Mateusz Skutnik has already helped us ring in the New Year in years past, point-and-click puzzle style, and with Where is 2015? we go on a gorgeous, subtly animated photographic journey through the months of the year, reassembling a calendar and hopping from place to place. To play, just click when the cursor changes to show you can interact with something, and click on items in your inventory to pick them up to use, or view them up close. Where is 2015? is similar to the 10 Gnomes style of interaction, where you're exploring environments made up of beautifully detailed pictures and close-ups trying to find hidden items or mechanisms, though not every location or view has something for you to find. Just remember to look in every nook and cranny, examine your inventory, and revisit places you've been before!
Mateusz Skutnik's "Where is..." games tend to be short and simple, so this longer, more involved game is a real treat no matter what time of year it is. The full colour photography is beautiful no matter what the subject matter, blending with a fantastic atmospheric soundtrack to create an immersive, thoughtful experience. Because places you can click on aren't always obvious, you'll spend a fair amount of time waggling your cursor over every inch of the screen when you get stuck, usually because you've missed a transition to a new view. Most of the puzzles you'll encounter are either straight-forward or obviously hinted, so largely the gameplay is focused on tracking down objects and switches. It feels like a treasure hunt, with just the right amount of whimsy spun in, and taking in all the detail is both part of the charm and the challenge when it comes to finding all the items you'll need. Remembering where you might have seen a character or place you need to return to can be tricky with all the different up-close perspectives, and having to comb through every available location for sneaky hotspots when you're stuck may get frustrating, but with patience and a careful eye you'll persevere. Where is 2015? is lovely, relaxing, and just a little bit magical in all the right ways, and a fine farewell to the year before.
Walkthrough Guide
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For those who prefer a text walkthrough:
Walkthrough for "Where is 2015"
There are many views that are for your enjoyment only; I won't describe them here, but please explore!
Starting scene
The sign "EAU NON POTABLE" is missing three letters: A, O and P.
Pick up the calendar from the window. The calendar now contains one link, numbered 0. It will take you back to this scene.
You'll gather links to move between scenes as you progress.
If you look closely at the lower right corner of the window, you'll find a tooth. Pick it up.
The faucet of the fountain contains an upside down number: 022. When you move the mouse over the faucet, the number will be shown in a 'tooltip'.
There is a little gap above the tap. Zoom in on it to see a switch. Turn it on (you'll hear a hum).
The link to the scene for January is found in the rightmost rainpipe. It will be added to your calendar, as the link numbered 1.
January
There is a tooth in the hollow between the legs of the right-hand bench. Pick it up.
The link to the scene for February is on the ground below the table, in front of the right-hand bench.
Click on the right-hand side of the scene to view a pole with two signs. You can pick up a letter O from the orange sign.
February
There are some openings in the rock-like formation in the foreground.
An opening on the left contains the link to the scene for March.
An hollow in the middle contains a switch; turn it on.
There is a golden tongue on the beach to the left of the rock-like formation. Pick it up.
March
There is a bunch of tools against the wall on the right hand side, in the back. There is another switch behind the handle of a spade.
The link to the scene for April is in the white paint bucket.
There is another tooth in a hole in a slice of bread to the left of the paint buckets.
April
There is a bunny on the basket on the left (in the back). Zoom in on the bunny (Boo!) and pick up the letter P to the left of it.
There is a second golden tongue on the cupcake with the blue and golden sprinkles near the upper right of the basket with cupcakes.
The link to the scene for May is attached to the black egg on the left hand side of the egg basket.
May
There is a little gnome on a block of wood with four hollows. If you move the mouse over the gnome it'll tell you that its collection is missing.
The link to the scene for June is near the stone ornaments on the left hand side of the scene.
June
Zoom in on the large cogwheel.
There is a golden tongue on one of the cogs slightly to the left of the top of the wheel.
There is a switch just to the left of the wheel.
The link to the scene for July is on a smaller cogwheel behind the large one, seen between the two topmost spokes.
Look all the way down to where the water swirls around the toothed rack. Zoom in and you'll find a tooth.
July
Zoom in on the water basin on the right hand side, then zoom in on the waterlily leaves. The fish will tell you that the turtle number can be found on the faucet.
The mouth of the large vase to the right of the stairs contains a switch.
There are two stone turtles to the left of the amphoras to the left of the stairs. The left one has 000 on its back. Change this to the number on the faucet.
We found this in the starting scene - the number is 022.
The turtle will turn around, and you can take a stone sun symbol from its back.
There are three jars on the wall above the amphoras. The second one from the left contains a wooden ball.
You'll find the link to the scene for August on the inside of the helmet in the alcove behind the jars.
Zoom out from the helmet so that you're looking at the alcove, then look up. There are six spaces. The stone sun symbol fits into one of them. We'll need to find five more!
August
Zoom in on the door, then on the sign on the door. Take the letter A from the word Ausrutschgefahr near the bottom. We now have the letters A, O and P...
The hole in the door below the sign contains a switch.
There is another stone sun symbol in the opening near the top of the sinker to the left of the door.
You'll find the link to the scene for September in a little gap at the bottom of the window to the right of the door.
Click to the right of the house to view it from the back. There is a series of electric wiring with lights, some of which are on.
There is a window blockedup with smaller stones in the wall. Near the upper right part of this window you'll find another switch. When you turn it on, one more light is on! Three aren't on yet, so three more switches to find.
There is a fourth golden tongue in the rubbish to the right of the mill wheel.
Time to bring another visit to the initial scene (0 on the calendar).
Remember the EAU NON POTABLE sign? We've found the missing letters. Place them on the sign. A little lid to the left of the sign will shift. You'll find another stone sun symbol in the opening.
September
An orca! The link to the scene for October is attached to its tail.
Zoom in on the orca's eye - moving the mouse over it and you'll learn that the orca has problems with its teeth. Hmmm - we found some teeth. And indeed, it is missing several teeth. You can place the teeth you found now, if you wish, but we'll need to find more.
There is an anchor to the left of the orca. You'll find a switch on the ring of the anchor.
Zoom in twice on the grass to the left of the ring to find another stone sun symbol.
October
Zoom in on the left hand side of the building, then on the bottom of the tree. There's a golden tongue just to the right of the trunk.
Zoom in on the roof above the door. There is a hard-to-find tooth on the roof.
Zoom out again. Zoom in on the gutter in the center of the scene, then zoom in on the center again, to find another golden tongue.
The link to the scene for November is attached to the gabled window above the gutter.
November
Zoom in on the head of the statue. It says "My poor frogs".
There are 8 frogs surrounding the statue. They are missing something - their tongue. We have found 6 tongues, we need 2 more.
There is another tooth on a copper knob near the leftmost frog.
The link to the scene for December is on the front of the pedestal.
December
There is a lot to find and do here!
Zoom in on the house on the left, then on the stones to the left of the door. If you look carefully, there is a handle protruding from behind a stone placed against the wall. Zoom in there to find a switch.
Zoom in on the stones to the right of the door, then zoom in on the stones in the back. You can just see the top of a can in the center left of the view. The can contains a golden tongue.
Zoom out again, then look at the stone with a face on it. Click just to the left of it to find another can with a golden tongue - we now have all of them.
Time for another visit to November.
Give the frogs their tongues back.
Look at the head of the statue - it now says that there is a reward in its pouch. The pouch (below the violin) has opened - take a key from it.
Go back to December.
Zoom in on the house on the left, then on the basement door/window on the left.
There's a slab to the right - look under it to find another tooth (zoom in twice). You should now have 7 teeth.
Let's visit September again.
Give the Orca its teeth back - 6 in the front view, 1 in the side view.
Then look at its eye - there is a reward under its arm (side fin).
Look closely just to the right of the side fin. There is another key.
Return to December.
There is a statue of a dragon or crocodile on the wall between the two houses. It has a stone ball in its mouth - take it.
Zoom in on the house on the right, then on the left basement window. Look in the culvert to the right of the window - you'll find another stone sun symbol.
Zoom in on the front door. We've got two keys, but it looks like there are four locks, so we're not done yet.
The cannon to the left of the door contains a snowball, and the cannon to the right of the door contains a cannonball. We now have 4 balls - what to do with them?
Visit May.
Place the four balls in the hollows of the wooden block.
Now look at the gnome. It says that there is a reward in the wreath.
The little box in the center of the wreath has opened. Take the stone sun symbol.
We now have all stone sun symbols. Visit July.
Go to the alcove with the helmet, then look up.
Place the stone sun symbols in the openings. The central stone slides aside, revealing a key.
Go back to December.
Zoom in on the right-hand house.
There is a switch at the top of the right-hand pillar at the front of the stairs. This is the 10th switch!
Visit August.
Click to the right of the house to view it from the back.
All ten lights are on, and the hub where all wires come together has opened. Take a key from it.
Go back to December.
Zoom in on the door of the right hand house.
Use the four keys to unlock the door (you'll have to experiment which key opens which lock).
2015 will come out of the door, accompanied by funky music.
Posted by: hans.vogelaar
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December 31, 2014 11:05 PM