Mystery Case Files: Key to Ravenhearst > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

367 of 403 found this review helpful

The Story Of Ravenhearst/In Case You Aren't Familiar With The Ravenhearst Story Or Have Forgotten

PostedDecember 9, 2015

pennmom36

fromIf history repeats itself, does this mean a third installment of Ravenhearst is on it's way?

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Time Management, Adventure, Match 3

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

For those of you who haven't played the previous Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst games, Ravenhearst, Return To Ravenhearst, and Escape From Ravenhearst, or if you have forgotten the storyline (after all, they were released in 2011) I have put together a timeline of the story, and how the characters relate to each other. This is how Ravenhearst Manor came to fruition, but if you plan on going back ...Show more

For those of you who haven't played the previous Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst games, Ravenhearst, Return To Ravenhearst, and Escape From Ravenhearst, or if you have forgotten the storyline (after all, they were released in 2011) I have put together a timeline of the story, and how the characters relate to each other. This is how Ravenhearst Manor came to fruition, but if you plan on going back to the beginning, skip the next paragraph so there won't be any spoiler moments.

SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH TO AVOID SPOILER ALERTS FROM THE PREVIOUS 2011 RAVENHEARST GAMES:
Charles Dalimar was head over heels, desperately in love with Emma Ravenhearst. He proposed to her but was rejected, so he built the Ravenhearst Manor (The House That Love Built) in a second attempt to win her over, again she turned him down. This second rejection drove Charles to madness, his mother died when he was young, his adoptive mother abused him, he was displayed as a freak at Madame Fate's Carnival, and eventually he was imprisoned at the same mental institution his father Alister was once committed to. Slowly over time, Charles poisoned Emma to death, and kidnapped her nursemaid Rose Somerset as well as her twin girls, Gwendolyn and Charlotte! He used their souls to power the machine he devised, the Antechamber, to keep himself and dear Emma immortal In a twist of fate, Charles fathered a child with Rose who had no choice in the matter, but apples don't fall far from the tree and Victor would spend nearly a century putting back the pieces of his father's demented puzzles and reconstructing the Antechamber. Victor can be seen dancing for joy after successfully restoring the lives of daddy dearest, his mother Rose and his half sister's Gwendolyn and Charlotte! In the Key To Ravenhearst, the twin's Charlotte and Gwendolyn Somerset are attempting to resurrect their Grandfather Alister Dalimar.....and the saga continues!

In the Collector's Edition, there are 34 very well hidden Raven Dark Omens to search for, several Achievements to earn, as well as 16 Morphing Objects within the HOP's. this was a wee bit disappointing for me because MCF always had very well done morphs throughout the game which is one of the reasons I love this series.

The Hidden Object Scenes are very entertaining, some of which aren't that easy to complete. There are interactive list finds and even progressive interactive silhouettes where you find items and use the items in the scene to expose the next item that matches the silhouetted shapes. Each HOP has some type of puzzle to solve and even have zoom zone puzzles with combo pictures to search for associations. Most of the HOP's have a Morphing Object as indicated by a morphing icon.

The Mini Games are always fantastic, and known for the ultimate puzzle boxes which have several puzzles within that you need to tinker with to solve. Other puzzles include Connecting water pipes with specific shaped connectors, Lining up horizontal and vertical crosshairs, and another MCF favorite, a board filled with dominos that requires you to click on the dominoes that match the ones displayed surrounding the board.

The Collector's Edition has 14 Achievements, a Souvenir Room, 34 Dark Omens, 16 Morphing Objects, 11 Music Soundtracks, 16 replayable HOP's, 23 replayable Puzzles, 13 Movies, 8 Concept Art pictures, 8 Wallpapers, Behind the Scenes pictures, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+331points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

118 of 136 found this review helpful

What a spectacular game!

PostedDecember 9, 2015

riverdiver

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Based on the CE, which I’ve played three times so far. :)
Here a slightly adapted review:

What a spectacular game!
The opening video wins the „Oscar“ for the best intro of the year! I had to exit and restart the game to see it again.

"Key to Ravenhearst" has all the elements I enjoy in a game: A good story, super atmosphere, great visuals, perfectly flowing game play, things to discover with ...Show more

Based on the CE, which I’ve played three times so far. :)
Here a slightly adapted review:

What a spectacular game!
The opening video wins the „Oscar“ for the best intro of the year! I had to exit and restart the game to see it again.

"Key to Ravenhearst" has all the elements I enjoy in a game: A good story, super atmosphere, great visuals, perfectly flowing game play, things to discover with your cursor, quite challenging puzzles and HOs, great voice acting, superb details in artwork and sound effects. Listen to the raindrops on the beach or the squeaking sound of the metal brush on the buoy.
Furthermore references to the former installments of the Ravenhearst and Madam Fate games. I recognized several mini games from „Return to Ravenhearst“, here they come with a fresh look.

The incredible scenery, orchestral soundtrack - and, at least for me, the Return of Humour to this series, all these elements contribute towards a great gaming experience.

The game has exceeded my expectations! MCF had lost me after the „13th Skull“, but now I’m back and hoping for new stories. Mystery Case Files deserved a fresh breeze!
Very well done!!!

The main story ends conclusively, the Bonus Chapter is a prequel to what happens in the main game.
If you’re not that much into achievements, collectibles, replaying HO’s and puzzles, you’re fine with the Standard Edition.

Both versions highly recommended! Show less

I recommend this game!

+100points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

40 of 46 found this review helpful

Mother's finest. Ravenhearst games are my favorites

PostedDecember 16, 2015

Aliana_4711

fromGermany

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game has a high end quality.
The animation - especially the intro – looks like an animated cartoon. It is excellent.
The game owns all features, which are state of the art right now. You can adjust the difficulty. It has an interactive map. The graphics are magnificent, voices and noises are really good, the music is not bothersome. You can play without helping messages (I prefer that). Along ...Show more

This game has a high end quality.
The animation - especially the intro – looks like an animated cartoon. It is excellent.
The game owns all features, which are state of the art right now. You can adjust the difficulty. It has an interactive map. The graphics are magnificent, voices and noises are really good, the music is not bothersome. You can play without helping messages (I prefer that). Along the game there are a lot of nice details.

The challenge is good enough, the tasks are quite logical. Except for small issues like “why should a battery be hidden in a buoy?” At the end, in one scene, you have to be very accurate. I missed it and had to use a hint. And one scene wasn’t logical (if you don’t have helping messages) and I got it only through try and error. I needed 6 hour and something to play through, it is long enough.

Last but not least: the puzzles are outstanding. I love those most of all. From my point of view, they could have been quite a little bit trickier, either I am used to them by now, or they are not as difficult as the former one.
But hey: they are still the best. Show less

I recommend this game!

+34points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

24 of 26 found this review helpful

ravenhearst is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! alistar dalimer is at it again!

PostedJanuary 17, 2016

denniann2

fromharrisonburg, virginia

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

ravenhearst is back in another location. the grandaughter is trying to revive alistar. the house was built and the workers never were seen again after the house was finished. alistar had devised a soul collector so he can come back and the grandaughter is doing all she can to bring his back. he isn't dead yet, but is very frail and is on the way out. it has a custom level and a great hint ...Show more

ravenhearst is back in another location. the grandaughter is trying to revive alistar. the house was built and the workers never were seen again after the house was finished. alistar had devised a soul collector so he can come back and the grandaughter is doing all she can to bring his back. he isn't dead yet, but is very frail and is on the way out. it has a custom level and a great hint system!!!! of course, there will be a sequel...........they have already set up for it!!!! Show less

I recommend this game!

+22points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

18 of 20 found this review helpful

Raving about Ravenhurst

PostedJanuary 18, 2016

MissLancome

fromEl Paso Texas

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat: The Endless Night

(32)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I have enjoyed all the series and I definitely enjoyed this one. The graphics and the visual as well as auditory were well co- ordinated. I liked the way the story line went and feel this will surely be the conclusion to the series. I played both the CE and the SE and felt the SE was perfectly adequate.. I tend to alternate between versions depending on how the trials go. I thoroughly enjoyed the ...Show more

I have enjoyed all the series and I definitely enjoyed this one. The graphics and the visual as well as auditory were well co- ordinated. I liked the way the story line went and feel this will surely be the conclusion to the series. I played both the CE and the SE and felt the SE was perfectly adequate.. I tend to alternate between versions depending on how the trials go. I thoroughly enjoyed the HOPs and the puzzles which I felt were well put together. Show less

I recommend this game!

+16points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

49 of 65 found this review helpful

A TERRIFIC GAME WHERE WE SEE THE EVIL GENIUS OF ALISTAIR DALIMAR

PostedDecember 9, 2015

biscuitsmama

fromHolding my breath as I take each step in this awesome game

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Yes detective, the Queen herself has requested your assistance with a case surrounding the sale of Ravenhearst Manor and now you must revisit the infamous mansion even though you might not want to face your greatest fears once again. Agent Barker has been working undercover on the case and he is now your point of contact but, unfortunately, his cover has been blown so you will take over the case. ...Show more

Yes detective, the Queen herself has requested your assistance with a case surrounding the sale of Ravenhearst Manor and now you must revisit the infamous mansion even though you might not want to face your greatest fears once again. Agent Barker has been working undercover on the case and he is now your point of contact but, unfortunately, his cover has been blown so you will take over the case. Shortly after arrival you receive a mysterious and eerie box from agent Barker but once you open it, you realize that the agent is in danger. Are you ready to once again step into Ravenhearst and see what horrors might await you this time?

The game offers four modes of gameplay: Regular, Hard, Insane, and Custom. If you choose the Custom setting you can fiddle with different settings to set up the game for the way you like to play. In the Custom mode the hints will recharge in a range of 10 – 120 seconds and the puzzle skips can be set in a range of 10 – 400 seconds. You can also turn of the rapid search penalty if you wish.

Our tools include the interactive map and a box that we acquire early in the game. Although the box isn’t really a tool, as we complete various puzzles we gain more knowledge and sometimes new items.

The HOP scenes are some of the best I have seen in recent games and they do have a variety of different styles. The first HOP is the standard list type with some interaction that is required to find a few of the items, but the HOP that followed was a very interactive silhouette scene that proved to be quite challenging. Many of the HOPS seem a bit more challenging than the norm but I liked them a lot. Then we come to the puzzles that I can only say are excellent, particularly the Rube-Goldberg or super puzzle that we encounter fairly early in the game. Other puzzles include one where we must connect the correct pipes to get the water flowing. We also need to retrieve gloves with a fishing pole. Some of the puzzles were different than the normal ones we usually find or if they seemed familiar there was certainly a different spin on how they work. I must say that I haven’t been this excited about the puzzles in a game in quite some time.

In the CE version of the game there are 34 ravens to collect that can be found throughout the manor. There are achievements to earn as well as the other standard extras such as wallpapers, artwork, music, replay of HOPS and puzzles, Bonus Game, Strategy Guide and more.

The Ravenhearst storyline has not been my favorite in the MCF series and I had hoped that the series was finally at its end; however, after playing the demo for the game I am certainly happy to once again to wander through Ravenhearst. IMHO, the developer has done an incredible job and nailed the challenge of bringing back the evil genius and insanity of Alistair Dalimar in a game that I am sure many of you have been eagerly awaiting. I must admit that I find the game very challenging and ultimately enjoyable. Everything about this newest Ravenhearst game is top quality, from the graphics on down to the HOPS and the puzzles. I enjoyed every minute of the CE version of the game and, particularly if you are new to the genre of HOPA games, I would recommend the CE. The game is a challenge and I found a few of the puzzles difficult. The Key to Ravenhearst was the first game in the Dalimar saga that I have enjoyed in a very long time. If you perhaps joined me in wanting to see an end to this storyline, I highly recommend that you plunge in and give Mystery Case Files Key to Ravenhearst a chance to see if you will find this one worth waiting for. Kudos to the developer for making Key to Ravenhearst a terrific game. Show less

I recommend this game!

+33points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

21 of 27 found this review helpful

Granddaddy, you're a bad, bad man!! A real nut job! What a magnificent game!

PostedDecember 21, 2015

Italia47

fromUSA

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
Key Contributor

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Strategy, Mahjong, Brain Teaser, Family

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Though I truly would like the Ravenhearst Saga to be put to rest, I thought that MCF: Key to Ravenhearst was absolutely brilliant.unlike MCF: Ravenhearst Unlocked. My review is based on a completed SE game.

To me, Key to Ravenhearst was the best of the entire series! Bravo, developers! Bravo! An extremely well-thought out game-plan, an awesome storyline that made sense--it was intelligent, there ...Show more

Though I truly would like the Ravenhearst Saga to be put to rest, I thought that MCF: Key to Ravenhearst was absolutely brilliant.unlike MCF: Ravenhearst Unlocked. My review is based on a completed SE game.

To me, Key to Ravenhearst was the best of the entire series! Bravo, developers! Bravo! An extremely well-thought out game-plan, an awesome storyline that made sense--it was intelligent, there was a plethora of facts that were thrilling to read and tasks to accomplish at every turn. Puzzles within puzzles, those that appeared easy were actually hard and vice versa. Those got my adrenaline flowing once again and when that happens, you know it's a good game! A dysfunctional family is one thing but this goes beyond that. When you mix that with a diseased mind all the money in the world won't solve your problems. Parts of the story were rather sad and disturbing to me. I felt for the innocent victims mostly.

Alister's Enigma--puzzles and mini-games one after the other--and piecing all the information together making for quite an interesting story which explains the madness of the Ravenhearst family. Mental illness, murder, delusions of grandeur, and pure, unadulterated evil.

One of my favorite tasks was trying to get out of the pod chamber, ironically the movie, The Prestige, came to mind! LOL! No way was this detective going to go out that way!

I also loved the part about how to breed and care for a healthy raven flock. Alister's vigorous minions! His omnivores! You learn something everyday!

I played the harder mode but very much relied on the map, nine times out of ten, the map worked but there were times when it didn't, so I relied on the hint button from time to time. I'm glad I didn't get the CE version only because the morphing objects, if any, or collectibles, to me, can be a distraction. This SE version flowed like a charm, which I expect in a very good game.

The musical score was wonderful, the graphics superb, the voiceovers-actors were excellent. I thought I detected a British accent now and then, which I LOVE! Not once did I want to hurry up and finish this game. That should tell you something right there.

I highly recommend the SE version. Try it out. You won't be sorry. I still may end up getting the CE but the SE played like a CE without all the other trimmings. This game will not disappoint!! Show less

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

16 of 20 found this review helpful

Awesome puzzles!

PostedJanuary 1, 2016

Shastanna

fromCA, USA <3

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I loved this game. The puzzles were challenging, and the map was useful. I always appreciate being able to set my own custom difficulty.

The music was creepy, as is required for a Ravenhearst game!

My favorite puzzles of all time are in the Ravenhearst games. At first it's a little overwhelming because nothing seems to go together. Then you pick away at it, and piece by piece it falls together ...Show more

I loved this game. The puzzles were challenging, and the map was useful. I always appreciate being able to set my own custom difficulty.

The music was creepy, as is required for a Ravenhearst game!

My favorite puzzles of all time are in the Ravenhearst games. At first it's a little overwhelming because nothing seems to go together. Then you pick away at it, and piece by piece it falls together and is very gratifying when you solve it!

Please try it. I think you'll like it. :-) Show less

I recommend this game!

+12points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

8 of 9 found this review helpful

Really Fun Game

PostedMarch 3, 2016

Yanie1020

fromIowa, USA

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Puzzle, Hidden Object, Adventure, Large File, Strategy, Marble Popper

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

This didn't really remind me of the other Ravenhearst games but I didn't mind a bit because it's a great game. Long, challenging (even had to skip a puzzle), some superb puzzles (especially the Rube Goldberg type puzzles where you have to complete several smaller puzzles within a large puzzle), and even a decent storyline for a change.

All in all, a really fun game that I highly recommend!

I recommend this game!

+7points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

27 of 40 found this review helpful

EXCELLENT DID NOT LET ME DOWN

PostedDecember 10, 2015

ravengone

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I have played all of the games of Ravenhurst, this is one of the best. It all made followed the storyline. The puzzles where challenging. The ending left me wanting more. Just Great!

+14points

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