I don't remember who mentioned this game, and when I tried an Advanced Search on the Casual forum, it gave me six pages of related topics but not the game itself. I downloaded and have started the Demo version. Haven't purchased the game yet.

It is an odd game. No voice acting, just text. Everything is very dark. Disembodied heads jump out at you, snarling, and people sneak up behind you (but all of this is just for shock value, nothing ever happens). There is no backstory, no reason for this gal to be noodling about in a decrepit empty house, no idea what she is doing there. It just starts . . . and that is it.

I've only played about 20 minutes of the Demo Game but I am not getting it. So, I am curious: what is the appeal of this style of game? It isn't any less expensive for having no voice acting or obvious plot/motivation, and its obscurity is not adding to the interest level. Is this simply a case where people like creepy environments and being scared and there is no need for a raison d'etre beyond that?

The game was mentioned on this forum a while back because it was an earlier effort from the same people who did the two True Fears games (the second game only being available on Steam for the time being). I am not sure that anyone was saying it was a particularly good game; it was just mentioned in passing because in the first True Fears game there is a reference to it. I believe we were talking about it in a True Fears thread, which would explain why it didn't come up in a search.

Anyway, let's wait and see if an actual player of this game has anything to say about it specifically.

And just for fun, here's a link to the old Mystery Valley forum on Big Fish.

From the post in question since I don't know how to link it. Also, the "here" in where the game was actually announced didn't copy over active but some people here did seem to like the game.

Marian, I just looked at Goblinz's Facebook page this morning. Facebook is not something I use; I got off in late 2016. Anyway, I avoided signing up, read the Goblinz page, and learned they made a HOG for BFG in 2012 called Mystery Valley, which is not related to True Fear: Forsaken Souls but was quite successful. The Goblinz website has a link to BFG to try the game for PC so I'm downloading. HOGs aren't my thing but every now and then one grabs me so I'm giving it a whirl.


8dognight, it was released in 2010 and we announced it here.

Thanks, Marian. Yes, I'm sure I saw it mentioned in one of the threads here. Like most folks, I don't go looking for games randomly but rely on word-of-mouth. I will be curious to hear from anyone who played this game.

I believe that Mystery Valley is a HOPA and not a straight HOG.

That is correct. There is an HOS in most scenes, but there is a good deal of other sleuthing to be done.