I like a HOG that focuses on puzzles and hidden object scenes and Amazon delivers. There is a cute and often amusing story that unfolds between each grouping of HOS and puzzles which is icing on the cake.
There is no running around wondering what to do with an item in your inventory or where to go next which is a huge plus IMO. Instead of clicking through scene after scene scurrying back and forth you just play puzzles and find objects which given that it's a HOG is exactly what's wanted.
Don't let the age of the game dissuade you...the graphics look great on my newer machine and the cleverness of the puzzles and HOS make them better than what I've seen in many newer games. I really wish there were more games like this.
Everything about this game is really good. The story is fun and interesting, the puzzles were do-able with some being more challenging than others, and, unlike many other games of this kind, you never felt the devs were challenging you to read their mind to figure out what to do next. You have to think a little but, generally, the next step makes sense within the context of the game. The appearance and sound really work to set the tone for the adventure. This is easily one of the best in the Mystery Case File series.
The residents of Bitterford, Maine have fallen prey to a terrible curse. It’s up to you to unravel the series of mysterious events that led to the town’s downfall and uncover the evil that was responsible.
I would have rated this game more highly if I had been able to finish it. Unfortunately, the devs feel you should play it a certain way and if you deviate from their plan you sometimes lose an inventory item that is crucial to another task and cannot recover it. It had some interesting new kinds of games like puzzles where the pieces are put together to form a moving picture and HOS where you could move from one room to another to search. I liked these features and the story wasn't bad. The whole thing was just ruined for me when I couldn't finish the game at the final scene due to the above described bug.
If you decide to get the game anyway go for the SE version because the CE version doesn't really get you much. If you must have the CE version make sure to play the bonus CE portion before you finish the game.