Dark Corners

Jewel Quest Mysteries - Trail of the Midnight Heart starts with a breathtaking visual journey that comes up from the bottom of the ocean, where we see all sorts of life, across the blue sky where hot air balloons float, and finally comes to rest in an ancient ruin on our heroine Eva. Eva's narration tells us that she's always believed there are things in the world that we can't see, "dark corners" she calls them, where things are hidden. When her uncle invites her on an expedition to India, she can't refuse.

Hidden Objects Expedition

The beautiful environments on display here definitely live up to the Jewel Quest name, which has always featured gorgeous visuals. You'll see your fair share of lush jungles and exotic buildings. It's a real treat.

The objects themselves also look great and blend in well with each other and their surroundings, which makes for a great challenge.

Bonus Items

The items that you're looking for are on a list on the left of the screen. It's all pretty straightforward. You'll be looking for bonus items as well, which will lead to extra points and power-ups. Each stage contains three gold coins that bear the game's logo. Finding all three will net you a good amount of bonus points. There are also colored jewels scattered throughout each level. These act as a currency with which you can buy various power-ups.

Key Items

Some of the items that you find will come into play later. Certain tools, for example, will go into your bag so that you can use them later to uncover certain objects. In the first few levels you'll find a crowbar and a pickaxe, both of which will come in handy later.

Jewel Shards

Jewel shards can also be considered key items. Each stage contains one jewel shard. Once you've found them all, they will automatically assemble and lead to a match-3 puzzle to finish out the level.

The entire progression of the levels feels really smooth and natural. You search a few places for objects then solve a match-3 puzzle before moving on. It's a very easy, comfortable rhythm to get into and will probably result in you losing track of time.

Buying Upgrades

The most ingenious aspect of the game is the ability to buy upgrades or power-ups. The colored jewels that I mentioned earlier can be used to purchase power-ups that will help you in different ways, such as freezing time, giving you a head start in the match-3 puzzles, or giving you additional hints. It's a great system and gives the game replay value as you might want to play a second time and purchase different upgrades.

The Jewel Quest Seal of Approval

Those familiar with the Jewel Quest series should know what to expect here - a fun, solid hidden objects game with an engaging, exotic setting. The puzzles are smart, the presentation is entertaining, and above all it's a lot of fun.