June's Journey

Criminal Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game, developed by the Berlin-based Wooga company, which takes place in New York in the late 1920s. In June's Journey, the player takes on the role of the adventurer who wants to solve the mysterious death of her sister and her husband. June's Journey is the sequel to Pearl's Peril's, although the events presented here take place ten years earlier.

Plot

The main character, June Parker, receives tragic news from New York. According to the letter, her sister Clare was murdered by her husband Harry, who then committed suicide. The protagonist does not consider the news to be true and goes to her family estate on Orchid Island to take a personal look at the case and take care of Clare and Harry's orphaned daughter, Virginia.

Mechanics

The main feature of June's Journey is playing out scenes with hidden objects, sometimes cleverly placed in a richly detailed picture. In each chapter, the player receives a list of randomly generated items that they have to find in order to complete a particular location. Their names appear at the bottom of the screen (only three are always visible; when the player finds one of the elements, another takes his place). The player will receive points for each of them, which can be multiplied if he/she manages to find two or more in a row before a given time. In case the player cannot find a particular object, he/she can also use a hint by clicking on the light bulb in the corner of the screen. At each level there is also one or more items that are crucial for the story ahead. One scene can be played out several times. Points for finishing the stage again are added to the main stars (five in total) displayed above each scene in the scene browser. Stars allow you to make progress in the game, discovering the next parts of the story, by collecting them the player can also get unique prizes, i. e. Star Boxes.

The game is divided into chapters, consisting of five scenes with hidden objects and a final adventure in which the player has the opportunity to explore more hidden family secrets. The introduction to each scene is a short animation in which the protagonist summarises her achievements or exchanges information with one of the other characters.

In addition to the actual gameplay in June's Journey there is also a metagame in which the player has to extend, expand and decorate the area around the residence (Orchid Island). The player has full control over the positioning of each object (including the residence) on the available island area. Some objects generate a certain number of coins, thanks to which the player can purchase new decorations and buildings. Setting up a new building in an accessible area requires both resources and a certain time. For the purchase of certain decoration elements and the improvement of the buildings (including the residence itself), the player can receive prizes which will allow him e.g. unlock later chapters of the main game, or reveal another part of the hidden area on the map. He will also receive additional bonuses for daily logging in to the game (after 30 days of continuous activity he will also receive a special prize).

The player must also look for important objects (such as an old lighthouse) in the island area, which have special features. Their renovation, although time-consuming, has a significant impact on overall progress in the game.

June's Journey allows you to interact with other players (e.g. by sending each other gifts to decorate the property) or by comparing the results of the game, thanks to the points collected during the object search, summed up at the end of each chapter and presented together with the player's nickname in the final ranking.

Technical aspects

June's Journey has colorful, two-dimensional graphics. The characters, interactive objects and the backgrounds themselves were designed with particular attention to detail. The soundtrack, also composed by Woog, effectively builds tension.