This post is a long time coming because I actually finished this game in the summer. However, it was such a disappointment that I didn’t care to say anything about it. Wait, that’s not true. I genuinely forgot because my praises were few.
I’ve played Miriel The Magical Merchant, its predecessor, in its sample online, and, from what I saw, all of its good qualities are quite similar to Miriel’s Enchanted Mystery. The sequel, though, I got to finish. Boy, do I regret it.
If you seek a repetitive game with very little payoff, this one’s for you. The transition between levels is supposed to follow a story line, and I was disappointed to find our heroine doesn’t travel to every location listed on the map. There seem to be no rhyme or reason between the 3-4 levels (I honestly forget how many levels there were) besides a mystery about some egg or ring or… I don’t even care. The story is that Miriel must collect so many items to help a king get back his crown/scepter/shields/blankey/girlfriend’s phone number. Some of this is done with a hidden object game that was surprisingly fun for what it was. (If you can’t tell, I’m not a fan of hidden object games unless you give me an I Spy book. Now, those are always some enjoyably frustrating times.)
I shouldn’t be complaining; it was a free download and there were some really great features.
The music is absolutely my favorite part. It does have a sense of mystery and enchantment in it, and an oddly new-age score to one world that would be Steampunk if Steampunk culture took place on a desert planet. The cello theme for the merchant from which Miriel(you) buys goodies is easy to jam to. This merchant isn’t too bad on the eyes, either. The gameplay is very smooth with no glitches that I could see, and even if it got challenging enough not to pass a level it was still fun. You can choose your own upgrades and, if you’re lazy, even win a level without collecting all the gold customers leave on the table.
Miriel’s Enchanted Mystery screencap, an easy level.
I only wish I were interested enough to continue the game; when Miriel solves the mystery and order is restored, there’s an option to continue playing the game. I took this option for a while, thinking there might be something better in the payoff, but soon lost patience. I’m not interested in playing Miriel the Magical Merchant, which is a shame because a game–especially a time management game–shouldn’t be judged by its sequel.
Befferkins, the Random 