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Where Hidden in my Paradise shines is that it is artistically intricate but mechanically simple. It strikes an excellent balance in its difficulty level across the board, in my opinion never straying into either hidden object extreme — you know, the old, “This is so simple that I might as well not be playing anything at all,” or the classic, “I just spent 30 minutes searching for one item and, actually, who made this cruel game? The DEVIL?” Its middle-of-the-road difficulty makes it approachable, but at the same time it gets a bump in complexity from having multiple objectives (hidden objects, fairies, snaps, and chests) in each level as well as the creative sandbox mode that can add hours of additional gameplay. It brings all these elements together seamlessly and with great charm, and I loved experiencing for myself via the sandbox mode just how painstakingly designed each level must have been created by Ogre Pixel.

With all the modern innovations we've made in gaming and storytelling, to imagine going back to PC gaming in the '80s — an era defined by games shoehorning themselves onto devices made for anything other than gaming — made me initially hesitant. But the efforts of the artists at LCB Game Studio made Varney Lake simultaneously thrive in spite of and because of its limitations. The Pixel Pulps series is one to keep an eye on. I can't wait to see this world filled out and certainly wouldn't say no to more installments. If you're looking for some new ways to get your chills and enjoy dabbling in nostalgic pulpy horror, don't skip Varney Lake.