- Mystery Case Files
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Mystery Case Files 
Official logo of the seriesGenres Adventure, puzzle Developers Big Fish Games Publishers Big Fish Games Platforms Windows, Mac OS X First release Mystery Case Files: Huntsville
November 14, 2005Latest release Mystery Case Files: Escape From Ravenhearst
November 2011Official website MysteryCaseFiles.com Mystery Case Files (also known as MCF) is a series developed by the internal studios of Big Fish Games. The Mystery Case Files series is known for its ‘Hidden Object’ puzzles where, in order to progress through a game, the player must find a certain number of items hidden somewhere on a painted scene.
There have been seven games in the Mystery Case Files series to date. After MCF: Huntsville, each one added additional features including:
- Flashlights and a fictional X-ray Device by MCF: Prime Suspects
- Rube Goldberg door puzzles by MCF: Ravenhearst
- Word and crystal ball puzzles, hidden object scenes inside hidden object scenes, interactive hidden object scenes, and morphing objects by MCF: Madame Fate
- Cause and effect objects, adventure gameplay, and live actors by MCF: Return to Ravenhearst
- Full motion videos by MCF: Dire Grove
- Interactive characters by MCF: 13th Skull
Storyline and characters have played an increasingly important part in the development of the series, especially from the third game onwards. The game MCF: Ravenhearst begins a story-arc that continues on into the next two games after it, MCF: Madame Fate and MCF: Return to Ravenhearst. The next game after MCF: Dire Grove, follows on from previous but does not lead directly into the same story. Big Fish Games has released MCF: 13th Skull on November 25, 2010 as a Collector Edition.[1] Another installment called MCF: Escape from Ravenhearst is expected to be released this November 2011. The game will continue the Ravenhearst story-arc.[2]
Big Fish Games "estimates that 100 million people have at least sampled trial versions"[3] of the MCF games since the initial launch of MCF: Huntsville.
Contents
Computer series
Huntsville
Main article: Mystery Case Files: HuntsvilleMystery Case Files: Huntsville is the first installment in the Mystery Case Files franchise and was released in November 2005 and immediately broke sales records for casual games. The player takes the role of a master detective to solve a series of seemingly random crimes in the small town of Huntsville. The game features a number of locations to explore and introduced the Crime Computer which is still a main part of the series.
Prime Suspects
Main article: Mystery Case Files: Prime SuspectsMystery Case Files: Prime Suspects is the second installment in the Mystery Case Files franchise and was released in April 2006. The player is tasked with investigating the disappearance of the Queen’s Hope Diamond in Capital City. Mystery Case Files: Prime Suspects added items that players have to discover to unlock later levels (such as finding a battery to power a flashlight). Characters also became a more prominent part of the series with the investigation revolving around multiple characters with different personality ‘quirks’. Every time the game is played, the suspects and culprit are different.
Ravenhearst
Main article: Mystery Case Files: RavenhearstMystery Case Files: Ravenhearst is the third installment in the Mystery Case Files franchise and was released in December 2006 and features an investigation centred on a mysterious manor located in England. Players find objects to unlock diary pieces to follow the life of Emma Ravenhearst. Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst introduced elaborate door puzzles to the series that were similar to a Rube Goldberg type puzzle.
Madame Fate
Main article: Mystery Case Files: Madame FateMystery Case Files: Madame Fate is the fourth installment in the Mystery Case Files franchise and was released in November 2007. The player investigates Madame Fate’s Carnival and the carnival workers to see which one of them causes the fortune teller’s death at midnight. Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate introduces more types of puzzles (including word puzzles and multiple crystal ball puzzles) while also changing the way a player can find items. Sometimes the player must combine two items on the screen, other times they must locate hidden areas to progress. The bulk of the game is still finding hidden objects, but there are a lot of other types of puzzles. Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate also introduced hidden object scenes inside hidden object scenes into the game-play.
Return to Ravenhearst
Main article: Mystery Case Files: Return to RavenhearstMystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst is the fifth installment in the Mystery Case Files franchise and was released on November 26, 2008, for Big Fish Games Game Club members whereas the public was able to download this game on November 27, 2008.[4]
Dire Grove
Main article: Mystery Case Files: Dire GroveMystery Case Files: Dire Grove is the sixth installment of the Mystery Case Files franchise and was released December 11, 2009. It had its first release on November 25, 2009 as a Collector's Edition. It follows the events of four graduate students who traveled to a small township near Blackpool, England. The game follows on from the previous game, Return To Ravenhearst, but does not directly lead into the Ravenhearst story-arc.
13th Skull
Main article: Mystery Case Files: 13th SkullMystery Case Files: 13th Skull is the seventh installment of the Mystery Case Files franchise and had its first release on November 25, 2010 as a Collector's Edition. It follows the disappearance of Marcus Lawson after moving into a creepy mansion in Louisiana. His daughter, Magnolia, believes her father was kidnapped by the ghost of a vengeful pirate seeking to protect his lost fortune.
Escape from Ravenhearst
Main article: Mystery Case Files: Escape From RavenhearstMystery Case Files: Escape from Ravenhearst is the eighth installment of the Mystery Case Files franchise and is expected to be released November 25, 2011 as a Collector's Edition. Some residents in Blackpool, England have gone missing around Ravenhearst Manor and you, the Master Detective must return to the shattered manor and search for the missing residents. The game will continue the Ravenhearst story-arc.
Other platform series
Agent X
Mystery Case Files: Agent X was released on April 15, 2008 and is the first in the Mystery Case Files franchise to be to be released for a portable device. Mystery Case Files: Agent X is only usable by Glu Mobile capable cell-phones.
MillionHeir
Main article: Mystery Case Files: MillionHeirMystery Case Files: MillionHeir was released on September 8, 2008 and is the second game in the Mystery Case Files franchise to be released for a portable device. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir requires a Nintendo DS system and was published by Nintendo.
The Malgrave Incident
Main article: Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave IncidentMystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident was released on June 27, 2011 and is the second game in the Mystery Case Files franchise to be published by Nintendo. Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident is playable for the Wii.
Novel series
A four novel mini series of books was announced by Big Fish Games to be distributed by Harlequin.[5] All four novels are written by Jordan Gray.[6]
Stolen
Stolen is the first novel in the series and was released in August 2010. It follows a young couple, Molly and Michael Graham, as they move to Blackpool for a simple way of life. A shattering scream outside an old theater leads to the victim, a woman whose past in Blackpool is linked to a seventy-year-old train wreck, a lost child and a cache of valuable paintings smuggled out of London during World War II.[7]
Vanished
Vanished is the second novel and was released in November 2010.[8] The story starts with a bang-or more accurately, a boom-as a pirate ship sails into Blackpool harbor, accidentally firing off its canon. Suddenly everyone is talking about pirate curses and stolen Gypsy gold. It's all fun, until someone is stabbed to death. As Molly and Michael dig into the mystery, they find that more than one person had reason to want the man dead. And their investigation is making them some powerful enemies.
Submerged
Submerged is the third novel and was released in February 2011.[9] A preservation grant brings a massive restoration project to the marina, throwing the town into political turmoil. As Molly wades into the fray, a young woman is kidnapped, a thug turns up dead and a shipwreck is discovered in the harbor! The Grahams are plunged into a legacy of smuggles, betrayal and murder...and even deeper into the heart of Blackpool's most shocking and long-buried truths.
Unearthed
Unearthed is the fourth and final book and was released in May 2011.[10] Behind the colorful charm and vibrant history of the English seaside town of Blackpool is a legacy of secrets. Secrets people have killed to keep hidden. But for Michael and Molly Graham, finding the truth has become personal. Their friend clings to life in a hospital—shot to keep him quiet—and the couple is driven to uncover what he would risk his life for...and what someone would murder for...
References
- ^ http://forums.bigfishgames.com/posts/list/122716.page
- ^ The Official Mystery Case Files 2011 Speculation Thread
- ^ ""Hidden Object" Series Hit for Holidays". Reuters. 2007-12-20. http://www.reuters.com/article/sphereNews/idUSN1851179620071220?sp=true&view=sphere. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
- ^ http://www.bigfishgames.com/blog/2008/November
- ^ Announcement at BigFishGames.com
- ^ http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?cid=2622&cmpid=EMREBSES201007270001
- ^ Stolen at MysteryCaseFiles.com
- ^ Vanished at MysteryCaseFiles.com
- ^ Submerged at MysteryCaseFiles.com
- ^ Unearthed at MysteryCaseFiles.com
External links
- Mystery Case Files Official Website
- Mystery Case Files Official Facebook Page
- Mystery Case Files Official Forum
Mystery Case Files Computer games Huntsville · Prime Suspects · Ravenhearst · Madame Fate · Return to Ravenhearst · Dire Grove · 13th Skull · Escape From RavenhearstOther platform games Categories:- Big Fish Games games
- Casual games
- Video game franchises
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