid “Bejewelers” or Facebook gamers. It’s a simple puzzle game that can and will burn some minutes if you are lying around an airport or on public transportation. But, if you are in the coveted 18-25 male core gaming demographic I suspect you should take a pass on this.

+ Lots of levels
+ Great sound
+ Artwork and scenery are interesting

- Tedious at times
- Feels like a Facebook game

Review Score: 6/10