# Off The Record: The Art of Deception HD - A Hidden Object Mystery — user reviews > 216 indexed App Store user reviews of Off The Record by Big Fish Games, Inc, rated 1.70/5 from 257 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/off-the-record-the-art-of-deception-hd-a-hidden-object-mystery/id1001704139/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/off-the-record-the-art-of-deception-hd-a-hidden-object-mystery/id1001704139.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 25 · 4★ 12 · 3★ 9 · 2★ 26 · 1★ 185 ## Newest reviews (18 of 216) ### 2/5 — Stuck *2021-12-31, version 1.0.2* I am stuck at the owl game I think I may have purchased this game twice and still can’t play it.. ### 1/5 — Waste of money *2021-12-07, version 1.0.2* You get as far as the owl puzzle and no further. Waste of money. ### 1/5 — Art of Deception *2021-09-07, version 1.0.2* Aptly named game, as in the deception is that one can actually finish it. There’s a major bug in the owl game, so it doesn’t work and you cannot progress through the game, because it gives the wrong paper on the back of the note. A waste of time, money, and confidence in Big Fish Games. Whyever would I want to play the fourth game, if I can’t get through the third one? ### 1/5 — Fehler enthalten *2021-06-06, version 1.0.2* Beim Eulenspiel geht es nicht weiter! ### 1/5 — Still freezing at owl puzzle. DO NOT PURCHASE!! *2021-05-21, version 1.0.2* Do not buy. Freezes early in the game and cannot move forward. Very disappointed that Big Fish has received so many comments about this and hasn’t fixed it. ### 1/5 — Game freezes *2021-05-17, version 1.0.2* The game freezes at the owl map. I would think after 5 years they would have fixed it but no they haven’t. Going to try and my money back because I’m not even halfway through the game. I tried deleting and reinstalling and trying again but to no avail. Shame. ### 1/5 — Owl Game Broken *2021-05-16, version 1.0.2* Get to the owl game and it won’t work… ### 1/5 — Chapter 3 *2021-05-10, version 1.0.2* Cannot get passed the Owl mini game ### 1/5 — Deception *2021-05-08, version 1.0.2* This game played well up to the owl, I deleted reinstalled and played again only to get stuck in the same spot. Was not impressed to read I cannot get a refund as I paid with apple. Something you’re not warned about. Unhappy ### 1/5 — Please sort this out. *2021-05-07, version 1.0.2* I was enjoying this game up to the point it just stopped working. Probably should have read the reviews. If Big Fish know there is a problem with this game; SORT IT OUT, and stop selling it until you do. Rant over. ### 1/5 — Can’t get past the owl *2021-05-06, version 1.0.2* Like everyone else I can’t get past the owl. Will be asking for a refund 🤬🤬🤬 ### 1/5 — A waste of money! *2021-05-06, version 1.0.2* I’ve played many Big Fish games and never had to quit the game because I couldn’t get passed a level…. But, I will have to delete this one because the big owl part doesn’t work. Don’t buy this game as others have warned. ### 1/5 — DO NOT BUY Bug still not fixed, can’t progress in game *2021-05-03, version 1.0.2* Like so many others, I’m getting stuck using the owl binoculars to try and plan my hang gliding route to town, and can’t even select the old tower. So frustrating, have had to request a refund. Shouldn’t be on sale still IMO. ### 1/5 — DON’T BUY THIS!! *2021-05-02, version 1.0.2* Does anyone know how to get a refund? I can’t progress past the owl binoculars - I now know it’s a very common problem. Big Fish should have sorted it by now or stop selling it. ### 1/5 — Tower issue *2021-05-01, version 1.0.2* I purchased the game. Installed 2 occasions and the tower area don’t played! Return my money! ### 1/5 — Owl game glitch *2021-04-29, version 1.0.2* Frozen at that point. Seems like Big Fish has known about this for years. Why isn’t it fixed? What a rip off. ### 1/5 — Bloody useless *2021-04-28, version 1.0.2* I’ve been conned! Paid £6.99 for this game and can’t get past the owl. I want my money back. ### 1/5 — Major bug fairly early in game *2021-04-27, version 1.0.2* As of the writing (April 2021) the owl bug that you read about still hasn’t been fixed. I’m disappointed in Epic as they usually make quality fun games. Apple should remove this game from the App Store. It is not fair to sell a broken product. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — The Art of Deceprion *2025-07-03, version 1.0.2* Bought this game which got stuck at the old tower telescope. I see this problem has been identified but not fixed so I have requested a refund from Apple. Not good enough from Big Fish Games. ### 1/5 — Can’t finish the game *2025-05-22, version 1.0.2* Can’t get past the owl map part ### 1/5 — Bug comme les autres joueurs *2024-07-21, version 1.0.2* Impossible de sélectionner la vieille tour Ce n’est pas normal 😡😡 ### 1/5 — Wish I read reviews *2024-04-04, version 1.0.2* I can’t get past the owl map really wished I read the reviews before I payed £6.99 for this game Why have a game still for purchase when you know it has a glitch? Big disappointment I sell be requesting a refund ### 1/5 — Deception *2023-09-24, version 1.0.2* You pay money to play and it won’t let you go past the old tower. This is bull. Want my money back. Wish I had looked at reviews, I usually do. ### 1/5 — DO NOT BUY *2023-08-02, version 1.0.2* Taking money for a game that doesn’t work and has never been updated after a myriad of issues. What has happened to Big Fish lately? Bad support, glitchy games. Why does this game continue to be available for sale? ### 1/5 — Funktioniert immer noch nicht *2023-06-10, version 1.0.2* Der Entwickler hat vermutlich keine Lust, uns Kunden, die bezahlt haben, ihr angestandenes Recht zu gewähren, ein funktionierendes Spiel zu bekommen. Das Eulenspiel hängt immer noch! ### 1/5 — Game still not functional 8/28/2022 *2022-08-28, version 1.0.2* I purchased game a long time ago and just now tried to play it. The same complaint about the owl puzzle is still NOT working. Restarted too many times too count and reinstalled several times just not believing a company would NOT have continued to falsely sell a non working program ( I didn’t read the previews or I would never have paid for it) Hope others are smarter than me and many others and DO read the reviews. Waste of money. You can’t even get through what we can only guess is less than half the game based on the guide book information. I gave 1 star ONLY TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THIS REVIEW and also because they continue years later to be able to FALSELY advertise and CONTINUE STEALING peoples money for a non working game. ### 1/5 — Toujours pas réglé pour le hibou! *2022-07-27, version 1.0.2* J’ai vraiment payé pour rien. Cela fait 3-4 fois que je recommence ce jeu, et je suis toujours bloqué à la TOUR . ### 1/5 — Funktioniert nicht! *2022-04-02, version 1.0.2* Beim Turm bleibt es hängen. Wurde immer noch nicht gefixt! 👎🏽 ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Fantastic *2021-05-17, version 1.0.2* Thanks for the fun!! ### 5/5 — Money back *2021-05-08, version 1.0.2* Please give me my money back game freezes in the tower when you find a tower I don’t know what I’m looking for and it doesn’t give you any hints so either give me my money back or you make the game at least something that we can go ahead and finish the stupid game thank you ### 5/5 — Off the record *2017-11-19, version 1.0.2* Same problem is everyone else! Can’t get pass the owl!, Want my money back too!! ### 5/5 — You people are wrong *2016-05-09, version 1.0.2* No problems here, this is a good one. Lots of puzzles, good storyline, moves smoothly. Did I play a different game (?) ### 4/5 — Not that bad.... *2016-05-08, version 1.0.2* I saw all the 1 star reviews & wanted to give a more positive review because from my experience, this is not a one star game. I purchased the full game and have played it through until the end, including the bonus game. I found no glitches and no problems playing the "owl game". I'm happy to support games that are about "real people" &/or realistic situations because they are so few and far between. I'm so sick & tired of the monsters & supernatural games that are everywhere. I find them childish & have a hard time playing something that's so implausible. ### 3/5 — Bug a la vieille tour *2021-04-20, version 1.0.2* On est en 2021 et toujours pas résolu c’est honteux 😡 ### 3/5 — Off The Record *2021-04-18, version 1.0.2* After 4 Years You Would Think The Owl Game Would Be Fixed, Its Not, I'm Downloading It Again Hoping It Will Help, Till Then... ### 3/5 — I’m not facing the owl game yet *2021-04-18, version 1.0.2* So far so good. ### 3/5 — Stuck on owl also. *2017-11-21, version 1.0.2* I love the game and want to continue but I'm stuck at the owl. I even went and created a new game and started over just to make sure I did it right and didn't miss anything. Went through the guide, did everything it said and on both games no glow. This really stinks. Ok Fish fix the problem please. I think we all would like to finish the game. ### 3/5 — Owl mini game glitch still there *2016-11-16, version 1.0.2* I do enjoy this game but cannot get past the owl mini game. I've been using the guide, just to make sure I haven't missed anything getting to that point. What happens for me is, when I put the note pieces together I do not receive the directions sheet. What happens is, I'm supposed to select the note and it's supposed to turn over and have directions on the back, I think. Instead, what I get is the map, which I don't need until after completing the owl mini game, and that's when I should receive the map so I can use the hang glider and map to move on through the game. During the owl mini game, the guide shows that the various objects (tower, etc) will glow when you have the viewer placed correctly. Using the exact instructions in the guide to move along with the viewer, nothing ever glows, and nothing is clickable. Please fix this and send out an update! You will have a lot more happy gamers! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*