Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove Demo

Mysterious places can be found all over the world, especially in remote regions that are a bit disconnected from civilization. The fact that they are old and in a state of disrepair makes them appear rather unsettling, which is why so many haunting stories have old houses and derelict hotels at their center. Naturally, such locations make for an excellent video game plot, as long as the developers manage to keep the atmosphere intact.

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove is yet another episode of the popular adventure series that deals with myths and legends surrounding creepy places. In this case, however, the creators tried to include a number of new elements, all of which should contribute to the atmosphere. Hence, besides the usual hidden object sequences, there are also a variety of puzzles you need to solve before you can unravel the mystery.

Speaking of which, the story talks about Dire Grove, a legendary Celtic place that’s supposedly inhabited by supernatural beings and constantly animated by unexplained phenomena. After a recent discovery of an artifact, your character goes on a mission to investigate Dire Grove on location, which proves to be quite the adventure. As such, your role is to find out what happened to a few missing students and unravel the supernatural mystery behind the Dire Grove fairy tale.

To keep you from getting bored, the game features all sorts of puzzles, few of which are similar to each other. This way, you always have to look for new ways to find answers, and there is never a routine to follow. However, the hidden object sections are still there, which means that every now and again you’ll have to take a break and search for a plethora of useless junk.

Thankfully, at least you have plenty to look at, especially since the graphics and the environments are as beautiful as the series accustomed its fans. Hand-drawn landscapes and even live-action cutscenes give the game a unique atmosphere, which sticks with you even after you finish the story. However, the replay value is at a minimum, because it’s difficult to see the point in solving the puzzles again.

While Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove lacks the complexity and the storyline to please hardcore adventure fans, the casual crowd should be delighted with this episode in the series, because it brings together everything a game like this needs.