Wow ! The original Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst took gamers to a darker place than other titles of the hidden object genre and Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst delves even deeper into the supernatural. The story continues where MCF Ravenhearst left off with Emma Ravenhearst’s soul now free. However, her ghost has delivered a dire warning; the Manor is not completely free of malevolence. Something more sinister than you could imagine lies within the Manor’s walls and you must enter Ravenhearst once more, solve the mystery and free the Manor’s shackled souls.
I guess the most difficult part of this review is to actually categorise the game. To say Return to Ravenhearst is a hidden object game would be a half truth when , in fact, it has very strong leanings towards the point and click genre. Fans of the original title haven’t reason to panic yet though as there are still plenty of hidden object challenges and logic puzzles present but the difference now is that while you’re searching for your list of objects there is usually an item included that you’ll need to utilize in another scene. So you now have an inventory.
The hidden object screens are constructed as “scenes within scenes “ eg. A dolls house in a nursery, creating an environment to walk around and explore. These scenes offer varying levels of difficulty and are easily located by a sparkly effect on screen. Once all items are discovered you automatically zoom out of the screen and usually have collected an item in inventory .
The puzzles have evolved from the mechanical door locks and jigsaws that were present in Ravenhearst to a more refined adventure game style with so much more variety and creativity. The developers seem to have pulled all the best elements from casual puzzle games and incorporated them perfectly to tease and get the old grey matter working. There was one puzzle I was doing – a matching tile one where I had just completed about four sets and thought “this should be solved easily” when the tiles all started moving around the board ! Every time I’d got a couple matched they would move again. All the puzzles to require your full attention and although there is an option to skip some of these I would urge you to give them a go – none of them are overly complicated . There is also a hint system available throughout and while it seems unlimited, it does take quite a while to recharge once you’ve used a hint so use sparingly and if you make a wrong choice or mistake there’s usually a comical remark such as “Seriously ? that’s your best idea ?” .These brought a smile to my face more than once.
The audio and video are top notch. Expect loads of creaks and groans, spooky voices and eerie background music to set the mood but what I felt really elevated this game from being just another hidden object title were the excellent cinematography. From movement within still scenes (such as creepy crawlies and billowing curtains ) to full action footage , I felt it advanced the storyline, and enhanced the atmosphere perfectly. The production values really are the best I’ve seen in a casual game to date. In fact the only concern I would have would be the PEGI recommendation (currently age 7) because of the brilliantly presented macabre subject matter .
Summary
However this game is categorised it is a triumph ! One of the best thought out and immersive storylines in the current casual gaming stream and the amazing production values makes this just an outstanding game. I would have no hesitation in recommending MCF Return to Raven Hearst .
Marks out of 10
Sound:9.5 – excellent atmospheric musical score and ambient noises
Graphics:10 – Outstanding
Gameplay: 9.5 – Excellent selection of puzzles and the brilliant storyline brought everything together beautifully
Lifespan: 9 – Ageless you’ll revisit on a regular basis
Top Star goes to the graphic work throughout
These games are available on hard disk and vista compatible .view all Focus multimedia hidden object titles here
