Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom Review

Although Artifex Mundi is not very well known among most gamers, it does provide a large amount of puzzle games on a variety of platforms. These games house many hidden-object scenes and item-based puzzles. These have players use their observation skills as well as their wit to figure out how to proceed through the games. Whilst it is clear Artifex Mundi’s games are built more for PC and mobile play, they still make for a good distraction on any platform.

Throughout Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom, players can expect to find many items that serve a very particular purpose somewhere in the upcoming areas. For example; you may find a shovel you’ll have to use to dig up some loose soil or a seemingly random item that serves a bizarre purpose far later on (think a coat hanger used to ride a zip line, levels of crazy). Although, Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom is slightly different from other Artifex Mundi games since players can also pick up items that are used in the alchemy minigame. Players combine items by spinning circles of colours to match a provided symbol that represents an alchemical recipe. These concoctions then show up as useable items for the player when the time comes. This new minigame format makes Grimoires feel a little different from other Artifex Mundi releases.

Besides the puzzles, Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom focuses pretty heavily on its narrative as players take on the role of an alchemy student returning home after a trip of some kind. Whilst this story doesn’t have as many twists and turns as some other games, it is still the center of attention from the beginning. Shortly after unpacking her things, it is revealed that this student is an orphan revisiting her childhood home, and may not be completely alone. The player must then uncover some dark secrets about her family in order to figure out exactly what is going on in her home kingdom. I would reveal more of the story but the game is so short that I feel like anything else I say would be a spoiler.

To be fair, the length of the game may actually help to hide some of the game’s largest flaws. While the artwork is generally serviceable and doesn’t distract too much, there are several other Artifex Mundi games with better art and far better voice acting.

Unfortunately, Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom features some rather flat and unimpressive voices that make the characters feel like cardboard cutouts with very little personality. On top of all of that, the animations that are meant to connect the players to the game world are awkward and clunky, leading to some underwhelming experiences. When a potion I concocted is meant to do something crazy like rust a chain, I don’t expect all that much since it could be quite hard to make that look good in a game like this. However, I did expect the characters to move a bit more and with a little more grace.

It’s not all bad though: the game is fun for a single playthrough, offering an interesting and unique experience that makes for a rather easy completion. On the other hand, the game is short and not very challenging, meaning players may walk away feeling less than satisfied. As a puzzle fan, I’m happy I got to play this game, even if it was short. Although, I didn’t pay for it and that may make all the difference to some of you. All in all, Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom is a rather average Artifex Mundi game that makes a decent one off, especially for achievement hunters.