Game: Sophia the Traveler
Genre: Point & Click Hidden Object
System: Steam (Windows) (also available on Nintendo Switch)
Developers | Publishers: Memo Gogo | Thermite Games
Controller: No
Price: US $8.09 | UK £6.74 | EU € 7,91
Release Date: April 11th, 2024
A review code was used, with many thanks to Thermite Games.
Sophia the Traveler is a 2024 hidden object game developed by Memo Gogo and released by Thermite Games.
Premise
Sophia the Traveler takes us on a journey to Venice, Italy, where we get to roam the streets in the shoes of Sophia, a girl who loves life, music, and good food.
Gameplay
Sophia the Traveler is a classic point-and-click hidden object game, entirely in the vein of other modern classics like The Hidden Cats in Different Cities. We have a set of objects to find on the right-hand side of the screen.
The scenes are enormous, with many details and interactive parts like windows and doors that can be opened. We can zoom in and out of the picture or drag it around. The scenes are so big that in most cases, even if you are completely zoomed out, the scene is still too big for the screen. Some parts of the scenes are hidden beneath moving fog for an extra challenge. We have ten scenes in total.
On top of the screen, we can see a timer counting from 6 minutes. It doesn’t mean we have time for each level, but that a hint will be available in six minutes. We start with zero hints. I like to have the option to use hints as I please, or at least while waiting shorter times – a minute, minute, and a half. Six minutes is way too long for a game that is promoted as cozy. There is no option to shorten the time. You can turn off all hints by choosing hard mode in the options.
Speaking of options, they can be found at the top of the screen and include basic audio turn-off/on, resolution, and language.
The World of Sophia the Traveler
Artistically, Sophia The Traveler heavily reminded me of Where’s Wally and Detective Pierre’s books and games. Venice is rendered in a cute hand-painted cartoon-like style. The city feels alive – we have ambient sounds, including voiceovers in different languages; much like in real-life Venice, you’ll catch snippets of other languages while walking through the throngs of tourists.
An interesting detail is the cute little comic strip in between each level, which introduces a bit of the story. It’s done in the same style as the rest of the game, which fits perfectly and doesn’t spoil the immersion in the game. We also get a postcard with witty and true life lessons, if I might be so bold.
Searching carefully throughout the scenes for our targets, we’ll catch several Easter eggs – from a Pinocchio to a pair of ninjas running around Venice. The scenes are brimming with life – animations and sound, appropriate for a busy tourist center like Venice can be heard and seen. Each time we find an object on the map, Sophia and her friends spring up to congratulate us. Such a fun and heartwarming detail!
Some Notes
The developers for Sophia the Traveler are already planning the destination for the sequel – be it China during the Tang Dynasty reign, France, the Netherlands, or elsewhere.
Sophia the Traveler has some basic audio and display settings. The game can start in Chinese, but finding the language support in the settings is easy, and after the first time, the game always starts in the language you’ve chosen.
The game has Steam achievements but no Trading Cards as of yet.
Conclusion
All in all, Sophia the Traveler is a solid entry in the hidden object genre. It has all the hallmarks of an excellent game. For me, the hint recharge time was a bit long. This, coupled with the vast scenes with more minor elements to find, such as bone or a backpack, made for an exhausting rather relaxing experience. But this game is for you if you like detailed hidden object scenes.
Final Verdict: I Like it. 
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