Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

Developer(s) Big Fish Studios
Publisher(s) Big Fish Games
Series Mystery Case Files
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iOS (removed), Nintendo 3DS
Release date(s) Microsoft Windows
  • WW December 12, 2009
Mac OS X
  • WW February 19, 2010
iOS
November 17, 2011 (Collector's Edition)
Nintendo 3DS
  • NA April 3, 2014
Genre(s) Interactive movie, Puzzle adventure
Mode(s) Single-player
Distribution Download

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove is an interactive movie puzzle adventure game developed by Big Fish Studios, and distributed by Big Fish Games. It is the sixth installment in the Mystery Case Files series. The game is available exclusively at Big Fish Games website. The Mystery Case Files franchise is the number one brand in casual games and has sold more than 2.5 million units to date.

Gameplay

There are no discernible levels or stages, all the puzzles are integrated in the quest you have to complete. You just go from room to room, from location to location, and try to find the solutions to numerous tasks the game gives to you.

Story

This story takes place directly after the events in Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst. The player (only known as 'The Detective') is driving through a historic town called Dire Grove, which appears to be deserted for the season. The weather forecast has predicted a heavy snowstorm and the player has no other option but to explore the deserted town for shelter. The player sees an abandoned car and finds a camcorder in it. The footage shows a teenaged girl crying and pleading the player to save them. The player also finds a cryptic note: "She is real. The legend is real.".

As the player explores the surrounding, they realize that all the villagers have evacuated due to the snowstorm, so the player has to do everything by themself. The player learns that the girl in the footage is Alison Sterling, a collegiate who has chosen the Celtic legend of the Banshee as a subject for research. She arrived here with 3 friends and all four of them are missing. The player also learns that Dr. Patricia Anderson, an archaeologist had unearthed a Celtic relic only some days ago.

The player eventually learns about the legend of the Banshee. Apparently a farmer, a fisherman, a hunter and a blacksmith performed a ritual 1000 years ago to open a portal to talk to their kin in the spirit world. When the dead started attacking the living, they offered a young woman to appease the ghosts and close the portal. This woman became the Banshee and is trying to come back. The player also find that all the students have been subdued and hypnotized by the Banshee. Dr. Anderson's recording proves that the relic unearthed by her may be a keys to the portal, and the Banshee has forced the students to dig up the others.

The player is left with only one option: open the portal and send the Banshee back to the spirit world. Only after opening the portal the player realizes that the Banshee has tricked them into freeing her spirit. The player races against time, trapping the Banshee's spirit again and saving the students. In the end, Alison gives a lecture about the events at Dire Grove, where she is given by a big applause by a huge number of audience, including her friends. An audience member asks her about your identity, but she says: "That person has asked to remain nameless, but I can give you their business card."

She flashes a card, and a Mystery Case Files logo is seen and the credits start rolling.

Cast

Promotion

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove was announced October 30, 2009 by Big Fish Games on their blog with slim details and an additional screenshot from the game. Mystery Case Files had posted a sizzle reel of Dire Grove on the main page of their website on November 10, 2009.[1] This led to a lot of speculation a few days later and many users posted comments on a Big Fish Games Dire Grove forum.[2] On November 17, 2009, Mystery Case Files revamped their website to promote the upcoming release. Release dates, deeper plot details and more screenshots were released the same day. Also an official trailer was posted to help promote the standard edition as well as the Collector's Edition.[3]

Collector's Edition

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove was released on December 12, 2009, however a "Collector's Edition" was launched on November 25, 2009 exclusively for Big Fish Game Club members.[4] The Collector's Edition includes additional gameplay, levels and achievements; an integrated strategy guide; and behind the scenes artwork and videos, with the latter being a series of videos chronicling the live-action cast's visit to rural Argentina where their footage was shot. Whilst Collector's Editions are common amongst "core" PC games, Dire Grove is the first such example amongst casual games.[5]

Bonus Gameplay

In the Collector's Edition of Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove, there is bonus gameplay and at the end of the game. The player has to use a certain phone number, one that you calculate from the credits, and dial it on the telephone and a message is spoken:

"Well, hello again detective, nice of you to drop by. I would have stuck around for a chat but the weather seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Feel free to make yourself at home, but I wouldn't dally if I were you. The man with the icky bird has been very busy in the dark. There is something he would like to show you. Clicky, clicky detective. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."

While it is never revealed who this is, the most likely suspect is Victor Dalimar. This is due to the fact that a solved puzzle in the same room as the repaired phone reveals a map of the grounds of Ravenhearst Manor after its fiery destruction, and the "icky bird", is a probable reference to a raven. However, the player won't be going to the ruins just yet, because in the MCF chronology, the Detective is summoned back to America, because the 13th Skull mystery awaits him in Louisiana.

Reception

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove received mostly positive reviews. It has a Metacritic score of 82[6] and a GameRankings score of 75.00%.[7]

Sequel

After the end of Dire Grove's story 5 years, They continue to visit once again, and solve to the end. The sequel called “Dire Grove, Sacred Grove" is the eleventh installment of Mystery Case Files, this game to be expected release in November 2014. The survey test has been started in June 2014.

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://www.bigfishgames.com/blog/mystery-case-files-dire-grove-sizzle-reel-released/
  2. ↑ http://www.bigfishgames.com/blog/mcf-dire-grove-speculation-gone-wild/
  3. ↑ http://www.mysterycasefiles.com/games/diregrove
  4. ↑ http://www.bigfishgames.com/blog/mystery-case-files-dire-grove-special-early-release/
  5. ↑ "First casual game with a 'Collector's Edition'". Game Hunters. USA Today. November 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  6. ↑ "Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  7. ↑ "Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove GameRankings". GameRankings. Retrieved 2013-08-24.