Hidden object games have had a big resurgence in the last few years, from the simplistic to the multi-layered. Lost and Found Co. manages to be both. A cosy Where’s Wally?-style spot-a-thon from Bit Egg Inc., sees the past and present collide on various levels in a wholesome adventure. The ancient goddess of war, Mei Long, suffers from dwindling faith, with fewer and fewer visitors to her shrine every day. What’s worse, a shadowy yet up-and-coming corporate figure seems to be involved. With the help of duckling-turned-young-boy Ducky and the questionable merchant Kit, Mei must renew people’s faith by finding lost valuables. All while being stuck in cute, tiny dragon form.
A Throwback With Bells & Whistles On
Back in the mid-2000s, three things were certain about me. I was determined to soak up every Mystery Case Files game out there. I pined for Where’s Wally? books. And I was desperately trying to find my long-lost 1994 edition of Where’s Sonic?—God, I loved that thing! So, as you would suppose, a game that channels all of this while being unbelievably cute and funny speaks to past and present me in a big way. And having the distinction of being a past Steam Next Fest highlight was a huge plus!
Gameplay
As loyal helper Ducky, you travel across various colourful scenes in the city, finding a wide array of lost items for various clients. A young whippersnapper wants some fancy candy? You got it! Mother cat lost track of her kittens? Say no more! No job is too small for our plucky littler finders, mundane or magical. Each scene has a particular theme with oodles of quirky characters going about their business, resulting in hilarious situations. Clicking on an item gives a small hint to its location, but if it’s still a head-scratcher, that’s where “juju” comes in. Don’t worry, you won’t be meddling with the macabre too much! Hidden amongst the hustle and bustle are grey jittery items known as juju – naughty spirits possessing inanimate objects. Capturing these will unlock more direct hints for those pesky items that keep evading you.
Such a perpetual feeling of warmth and mirth courses through the game that it’s impossible not to smile while playing. Even the most obscure and disguised items will not vex you for long. Also, having optional objectives to complete—some delightfully puzzling in nature—leads to more charming encounters and occasionally secret areas with stories of their own. I won’t spoil them, but a throwback to the 2001 Cats & Dogs movie and a ghostly blink-and-you-miss-it meeting were a couple of my favourites. Underneath it all is a lovingly distinct Southeast Asian flair and a touching look at the power of faith and remembrance through a modern lens.
Look, Ma, I Made It!
You’ve probably guessed that if you’re looking for just a straight-up hidden object game with zero frills or story, this is not the one for you. That’s okay, more for me! The narrative is woven into every scene, and the many (but not excessive) cutscenes show the growing warmth of friendship between Mei and Ducky as their business blooms. You also see the shrine become a full-fledged business office, with a counter up front and a customisable room for Ducky at the back. There are tons of furniture, decorations, and collectables you can purchase from Kit to deck out this room. The most ardent any-percenters will be hard-pressed not to purchase every little knick-knack to brighten up the place, even though there’s no achievement for it.
Speaking of completionism, Lost and Found Co. has a hefty playtime for a hidden object game, clocking in at least 15 hours to mop up everything it has to offer. So there’s no shortage of beautiful locales to poke around in!
Point-and-Click Adventures Trained Me For This
It’s hard to find true gripes with this whimsical romp, but there is a tiny niggle worth noting. Juju is intended to be more direct in its assistance; therefore, you have a limited number of times you can use it. So far, so standard. But on odd occasions, the difference between juju hints and standard ones is negligible at best. This can lead to the ‘90s point-and-click method of clicking on every possible pixel on the screen to uncover the one obscured item you’re missing. Generally, it’s with a wheeled object, and you can’t see the wheels! These instances are fleeting and far between, thankfully. Plus, if you’ve cut your teeth on the classic Monkey Island or Discworld series, it’ll be somewhat ingrained in your gaming psyche.
Graphics & Audio
With hidden object games, there’s always a possibility that zooming in too far will expose blurry/pixelated imagery or choppy animations. Lost and Found Co., however, has none of this—praise the Goddess!—and sports some of the best art design you’ll find in the genre. Scenes are beautifully vibrant and crisp, in a sticker-book style, with charming animations that simply pop off the screen and fill you with squee. Even the tiniest bug on a rooftop has a cute little wiggle or bounce to make it stand out! And anyone who says they wouldn’t wanna give Ducky a big ol’ hug or squish Mei’s chubby little dragon cheeks is a big fat liar. The amount of care put into the visuals shines through.
The audio is equally as stellar. Cartoony boings, adorable mews, candy crunches; there’s a sumptuous quality to every sound. The characters, too, have the cute anime-esque gasps, squeaks, and growls that punctuate perfectly without being grating. On top of this, the soundtrack finds just the right balance between catchy and ambient. You’ll have the tunes living in your head rent-free, but they won’t get in the way while you’re hunting for that last pesky lost sock.
Final Thoughts
If you want a hidden-object experience where story and detection go hand in hand, with playtime that’s beefy, and leaves you smiling from ear to ear, Lost and Found Co. needs to be at the top of your list! Bright and endearing with enough whimsy to shake a sparkly tanuki at, it’s a must for any hidden object fan and will prove impossible to put down.
Therefore, Mei’s shrine receives the offering of a much-coveted Thumb Culture Platinum Award! It’ll look perfect by the bubble pool!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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