Brink of Consciousness: The Lonely Hearts Murders Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

172 of 185 found this review helpful

SO VERY MUCH TO OFFER

PostedNovember 18, 2012

rosekaufmann

fromLos Angeles

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Surface: Mystery of Another World

(224)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Game is even better than the first Brink of Consciousness. This is one game where the voice overs are terrific and movements of the characters appear natural. I think V/Os are one of gamers’ pet peeves and the production team has to be specially commended for this effort. Graphics are spectacular; music relaxing.

Storyline is so intriguing that you can’t put the game away until you find out what ...Show more

Storyline is so intriguing that you can’t put the game away until you find out what happened. Very nice blend of adventure, HOS and puzzles. HOS are crisp and clear. Wide variety of puzzles that vary in difficulty. Map, although not interactive, shows you the areas of interest as well as where your current objective can be met.

Volume controls for special effects, music, voice and the environment. You can also control “film grain” but I didn’t notice any difference in appearance. Extremely polished and well thought out game. Well above-average production values in every phase. This will be one of my favs. It's a large file, but thankfully I have a lot of room still on my computer. Show less

I recommend this game!

+159points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

66 of 70 found this review helpful

A Victorian Mystery at it's best !

PostedNovember 18, 2012

woodawooda

fromKennebunkport, Maine

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game is a refreshing departure from the usual bizarre worlds and fire breathing monster stories we so often get in these games. This is much more like a mystery novel brought to life. The mystery and the relationship between the various characters is vital to the story. We get to know them through their interactions with one another. It feels almost, almost.. like taking part in a movie. Only you have a part in progressing the story forward. It facinated me to realize how quickly I forgot I was playing a Hidden object game and got involved in the mystery.
The very first reviewer did a great job of going into the game play so I won't repeat.
This game is 95 percent perfect. Here is the other 5 percent. If the developers had added an intereactive map it would have helped. My other niggle is that they could have dialed the size of the scenes up a bit. Everything was a bit too small.
things and people just needed to be a bit larger to make them more impactful. ERS does a good job at that and so we know it is possible. Last niggle I have is that some of the HOS scenes contained a few things that were more from our century than theirs.
I noticed one reviewer commented negatively on the British accents of the characters. I totally disagree. The upper crust British accents are a huge part of the story, Each voice is played by a different actor so that after a while you know who is speaking without looking. You know who is a working class person who is the gentry, etc. These voice overs are such an important part of the story and I find them delightful and fun.
The game would not have been as good without them.
This is a great game well worth playing if you like mystery stories with emotion, logic and interpersonal relationships you should buy it.
Enjoy !! Show less

I recommend this game!

+62points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

155 of 177 found this review helpful

Bravo! A Superb Story and Excellent Game!

PostedNovember 18, 2012

Nilosh

fromIstanbul, Turkey

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Cruel Games: Red Riding Hood

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Before the dawn of computor games, a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon was either watching one of those great murder mystery films or reading a great detective novel. Today we can do both with this fantastic game that not only offers a fascinating story but has terrific game features that give you just as much satisfaction as if you were watching a great movie. Brink of Consiousness introduces us to the notorious serial killer called the Lonely Broken Heart Killer whose MO is to kidnap victims that all have one thing in common; a broken heart from love gone bad. After 30 days, he leaves their lifeless body on public display with their hearts removed and replaced with a yellow lotus flower. The 19th century British version of our CSI team takes on the case, Comamander Logan Green and his once upon a time mentor, Owen Wirght who has just discovered that his missing daughter Olivia is possibly the next victim. Now the two must race against the clock to rescue her from a gruesome death and catch this Psycho. The graphics are stunning and I especially loved that you can add a grainy look to scenes from your option menu. The voice-overs are excellent and very well acted. There is alot of dialogue to cover whch may put off some people, but I found them fascinating as you do get alot of clues and background information. My only concern was the lack of any journal or notebook, so be prepared to take down notes. There are alot of witnesses to interogate and alot of information to get. You have three play modes to choose from and to my slight dissapointment, only hardcore mode offers no sparkles whatsoever. I wish developers would adopt the customized option features which would allow us to alter settings according to our own preferences. Game mechanics run like a Large File game where you have characters moving around your screen. There is alot of seek and find of inventory objects and without an interactive map, there is alot of backtracking to do. My advice, take down notes in order to keep track of your tasks that need to be done. However, unlike adventure games, there are HO scenes that are interactive and junk-piled. I loved some of the interactions in them and thought they were great fun. Mini-games are not terribly hard to solve but I do compliment the developers on how well some were designed. I ran across some unique puzzles that were absolutely fun to play. Game mechanics were easy and if you do choose to play casual or easy mode, you do have a map that will outline your progress. I recommend this game to everyone, especially for those who have not yet ventured into the large file genre; this game is simple to play without the complexities involved in a Large File adventure game but it will offer you a feel for it. I loved going through the dialogues as they were very well acted. You do have the option to skip but my advice is to be patient and listen closely because there is alot of background information that is given. Alot of the characters are introduced through dialogues and in the beginning, I did lose track on who was who. There are no extra bells or whistles in this game like morphing objects or achievements; nevertheless the story, the graphics, the sounds and music along with the gameplay really makes up for this. Lonely Hearts Murders is definitely worth every penny as a CE and I do applaude these developers who have in the past brought us very good games. This time I do think that they have outdone themselves with the visuals and sound quality, and I look forward to spending the rest of Sunday solving this very interesting case. Show less

I recommend this game!

+133points

155of 177voted this as helpful.

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Overall rating

5 / 5

77 of 87 found this review helpful

5 stars all the way!

PostedNovember 18, 2012

swissraven

fromSwitzerland

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File

Current Favorite:

Mystery Trackers: Four Aces Collector's Edition

(134)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Playing only 30 minutes of the demo prompted me to buy.

Set in 19th century London, the quality of this game is comparable to some of the top notch large file adventure games, but with the ease of use and features that appeal to most people, like interactive hidden object scenes, not too hard mini puzzle, a hint and skip button.
If you love that genre, you will love this game.

Fantastic movie ...Show more

Playing only 30 minutes of the demo prompted me to buy.

Fantastic movie like intro, excellent dialogues and voice overs, spot on music.

Getting 3 game modes, a bonus game, extras, a detailed map (depending on what game mode you play), and a great guide means this game has everything one could wish for.

I highly recommend it. Show less

I recommend this game!

+67points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

41 of 46 found this review helpful

MAGICINDIE RAISING THE BAR!!

PostedNovember 18, 2012

pcpat923

fromJERSEY GIRL

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Mahjong, Strategy

Current Favorite:

Profiler: The Hopscotch Killer

(31)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Totally immersive! Breathtaking artwork and multiple voice overs throughout gameplay. You are Owen and have the help of the Detective since your daughter, Olivia has gone missing.

You have 30 days. There's a serial killer who kidnaps victims, holds them alive for 30 days and then kills and multilates. Owen has not seen his daughter and fears the Lonely Hearts Killer may have kidnapped her as ...Show more

Totally immersive! Breathtaking artwork and multiple voice overs throughout gameplay. You are Owen and have the help of the Detective since your daughter, Olivia has gone missing.

Music is enchanting, non-intrusive and literally holds you fixated in place during gameplay without distraction.

Wow! If you're looking for a perfect game, Magicindie Developers' 2nd installment of Brink of Consciousness has raised the bar!!

Purchasing Collector's Edition--not making the same mistake twice as I always regretted not purchasing CE on previous game-- Brink of Consciousness: Doran Gray Syndrome.

Enjoy! - Mama Mia - Show less

+36points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

49 of 57 found this review helpful

Highest quality game on BFG so far!

PostedNovember 18, 2012

Fzzzpopper

fromVictoria, BC, Canada

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Surface: The Noise She Couldn`t Make Collector`s Edition

(190)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

*Review is based on trial*
I'm a huge fan of the first game, Dorian Gray Syndrome, and this next installment of the BoC series has raised the bar incredibly high. The artwork and animation is absolutely stunning. The animation in particular is far superior to any other game currently on BFG, the voice acting is fabulous, and the puzzles unique and fun. The storyline had me engrossed, despite it being the standard and over-used cliche of "someone has been kidnapped and you must save them" -- it did make me laugh out loud, however, when the detective told Owen that if his daughter HAD been kidnapped, she only had - *gasp* - 30 DAYS to live! 30 days? Seriously?! They couldn't have chosen a shorter period of time to ratchet up the tension a little, say, a couple of days, or even a week? Well, despite that early misstep, I did get drawn into the story, although I was more concerned with solving the mystery than saving the girl. But, hey, whatever gets the job done, right?
The strategy guide only gives you the first two chapters, so I don't know yet how long the game actually is, but if it's anything like the first game, it's worth every cent of the CE price. I couldn't wait - I purchased and am downloading it right now as I write this review. With only two entries so far, Brink of Consciousness is already becoming one of my favourite game series. Show less

I recommend this game!

+41points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

37 of 45 found this review helpful

Very entertaining

PostedNovember 18, 2012

taigood

fromPortugal

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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.
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Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Ten minutes into the demo and I was hooked by this game. And being a heavy player that doesn't happen to me often, lately.

Nice graphics, nice voice overs, intriguing story though not a new theme (at least so far). HOs not cluttered and somewhat interactive, design clear and crispy. Good hint system. Has a journal and map that doesn't teleport you. Mini games not very challeging and you have to ...Show more

Ten minutes into the demo and I was hooked by this game. And being a heavy player that doesn't happen to me often, lately.

A nicely mixed HOPA. Show less

I recommend this game!

+29points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

18 of 19 found this review helpful

Game of the Year? - A Guy's Review

PostedNovember 29, 2012

TnT_TJ

fromKongsvinger, Norway

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Puzzle, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Brink of Consciousness: The Lonely Hearts Murders Collector's Edition

(162)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

*Review based on completing the full game + bonus chapter in normal mode*

This must be a strong contender for the "Game of the year" here at Big Fish, and among the very best casual games I've had the pleasure of playing so far.

You play the character Owen Wright that together with a local police officer/detective try to locate your missing daughter that is in the hands of a serial killer. This ...Show more

*Review based on completing the full game + bonus chapter in normal mode*

This must be a strong contender for the "Game of the year" here at Big Fish, and among the very best casual games I've had the pleasure of playing so far.

You play the character Owen Wright that together with a local police officer/detective try to locate your missing daughter that is in the hands of a serial killer. This is set in what seems to be 19th century Britain and plays very much like a Sherlock Holmes type story. Among casual games today I believe this is the most thought through story so far. We are talking high quality writing that lay the foundation of an equally high quality game experience.

The graphics are top notch all the way. The locations are highly detailed, sharp and interesting. This developer is lucky to have such a talented graphic artist/s. There is only praise to give to the animation department as well. Everything from cinematic cut-scenes to how the animated characters move and act is extremely well done when you compare to similar games in the casual scene. The characters are drawn (3d-modeled) and not real actors, and I think that is great for games like this. They look like 3d characters too, but as mentioned already they are done really well.

Every character is voiced too. And they have done a brilliant job. It might be the best voice-overs I've come by in casual games. They are believable and react well to what is happening around them. Your character is voiced as well, which makes you feel included in the storyline. The best part is that you communicate with the characters you meet here, and wherever you meet them they have something new to say. Not necessarily anything vital to the story, but still. It makes the game feel very alive compared to running around deserted places like most other games. There is a lot of dialog, and I know some people don't care for that. I, on the other hand, like that as it creates a fuller story and you get to know the characters around you and their motivation to do what they do. In some ways this game feels like an interactive movie. For those who likes less talk and more "walk" they have added a skip button on all dialog. I recommend to listen to it though, as it really creates a good chunk of the experience in this game.

The music is jazzy and cinematic and suits the game well. Sound effects and ambient sounds are brilliant.

As an adventure fan I sit left with a big smile after finishing the game. This game plays very much like an adventure game. And it is done so in a very nice way. It has a lot of the typical, but also adds its own touches to it. Of course it creates some back and forth movement through locations, but the developer has been clever and sectioned off parts, so it never become tedious and long stretched.

You also have a nice selection of cleverly made puzzles. Many of them seemed quite original (at least to me). Most of them were actually quite fun to solve, and several demands some time and attention. Non of them seemed unsolvable or very hard, but neither did they seem too easy. They also threw in a couple of mini-games for good measure that further added to the fun and variety. What I particularly noticed was how well the mechanics were in these puzzles. Nothing felt clunky and awkward. Good work.

There are of course the obligatory HO scenes too. And they look stunning, each and every one of them. Highly detailed, crisp and clear, and brighter than what we're used to in other games. At least in the main game, as there are some darker scenes in the bonus chapter. Some items are on the smaller side, but they are never difficult to identify. They have some very creative interactive elements to them that makes them even more interesting. You do have to do each one twice, but new interactive elements are put in the second time you are there. That keeps it fresh. They have also been more creative with items to find. There are some typical ones (compass, snail), but many not so common items to find. I.E. I did not have to find one single feather (if my memory serves me right)

There are three difficulty levels to choose from:

Casual:

-Quick recharge of hint/skip
-Sparkles on active zones/objects
-Map shows all points of interests

Normal:

-Slow recharge of hint/skip
-Sparkles on active zones/objects
-Map shows only basic info

Expert:

-No hints/skips
-No sparkles
-Map not available

I played on normal because i wanted to have the map there. I wish they'd cut the sparkles in that mode as well as I prefer no sparkles. Luckily they weren't too annoying, but they do make it less challenging. Either that, or have had the map with no info in the hard mode. In the end I found out that it is not really necessary to have the map as areas are sectioned off in smaller chunks, but there is no way of knowing that until after playing the game.

The map in itself is quite brilliant and is a good guide to have. It is not interactive (transport able). It is partly ever present in the corner of the screen, which I found brilliant. There is no journal here, but it is not really needed either. The mechanics of the game are perfect. Most everything is smooth sailings. There might be some loading between few of the locations, but not enough to get annoying.

The game feels lengthy enough, but probably does that in part due to a lot of dialog and cut scenes. Still I really feel I'm getting my money's worth and then some from this game.

Bonus:

The CE has an extra chapter of game play that seems quite lengthy compared to many other CE's. It has an equally interesting story, but this time you play as Logan (the detective). They play out in new locations with new HO scenes and puzzles. Other than the game play you get concept art, wallpapers and a lengthy interview with the developers. There are no morphing objects or other collectibles and neither any achievements.

There is only one thing to say about this game. Buy the CE now. Throw money at these developers so they keep bringing us high quality games like this. I hope that they will carry on with the Brink of Consciousness series, but will probably be interested in whatever this developer puts out there. Can't wait!

For the guys:

You play as a male character in this game, so it is quite fitting for us guys. The story is intriguing and should suit all. I'd even recommend it for your dog ;o)

TJ Show less

I recommend this game!

+17points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

38 of 47 found this review helpful

Move Over Sherlock Holmes!

PostedNovember 18, 2012

romany09

fromNew Port Richey, FL

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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.
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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Strategy, Puzzle, Mahjong

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I usually do not enjoy voice overs because I can read faster than the voices but this is such an interesting game. The actors are wonderful (I like the way Detective Logan Green holds his head in frustration) and there is a good group of characters, some of them off-beat and humorous. Some may think it easy (I've been able to do the mini-games and I'm usually not good with them) but this is a ...Show more

I recommend this game!

+29points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

15 of 15 found this review helpful

Brink of Conciousness: The Lonely Hearts Killer [CE]

PostedNovember 19, 2012

wildgym

fromNebraska

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Word, Arcade & Action, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle

Current Favorite:

Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome

(214)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

[history made mystery]

There have been many "Lonely Hearts Killers" in history. But in this game, the setting is moved to nineteenth century England, where both women and men are being kidnapped, and appear thirty days later, freshly killed and displayed like props. The Killer left his mark on his victims - a single yellow lotus.

But it seems that the Lonely Hearts Killer has been very busy ...Show more

[history made mystery]

But it seems that the Lonely Hearts Killer has been very busy lately, and there are strange disappearances, but only among the upper class.

You play Owen, the elderly father of Olivia, who has been missing for twenty-four hours. Writing to an old friend who is now an inspector, he comes to your aid and together you search for both Olivia and the Killer. It would seem that everyone's a suspect - and that there may be more than one killer...

As you find your way through the dark streets, you encounter characters to talk with, and gaze on the dead bodies themselves. This is certainly a seek and find game; if you can't get in, find another way.

Hope begins to dwindle... although Owen has a month to find Olivia, we seek and find with him, trying to remember where and when to put things together. You must have a good memory - there are secrets all over the place and the only way you'll get to them is if you think logically.

The interactive map is an added bonus, although you can't click on a location and be "poofed" there, the map
is still a fabulous tool.

Everyone has a voice-over, and they're entirely appropriate. There are no skipping voices, the quality of the visuals and sounds, style and interaction are above reproach.

If you like this game, be sure to pick up its predecessor - Brink of Consciousness: The Dorian Gray Syndrome.

I rarely buy collector's editions, but I wished I had when I bought Dorian Grey Syndrome, so I'm doing the right thing this time and getting my paws on all that sweet extra stuff. :D

I hugely recommend this game to anyone who likes solving mysteries, who likes clever and intelligent games, and who likes magnificently set scenes, whoever likes a little bit of creep with their games.

Bravo for MagicIndie! This game is its second, and is certainly twice as nice. Show less

I recommend this game!

+15points

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Brink of Consciousness: The Lonely Hearts Murders Collector's Edition The Lonely Hearts Killer has Olivia! You must save her! Heres what your review will look like once it’s posted. Click Submit if you’re happy. Your review should appear soon. To make changes, use the Edit or Cancel buttons. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this game! You’ve already shared your thoughts about this game. Thanks for submitting the review below.