So, you're minding your own business, spying on some swanky tree house and the strange witch who lives there when, before you know it, you're locked inside. Fortunately for you, the house of Baba Yaga is full to the brim with magical items. Unfortunately for you, you have no mana and no magic spells hidden up your sleeve and a lot of this hocus pocus stuff makes no sense—not at first at least. Ergo you take on this enchanting point-and-click adventure by Pastel Games' Barbara Jarosik.
This three-room treehouse is replete with puzzles, knicknacks, spell books and other nifty items that will, when used correctly, secure your freedom—the challenge comes in finding it all. Collect an object, set it in motion or zoom in closer by clicking it. When zoomed in, just click the bottom of the screen to back up. In a wider scene, a circling arrow spins you 180° to view the next stage. To use your inventory, one click puts an item in your hand where it stays until you put it back. While the cursor changes over interactive spots, different spots are often close together, care is needed to not miss the distinction or to find small nooks you wouldn't otherwise think to search.
Baba Yaga moves from ordinary escape-the-room to a larger venture through the plethora of interactivity found at every turn. Every detail is whimsical and fun, yet with so much to toy with and so many areas to explore, it's difficult to stay focused on the task at hand and figure out your next puzzle. In the same token, a pixel-hunty feeling might arise as it's easy to overlook important information or a small area that contains big secrets; the visual clues are all there, just sometimes subtle. One shouldn't go plundering through a kooky witch's belongings with reckless abandon, of course, lest you stumble and turn into a frog. Still, it'd be nice if the exploration and inventory were a tad less cumbersome. Many solutions rely as much on inference as logic and piecing together of clues, which fits the tone and situation rather well. Through artwork that's effervescent with personality and engaging puzzles throughout, Baba Yaga is a basket of happy whimsy waiting to be tipped on edge.
Walkthrough Guide
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Baba Yaga Walkthrough
You begin facing the locked door to the right of which is a stove and to the left is a cupboard. Start by exploring the stove area on the right side of the room:
Click the pitcher of water on the stove's edge. It will magically pour water into the pot. You'll also notice something hidden behind it...
MATCHES. Quickly grab them when the pitcher is pouring.
Open the stove door now and use the MATCHES to light a fire.
With the water boiling, let's stir things up...
Click the SPOON on the wall to the right and it will begin stirring the pot.
Check around the side of the chest where you see a green tail sticking out:
Little vampire worms are popping out of the woodwork....
Click on each as it appears to get 3 SCOLYTIDES.
The chameleon looks friendly, so give him a little scratch behind the ears...
which gives you CHAMELEON SKIN.
Click the bottom edge of the scene to back up.
Now look through the cupboards:
Open the top of the cupboard:
Get the ENCHANTED SAUSAGE.
Then, look in the bottom of the cupboard:
Get the KITCHEN KNIFE.
Say hello to the owl perched atop his cupboard:
He wants a worm and perhaps he'll share his wisdom.
Give him the 3 SCOLYTIDES and he'll tell you about three different knives cutting three different types of ropes.
Click the bottom edge of the scene to back up.
The kitty sitting on the chest is sweet enough, until you click the lock...
Feed the cat an ENCHANTED SAUSAGE. He'll grow so fat, he breaks the chest.
Search through the treasure to find a GOLDEN COIN (1/6).
See the dove up in circular window above the door?
Click on the dove to get FEATHER (1/5).
Turn around by using the circling arrow at the bottom of the scene. Now you're facing the other side of the room. You see some shelves flanking the archway to the bedroom.
Here are also three more doves in the rafters...
Click the dove on the left and the dove on the right...
and get two more FEATHERS (2/5) and (3/5).
Look on the right side of the cat's chest to discover another nook worth exploring more closely...
Here is another FEATHER (4/5). Pick it up.
There's also a slip of paper stashed between the wall and the chest...
Click it to open it up and read it. It's a LETTER FROM ESMERALDA about a dwarf and an enchanted windmill. Pick up the scrap of paper (WINDMILL TABLEAU) to understand the gears arrangements.
Back up.
Now look on the bookshelves on the left side of the room:
Pick up the MAGICAL HERBS BOOK from the top shelf.
You can also move the books on the bottom shelf to find a CHEST KEY hidden underneath.
Now examine the herbs puzzle on the top shelf, to the right of the blue windmill:
Using the MAGICAL HERBS book, change the images in each square to match each herb's characteristics.
You'll need to infer some of the elements involved, which is easy enough after getting two of them correct from the clues...
Screenshot: Herbs Puzzle Solution
As each row is correct, a fourth image--that of the plant's seed--will appear in the last column.
When finished, the three seeds fall out of the picture to become...
a TRIPLE SEED. Take it.
Get the green FAIRY TALES book off the middle shelf, below the windmill. Then, click on the card game on the table:
Read the FAIRY TALES book...
It tells a "once upon A time" story about a King, Queen and Jack.
There's four pictures, each of the different card suit.
Click all the cards in the deck to deal them out. Click on each to turn them over. Then use the clues from the fairy tale to select the correct four cards...
ACE of Hearts, KING of Diamonds, QUEEN of Clubs, and JACK of Spades.
When you have them all correctly laid out, the box in the upper right will open so you can get...
GOLDEN COIN (2/6).
When you back up from the card game, you'll be facing the stove again, so turn back around. There's something else you need at the table. From this angle, move the chair nearest to you away from under the table...
Under the table you'll find a SPINNING WHEEL. Get it.
Now open the door on the right and go into the bathroom.
Get the PIECE OF TORN BOOK PAGE from the upper right corner of the bathroom.
Open the privy's stall door and get a RIGHT COGWHEEL (1/3).
Click each of the three bars of soap (by the basin) to send them to the tub. There you'll find...GOLDEN COIN (3/6) which was hidden under the soap.
Back out of the bathroom.
Go into the bedroom and you'll see a dwarf in a cage, a bed and a table. Let's lift up the drawf's cage...
There's a peg in the wall, next to the cage.
Put the SPINNING WHEEL you found under the kitchen table on the peg then click it to make it lift up the cage.
Look closer at the dwarf: he's tied up with three magic ropes. The owl in the kitchen already told you how to cut them, so now set about to finding these special knives.
Open the door to the stand under the cage...and get the WHEEL KEY.
Turn around to face the other side of the bedroom. Along the left wall is a red book on a podium....
Pick up the LEFT COG WHEEL from under the spellbook podium.
Go back into the other room, turn around and examine the enchanted windmill on the right side of the room, top shelf:
Press the three buttons on the windmill's base to open up the back panel.
Put the LEFT and RIGHT COG WHEELS in the empty pegs along the windmill's stand and a gears puzzle will appear...
Using the WINDMILL TABLEAU as a guide, replace the COG WHEELS to repair the enchanted windmill.
Note that the tiny gear pieces are included in the rules of arrangement...
SOLUTION:
As per the tableau, you need to alternate LEFT and RIGHT COG WHEELS. Although you can't see their design, count the tiny cogs as part of this alternation. So, starting with the top right peg and going clockwise, replace the pieces in this order...
RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT
Screenshot: Windmill Cogwheels
When the windmill is correct, the gears will turn and it'll play music.
Click on the back of the reapired windmill to turn it around. Then, click on the windmill's blades to spin them:
out pops 3 GOLDEN COINS (4-6/6). Pick up the coins.
Return to the bedroom and turn around to face the archway. Above the archway are the same doves you saw from the other room but...
This time, when you click the middle dove, you'll get the last FEATHER (5/5).
Lift up the green spellbook on the desk to get the BRONZE KNIFE.
Read the red spellbook that's on the left side of the room:
Learn you can turn a person into a bat with three ingredients:
Chameleon skin, triple herb and 3 purple flowers.
Turn the page to see part of the page is torn out.
Insert the PIECE OF TORN BOOK PAGE into the spellbook where it was missing.
Click the words "LITTLE TABLE COVER YOURSELF" and the spell is added to your inventory.
Get the BROKEN DUST BRUSH from the vase on the left side of the archway...
Use the 5 FEATHERS to fix the broken dust brush and get an unbroken DUST BRUSH.
Open the cabinet under the gazing ball...
Put the WHEEL KEY (found under the dwarf) on the cabinet under the gazing ball.
Zoom in on the front of the cabinet and click the design to open up another puzzle...a 4-letter code is needed here.
There's two buttons on the top of the design and two at the bottom. Pressing each button changes the letters in the code.
Solve the puzzle by figuring out the correct passcode.
SOLUTION:
O P E N
Now that the cabinet is open, you can examine the magic lamp:
Use the DUST BRUSH to spruce up the magic lamp and a genie will pop out.
Give the 6 GOLDEN COINS to the genie and he'll give you the GOLDEN KNIFE.
Turn around to face the bed side of the room and examine the dwarf again...
Use the BRONZE KNIFE on the first rope and the dwarf will fill up your MANA.
Then, go over to the magic table that's next to the bed...
Use the words "LITTLE TABLE COVER YOURSELF" on the table and it'll serve up lunch.
Besides food, there's also a SILVER KNIFE on the table. Take it.
Go back to the dwarf:
Use the SILVER KNIFE and the GOLDEN KNIFE to cut the other two ropes off the dwarf.
As a reward, the dwarf gives you more MANA and a spell:
"GROW AND GROW AND GROW"
Try out your new growth spell on the branches in the ceiling...
Collect two PURPLE FLOWERS (2/3) that bloom as a result of the spell.
Turn around and examine the potted plant on the desk:
Discard the ugly purple plant and put the TRIPLE SEED in the pot.
Use the "GROW AND GROW AND GROW" spell on the potted seeds then use the kitchen knife to get...
TRIPLE HERB.
Go back into the kitchen, turn around, and go into the bathroom again...
Use the growth spell on the branches here in the bathroom ceiling to collect one more PURPLE FLOWER (3/3).
Re-enter the kitchen and go over to the bowl and cutting board on the counter under the owl's cupboard. You're going to make a magic potion now:
Follow the recipe from the spellbook in the bedroom...
Put the CHAMELEON SKIN on the cutting board and use the KITCHEN KNIFE to cut it up. It will automatically be placed in the bowl.
Then, cut up the TRIPLE HERB.
Lastly, add the 3 PURPLE FLOWERS.
Now back up and click the bowl of ingredients to add it to the pot on the stove...
The witch comes in, tastes the tasty looking brew, and turns right away into a bat.
Hop on the magic broomstick. Add some magic elixir from the grey pitcher, click the sparkling button and away you'll go!
Item Locations
ENCHANTED SAUSAGE
Behind the top doors of the owl's cupboard.
KITCHEN KNIFE
In the bottom of the owl's cupboard.
MATCHES
Behind the water pitcher on the stove's edge.
CHAMELEON SKIN
Left side of the cat's chest, when facing the stove.
5 FEATHERS
1-Dove above the front door.
2 and 3-Dove on left and right side in the rafter's above the archway, when standing in the kitchen facing the bedroom.
4-On the right side of the cat's chest, when facing the bedroom archway.
5-Dove in the middle of the rafters, when standing in the bedroom and facing out toward the kitchen.
6 GOLDEN COINS
1-Inside the cat's chest.
2-Won from playing the card game.
3-In the bathroom, under the soap.
4, 5 and 6-From the enchanted windmill.
SPINNING WHEEL
Under the table (when facing the bedroom, pull out the chair)
MAGICAL HERBS BOOK
Blue book on the top shelf on the left side of the archway.
FAIRY TALES BOOK
Green book on the middle shelf, right side of the archway.
TRIPLE SEED
From solving the herbs puzzle, on the top shelf to the right of the windmill.
WINDMILL TABLEAU
Between the chest and the wall. Get there by clicking on the right side of the cat's chest when facing the bedroom archway.
RIGHT COGWHEEL
Inside the bathroom stall.
LEFT COGWHEEL
In the bedroom under the spellbook podium.
PIECE OF TORN PAGE/MAGIC TABLE SPELL
In the bathroom's upper right corner. Place the page back in the book to get the spell to operate the magic table.
WHEEL KEY
In the stand under the dwarf's cage.
DUST BRUSH
Get the broken dust brush from the green vase in the bedroom, then add the 5 feathers to it.
BRONZE KNIFE
Under the green book on the desk in the bedroom.
SILVER KNIFE
With the meal the magic table serves up.
GOLDEN KNIFE
From the genie in the lamp.
GROWTH SPELL
From the dwarf when you cut him loose.
TRIPLE HERB
Grown from potted triple seed with the growth spell.
PURPLE FLOWERS
Use the growth spell on all the branches that stick out from the ceiling in the bedroom and the bathroom.
Posted by: elle | April 27, 2013 1:27 PM