Today's game for Club Members, tomorrow's game for all.

You can download Mystery Case Files: The Countess Collector's Edition here.



As always, please remember to come back and tell us what you think.

Happy gaming!

Hi, Marian!

Thanks! I'm downloading the demo right now.

Susan

I hope you like it.

Thanks, Marian!

Last years was the first one I missed. I hope the reviews are good and then I'll download tomorrow!

I just downloaded. I have a lot to do today so I won't get to the game probably until tomorrow. I hope it's worth the wait!

Thanks for the update.. looking forward to some reviews on this one... hope they are better than last year.. I too did not get last years game.

I had two game credits set aside just for this.

Good planning, Tally Ho.

Thanks Marian.

I took a pass on last years game too. I hope this one is better! I loved the old ones like Dire Grove and the early ones.

I don't want them to revert to the format of the earlier games where hidden objects were the emphasis. Last year's game was like that. The Mystery Case Files have evolved over the years with great stories, fun game play, interesting puzzles, etc. They spoiled us with Ravenhurst. Hopefully this game will be a reversion to the more recent games.

I believe you are referring to Mystery Case Files: Rewind, which was released earlier this year and had an emphasis on hidden objects. I don't know if they plan anything else like that or not, but today's MCF release is definitely a HOPA.

Hi, Marian!

I'm going to play the demo later on today. So as not to clutter up the board with another post, I want to add that I bought and played "MCF: Rewind" earlier this year and enjoyed it for what it was ... a throwback to the original games. It was a novelty but not one that I'd like to see repeated .

Susan

I'm thinking that Mystery Case Files: Rewind was probably a one-off in terms of MCF games, but I don't know that for sure. I feel similarly to the way you do - I enjoyed it for what it was, but I don't require a series of them.

Thanks Marian. Lots of posts here already. Can't wait to hear what people think of the game. I'm still quite far behind on my MCF gaming. I haven't played the last 4 yet.

Well there you go. I have no sense of time anymore. The days, weeks, months and now years just seem to blend into one mass of time.

I know what you mean, JKEerie.

I looked to see when Mystery Case Files: Rewind was released and it came out in June.

Hi, Marin!

I played a bit of the demo last night and enjoyed it. Since I haven't finished the game I'm currently playing, I'll wait until Saturday to see if BF has a good sale. If not, I'll use 2 Game Club Credits to pick it up.

Susan

I seem to remember Big Fish having a good Thanksgiving sale last year, so let's hope it's the same for this year.

Agreed, Draclvr. Dire Grove set a high bar to meet. I did like Black Veil and the three Ravenhursts (Unlocked, Key and Return), but otherwise, they have been disappointing. Still, I'll check out Countess as a Demo and decide then.

I just got this one - in the sale - plus the new "The Legacy" game

Mad

I'm looking forward to opinions on the game! I am avoiding spending the money till I hear it's worth it. I am not a club member for a long time.

Same here, Ana. Haven't been a club member for a long time. Very much looking forward to some GB opinions before I buy!

I read the reviews at BF and it does not look promising...which is a shame!!

Hui, Marian!

I did enjoy the demo and just picked up the game for $6.99 in today's BF Cyber Monday sale. I'm glad I held out because I was tempted to use 2 Game Club credits to pick it up last week in the BOGO sale, but couldn't find another CE I wanted. I won't pay more than $7.99 for a CE, so I passed on the weekend sale of 55% off retail. I didn't realize I had so much willpower !

Susan

Good for you, Susie07 !!

[ Don't know how much I've got when it comes down to it, either ]

Susan, will wonders never cease!

Hi, Mad and Marian!

I guess procrastination does pay off because I kept thinking there would be a better deal down the road, and there was! I even surprised myself that I didn't cave <VBG>.

Susan

Well, I just finished the main game and the bonus chapter.

Did I like it? Yes. Am I okay with spending two game credits for it? Yes; I believe it is important to support BFG and Eipix. Was I overwhelmed and swept away? No; but that may be because after playing a zillion games, the player is bound to become somewhat jaded by the repetition.

It didn't really feel like part of the Mystery Case File series, only that there was the usual call from the 'Queen' asking the detective for some help. That's okay.

It does have a coherent storyline, something I feel is very important in a game of this type. The graphics are gorgeous, something we all have become inured to, which is too bad. The artists are to be highly commended. As well as the oft-forgotten sound folks. It's easy to ignore the music and sound effect; they were great. The voice acting was good too; we take the voices for granted when they are right; only to complain when they are corny and poorly done.

So in a nutshell - they put a lot of high-quality work into this production; I would say flawless. With all the hundreds of games in this genre, originality is very difficult to achieve; and it's easy for me to say I've been-there-done-that all before. That's my only disappointment.

My recommendation? Play it! It's one of the better selections out there.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your comments about the game, Tally Ho. I haven't picked up the game yet but now most certainly will the next time there's a good sale.

Thanks, Tally Ho! I'll pass on the game. I am looking for the extraordinary game with the Rube-Goldberg puzzles. I don't have more than an hour a week to play a game and I need it to really stand out. I appreciate your comments!

Ana

Thanks Tally Ho 🙂

After reading your comments I was very glad I had bought the game !!

Cheers.

Mad 👍👍

Thanks Tally Ho, I may wait for SE on this one.

Hi, Tally Ho!

Thanks for your review, and I agree with a lot of your points. I've been playing on and off since the beginning of the week (I picked it up for $6.99 during BFG's one-day sale) and, for the most part, enjoying it.

One thing I do find frustrating is the fact that some of the puzzles just pop up with no explanation or information about what we're supposed to do, so I've been pretty well solving them by "hit and miss". Even after solving a couple of them, I still had no idea what I just did or why I did it ! There was one puzzle on a staircase (with dominoes) near the beginning of the game, and I had to consult the Guide. Even with the solution staring me in the face, I still didn't understand the logic of how they arrived at the solution. I always enjoy the Super Puzzles, though, because they are challenging, fun and well thought out.

Susan

Ana, what are Rube-Goldberg puzzles?

Sorry - I just cannot get the quote thing right. My replies are inside your quote.

Okay, Tally Ho, you convinced me. I'm buying.

Hi, oldbroad!



Maybe the reason I've lost track of the story and forgotten the original goal is that I've only been playing for a little while every day ! I am enjoying it, but it has a different feel than the other Mystery Case Files games.

I love puzzles, but I like to understand what needs to be done to solve them. That domino puzzle on the staircase still has me stumped because I have no clue how they arrived at the solution.

Susan

Rube-Goldberg are mechanical puzzles that are a series of complicated steps you need to do that have a domino effect to solve something that could have been easily done. The door puzzles that MCF series is noted for fall under that category. Here is an example 1 and example 2.

It's one of my favorite things that set the games apart from others.

Ana

The Rube-Goldberg puzzles are what keep me coming back to these MCF games!

Ahhhyes, thanks Ana! I agree I loved those puzzles... and I agree Drac that is what kept me playing and enjoying MCF games. We expect a lot from MCF too bad they have not been able to keep up the high quality of the game!

I'm just playing #14 Broken Hour now and I like it quite a bit.

Regarding the 'Rube Goldberg" puzzles -

I also look forward to them. They're a bit like your brain going to the gym.

I was a little disappointed to see the big complex puzzles dumbed-down in this game;
the developers probably listened to a few complaints that they were 'oooh too hard.'
My suggestion to the developers: Ignore the whiners and listen to the praise. Keep the good puzzles coming.

I always am looking for those, too. MCF: Rewind had them but I couldn't stand the endless HOs in the bulk of this high-concept retro game even though I loyally bought it, largely for the super puzzles and to an extent for the snarky characters.

BTW, Jenny100 told me one time in no uncertain terms that super puzzles are not Rube-Goldberg puzzles. I forget the reasoning. I thought maybe it had to do with unspoken trademark or copyright concerns but she did distinguish the two puzzle types on some other basis.

Or perhaps they could have an easy mode to help those who need it along and let the rest of us have a challenge.

Thank you, Tally Ho! The "dumbing down" of so many of these games is why I play very few of them anymore. That's a great suggestion, Winfrey.

I enjoy the varied difficulty levels in game puzzles but have to admit I prefer not to have mind bogglingly difficult ones in Casuals.

I play a Casual as a relaxation and not a brain draining exercise

That's why it would be nice to be able to choose your puzzle difficulty - to please all of us! Probably asking too much!

I imagine so, Draclvr !!