Take on the Role of Master Detective!
This one was a long time coming. If you've ever experience the Mystery Case Files series before, you'll immediately fall in love with the latest offering, Mystery Case Files - Ravenhearst. The title comes from the eerie manor of the same name, hidden in an unexplored area near Blackpool. Be brave, my daring investigator, and delve through the mysterious old building, seeking out clues, unlocking the secrets of this story yet untold.
In this third incarnation of the series, you once again take on the role of the Master Detective. Explore the 32 rooms of the manor and seek out select items to reveal the mystery. Perhaps the most notable feature of this game is that the graphics are vastly improved over previous editions. This is easily the most detailed offering yet. As a result, your scanning skills will need to be top notch to filter out the clues. You'll be looking for everything from snakes to trumpets, castles to bagels. Hours upon hours of thrill-seeking fun! At over 70 megabytes, there is a lot of content to enjoy.
An Eerie Experience from Beginning to End
The developers have done a wonderful job of setting the mood for MCF: Ravenhearst. The dark and gloomy visuals make for quite the scary experience to begin with, but they have also included a fantastic, eerie soundtrack as well as many unexpected sound effects -- like a bat flying away, a creepy cat meowing, otherworldly creeks and bumps -- that will get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. The creation of this atmosphere has been executed to perfection.
A Puzzling Addition
But wait. Not all the rooms are available right from the start. While you must go through some sections of the multi-floor home in succession, others are outright locked. To get beyond these doors, you must solve the intriguing puzzles in front of them. There is a particular sequence that must be completed in order for the door to unlock, involving several moving parts. For example, you may need to earn a coin from a slot machine so that you can insert that coin into a slot, producing a particular item to be used elsewhere, and so on. Be sure to explore and click on everything to solve these intriuging puzzles!
What's more, after collecting an adequate number of clue items, you are given the task of completely a jigsaw puzzle from a ripped and torn old photograph. By using the Crime Computer, you will reveal more pages of Ms. Ravenhearst's diary, gaining a deeper understanding of the rich story behind the Manor.
With all these different elements, you will always have something new to try, something novel to play. This game really keeps you on your toes. (And you're timed too!)
Richly Rewarding
Following in the tradition of Huntsville and Prime Suspects, Ravenhearst is one of the most intense "seek and ye shall find" titles out there. This offering is more story-driven, providing you with a fascinating context for all that hard (and enjoyable) work. It's a fascinating tale told in an absolutely brilliant way.
Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst is overflowing with rich detail, mesmerizing visuals, and an absolutely enthralling soundtrack that will have you peering over your shoulder in fear. It's creepy, it's captivating, and it's easily the best MCF eye-spy or seek & find game to date.
