Maestro: Dark Talent Collector's Edition
September 12, 2014
ERS Game Studios
Widescreen Support
Interactive Jump-Map
Voice Overs
3 Difficulty Settings
Hidden Objects Vs. Matching
Exclusive Bonus Chapter
Integrated Strategy Guide
Wallpapers & Screensavers
Concept Art
Soundtracks & Cutscenes
Achievements & Collectibles
Replayable HOs & Puzzles
Unlike in the previous Maestro games, Dark Talent does not feature any music children stories. Well, some might consider that a good thing considering that the game should be less childish and so on. We found the storyline in Maestro: Dark Talent to be fairly average, nothing beyond our expectations or anything that really sparks excitement – it is far too predictable and unoriginal.
Regardless of that, we found ourselves enjoying the game. Dark Talent is a very smooth gameplay, perhaps too smooth that it reaches the point of being overly-easy. There is nothing innovative in the gameplay, or even in the puzzles and the hidden object scenes. While every aspect of the game is very well-exquisite, they lack the challenge and all the bells and whistles. Most of the puzzles should be relatively easy for most players, and the HO scenes are not particularly difficult as well.
Then comes the production, in which Maestro: Dark Talent seems to have achieved. The graphics are obviously ERS-G; dark, a little eerie and high in quality – again, nothing remarkable. Nonetheless, the cutscenes and their animations are very impressive, we just wish ERS-G would have incorporated more of those 3D-style artwork in the actual game. Despite Dark Talent being a musical game, the soundtracks are not exactly exceptional. What is worse is the voice overs, they are odd and emotionless which got on our nerves a little bit.
Finally, one last Maestro: Dark Talent has is the length. Maybe it is because the gameplay lacks the challenge factor, the main game of Dark Talent only lasted under 3 hours for us – plus, an addition of a 35-minute bonus chapter.