Fear for Sale: The House on Black River > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

126 of 155 found this review helpful

FOR SALE> ONE SLIGHTLY HAUNTED BLACK RIVER RANCH HOUSE

PostedApril 15, 2016

pennmom36

fromJust exactly what does my job description entail?

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Phantasmat Collector's Edition

(100)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Emma Roberts is on assignment at The Black River Ranch, investigating the disappearance of Jack Neilson a freelance journalist, whose last known whereabouts was at this house of horrors. This house has had it's fair share of drama, it's original owner Martin Spencer was thought to be a sorcerer responsible for several deaths that occurred, and a frightened mob burned down the house, killing Martin ...Show more

Emma Roberts is on assignment at The Black River Ranch, investigating the disappearance of Jack Neilson a freelance journalist, whose last known whereabouts was at this house of horrors. This house has had it's fair share of drama, it's original owner Martin Spencer was thought to be a sorcerer responsible for several deaths that occurred, and a frightened mob burned down the house, killing Martin and his entire family. One year ago, Alex Dean moved into the house, which would allow him the freedom to work on his paintings in seclusion, bad idea! He watched helplessly as a ghostly figure appeared through a doorway that wasn't there before, kidnap his daughter, and return through the door that vanished into thin air! His grief stricken wife, Sarah passed away shortly afterwards leaving Alex alone and desperate. The further Emma delves into the investigation, the more she fears that Alex may be planning some sort of ritual, a ritual that allows ghosts to possess the bodies of living souls who share something in common!

After a few shaky releases, it would appear that Fear For Sale has gotten back on track with excellent visual effects and an equally as impressive storyline. Just about everything in the game can be interacted with, animals react when clicked upon, candles lit, fireplaces ramped up, and paintings that transform into a paranormal freak show. There are complex inventory items to interact with, and the Collector's Edition has several Achievements to earn throughout your investigation. The Collector's Edition also has 34 Beyond Objects and 5 different Collectibles for 5 different categories. As with all of the Fear For Sale games, finding these extras will earn you points and allow you to Rank up your Journalistic skills.

The Hidden Object Scenes are varied with Interactive List Finds that give you props to open up secret niches, leave behind fragments or puzzle pieces with puzzles to solve, Silhouetted Shapes and Multiple finds of a single object. There are several smaller HOP's that require you to find 5 items belonging to items such as a doll, newspaper or a phone, scattered about the room. There is an alternate Jigsaw Puzzle available if you're not into HOP's.

The Mini Games aren't bad, but tend to be on the easy side. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during the demo:

1) Join the halves of Dean's portraits by moving blocks out of the way.

2) Drag the three portraits to the house of matching color without letting their paths cross.

3) Assemble torn photo fragments.

4) Restore the painting of Dean's house by clicking on panels until the correct sections are displayed.

5) Rotate the tiles to form a continuous path leading from the mob at the bottom to the manor at the top using all tiles.

6) Restore the picture by locating all missing objects and placing them where they belong.

The Collector's Edition has 9 Wallpapers, 11 Concept Art pictures, 3 Screensavers, 3 Music Soundtracks, 25 Collectible items, 9 Achievements, 34 Beyond Objects, a built in Strategy Guide and a Bonus Chapter, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+97points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

48 of 62 found this review helpful

Ghostly Gathering with Spooky Sound

PostedApril 15, 2016

spythere

fromon arhipco's sound cloud

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure

Current Favorite:

Witches' Legacy: Awakening Darkness Collector's Edition

(44)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

A new EleFun game is always music to my ears, and naturally I play the music first :) FFS 8 includes 21 tracks: a total of 50 minutes! Ok, half of them we know from previous games, but a few are newly recorded and got interesting, new accents. So we have kind of "The Best of Arkhipov", mixed with the custom-made new tracks.
And, whoa ... what a thrilling, creepy sound if ever there was one! It ...Show more

A new EleFun game is always music to my ears, and naturally I play the music first :) FFS 8 includes 21 tracks: a total of 50 minutes! Ok, half of them we know from previous games, but a few are newly recorded and got interesting, new accents. So we have kind of "The Best of Arkhipov", mixed with the custom-made new tracks.
And, whoa ... what a thrilling, creepy sound if ever there was one! It creeps right under your skin, creeps up your spine and makes your hair stand on end. We hear the piercing cries of seagulls - which are perhaps not seagulls at all, but hungry banshees, raging zombies or a tormented keyboard. There are whimpering musical saws, sombre ship horns, ghostly moan and sniffling, the drip-drip-drips of water torture in an eerie cave, electric crackle and static noises. Sounds just like a terrific game.

We (as Emma Roberts) are sent again to investigate a supernatural case and to interview some ghosts if possible. And again one of the art director’s charming daughters plays the role of the little girl.
Alex Dean is introduced as an artist - but I have my doubts. Judging by his uninspired, bourgeois furnishing and his kitschy paintings (huh? windmill in the mountains?) I’d say that he is at best a hobby artist. But a good-looking one, albeit sullen; his talking is is always at the verge of shouting. No wonder: his little daughter Sonia was kidnapped by ghosts, his wife perished. Though she still hovers as a helpful spirit through the house (and imho needs a new hair stylist).
Four other ethereal entities inhabit the Black River Ranch: Martin Spencer, his wife Lisa, his sister Martha and Harry, probably an employee. They all have been murdered 100 years ago by a lynch mob. Now they try, like voodoo ghosts, to "ride" the bodies of the living. Martin Spencer, a pharmacist with witchcraft skills, is depicted as selfish and cruel. He forbade his sister to marry and acted even more detestable when he learned of her pregnancy. Just to keep her in the house as a cheap working force?

It's icy winter, wind whistles constantly, crows caw and croak, even in HOPs ... The sound effects are brilliant, from the uncanny background SFX to the hundreds of crackings, crunchings and creakings whenever we interact with anything.
Like always in EleFun games we should click on everything, at least in the first scenes. Watch how the light reflections on the table brighten when the candles ignite; open the fortune cookies and read your fate. To shoot the jacket from the tree in the backyard, we find a slingshot. Just for fun, we could at first aim at other things. The noise of the impact changes when we hit different materials. We can even smash the lanterns or, if we feel wicked enough, pelt the poor squirrel (it will never return after that). Be on the lookout in this game; many little surprises wait to be discovered. Amongst other things it is this loving attention to details which marks EleFun as one of BFs outstanding developers.

It is a HOP-heavy game - and it seems that EleFun raised the bar yet again. Funny and interactive. Multi-layered. Silhouettes. Chain reactions. A few reminded me of those mind-boggling Rube Goldberg sequences.
However I had to wait for the seventh hidden object puzzle to hear the new music. Of 25 HOPs, only five have new tracks (two, used multiple times). Not all the tracks from previous games have the scary ambiance of the new ones; hence tension and the eerie atmosphere are again and again broken through HOPs with too cheerful tunes. Too bad.
Puzzles are mainly accompanied by barely audible, spooky SFX; merely five are underlaid with new compositions. Such a pity. All except two puzzles are so quickly solved that we never get to hear a full tune. For example „Atlases“ or „Cold stone“, two long, ingeniously crafted tracks, are wasted for two easiest puzzles which take 15 or 30 seconds. I was flabbergasted. Why create such marvelous music and not use it in the game? Or rather, to use it so sparingly that it is hardly noticed.

CE or SE? The main game ends conclusively, however the bonus chapter adds to the story. The extras are as always rather redundant and not worth the CE price, but the music and the bonus tale are tempting. If you want to know more details, check my review of the CE.

PS: Wouldn't it be nice if we had a proper cast list in the credits? At least for the voice actors. Emily Eldridge as Emma Roberts, Kendra Hoffman as Sarah Dean, and so on ... Show less

I recommend this game!

+34points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

15 of 16 found this review helpful

.

PostedOctober 13, 2016

AsiaMinor

fromMassachusetts

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Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Not many games get five stars from me, but one made the cut!! It flowed nicely and just the right amount of challenge, imo. The gamed played for little over five hours. Most games I forget what the story line is and why I'm playing but this one kept me engaged throughout. Way to go! 2016

I recommend this game!

+14points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

14 of 17 found this review helpful

MY NEW FAVORITE!!

PostedApril 28, 2016

bwake47

fromTampa, FL

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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Current Favorite:

Fear for Sale: The House on Black River Collector's Edition

(52)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I love the Fear for Sale series, and this is definitely my favorite game in a long time.

The graphics are clear and colorful. It has a spooky atmosphere, and music is appropiate for each scene. The story kept me interested all the way through. You could tell there was a lot of thought and work that went into this game.

I purchased the CE version with a great sale and enjoyed the bonus ...Show more

I love the Fear for Sale series, and this is definitely my favorite game in a long time.

The graphics are clear and colorful. It has a spooky atmosphere, and music is appropiate for each scene. The story kept me interested all the way through. You could tell there was a lot of thought and work that went into this game.

I purchased the CE version with a great sale and enjoyed the bonus chapter as much as the game. It's unusual for a game to carry all the features though the bonus chapter, but this one did. I have no regrets in purchasing the CE version at all.

I think what I loved the most was the small games that were sprinkled throughout (even in the HOS), that you worked to achieve what you needed to get or do.

I never felt lost and wondering around as I do in so many games. I only used the map or hint button 3-4 times.

Give the game a try! I believe you will also enjoy it. CE or SE, it's a great game! Show less

I recommend this game!

+11points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

21 of 28 found this review helpful

FEAR FOR SALE MAGAZINE ISSUE 8 IS AN EXCELLENT EDITION!

PostedApril 18, 2016

skullfun

fromTennessee

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Skill Level:Expert

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

Current Favorite:

Whispered Secrets: Everburning Candle Collector's Edition

(81)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Okay Emma Roberts (you) have been selected as the most qualified Investigative Journalist for this latest assignment. When the Editor of the magazine calls you on your cell he informs you that fellow Journalist Jack has disappeared researching paranormal activity in the Black River area. Four people were killed in a fire at the Black River Ranch in the 19th century. Now, their spirits from the ...Show more

Okay Emma Roberts (you) have been selected as the most qualified Investigative Journalist for this latest assignment. When the Editor of the magazine calls you on your cell he informs you that fellow Journalist Jack has disappeared researching paranormal activity in the Black River area. Four people were killed in a fire at the Black River Ranch in the 19th century. Now, their spirits from the past are back to haunt the residents living there. Even though the events revolve around the old house, the true evil is usually not in things but in people. You are now responsible for the case that your colleague was supposed to be working on. And he was... right before he disappeared. The house is now occupied by a lonely artist. But it has not always been like that. He used to have a daughter, who was kidnapped by a ghost, and soon thereafter his wife died. But wait that is not the whole story. This house used to belong to a person accused of sorcery and a few deaths and subsequently the house was burned by the villagers scared of the rumors. Will this house and its occupants need to be destroyed and stopped again? You'll have to discover this answer as you do everything you can to over come every challenge, puzzle, and intense hidden object areas to reach the banks of the Black River! Fear for Sale: The House on Black River's engaging story unveils in a quite dramatic way. The tension grows as you discover one part of the story after another. The beautiful graphics and the fitting music and voice overs do a great job creating the perfect atmosphere for the past to meet the present and for the natural to meet the unnatural. Whoever narrates the voice of Emma Roberts is bloody fantastic! I have been a huge fan of this series since it was introduced, and this installment is one of the best. A great starting point for beginners who aren't familiar with the series. This CE has all those media extras you would expect - wallpaper, screensavers, concept art, soundtracks, and music. The bonus chapter challenges you with another drama but if you choose SE version you won't miss this extra. You get to know the family of the original owner a little better. What a Blast!!! The investigation is real for you as a player too since you get to look at and interact with a lot of things in this game. First of all, it is fun that different little things and creatures are responsive to your touch, so point-and-click at lots of stuff. Photos, lamps, doors, crows..... you'll be surprised at the very least. Secondly, there is a ton of inventory to pick up and work with. Some are quite complex. Don't forget about all the Collectibles (25) and Beyond Objects (34) among all else. Achievements (9) earn you points to show off your journalistic skills. The hidden object scenes offer a variety of searches, some of which are multi-step with puzzles in them. There is a good variety of them, but if you want to skip some of them or all together you can switch to a jigsaw puzzle available instead. The puzzles are all fun and different too. They seem to be a bit easy, but that always depends on you skills. I hope this franchise continues to Trend.....I think fans are goings to love this! I highly recommend this paranormal thriller to players of every level. Good Luck! Show less

I recommend this game!

+14points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

10 of 11 found this review helpful

CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT AND NOVEL PUZZLES. Nice HOPS.

PostedMay 6, 2016

SparkleGlow100

fromMichigan, USA

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Skill Level:Intermediate

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

Current Favorite:

Fear for Sale: The House on Black River Collector's Edition

(52)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

So many things to interact with in the first few scenes!
Move your mouse onto an item and it’ll probably do something!
Keanu Reeves, oh…I mean Alex Dean, moved his family to an initially relaxing, isolated, rural area. However their peace did not last long! Superb, clear, detailed graphics (and not cartoon-like or gaudy, like the screenshots seem to make them appear) & separation of sound into ...Show more

So many things to interact with in the first few scenes!
Move your mouse onto an item and it’ll probably do something!
Keanu Reeves, oh…I mean Alex Dean, moved his family to an initially relaxing, isolated, rural area. However their peace did not last long! Superb, clear, detailed graphics (and not cartoon-like or gaudy, like the screenshots seem to make them appear) & separation of sound into 4 controls! Yes! Characters that are really well done, with a gradually and interesting, unfolding story. The travel map is very clear indicating your next available options.

If you’re interested, the CE version has for collection, 5 collection themes, each with 6 items, plus all the usual. The Bonus game, again of the CE version, was a continuation of the story, with the same main characters, and was very enjoyable! Show less

I recommend this game!

+9points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

29 of 42 found this review helpful

WHO'S WHO IN THIS GREAT GHOSTLY TALE

PostedApril 15, 2016

biscuitsmama

fromWatch closely and take care as you navigate the ranch

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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:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Emma Roberts is back and this time her boss has asked her to track down a co-worker who is missing. Not only is Jack a co-worker but Emma considers him a friend as well. When Emma arrives at the Black River Ranch it doesn’t take her long to figure out that things are terribly wrong. She cannot get a straight answer from the reclusive owner of the ranch and there is something very odd about the ...Show more

Emma Roberts is back and this time her boss has asked her to track down a co-worker who is missing. Not only is Jack a co-worker but Emma considers him a friend as well. When Emma arrives at the Black River Ranch it doesn’t take her long to figure out that things are terribly wrong. She cannot get a straight answer from the reclusive owner of the ranch and there is something very odd about the maid, Lisa. Sign on for another episode in the Fear for Sale franchise and discover what Emma will do to save the day in this latest game, The House on Black River.

Even though there is a custom mode, IMHO, it is rather useless. The hint and skip buttons are sliders with the right end of the slider turning off the hint and skip times. The graphics are very good but there is a bit too much orange/blue tone for my liking. The graphics are a bit foggy in the opening scenes but improve considerably once Emma arrives in Eastwood to start her investigation.

Your tools include an interactive map that you acquire early in the game. The thing I like about the maps in this devs games is that they show where we have found all of the collectibles or where some might be missing. The voiceovers are very good with the Emma/Carrie voice used by this developer being very familiar.

The game comes to us from one of my very favorite devs who has created another series that I really love. One of the things that I enjoy most about their games is that their HOP scenes are excellent and they were the first to offer “the uncover so many of a certain item to open the HOP scene” style that has since been emulated by other devs. Of course if you have played other games by this developer, then you probably enjoy their HOPS as much as I do with this game offering a few new twists to the scenes. The HOPS are not overly interactive but some items can be tricky to figure out. For the most part, the scenes are list type but there is certainly some variety as well. The puzzles are not difficult, but they do become more difficult as the game progresses. I don’t think it is necessary to share the details of most HOPS or the puzzles because, IMHO, discovery is half the fun in playing a game. If you want the details there is another reviewer who pretty much lets you in on all the secrets and I recommend her excellent reviews.

I love the Fear for Sale series and I really enjoyed The House on Black River. The storyline was well told and consistent without jumping all over the place. It was great to follow a storyline that was definitely leading me toward to conclusion and developing the characters as it played out. This is probably one of the best games in the series with all of the components coming together to create a game that was at times challenging. What could be better, an eerie house, a reclusive artist, a very strange maid and you to sort it all out. All of these elements add up to one great game. Of course with the Fear for Sale games being from one of my favorite game developers, it is perfect for me. Please try the demo to see if The House on Black River is a game you will enjoy. Show less

+16points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

4 of 4 found this review helpful

Loved It.

PostedSeptember 6, 2016

cejene

fromOntario, Canada

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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Wonderful story. Can’t help but get involved in this amazing game.
The graphics, music, colors, everything you can possibly think of was fabulous.
Unique HOS and mini games.
It has been a long time since I played such an enjoyable game.

I recommend this game!

+4points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

4 of 5 found this review helpful

Great Long Game

PostedJuly 26, 2016

Kimmycoo

fromVirginia USA

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Large File

Current Favorite:

Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger 4

(44)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I spent most of the afternoon and into the evening finishing this game. I really liked the story line. The graphics were beautiful. I love games with a snowy background or wintery scenes. This has some fun and a few unique mini games and HOS.

Very nice addition to the Fear for Sale series!

I recommend this game!

+3points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

Good story!

PostedOctober 27, 2020

rpggramma

fromMidwest, USA

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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Puzzle, Strategy

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I really liked this game; everything was good!
I only had one problem and that was the last puzzle. I could not figure out what I was supposed to do with it!! I tried everything for 2 days, but I never got it!
Otherwise, it was a fun game!!

I recommend this game!

0points

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