This is a great game and well worth the extra money for the Collector's Edition.
The graphics and music/sound effects are great. It has just the right mix of HO and puzzle scenes. The puzzles are just the right level of challenging; you can figure them out if you stick with them long enough and you won't get so frustrated that you'll need to use the guide every 30 seconds. The storyline was fun and just a little bit creepy. I especially liked getting to hear about the personalities and accomplishments of the cursed dead Baskervilles and the jump back into time to see the room where they died as it was. Very clever.
The extra gameplay in the CE is awesome, it adds a whole new twist to the story and plenty of bonus fun.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
This was a fun little game. As an amateur "ripperologist" I definitely liked the story and the use of real details from the crimes mixed with fictional inventions. The characters were great and this really played like a classic "whodunit"; I was guessing throughout the game who the killer might be. The HOG scenes and puzzles were on the easy side, but quite fun and enjoyable. The graphics were very nice. My only caveat is that the game is very short. I'm pretty sure I played the entire thing in about 2 hours. With the interesting story, it definitely could have made a great longer game ala Mystery Case Files. But still, a lot of fun.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
2/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
2/ 5
I admit that I couldn't even finish this game, that's how boring it was. I played it for about an hour and a half. There just wasn't anything exciting about it. The story is boring, the characters were boring, and the graphics are very mediocre. The game just had no personality at all.
The game play is simple enough. Find various objects so that you can complete a task or move on to the next part of the "adventure" (I use that word very loosely). But it just seems very mindless after awhile, since you know that once you complete one boring task, another one will pop up in its place. Eventually I just gave up because of the sheer, crushing sense of ennui I experienced while playing the game. Can't recommend.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
3/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
I bought this game because I just became aware of the Mystery Case Files series, and I want to play all of them. With this particular game I feel like if I'd played it 3 or 4 years ago I'd be giving it a higher rating. It's definitely not as fun as the more recent installments. For one, this is more straight up HOG, rather than the Adventure/HOG mix that the series has become. Also the graphics are definitely showing their age. They were pixelated and blurry on my 1440x900 monitor. The atmosphere and story were quite creepy though, so I'm looking forward to playing the sequels. The hidden object scenes were challenging, and the door puzzles quirky, but some of them were a bit too hard.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
This is a great game, especially if you're looking for something easy going and light hearted. The graphics are really cute and the story funny. The puzzles and HO scenes are on the easy side. This would be a great game to play with kids, but even I enjoyed it and I usually favor the darker, slightly more difficult games.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
This game is really incredible. I loved it. The graphics, music, and sound effects are really quite wonderful. Lots of detail in every scene. The puzzles and mini games are great; just enough challenge without being too hard or too easy. But the best thing here is the storyline and the characters. I was so drawn in that I played the entire game in one sit down, and the game is a good 5 hours long. I love this game so much I really wish there was a Collector's Edition, because I'd love some wallpapers of the beautiful artwork, or some of the sound files of the music. Still this is a great value game since you get 5 good hours of game play and you also can keep playing a few of the mini games even after you finish the story.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
4/ 5
This game is the prequel to Nightfall Mysteries: Curse Of The Opera. While that game definitely has this one beat for creepiness and a slightly lengthier game, this also delivers a fun HOG/Puzzle experience. The graphics are excellent. The characters are fun and mysterious. Great voiceover work! The puzzles in this one are on the easy side, and the game is a bit shorter than I would have liked. But overall, a fun game with an engaging and well thought out story.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
This is probably one of the best games I've ever purchased from BFG. First, the graphics are amazing. The level of detail in every scene is simply astounding. The characters are actually "real" people (played by actors) rather than illustrations, and it's very neat. Each character has a unique personality, and it's great to be able to chat with them throughout the game. The puzzles in this game are challenging but in just the right way. They're the kind of puzzles where if you have some patience and stick with trying to solve them you will be able to figure them out yourself, instead of having to use the skip button. The music and atmosphere are sufficiently creepy but with a bit of humor to keep the game from being really dark. The story is wonderful with a great shock ending that will leave you floored. The Collector's Edition contains many fun bonuses like extra game play, which adds almost another two hours to the game! Beautiful wallpapers and concept art, and a complete strategy guide make the upgrade well worth it.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
4/ 5
Level of Challenge
3/ 5
The puzzles in this game were very hard, mainly because they weren't particularly intuitive. What had to be done next was often unclear and the puzzle solutions not logical. For this reason, I found this game quite frustrating. The story is interesting, the characters engaging, and the graphics quite nice, but more intuitive game play would have made this game a lot better.
Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
I love this series and this installment did not disappoint. As usual the graphics and music were gorgeous. The game play was fun and relaxing with a nice mix of different types of puzzles. Most were in the easy range, with only a few being really difficult. Even the Hidden Object scenes were nicely done, with clear graphics and with small mini mini puzzles within each scene. The storyline is enchanting and the characters fun. The Collector's Edition adds nearly an hour more of game play, which is nice. It also comes with beautiful wallpapers, music, art, and a fun Tangram game (borrowed from the game itself). All in all, well worth the purchase. Can't wait for the next installment of this great series of games!