by Faith Marlow

Created on: December 09, 2008   Last Updated: December 14, 2008

Score: 5/5

Mystery Case Files have long been known for producing great item search games and Return to Ravenhearst does not disappoint. In a world filled with mediocre and copycat games, this title dares to be unique and challenging while continuing the storyline set forth in the original and Madam Fate. Item searches, puzzles and an intriguing storyline all take place in the shadow of the foreboding Ravenhearst Manor. Ghosts beckon you to free them from this diabolical house and from the soul of their murderer. With a keen eye and common sense, you are challenged to unlock the mysteries that haunt the manor before you become a ghostly resident yourself.

When considering gameplay, Return to Ravenhearst is spot-on. Navigation is responsive, accurate and easy to manage, enabling the player to go in all directions without even the slightest frustration. Puzzles and item searches are challenging but not confusing or vague. The visuals in this game are outstanding; beginning with a cinematic that blends the in-game artwork with glimpses of ghostly actors and sets the tone and style of the game to follow. Rain dances off broken statuary in the courtyard as a raven mocks your futile attempts to solve a puzzle. Lightning flashes outside to reveal clues hidden in the gauzy, moth- eaten curtains just before a shadowy figure walks by. Dust falls from the ceilings and everywhere you look is one puzzle after another, in a cupboard in the kitchen, in a trunk on the front porch, in a graveyard overlooking the stormy ocean cliffs and so on. As might be assumed, the audio in Return to Ravenhearst is just as well polished as the visuals. Every puzzle, item, and movement has its own sound. Footsteps can be heard as you explore the house and gardens, changing accordingly to the terrain. Thunder rolls outside. A fire crackles in the parlor, but who lit it? You are alone, right? A cat hisses a threat as you try to steal her key. And the ghostly voices of Emma and the other trapped souls of Ravenhearst beg you to hurry and to be careful. Solemn statues in the garden will speak and tell you what object they desire if you are to learn what they know. This is said without even mentioning the hauntingly beautiful orchestral score that accompanies you as you explore that changes depending on your activity. It is setting appropriate and quite enjoyable to listen to. The world of Ravenhearst is wholly interactive, encompassing all senses in an effort to immerse the player further and further

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