Chimeras: The Price of Greed – Review

Residents of the Carrington Mansion are disappearing left and right and you are called in to investigate this urgent matter! You soon discover that the force behind this phenomenon is one that is beyond the human realm. Can you uncover the secrets of the Carrington family and how they tied to the unholy forces in Chimeras: The Price of Greed?

It continues to baffle me how the Chimeras series has come to its tenth game. This fantasy hidden object adventure series is most likely Elephant Games‘ most unfocused and inconsistent effort and The Price of Greed does nothing but further cementing said sentiment. Chimeras: The Price of Greed’s storyline is a disjointed hybrid of murder mystery and dark fantasy – clear and logical explanations are rarely given and the Greek mythology of Chimeras is not at all relevant. Not to mention, the game contains some of most bizarre-looking, cheaply-designed evil minions ever – these one-eyed bats are more laughable than scary.

However, that does not mean that Chimeras: The Price of Greed is a visually disappointing game. Most visual components are quite well-done. While this is far from being the studio’s best-looking game and the use of the icy blue color scheme is a little overwhelming, the game delivers some genuinely impressive visual effects as well as neatly-designed scenes. There is also a lot to love when it comes to its audio. The orchestral soundtracks set the perfect haunting mood for the game and the voice-overs do a fine job of bringing the characters to life.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, Chimeras: The Price of Greed is still just another run-off-the-mill HOPA game. The adventure mechanics are simple and familiar, the junkpile hidden object scenes fail to offer much excitement, and the puzzles are mediocre at best. These gameplay flaws, combined with an unengaging storyline makes Chimeras: The Price of Greed quite a chore to get through.

For advanced players, the main game can be completed in under four hours and the bonus chapter should be around 45-50 minutes long. If you are interested in the Collector’s Edition (which in the case of this game might be better to get during a sale), note that it comes with a strategy guide, a bonus chapter, wallpapers, screensavers, concept art, soundtracks, replayable hidden object scenes, replayable puzzles, jigsaw puzzle, achievements, collectibles, morphing objects, and a secret room.

Just as expected, Chimeras: The Price of Greed is another middle-of-the-road sequel in this spotty hidden object series.