9 Clues: The Ward > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

175 of 198 found this review helpful

NO NO NO NO! The Demo CAN'T be over yet!!!!!

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

mrm2006

fromBelton MO

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):Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Match 3, Card & Board, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Bluebeard's Castle

(295)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Wow, wow, wow and MORE wow! Just when I thought I was getting disinterested in this game - twists, turns, and .... LOTS more!

If you dislike creepy dolls and I MEAN SERIOUSLY creepy this game is not for you. If you are squeamish about MURDER, people falling or being pushed (?) out windows, this game is NOT for you. I have to admit, there were a few shockers (GASP) for me and it takes a LOT to get ...Show more

Wow, wow, wow and MORE wow! Just when I thought I was getting disinterested in this game - twists, turns, and .... LOTS more!

If you dislike creepy dolls and I MEAN SERIOUSLY creepy this game is not for you. If you are squeamish about MURDER, people falling or being pushed (?) out windows, this game is NOT for you. I have to admit, there were a few shockers (GASP) for me and it takes a LOT to get that reaction from me.

Weird visions, creepy dolls, murder or suicide (nah, definitely murder), nasty people (nurse Ratchet?), kind nurses - awww, bombs, and just MORE of everything!

You play a Detective in a PI firm, gone to an asylum answering a call that was traced to your office by .... someone ... but who? And who is Ginger? And why is some creepy doll person killing everyone? Find out these answers and more in this game.

There are 3 levels of difficulty. An optional tutorial - eh, pretty basic if you know this genre of game. A journal you're not told about is in the lower left corner. READ it OFTEN. It has tabs for the people you meet - important info goes in there, Clues, also important, and Objectives - VERY important as this list changes constantly and there are always several objectives at once. The hint button recharges fairly quickly. And a transportable map, which you have to locate during the game (hah!) - but I didn't use it.

The game play is amazing. In certain locations, you have to find 9 clues. Once those clues are found, you have to put together the pieces of the puzzle to figure out the sequence of what happened. But, it doesn't end there. Don't leave! Because now you have to search that location for items to put into your inventory.

And, yes there are HOGs in every location, sometimes you go back more than once but the previous items are gone and your items are not hard to locate. A mahjong game is an alternative. I would not say it is a HOG heavy game. The mini games - amazing, new, innovative and some of them require patience, patience, patience and perseverance - don't give up too easily. They're fun!

This game may not be incredibly long as I found 2 of the 9 "clues" before the demo ended (with 1 minute to spare). The previous 9 Clues game wasn't terribly long but this one ... Oh My Gosh! Suspense, Weirdness - LOTS of weirdness. This game is totally MINE! HAVE to get it!!!!!

I hope this encourages you to at least try the demo. Purchasing a game is always a personal choice.

Happy Gaming! Show less

I recommend this game!

+152points

175of 198voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes175No23

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

103 of 114 found this review helpful

Way Better Than The First - Completed Game

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

sportygal2009

fromSouth Bend, IN

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):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

If you haven't played the first game in this series: 9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek it's not necessary. This game stands alone.

GAME PLAY: I thought the HOS and puzzles were pretty well balanced in this game. This seemed to start off with very few HOS however picked up more into the game. The adventure traveling back/forth I thought was pretty lite. Just like the first game in this series ...Show more

If you haven't played the first game in this series: 9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek it's not necessary. This game stands alone.

GAME PLAY: I thought the HOS and puzzles were pretty well balanced in this game. This seemed to start off with very few HOS however picked up more into the game. The adventure traveling back/forth I thought was pretty lite. Just like the first game in this series there is a Detective Mode which occurs at times, in which you find clues for your character to investigate; and then provides a reenactment of what believes has taken place, based on the clues.

3 play modes: I played the hardest. NO sparkles however black bar tips for some things.

JOURNAL: This holds objectives that also pop up on the screen and also gives info on the people you encounter.

TRANSPORTER MAP: You get this shortly into the game.

HOS: All found by standard word list. The scenes are visited twice. There is some slight interaction with some of them. If you don't feel like doing the HOS you can play Mahjong.

PUZZLES: The usual run of the mill found in many games here on Big Fish. I came across nothing new. They can be skipped. Some did have a reset button.

VISUAL/SOUND QUALITY: I absolutely loved the graphics. Very fitting to the game. I also liked the characters and the voice overs excellent. I definitely got the creepy-eerie feeling from this game and I mean this in a great way.

LEVEL OF CHALLENGE: My one and only criticism here and is my usual criticism in just about every review that I write: Black bar tips on the hardest mode. Please do a custom mode for your next game offering.

STORYLINE: This definitely won't be for all due to subject matter and not for the faint of heart. However for me... I was hooked to this from the get go and held my interest to the very end. The story definitely has some twist and turns to it.

MY PLAY TIME: This was about 5 hours for me and I enjoyed every bit of it except for the puzzles but I'm not a fan of these. The rest of the game really made up for this especially the detective mode - LOVED IT.

FUN FACTOR: I enjoyed this one much more than the first in this series. I must confess I almost didn't download this but oh so glad I did. This game also flowed smooth as silk for me. I had no tech issues whatsoever.

Overall 5 stars from me. There was just way too much that I loved about this game to rate it any lower than 5 stars. Thanks Big Fish/developer for a great game and the sale. What a pleasant surprise to get this on sale but I would of paid $6.99 for it. More like this and from this developer please. Show less

I recommend this game!

+92points

103of 114voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes103No11

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

120 of 141 found this review helpful

FANTASTIC!

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

pennmom36

fromScarecrow meets Freddy?

Top Reviewer
This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
Top Reviewer

Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Even better than Serpent! The Mnemosyne Asylum has a bunch of skeletons in their closets, starting with a fire in 1949 started by a pyromaniac patient, which took the innocent life of a young girl named Ginger. The asylum has had financial troubles since, causing the degradation of the building and the care the patients receive, now something more sinister seems to be at hand, Jonathan Crow has ...Show more

Even better than Serpent! The Mnemosyne Asylum has a bunch of skeletons in their closets, starting with a fire in 1949 started by a pyromaniac patient, which took the innocent life of a young girl named Ginger. The asylum has had financial troubles since, causing the degradation of the building and the care the patients receive, now something more sinister seems to be at hand, Jonathan Crow has been murdered! The murderer could be just about anyone, Klaudia Kreuz, the cold mannered director, Gordon the alcoholic groundskeeper, any number of patients could fit the profile as well. It's up to you and Detective Owens to solve this case one clue at a time before it's too late for everyone...

Just as the title suggests, this game is based upon finding 9 clues in each crime scene, and even HOS you come across. When you enter a crime scene you will see question marks indicating it's time to search for clues. If you chose casual or advanced settings your cursor will flash when upon a clue and you simply click on 9 separate clues around the room. After all clues have been collected, 9 picture boxes will appear and you will need to rotate the clue boxes until they are in sequential order, this is called Retrospection.

The Hidden Object Scenes are slightly interactive list finds that are repeated once, and you can choose to play a game of mahjong instead. The mini games are actually interesting, simple puzzles such as guiding an ambulance along tracks, making sure you stop at all of the intersections once. I liked the game where you had to disarm a bomb with a number code by connecting color coded wires to two different symbols to form the correct numbers.

This game is just a stand alone standard edition, don't expect a lot of frills, but you can expect an outstanding story and unique features, certainly worth a coupon in my opinion, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+99points

120of 141voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes120No21

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

62 of 70 found this review helpful

A worthy purchase!

PostedSeptember 18, 2014

LePhoenix

fromEngland

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

Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Adventure, Hidden Object, Large File, Puzzle, Mahjong

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

This is a gem of a game! The storyline was so different to the usual 'saving the world, brother, sister, mother, lover, etc', and although the story could've been a little more intriguing in places, it did work. I don’t give the story away in reviews simply because I feel it can spoil a gamers experience, finding out the who, where, why, when, and what happens next, is part of the fun of playing a ...Show more

This is a gem of a game! The storyline was so different to the usual 'saving the world, brother, sister, mother, lover, etc', and although the story could've been a little more intriguing in places, it did work. I don’t give the story away in reviews simply because I feel it can spoil a gamers experience, finding out the who, where, why, when, and what happens next, is part of the fun of playing a game so I won't say, lol. Its great to see a map that allows the gamer to 'jump' from location to location; by just hovering over a blue circle for each accessible area on the map it saves the back and forth trekking which I loathe. The game-play is fluid, graphics may not be 'high tech' or to everyone's liking but they are still very good and it isn't just graphics that makes for a good game, it’s a combination of many well-presented factors coming together. I found this game to be a worthwhile purchase, in fact I was hooked playing the demo and just 'had' to have it.. Show less

+54points

62of 70voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes62No8

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

22 of 23 found this review helpful

1st Game I've Really LOVED In A LONG, LONG Time

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

nontechiegrannie

fromEl Mirage, AZ

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):Adventure, Hidden Object, Card & Board, Mahjong

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Engaging storyline even though I usually don't like games with sinister, evil things. In this case it's creepy puppets.

Graphics are a definite upgrade despite not being completely realistic.

VO are spot on with mouth/character movement.

Music goes along with the storyline.

HINT/SKIP buttons are quick to recharge.

HOS/Puzzles are interactive & a cut above the mundane, usual fare we have come ...Show more

Engaging storyline even though I usually don't like games with sinister, evil things. In this case it's creepy puppets.

Graphics are a definite upgrade despite not being completely realistic.

VO are spot on with mouth/character movement.

Music goes along with the storyline.

HINT/SKIP buttons are quick to recharge.

HOS/Puzzles are interactive & a cut above the mundane, usual fare we have come to expect. You can substitute Mahjong for the HOS but the HOS were so new/different & great that I didn't even bother.

There's the usual journal & map but I never did try the map.

All in all a GREAT game & I whole heartedly agree with the rest of the "over the moon" reviews.

Give the demo a try & see if you agree. Show less

I recommend this game!

+21points

22of 23voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes22No1

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

16 of 16 found this review helpful

ALMOST Perfect!

PostedOctober 4, 2014

catbag8717

fromTasmania, Australia

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

Current Favorite:

Ominous Objects: Family Portrait

(30)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
(Note: Actual Rating is 4.5 stars)

WOW! Before now, I'd never even touch a standalone SE, but this game changed all that. Don't think for a second that, just because the game was not a CE first, the game is therefore of a lesser quality. This is one of my favourite games to come out this year. I have not been so engrossed in a game in such a long time.

What got me sucked ...Show more

BASED ON COMPLETED GAME
(Note: Actual Rating is 4.5 stars)

WOW! Before now, I'd never even touch a standalone SE, but this game changed all that. Don't think for a second that, just because the game was not a CE first, the game is therefore of a lesser quality. This is one of my favourite games to come out this year. I have not been so engrossed in a game in such a long time.

What got me sucked in to this game was definitely its story. I have never seen a story so creepy and addictive ever before. The concept was great and was executed brilliantly. The opening cutscene was great, but after that, I will admit the story did take a bit of getting in to. But once that happened, I was engrossed, and literally had to force myself to stop playing. The story was full of twists and turns, with each twist better and more shocking than the last. As I played, more and more of the story was revealed, and the game just got better and better. Everything built-up to an extraordinary ending, one that I most certainly did not see coming. The story is so action packed and I enjoyed every second of it.
I also really, really enjoyed the characters! I've often been extremely critical of how boring characters are, but the ones here are great! Each has their own personality, and I really enjoyed it. I especially loved the characters of Zed Rascov (hey... everyone loves a bad guy!) and the cat guy. The cat guy added a touch of humour to a very serious game, which was very good.
Overall, a brilliant story- one of my favourites of all time. I will definitely be replaying this one in the very near future.

In terms of gameplay, parts of it are fairly run-of-the-mill, but others are fairly good. The HOS would be an example of the run-of-the-mill aspect of the game. They were all list junkpile with a few extra-step objects. Even though they were simple, I quite enjoyed them, because it felt nice to play something simple instead of being bombarded with interactivity. It made for a nice change of pace. There are quite a few HOS in this game, 16 if you want me to be exact. Each location is repeated twice. The HOS were well spaced out and the quantity was great.
However, I really DID NOT enjoy the puzzles. They really killed some of the enjoyment factor. The puzzles were the worst thing about this game for me. The reason? They were just way too hard. I skipped the majority of them, and the ones I could solve took me multiple goes to finish. Definitely not enjoyable. In fact, you could almost say I hated them. For those who like puzzles, they were in a good number, and were spaced out well.

This game offers only one additional gameplay feature, but it is probably the best one I've seen! The feature is detective mode, and it added to the fun factor significantly. When you come across a place where Detective Mode can be used, question marks appear on the screen. Clicking the centre question mark activates the mode. Detective mode is basically a HOS/Puzzle which will eventually reveal part of the story. Detective Mode has been tweaked since the last 9 Clues game and has been made much better. In this game, there is now a puzzle you have to solve after finding all the clues. This is quite simple. You just have to swap the clues around in the order in which they happened. The square will light up when the evidence is in the right place. After you've done that, there is a short cutscene, which explains what happened. Aside from the story, this was the best part of the game. It was definitely the most fun. My only criticism is that I don't think it was used enough. It was used 4 times throughout the entire game. I would have liked to see it used one or two more times, just for that little bit more enjoyment. Otherwise, though, there were no problems.

The basic gameplay features have been done well too. There is a diary, which keeps track of main character you meet, and any events that occur to do with that character. It also keeps track of all the clues you discover. There are three modes of difficulty as well as a nice map. In terms of challenge, I would say this is relatively easy and would probably be a good starting out point for those who are new to HOPA games. I'm an advanced player and (apart from the puzzles) had absolutely no trouble whatsoever. However, I wouldn't want to turn off expert players, because this is a ripper of a game.
Overall, the gameplay had its ups and downs but was still quite enjoyable.

The graphics were quite good. They were drawn with some nice detail and colours, and the character designs were good. I liked how there was lip-synch too. However, I noticed some very stupid spelling mistakes, which probably comes from the fact this is a Polish developer. For example, “courtains” instead of curtains and “souvenire” instead of souvenir. I can forgive this because I don't think that English is their first language, though.
Voice-overs are standard. I have no issue.

FEATURES
3 modes of difficulty: Casual, Advanced and Hard. Differences are standard. I played Casual.
Hint/Skip- Both recharge at a decent speed for the difficulty I selected. Hint is useful outside HOS.
Diary- Keeps track of events- the people you meet, and all information regarding them.
Map- The map is interactive and is quite useful. It shows where tasks can be completed.
Detective Mode- This is a HOS/Puzzle minigame that is extremely fun. I enjoyed every time I used it, but it wasn't used enough.

ON THE GAME LENGTH
There are 7 acts in the game. The game took me about 3 hours on Casual mode, which is my ideal game length.

Overall, this was a very, very enjoyable game. This is even better than most of the CE games out there. I loved every second of it. My rating for this game is 4.5 stars, due to the puzzles. But because everything else was so great, I couldn't possibly give this game 4 stars, and so will round it up to a 5. This is a wonderful game, and you will not regret buying it. Show less

I recommend this game!

+16points

16of 16voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes16No0

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

41 of 53 found this review helpful

9 Clues; The Ward

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

Jeriann64

fromSeymour, Texas

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, Card & Board, Puzzle, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Lost Legends: The Weeping Woman Collector's Edition

(68)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I couldn't wait til I finished the demo, so I could purchase this game! I love it! Everything about it, the graphics, music, storyline, everything. It was different then any other game I've played. You really do get to be a Detective in this game!

I recommend this game!

+29points

41of 53voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes41No12

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

35 of 46 found this review helpful

Fun To Play.....

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

oznana

fromAdelaide, Sth.Aust.

Skill Level:Intermediate

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

My review is based on the beta game. I have played the previous game and when I was offered the chance to play the beta I jumped at it as I thoroughly enjoyed the earlier game, Secret of Serpent Creek.
I was not disappointed, and forgot I was playing a beta version until the trial was finished. The quality was excellent, the music non-intrusive, there are the usual choices of skill level.
If you ...Show more

My review is based on the beta game. I have played the previous game and when I was offered the chance to play the beta I jumped at it as I thoroughly enjoyed the earlier game, Secret of Serpent Creek.
I was not disappointed, and forgot I was playing a beta version until the trial was finished. The quality was excellent, the music non-intrusive, there are the usual choices of skill level.
If you like HOA games this should tick most of your boxes. Show less

I recommend this game!

+24points

35of 46voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes35No11

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

14 of 16 found this review helpful

Developers Artifex Mundi Delivers A Spell Binding Game

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

pcpat923

fromJERSEY GIRL

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

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Large File, Mahjong

Current Favorite:

Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek Collector's Edition

(81)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Since the story is the game along with exquisitely hand-drawn art work, somber music and a creative new hidden object find that is called the Detective Mode. Clues are selected in a scene rather than picking objects from a list.
Interactive Map has 3 levels-1st floor, 2nd floor & basement.

Gamers are in for a treat. An immediate buy!
Enjoy! -Mama Mia-

I recommend this game!

+12points

14of 16voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes14No2

Flagged as inappropriate.

Overall rating

5 / 5

11 of 14 found this review helpful

OH YES!!

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

Fishpole

fromDelta, British Columbia

Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Current Favorite:

Midnight Castle

(465)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

This review is based on 'demo' only but it's a 'buy' for me!

You start off receiving a phone call from an asylum for help from a 'mysterious' caller. Upon investigating you witness him jumping #?# out of a window. And you're off to start the investigation.

You have a Journal which contains your objectives, the clues you'll come across and the people that you meet. Be sure and read it! You will ...Show more

This review is based on 'demo' only but it's a 'buy' for me!

You start off receiving a phone call from an asylum for help from a 'mysterious' caller. Upon investigating you witness him jumping #?# out of a window. And you're off to start the investigation.

You have a Journal which contains your objectives, the clues you'll come across and the people that you meet. Be sure and read it! You will 'pick up' a map that is transportable and shows where you have actions that need to be completed.

Now, on to the game itself......the HO scenes are an interesting mix, you have the option to play Mahjong instead if you wish. You come across this somewhat 'creepy' puppet that when you pull on it, it gives you cryptic messages.

In one scene I had to find 9 clues which I had to assemble in order of the sequence of events in which they happened. The items glow 'orange' when placed in the right spot for those who want to know.

Inventory 'seems' to be used in a logical way and quickly and I found that the game progressed quickly.

Can't wait to find out how it all turns out. Show less

I recommend this game!

+8points

11of 14voted this as helpful.

Was this review helpful?Yes11No3

Flagged as inappropriate.

Browse by Genre:

Browse by Genre:

9 Clues: The Ward

Reviews

9 Clues: The Ward

, share your thoughts about this game!

9 Clues: The Ward

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.


	, share your thoughts about this game! 9 Clues: The Ward Explore the eerie, crooked halls of Mnemosyne Asylum! 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.