I commissioned some bees (advent) – A Fun and Festive Hidden Object Game

“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.” – Ray Bradbury

Overview

I commissioned some bees (advent) is a delightful bee-themed hidden object game that doubles up as an advent calendar and for those that enjoy it, the developers have created 15 other bee-themed hidden object games at the time of writing, including the first instalment I commissioned some bees.

Gameplay

I commissioned some bees (advent) includes 25 levels – one for each day of advent, plus Christmas day. Each level consists of a unique, commissioned piece of art containing a number of bees (usually around 100) and five bee-related objects such as a honeycomb, a beehive and an apiarist to find as well. The whole game includes over 2,500 bees to find, a small number of which can be returned to each level after completion so they can be found again.

As this is intended as an advent calendar, in December the levels will lock, with a new artwork being made available each day, however, this can be disabled if players prefer. The levels vary in difficulty, this is somewhat random rather than progressive and is largely determined by the number, size and density of the bees to be found as well as the overall level of detail in the artwork. Unlimited hints are also available if needed, this will show an arrow pointing to an object that is left to be found, clicking the hint button again will move the arrow closer to the object. The controls are straightforward and a simple combination of mouse and keyboard input is utilised.

The game includes three save slots, allowing for multiple playthroughs and a number of Steam achievements add further replayability. After completing a level, the player’s time is shown, which in turn allows for competition with either oneself or another, once again, adding more potential play time.

Styling

I commissioned some bees (advent) is made up of some wonderful Christmas and winter-themed artworks, all individually commissioned and filled with bees. The styles range from detailed and illustrative to much more cartoon-like and each one utilises a unique but limited colour palette to great effect. The only negative is that the images are square leaving a lot of white space on the screen. Each level also includes a unique backing track of festive music to really give the game a seasonal feel. It includes twinkling sleigh bells, gentle piano and melodic strings to name but a few and most songs are quite uplifting. The overall aesthetic is very jolly and upbeat without infringing on the casual and relaxing gameplay.

Summary

I commissioned some bees (advent) is a wonderful addition to this series of games and is great to enjoy as a whole experience or as a day-by-day advent calendar. It will take around three hours to complete and offers some minimal replayability. The selection of delightfully festive artworks is a highlight of the game and a joy to behold. There is a mix of relaxing and more challenging levels but the experience maintains a casual feel overall and the process of finding all the bees is a very relaxing one. I really enjoyed this game and I’d happily recommend it to fans of hidden object games.

If you’re looking for more bee-themed games you might also like these reviews:
APICO – What’s the Buzz on this Easy Going Beekeeping Simulator? – Hive Time Review – Buzzy Management! – Keeping Busy with Bee Simulator – Bee Gaming for Free with BirdGut

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