Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

As I mentioned in the post about “Dracula The Un-Dead,” I’ve downloaded the newest “Mystery Case Files” game yesterday. I’ve been waiting for the newest game of the series for a while – since the end of “Return to Ravenhearst,” to be honest.

I’ll start with the bad news: I had to download new drivers for my graphics card, because I got kicked out twice by the game, claiming an access violation. Apart from that, I got kicked out a couple of times without any error messages, but those didn’t screw up my profile, the access violations did, forcing me to start over twice. On the other hand, I finished the game in less than 6 hours that way (earning an achievement for it), because I already knew most of the riddles.

What I like most about the newest instalments of the “Mystery Case Files,” though, is the change from pure hidden objects game into a mixture between hidden objects and adventure. Since “Return to Ravenhearst” there is an inventory with stuff to pick up (everything from a lighter to a ladder) and you move freely through a series of screens, picking up objects, solving riddles and finding hidden objects screens.

The graphics have been turned up for the new game, too. There’s so much snow floating through the scenes, you feel frozen simply by looking at the screen. The places look great – a lost village in the middle of a winter snow storm, a lot of snow, ice and frozen things.

But what is the story behind the snow and the ice?

Four missing students (who leave behind Blair-Witch-like videotapes) who went to Dire Grove to find out more about four Celtic relics. They learned the hard way that not all legends are just imagination – as will you, once you have to face down the banshee in the end.

The place you stumble into, the local bed and breakfast, is devoid of life – as is anywhere else in this area. The locals have packed up and left for the winter, the houses are locked or full of snow and ice. Apart from a couple of rabbits and squirrels, there’s nothing there to keep you company. Well, there is, four frozen students who are still alive despite the ice encasing them, and a banshee. But that’s not what I’d call ‘good company.’

I really like this new instalment of the “Mystery Case Files.” It was a good mixture between crime and horror and full of interesting things to do. Oh: and there was a Banshee. (I mentioned that already? Really? It was there, you know.)