I used to be a nut for those “spot the differences” puzzles in magazines and newspapers in my teens, and I still do them on occasion even today. Recently, I was browsing PlayFirst for new puzzle games when I found something that offered this particular type of gameplay inserted into a wacky story and strange quest.
In Paparazzi, you play as an aspiring reporter and photographer working for a scandal newspaper. Your job is to follow certain celebrities around to get the scoop on their private lives.
Combining quick reflexes and good attention to detail, you go around town taking photos of a variety of objects in several different locations, or trying to find these celebrities themselves.
The game is divided into two parts, object hunting and celebrity hunting.
During the object hunting stages, you are given a scene where you must find a list of objects that will be blending in with the scenery sometimes in the craziest ways. The more pictures you snap, the more money you earn. If you find yourself stuck, you can buy a hint, but the more hints you buy, the more expensive they become.
In the celebrity hunting stages, you are given a scene and a limited number of photos to take, so you must make them count. The celebrity you are after will make random and quick appearances, so you have to pay attention and snap the best shot possible.
There are also bonus stages in which you are presented with two images side by side, where you must spot the differences within a 2-minute time limit. These can include a color change on an object, a different shape or texture, something might be inverted, flipped or missing altogether. You also gain an accuracy bonus (extra cash) for finding several differences in a row. There is an indicator of how many are left to find, but you can’t just end the level before the time is up, even if you can’t find anything else.
I recommend playing it in full-screen, since it’s easier to see things than if in windowed mode.
There are ten locations to visit throughout the game, and your assignments will vary from finding baby-related items to proof of a wedding or spotting giant footprints. The celebrities you stalk include Big Foot, Elvis, Nessie and even some aliens. The artwork is funny and the entire game shows a light sense of humor in the creativity of where the objects are, what they’re disguised as (a teddy bear disguised as a cloud got me lost for several minutes) and how the celebrities make their appearance.
While you can zip through the story mode fairly quick, this is an enjoyable family friendly game that can even help kids develop concentration skills. I did feel like the time limit was too long for the stages, and the music was very repetitive and got annoying a bit too soon.
Aside from those two downfalls, Paparazzi is a neat little game for everyone who likes scavenger hunts, spot the differences puzzles or any sort of brainteaser, and has the patience to stare at images for up to 15 minutes finding that one last object that doesn’t seem to be anywhere but turns out right in front of your nose.
A free 60-minute trial is available here.