Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident Review

Sometimes, you have to look closely to see what's right in front of you. That's certainly the case in the many hidden-object scenes you encounter in Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident. And it's also true of the game itself. When it plays to its strengths, The Malgrave Incident's fascinating locations and absorbing hidden-object scenes make it a pleasant and relaxing escape. Unfortunately, much of your time with the game is spent wandering the island, trying to determine where it is you're supposed to go and what it is you're supposed to do next. And at such times, the enjoyable sense of exploration is replaced with frustration. There's an engrossing tale of adventure and mystery hidden here, but you sometimes need to look pretty hard to find it.

As the game begins, the enigmatic inventor Winston Malgrave has summoned you to his island. His message indicates that a substance that exists only on the island may be the cure for all of mankind's illnesses, and because his wife Sarah is ailing, he's desperate to secure more of the substance posthaste. Upon arriving at Malgrave Island, you find signs of a once-thriving community that has clearly been abandoned for some decades. There's a poignant sense of the past lingering throughout the island; at a dilapidated theater, faded posters for old productions still cling to the walls, and everywhere you go, you find lovely postcards that depict the now-crumbling town in its bustling and elegant heyday. Because the island feels like a place where people lived and where time has taken its toll, the sense of isolation and discovery that goes with exploring the lonely island is absorbing. As you progress, you gradually uncover the details of the island's history and Malgrave's past, which makes for an engrossing old-fashioned tale that you'll want to see through to its final revelations.

Winston Malgrave doesn't greet you personally upon your arrival, but he provides you with a device that looks like a metallic Wii Remote that is elegantly engraved with his signature "M." This item lets him communicate with you, and his voice pipes up occasionally to nudge you onward. It also stores the dust he has hired you to collect, and that's where the hidden-object scenes that are the signature feature of the Mystery Case Files series come into play. As you explore the island, you frequently come across spots that exude a dusty glow. Clicking one of these spots brings up a detailed image of the location and a list of objects you must find in the cluttered area. These sections, like most of The Malgrave Incident, are stress free; there's no time limit, and should you find yourself unable to spot an item or two on your list, you can always click the magnifying glass in the lower-right corner of the screen, which highlights the area where an object you need is hiding.

While you're at it, keep an eye out for my car keys.

The process of scouring an image to look for beards, bananas, and the letter "B" is engrossing because the environments are so full of fascinating details that you almost feel as if you've stumbled into an actress's cluttered dressing room or a recluse's old, musty study. Everywhere your eyes land, there's something to take in. And while most objects are stationary, a bit of animation here and there brings the scenes to life; motes of dust drift in beams of sunlight, a mouse blinks at you from his shadowy hiding spot, and objects float to and fro on the surface of a pool. You can pan the camera around and zoom in on these scenes, and as you do, layers give them a sense of depth. This doesn't just make the scenes more visually captivating, though it does have that effect. It also impacts the gameplay. At times, an object you need may be in the background and obscured by items in the foreground, and only by panning the camera is the object you need revealed. Scouring an image for hidden objects may not be everyone's idea of a good time, but those who enjoy it will find that The Malgrave Incident does this type of gameplay very well.