When it comes to hidden object games on PS4, one developer pretty much has the market covered: Artifex Mundi.
If you’re not familiar with the hidden object genre, let us try to explain it. Typically, a hidden object game is a point-and-click title that has you finding objects hidden within an environment. It’s like a digital Where’s Wally, but instead of finding a dude in a red and white striped shirt, you’ll be finding all kinds of items from a busy scene. And if you’re looking for the best hidden object games on PS4, you’ve come to the right place.
Many of the games, though – particularly those from Artifex Mundi – contain a wide variety of different puzzles. Like a simple first person adventure game, you’ll interact with environments, find objects and solve puzzles to progress. Typically, you’ll find yourself engaging with a mixture of jigsaw puzzles, block puzzles, logic puzzles, and of course, hidden object puzzles.
It’s a genre of games that’s perfect for relaxing with; if you want something stimulating but not too challenging, a hidden object game is worth considering. And so, we’ve rounded up some of the best hidden object games on PS4. They’re not all from Artifex Mundi either; we’ve tried to include other developers where we can.
1. Dark Arcana: The Carnival
Set in an abandoned fairground, what stands out most about Dark Arcana: The Carnival is its foreboding atmosphere. It’s not a horror game by any stretch of the imagination, but it oozes eeriness at every turn.
However, since The Carnival originally released on PC in 2012, its visuals aren’t quite as sharp as more modern releases. That doesn’t stop the artwork being impressive, though. The carnival theme works really well in creating an engaging environment to explore, and you’ll be captivated as you move from one area to the next.
With a wide range of puzzles there’s plenty to get stuck into. Dark Arcana: The Carnival will take around three hours to complete, and you’ll be entranced in its far-fetched but entertaining story for the whole journey. Particularly if you get a kick out of creepy atmospheres, this is one of the best hidden object games on PS4.
Read our review of Dark Arcana: The Carnival
2. Hidden Through Time
Here we go: one of the best hidden object games on PS4, and it’s not published by Artifex Mundi! Hidden Through Time by ROGUESIDE is slightly different from the other games on this list. It does away with storytelling and other types of puzzles and instead presents what is best described as a digital Where’s Wally book.
Presented with beautifully-illustrated scenes, you’ll need to hunt for a number of items. But with so much going on in each image, it’s not as easy as it sounds. You’ll need a good pair of eyes on you – and more than a drop of patience. But Hidden Through Time‘s gorgeous visuals and quirky personality makes this a hidden object game well worth jumping into.
Even better, if you enjoy it, there’s a wealth of DLC available set in different cities and eras. There’s Viking Tales for instance, set in the days of the Vikings. And Legends of Japan, set in ancient Japan.
Read our review of Hidden Through Time
3. Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride
Like its title may suggest, Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride tells a story that seems ripped straight out of a child’s fairytale book. With witches, princes, princesses and an evil bear, it’s a very tall tale. But it’s somehow very entertaining for its three-or-so hour running time.
As with most of Artifex Mundi’s hidden object games on this list, don’t expect anything amazing when it comes to the animations and voice work. These are far from AAA levels of production. They do they offer a certain charm, though – a je ne sais quoi – that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. The Forsaken Bride is no different, with gorgeous artwork making up the backdrops for you to explore. Everything is hand drawn, looking like pages from a Hans Christian Andersen book.
And of course, Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride has puzzles a-plenty. You’ll regularly come up against traditional hidden object puzzles, but there are plenty of other logic puzzles to keep you busy, too. For its breadth of variety, The Forsaken Bride is one of the best hidden object games available on PS4 to date.
Read our review of Grim Legends: The Forsaken Bride
4. Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink
A steampunk adventure that takes place in a fictional country that feels ominously akin to Nazi Germany, Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink is one of the best hidden object games on PS4. It may now be several years old, but that doesn’t stop it being any less enjoyable.
Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink continues the developer’s trend of using striking hand-drawn artwork for environments. The steampunk style, however, makes a welcome change from its usual fairy-tale theme. There aren’t as many actual hidden object puzzles in Clockwork Tales as some of the others, but with a solid mixture of other types of puzzle to solve, it just means there’s more to enjoy.
With giant robots, steampunk pseudo-Nazis and a mechanical raven as your sidekick, Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink isn’t your typical adventure in a small town, but it’s all the better for it.
Read our review of Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink
5. Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood
It doesn’t matter if you’ve not played the first Enigmatis title – Enigmatis 2 is a standalone tale of its own. (And, in our opinion, Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek was no where near as good.) The Mists of Ravenwood follows an investigator hot on the heels of a demonic preacher who winds up at Ravenwood Creek, a creepy heritage park.
Like the other games on this list, the storytelling isn’t its strongest element, but thanks to its wonderful artwork and engaging puzzles, it rarely matters.
Once again, Enigmatis 2‘s hidden object puzzles are accompanied by a wealth of other types of brainteasers . And new to this title s an evidence board; as you play, you’ll uncover pieces of evidence and it’ll be up to you to piece them together. Succeed, and you’ll be lead to the evil preacher’s whereabouts. It’s a nice touch that makes this title feel more like a modern mystery game rather than an old-fashioned hidden object title. That’s not to say there’s not plenty of the latter though – this is still one of the best hidden object games on PS4.
Read our review of Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood
6. Eventide: Slavic Fable
Eventide: Slavic Fable is another Artifex Mundi game that feels a whole lot like an old-fashioned folklore fairy tale. And that’s not a bad thing, really. The artwork is as beautiful as ever, and Slavic Fable stands out in terms of character design, too. Alongside the typical human cast of characters, there’s a bunch of anthropomorphic animals along for the ride. They’re charming and cute, and will likely give you reason enough all on their own to continue through the game.
But, as always, this isn’t a game to play for the story; you’re here for the puzzles. Thankfully, Eventide: Slavic Fable doesn’t disappoint in that regard. Alongside plenty of hidden object puzzles to keep you scouring over your screen, there are plenty of other logic-based puzzles too. Unfortunately, it’s one of the shorter games on this list, taking a little over two hours to complete – but it’s still one of the best hidden object games you can play on PS4.
