Meet Amy
Amy is revisiting her past. She comes back to her grandparents' country home, where she grew up after her parents were killed in an accident. Everything is familiar to her, except for the attic, where she was too scared to go. This, she says, is where secrets lie.
Now that she's older, her fears of the attic are a thing of the past. Venturing into unknown territory, she finds an old family album, full of pictures of her parents and other relatives that she never knew she had.
As you explore Amy's family album, you'll learn all about her past and participate in some really fun hidden objects levels.
Searching Through the Past
The first stage in Family Mysteries really set the tone and made me realize that I was in for something special. I was exploring an ancient picture of Amy's mother Melissa when she was five years old and hanging out back around a clothesline. The best part? The picture was in black and white! I was searching through this beautifully hand drawn picture, something I don't think I've ever experienced. And that isn't the only great thing about it.
Expertly Crafted
Unlike most hidden objects games, where items are just haphazardly tossed around, everything in here was put into place with the utmost care. The items are beautifully drawn into the picture and the result is almost like an optical illusion. You'll really need to wear your best reading glasses for this one!
And it just gets better from there. As you find objects, color will be restored to the picture, until you end up with a great looking digital painting. This really is a sight to see and the game is worth it just for this alone.
Weaving a Tale
The writers behind Family Mystery must be applauded for creating such a realistic and engaging background for Amy and her family. Each picture is accompanied by a few sentences describing what we're looking at and talking about certain characters. By the end of the game, you'll feel as if you know these people personally, and it takes a great writer to successfully pull that off.
Mini-Games
After you complete a hidden objects stage, you'll get to play a mini-game of your choosing. After the first stage, your options are Quiz, where you're quizzed on the picture you've just seen, Twister, which involves matching tiles, and Doodle, which involves silly doodles made all over the picture.
They're all fun to play, and when added together, they make this a pretty irresistible package.
Great Memories
Family Mystery is a fantastic game in every aspect. It's loads of fun, it's a wonder to behold, and the story rivals that of a New York Times Bestseller. I could be embellishing that last bit, but if I am, it's not by much. There's so much to love here that I couldn't possibly cover it all, but I'm sure anyone can get some sort of enjoyment out of this game. This is a terrific product and well worth every penny.
