Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

When it comes to hidden object games, few companies nail the subject with such ease as Big Fish Games. Proof of that can be found in the impressive Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove, one of the finest entries in this franchise's long-lasting history.

With more puzzles than hidden objects this time around, though, this chapter in the Mystery Case Files saga might be aiming for a larger audience than ever before. Add to that the game's impressive production values and intriguing plot, and we got in our hands one hell of a casual game.

Chilling Adventure

In a marked improvement over its predecessor (Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst,) Dire Grove adds a plot that's told through live-action FMV sequences. The result is some segments that look straight out of an indie film, adding a much-needed boost to the overall presentation of these games.

In terms of gameplay, however, it's more or less the same formula we've come to expect from the series. Pre-rendered or illustrated backgrounds are filled to the brim with random objects that the player will have to find in a The Great Waldo Search kind of fashion.

As has become customary for the series, the plot takes a group of graduate students to a remote location, where a spine-chilling mystery unravels. In this game's case, the action occurs in a secluded northern England town during a massive snowstorm. Trapped as you are, you have no choice but to find out clues as to where you are, and just what happened in Dire Grove.

Considering this is – at its core – just a casual hidden objects game, the fact that we have a plot – let alone one as good as this – is more than welcome. It goes without saying, but these kinds of engaging mysteries are certainly the norm for Big Fish Games.

Gloomy Surroundings

Every area in Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove has been carefully designed to be as cluttered as possible without getting too messy for the player. Every seek-and-find section is presented with crystal-clear clarity, just as we've come to expect from Big Fish.

If there's one thing that this game (and many more like it) love to do, is having the most obscure to any puzzle the developers can come up with. It's pretty much a tradition of this sort of point-and-click adventure game to be as obtuse as possible, which is why some puzzles in Dire Grove will leave you scratching your head from time to time.

Still, there's very little to complain about with this title. It's a casual hidden objects game that's fun for what is worth and will keep you hooked for the six hours or so it takes to beat.

Pros

• Excellent UI and overall presentation
• FMV sequences take the quality levels up a notch
• Good variety of puzzles

Cons

• Relatively short
• Somewhat disappointing ending

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove is a hidden object game from a long running series of similar games. In this creepy adventure, you’ll look for hidden cassette tapes that reveal the story of what happened to the people who left them behind. The game opens in a snowstorm that forces you to bring your journey to a grinding halt. Unable to continue your drive, you decide to investigate the stalled out car ahead of you—perhaps they can help you get back on the road. This is where you find your first cassette, and the burning mystery begins.

Creepy take on hidden adventures

The set up for this game is a really nice adventure. Even before you reach the “Play” button you are swept up in a cutscene with midrange graphics detailing what is to happen. The game offers you a scrap book to help keep track of the tale.

The game presents itself as a crime scene, and you’ll have to investigate farther by clicking around the scene. Sometimes you will get items you can take. Other times you will find a morphing object or a clue.

90sesque artwork

The art in the game is intentionally mid-range, taking after some of the later 90s games. It’s a consistent style present both in earlier parts of the series, and in later games such as Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident. The art is well done but doesn’t have that sharply refined look of more modern pieces.

Design flaw makes gameplay challenging

While Dire Grove makes it off to a great start with its exciting plot, it has a design flaw that can make playing the game difficult. You need to touch things in the game to see if they are a hidden object, but if they’re not, the game may decide you’re trying to leave the room and kick you out instead.

Unfortunately, you won’t know if you can interact with an object until you try. It can get frustrating and annoying to have to keep coming back when you click something that can’t be interacted with and find yourself backed out of the screen once again.

Time is padded out with duplicate scenes

In order to increase play value, the developers required you to repeat several scenes looking for different objects. This in itself is annoying, but the objects that obscure the items from view are often silly like bananas or take out boxes, reducing the tension to a disappointing level. Although this isn’t a big thing, it does detract from gameplay somewhat.

Not appropriate for minors

Dire Grove is meant to be suspenseful bordering on horror. While it may look like a child friendly game based on the artwork, this game isn’t appropriate for anyone younger than a teen.

Pros:

• Suspenseful storyline
• Challenging hidden object game
• Creepy visuals

Cons:

• Poor design makes play difficult
• Padded play time due to repeated scenes