Inspector Francesca DiPorta is in the middle of her
vacation when she receives the call. Professor Manini
has discovered an important relic. He needs
Francesca’s help to decipher the secrets within the
artifact. Cutting her vacation short, Francesca boards
the next plane for Milan. Arriving at Manini’s mansion,
she discovers that the professor has disappeared.
Francesca searches Manini’s office in hopes of
finding a clue. A hidden compartment reveals a
mysterious journal. Perusing through the pages, the
detective realizes that the journal belongs to none
other than Giacomo Casanova. The book is full of
cryptic messages and curious diagrams, leading to
Casanova’s greatest secret. It will be up to Francesca
to piece together the clues and discover the truth.
However, the young detective may come to realize
that some secrets are better left hidden.
The second installment in the Insider Tales series,
The Secret of Casanova is a casual adventure game
that takes players on a journey across Europe.
Players assume the role of inspector DiPorta. After a
brief introductory sequence at Manini’s mansion,
players get a chance to visit Paris, Vienna, Prague,
and Venice. Each city features puzzles focusing on a
different aspect of Casanova’s life. With its pleasant
atmosphere and detailed environments, The Secret of
Casanova starts out as a promising adventure.
However, its short length and repetitive puzzles
ultimately prevent the game from living up to its full
potential.
The majority of the game takes place at the four
European cities. Players can visit these cities in any
order desired. While each location offers a unique set
of challenges, the puzzles follow the same pattern.
The level begins as Francesca arrives at an area
described in Casanova’s journal. After an introductory
cut scene, players are asked to find a series of
objects hidden throughout the area. The game
provides a list of objects on the bottom right portion of
the screen. The list displays eight types of items at a
time. Players are asked to locate the object on the
screen and collect it with a click on the left mouse
button. New items often get added to the list until
players find all the important objects at the location.
Once Francesca is satisfied with the objects she has
collected, players may be asked to solve a logic
puzzle or an inventory-based puzzle. For instance,
during one hidden-object sequence, Francesca
collects sixteen paperclips from around the screen.
Once all the paperclips have been located, the
inspector automatically selects the strongest one and
the game loads a lock-picking puzzle.
For the most part, the hidden objects are not overly
difficult to spot. The environments are rather
crowded, but you can still locate the desired items
with a little bit of perseverance. The game does offer
a ‘hint’ button that can be used to highlight one of the
hidden items you have yet to collect. Once you click
on it, the ‘hint’ button must recharge for a few
moments before it can be used again. Similarly, the
game offers a ‘skip’ button for players that want to
move past the logic puzzles. While it is certainly
possible to complete the game without using the hint
and skip buttons, these player-friendly features may
be a welcome addition for beginners.
Unfortunately, the hidden-object and puzzle
sequences do get a little redundant. It seems as
though the game is repeating the same formula over
and over again during each level. Regardless of
which location you visit, Francesca has to look for
approximately sixteen objects before she can solve a
relatively simple puzzle. Repeating the exercise
several times completes the city. The formulaic nature
of the levels makes some of the challenges feel
arbitrary. At times, it seems as though Francesca has
to pick up items without a good story reason. It just
gives players something to do. At least in certain
areas, it may have been advisable to better integrate
the item-finding and puzzle-solving sections with the
overall storyline.
It is also worth noting that some of the hidden-object
sequences will require you to suspend your disbelief.
For instance, it is unlikely that sixteen brushes would
be conveniently hanging close to a statue that
happens to need dusting. Items are not necessarily
sized and positioned realistically either. A paperclip
may be as large as a tire. You might find a breakfast
plate serving as the hubcap of a truck. Pieces of a
ladder might be found hovering above the ground.
The disproportionate sizing and unrealistic positioning
is certainly a good way to make items more difficult to
spot. However, it also makes some of the screens
look like a crowded mess. The game would have
benefited from some streamlining in terms of item
placement.
Despite the frustration they may cause, the repetitive
nature of the levels and the unrealistic presentation of
hidden objects are minor issues that can be
overlooked. However, the game’s extremely short
length makes it very difficult to recommend. It took
me approximately two and a half hours to get through
The Secret of Casanova on my first attempt. To make
matters worse, once you reach the end of the
adventure, there is little reason to go back and play
through it again. There is no additional content to
unlock. The positions of the hidden objects do not
appear to change between sessions either. It is not
fair to expect ten or twenty hours of playtime from a
casual adventure that has a low price point. However,
less than three hours with no replay value is still
unacceptable.
The Secret of Casanova has the right elements to
deliver a pleasant experience. The environments are
detailed and the logic puzzles are entertaining. The
soundtrack is very fitting for the game’s calm
atmosphere. Some of the hidden objects are rather
cleverly placed and will have players searching the
screen for a while. Unfortunately, the game also has
repetitive sequences and the adventure ends far too
soon. Given its remarkably short length, The Secret
of Casanova is only recommended if you can
purchase it at a deeply discounted price.
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