48 out of 50 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

19

by Kel3369

Outstanding! Playfirst's first adventure game is absolutely stunning and definitely one of the top games of 2009. Visit Oz forty years after Dorothy Gale's first visit and see what has become of the Emerald city. Petra a private investigator, is hired to find a man named "Anzel" on a simple missing persons case. But it turns out that nothing is simple about this case and Petra will end up on a whirlwind adventure saving Oz and finding her long lost brother William along the way. This game was brilliant from start to finish. The artwork, music, gameplay, and storyline were second to none. There is not one negative thing to say about this game except I wish it were longer. :) Meet the most amazing, and adorable characters modeled after famous movie stars in appearance and in voice. You will interact with a beautiful environment while solving strategic puzzles along the way. This game had me laughing with its clever dialogue and hilarious twists and turns. This game is so much fun you won't want to walk away for a minute. If you get stuck there is a hint button in Petra's journal to help you out. Collect the hidden colored buttons along the way and the game developer rewards you with concept art of the game's characters (which I thought was a very clever integration). I hope the fact that there were two cities we didn't get to explore means there is a sequel coming because I will definitely want to own any and all of the sequels to this game. Playfirst, BRAVO! Outstanding game! You just get better and better and that is just one of the many reasons I love this company so much! Great job! :)

18 out of 19 people found this review helpful:

2009

MAY

26

by Guardrox

This game was, hands down, the best game I've ever played on PlayFirst. In fact, it would probably be the best game I've ever played in my life if the Sims had never been invented. Imagine everything you know about Oz: The Lion, Toto, Queen Ozma, the Tinman, Dorothy, everyone, flipped upside down in this Emerald City meets Downtown NYC -esque city. The quirky characters, witty banter, character voice-overs, mysterious clues, less-than-helpful witnesses, and new environments left me utterly speechless. Petra, the main character, is a detective who lost her younger brother, and is now doing private investigator work for some shady clientele. One day, Petra gets a simple Missing Person case that snowballs into the adventure-of-a-lifetime. Although replay value is low, you'll definately ADORE this game if you like mystery books and games. As an added bonus, you get to look for buttons that you can trade in for cool drawings of all the characters. Don't think that just because this is based on Dorothy's story, it'll be stereotypical and predictable. This game twits the classical book on its head, exposing the flaws of the once-grand city. I had the chance to exceed the usual hour of playtime, because I played it at a friend's house (She bought the game.), and even in later gameplay, it never got boring, and it constantly maintained the same amusing, addictive pace. Definately try it out. This game is soooo worth it.

13 out of 13 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

19

by Oreogirlgeek

This is a very interesting game. I love the idea they've come up with and making one of my all time favorite movies into a 'crime game' is an excellent idea. I haven't finished yet, but I'm hoping there is a part two!

11 out of 12 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

28

by mrspockfan

I was really looking forward to the release of Emerald City Confidential based on the graphics alone. I was not disappointed. This is a marvelous game. I normally do not like detective stories, finding clues, etc, but this game is above all others. The spin on the Wizard of Oz theme was a great idea and well developed. Petra is truely a unique character and her determination to find her brother or finish a job was outstanding. She holds her own against some devious opponent and comes out the winner. Hopefully, the series will continue and we will get to see the other two countries that make up Oz, and the continuing saga of Petra's life.

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

20

by marylittlelamb

This is one of the very best games I've ever played, and believe me, I've played a lot of games. It's nostalgic of room escape games, even, but a bit of a higher replay value based on the possible trophies to be earned or even the many options for dialogue. Speaking of which, I felt the full voice cast added to the overall gaming experience a great deal, and that Oz-influence was very inspired. The puzzles weren't' too hard to solve, but there were some difficult ones... The puzzle is great for more casual players as well, because the journal keeping track of current "quests" will offer up to 4 or 5 hints per puzzle to completely walk you through what needs to be done. The storyline is incredibly cohesive and hangs together very well... The graphics and characters are just so CUTE! At the risk of giving something away, the ending is incredibly sweet as well. A must-buy for certain.

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

19

by sonicflood132

This game was so much fun, and so interesting to play. Incorporating the story and characters of the Wizard of Oz into a mystery game was exciting. I recommend this to anyone who likes adventure games, especially Oz fans! It wasn't too hard, but challenging enough to be enjoyable. A MUST PLAY!

10 out of 11 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

19

by MaestroRusya

It is a nice game, very interesting plot, perfect graphics. I enjoy playing it and the game becomes more and more fascinating. I recommend everybody to play this marvelous game. ENJOY!!!

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful:

2009

APR

9

by mike312

Excellent voice acting, interesting, witty and funny dialogue, many distinguishing characters, and interesting story make this detective adventure game one of the best representatives of adventure games!

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful:

2009

FEB

22

by gschmidl

Beautiful and well-done, if a bit too linear, but the excellence of the storytelling makes this easily forgiven. The progressive hint system is very well done, too. The buttons/medals seem a bit tacked on (buttons at fourth-wall-breaking locations, sadly), and only one medal is an actual challenge -- I can only assume these are required by PlayFirst as opposed to being part of the actual design. I finished the game in one setting, something I've not done with any game in a long time, it's that engrossing. A few typos and problems with cut-off speech can surely be fixed, but did not lessen my enjoyment.

8 out of 9 people found this review helpful:

2009

MAR

9

by Playground101

If you love the "Wizard of Oz" like I do, then you might appreciate this fresh and innovative approach to the story. It is on this unique occasion that this derivation nearly matches the original in spirit and creativity. There are a few games each year that dare to challenge our current gaming conventions, and this one does so with near flawless grandeur. The story and characters are so well conceived that it could have worked as a movie. Having to read through and decipher so many layers of dialog is somewhat unorthodox in a PC game, but this time it worked. The story almost worked too well because I never really felt like I was playing a game. I just wanted to grab a soda, bowl of popcorn, and dim the lights. I wouldn't want this format and style for all games, but I certainly wouldn't mind if PlayFirst and Wadjet Eye Games made a few more. Although, it will be hard to top this one. I'd like to see them do an original story. They had good source material this time so that was an asset. This was really a brilliant adaptation and it masterfully expanded the "Oz" mythology even further. You don't have to rush with this one. You can just take your time and enjoy the atmosphere.