Detectives United: Origins Collector's Edition > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

354 of 410 found this review helpful

MASTERPIECE

PostedAugust 9, 2018

pennmom36

fromElephant Games started as an indie developer of PC games as White Elephant in 2003. In 2013 Elephant Games took over 2 major series previously developed by BFG Mystery Case Files & Haunted Hotel

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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.
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Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Detectives United: Origins has a masterfully crafted storyline and the concept is simply genius What it lacks in gameplay, it makes up for in the storyline, this dev is on fire! Origins take us back to the beginning when the Mystery Trackers Agency was just a pup, speaking of which...I better be making a trip to the local Mystery Tracker's animal shelter to pick up my partner Elf pretty soon! You ...Show more

Detectives United: Origins has a masterfully crafted storyline and the concept is simply genius What it lacks in gameplay, it makes up for in the storyline, this dev is on fire! Origins take us back to the beginning when the Mystery Trackers Agency was just a pup, speaking of which...I better be making a trip to the local Mystery Tracker's animal shelter to pick up my partner Elf pretty soon! You will play this game in 3 different character perspectives, one as Agent Dorian Brown, the top agent, and Her Majesty's number one go-to detective. You'll switch thing's up a bit after pairing with the ever-sarcastic, fearless, ghost-busting, paranormal investigator that ain't afraid of no ghosts, James Blackthorne from Haunted Hotel, and to make this game the real deal, ultimate package, you'll also play as the Time-Traveling, family-saving, skull-toting matriarch of the Gray family, Anna from Grim Tales! NUFF SAID? :)

Can we talk about the Elephant in the room? Yes, we have a gadget, but this is what the Mystery Trackers Agency is all about, and I'm okay with it! Now if I could just use this device to locate an Elf...

I thought some of the Hidden Object Scenes were actually quite creative! I don't normally get impressed by HOP's lately because lately the scenes consist of a handful of objects that are out in the open with no attempt made to hide the objects. One of my favorite scenes centered around a film projector and the movie screen. I love HOS that require you to figure things out in order to progress so that one really impressed me, mostly because it was different. There are also Silhouetted Shape finds, Interactive List finds, Multiple finds and Matching Pair finds where you have to click on two objects at a time that reveals an object and try to find it's mate. There are also several Zoom Zone HOS, again, I was impressed with the creativity of some of these smaller mini HO's as well, bravo Elly!

The Mini-Games range from simplistic no-brainer puzzles to complex mini-games that require some thought. Below are brief descriptions of some of the games you'll encounter during this sweet demo:

1-Select the symbols in the correct order as shown on the list.
2-Use the device to find 8 hidden Wisps in the scene.
3-Drag & place torn fragments to matching slots to restore the photo.
4-Use the magnifier to find coordinates in Roman Numeral order.
5-Slide square tiles to create an image, 2 cells allow tile rotations.
6-Move the balls to center slots by pushing rows & columns a specified number of cells.

This Collector's Edition version has 10 Wallpapers, 10 Concept Art pictures, 4 Music Soundtracks, 13 re-playable Mini-Games, 15 re-playable Hidden Object Scenes, 17 Achievements to earn, a Secret Room to search for Morphing objects, 14 Collectible Morphing Character Figures, 29 Morphing Objects, 20 Puzzle Pieces (4 Puzzles total) 3 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a built-in Strategy Guide, enjoy! Show less

I recommend this game!

+298points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

57 of 72 found this review helpful

THE A TEAM OF DETECTIVES!

PostedAugust 11, 2018

Hersheyguy1

fromWhere does Anna Gray put her Dad’s skull? In her pocket?

Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Haunted Hotel: Death Sentence Collector's Edition

(88)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Detectives United is a new series from one of our top developers in the HOPA genre, Elephant Games. Wow! What a great start to a new series! This game has it all, challenging puzzles, a fantastic, original storyline, references to Elephant’s other series, and much more! My true rating is 4.5, but I rounded it up to five because I love the main characters from Haunted Hotel, Grim Tales, and Mystery ...Show more

Detectives United is a new series from one of our top developers in the HOPA genre, Elephant Games. Wow! What a great start to a new series! This game has it all, challenging puzzles, a fantastic, original storyline, references to Elephant’s other series, and much more! My true rating is 4.5, but I rounded it up to five because I love the main characters from Haunted Hotel, Grim Tales, and Mystery Trackers series! I’m going to review this game a bit differently than usual, which means instead of providing a pros and cons list, I will divide my review up into multiple sections, focusing on why I rated the categories above, the way I did.

Fun Factor: Overall, this game was a very entertaining game to play with many different obstacles to overcome. The end of the demo portion of the game really hooked me up, which left me craving for more! We also have the Collector taunting us and impeding our progress throughout the game. I rated fun factor 4 out of 5 because the pace is slow at different times throughout the game because there is a lot of back and forth before a main event happens which seems to be the formula for many current HOPA games.

Visual and Sound Quality: Elephant always delivers on their visual and sound production from their beautiful yet ominous graphics to their original soundtrack for this new series. I do wish the detective you play as had voiceover when they were discussing ideas with the other two sleuths, but it was just an extra detail that was not there. Overall, Elephant’s production deserves all 5 points!

Level of Challenge: Detectices United: Origin has a nice variety of challenging and easy puzzles with a few puzzles that are original, but most of them are boring rotational, matching, or guess the order puzzles that are not creative. I skipped some puzzles because I did not feel like having to rotate more puzzles or they were so complex that they took forever. I wish developers would implement a easy or hard difficulty button, so players could have two options of how to play a puzzle. In my opinion, there were way to many HOS that were silhouettes and the mini HOS throughout the game were unnecessary and were one of the causes for the slow pace. I loved the puzzles where we had to make the pipe pieces to make different designs. I found that puzzling challenging, creative, and fun.

Storyline: Although the idea of a man trying to save his dead or dying family is unoriginal, the idea of finding specific jewels to create a reality altering device makes the story a bit more creative. Players get to revisit past locations such as Black Isle, Silent Hollow, Raincliff, and what was the Lexington hotel, now called the Freedom Hotel, from the tenth installment of Haunted Hotel. I love Anna Gray, Agent Brown, and James Blackthorne teaming up, which was the main reason I decided to try this game out!

I hope this review helps any possible buyers or tryers of this game! I usually put my favorite game from the series I am reviewing, but since this game is starting, I decided to include my favorite game by Elephant. Show less

I recommend this game!

+42points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

75 of 105 found this review helpful

Meet the Collector.... places, where you've been before in very nice company!

PostedAugust 9, 2018

rainworm

fromOldies but goodies - all of them and at one time

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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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

We all have our beloved serials – on TV as well as in games. Perhaps, we had sometimes thought of bringing together characters of one series with those of another one?

Our wish has been fulfilled: we will have three detectives from three series in one game: Dorian Brown, Mystery Trackers, James Blackthorne, Paranormal Detective and Anna Gray, Private Investigator. We know them for their special ...Show more

We all have our beloved serials – on TV as well as in games. Perhaps, we had sometimes thought of bringing together characters of one series with those of another one?

Our wish has been fulfilled: we will have three detectives from three series in one game: Dorian Brown, Mystery Trackers, James Blackthorne, Paranormal Detective and Anna Gray, Private Investigator. We know them for their special knowledge and abilities. And: we will revisit places of former games in the series, e.g. Black Isles, Raincliff…….

The game begins at Mystery Trackers headquarters, when Dorian Brown is given a mission after some years in the archives. The Queen herself had asked for him to solve a case of burglary at the Royal Palace. And it will not be some of the royal treasures only, that is missing. Precious artifacts have been stolen as well…. Glad to be activated again, Dorian starts investigating at the palace. There he meets James Blackthorne and later, when they follow clues to Black Island, both will unite with Anna Gray. She has her unique accessory: Daddy – or at least his skull.
Each of the detectives has his or her own specialty and together they should be up to everything - but not only the detectives, also a villain from a series has his appearance and problems arise, as he has polished his skills and seems a worthy opponent for the three. It is the Collector.

A very entertaining event especially for those, who have experienced the classics Mystery Trackers and Grim Tales with Daniel and Anna. Gameplay is no surprise, a mix of HOS and puzzles, both not too difficult, fast paced with many collectables – real fun! Show less

I recommend this game!

+45points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

160 of 240 found this review helpful

SUPERSLEUTHS UNITED TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE!

PostedAugust 9, 2018

sunnyglow

fromFaster than a speeding police car! More paranormal than a psychic! Able to time travel in a single bound! In a leave of absence, each from their own series, come Brown, James and Anna – Supersleuths United!

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

REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages

OVERVIEW: The supersleuths of the detective world are uniting to battle a master criminal, the Collector, bent on bending space and time to rectify a tragedy from his past. Three of Elephant’s finest detectives, Dorian Brown, James Blackthorne, and Anna Gray have joined forces to defeat him. Valuable ...Show more

REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 Pages

OVERVIEW: The supersleuths of the detective world are uniting to battle a master criminal, the Collector, bent on bending space and time to rectify a tragedy from his past. Three of Elephant’s finest detectives, Dorian Brown, James Blackthorne, and Anna Gray have joined forces to defeat him. Valuable artifacts are missing, including one from the royal treasury of the Queen. This madman thief is planning on accumulating four artifacts to create the Reality Cube, a cube with immense powers. Even worse, he is gaining new powers with each piece of the cube he locates. Play each detective in this tag-team event and stop this madman before the universe is hurled into chaos. Go Supersleuths! And, by the way, Anna’s dad, Richard will be tagging along from the spirit world to help in the case.

OPINION: Welcome to a fantastic new series from Elephant! This is a detective-style version of the Avengers, with the superheroes replaced with supersleuths. This new series is a brilliant concept for Elephant. The story is excellent. You play all three detectives in a tag-team effort to defeat the evildoer. This is an action-packed game with decent graphics. This is a great game for those amateur sleuths out there who like detective stories, or those who love an action-packed game.

MECHANICS: There are four (4) levels of play including a customized version. There are eighteen (18) achievements. Collect fourteen (14) figurines of characters from the game. Also collect twenty (20) picture parts for four (4) pictures as well as twenty-nine (29) morphing objects. There is a side-bar on the right of the screen to indicate how many you have collected. I found some easy to locate and others not. There are ten (10) wallpapers along with concept art and music selections. You can replay fifteen (15) HOP scenes and thirteen (13) puzzles. There is a secret room which opens at the end of the game, allowing you to search for a variety of detective-oriented morphing objects from the scenes of the game.

BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Two of the supersleuths, Dorian Brown and Anna Gray, are off to Louisiana to save the third, James Blackthorne. Be prepared to meet a creepy, deranged ghost of a little girl at the abandoned, ramshackle Danver Mansion. She may have kidnapped James! The chapter is long. The HOP scenes and puzzles are identical to ones in the main game. I am disappointed in the content from this chapter. The storyline is missing relevant information about this case. It seems to have been tacked on leaving many questions regarding the history behind this mansion.

HOP SCENES: There are twenty-three (23) HOP scenes within the game. I am disappointed at the lack of variety and creativity of the scenes. Most of the scenes are silhouette and carbon copies of each other. In most of the scenes either you search for silhouette items in junk piles or you search for silhouette items one-at-a-time. Interspersed in the game are a few matching scenes and lists of items. The lists of items are straight searches with little interaction with the scene.

PUZZLES: There are twenty-eight (28) puzzles within the game. They vary in style and difficulty. I feel the puzzles are excellent, most being of middle-difficulty. It surprises me that this developer provided more of the somewhat boring HOP scenes to replay than the puzzles. Most are thematic. There is a creatively designed super puzzle within the game. I want to replay some of the puzzles; however, they are not offered for replay.

SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE PUZZLES AFTER THE DEMO:

A. Switch puzzle. Awesome puzzle. Switch colored pieces on three owls so that each owl is one color.
B. Chess puzzle. Move a knight (horse) across a chess board, making the “L” shaped move associated with this token, until all squares have been visited once.
C. Maze puzzle. Escape a labyrinth in the dark by following a map while avoiding traps
SUPER PUZZLE: (3 consecutive puzzles – E to G) Extremely well-designed.
D. Assembly puzzle. Rotate a figure upside-down and sideways until a figure is created. Moving it changes the image of the figure. 2X
E. Switch puzzle. Click on the center of a grid consisting of connected pentagons to that a given figure is assembled in the center of the grid.
F. Bubble popper. A variation in which you must remove three (3) or more gems at a time by adding gems to remove them. Eliminate all the gems on a moving snake-like chain before it reaches its destination.
BONUS CHAPTER
G. Maze puzzle. Move a ball through a maze using arrows. Choose between two to four arrows to create a path from top to bottom of the maze.
H. Slat puzzle. Place strips with symbols upon them on a crossword-style grid so that where two slats meet, the symbols are the same. Show less

I recommend this game!

+80points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

13 of 17 found this review helpful

You Had Me At LEGENDARY DETECTIVES ; and for an added bonus you gave me THREE !!!!!

PostedAugust 28, 2018

Mickeymgrl39

fromCleveland GA

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Family, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Word

Current Favorite:

Detectives United: Origins Collector's Edition

(65)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I really enjoyed this game. One of the best that I've played. I LOVED that you get to jump between the BEST LOVED DETECTIVES OF THE FAMOUS SERIES and that each brought to the game their Individual strength. I stayed up and entire night and played without realizing that I was playing so long ; I was just enjoying the ADVENTURE!!! I just wanted to continue playing !! Sure hope this isn't the last ...Show more

I really enjoyed this game. One of the best that I've played. I LOVED that you get to jump between the BEST LOVED DETECTIVES OF THE FAMOUS SERIES and that each brought to the game their Individual strength. I stayed up and entire night and played without realizing that I was playing so long ; I was just enjoying the ADVENTURE!!! I just wanted to continue playing !! Sure hope this isn't the last one of its kind !! BRAVO !! Show less

I recommend this game!

+9points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

30 of 45 found this review helpful

The Elephant is back with a winner!

PostedAugust 10, 2018

bratzgram

fromNorthern Michigan

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):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Word

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

Since there are so many lengthy reviews already I will just say, You can't go wrong purchasing this one. The trial seemed to only last a few minutes! That's how involved I was. Loved the story and changing characters. HO's and the mini games were a great hit. Elephant devs know their stuff! Fantastic job! Bring us more like this!

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

38 of 60 found this review helpful

ELEPHANT HAS DONE IT AGAIN!

PostedAugust 9, 2018

moknows

fromCharlotte, NC

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, Card & Board, Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I thought that Elephant had not been up to their usual standards lately but this game sure put them back in the top slot!! Everything was great! I loved the different HOS - they were varied and a lot of fun. The storyline flowed from start to finish in a smooth pattern. I agree with all the other 5 Star reviews by others. I hope Elephant keeps this going! If they do, then I will keep buying!

I recommend this game!

+16points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

5 of 5 found this review helpful

Remarkable and engaging

PostedJuly 24, 2019

laurakay76

fromLehigh Valley, PA

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):Adventure, Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Puzzle, Strategy, Time Management, Word

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I'm entirely unfamiliar with all three of the series which converge in this game, so I downloaded the trial with some trepidation. But the reviews were so good that they had me curious.

Turns out that you don't really need to have much of an understanding of any of the disparate series in order to enjoy this. The game does a credible job of helping you understand who these characters are, and ...Show more

I'm entirely unfamiliar with all three of the series which converge in this game, so I downloaded the trial with some trepidation. But the reviews were so good that they had me curious.

Turns out that you don't really need to have much of an understanding of any of the disparate series in order to enjoy this. The game does a credible job of helping you understand who these characters are, and their backstories are of minimal importance for this story. You play as each of the three united detectives at different times, depending on which of them is best suited for the current task.

The story is interesting, well-conceived, and well-executed. I was emotionally invested by the end of it and wanted the best possible outcome - which is exactly what it delivers. The bonus chapter was slightly less engaging, as it's a separate case which isn't fleshed out quite as well, but it was still worth playing. The three detectives are very interesting in their own rights and I'm considering trying out their individual series so I can get to know them better.

But first, there's a sequel to this game that I need to play. Show less

I recommend this game!

+5points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

24 of 37 found this review helpful

As my kids would say, OMG.

PostedAugust 11, 2018

syndney1099

fromPortland, OR

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):Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

It must be summer as I was surprised there were only twenty some reviews. This is a really great game. I have been playing for many years and it has been a long time since I have enjoyed a game so much. So seasoned gamers, check this one out!. You can catch the description of the storyline from earlier reviewers who do an amazing job of giving you the details of the game. If you have played the ...Show more

It must be summer as I was surprised there were only twenty some reviews. This is a really great game. I have been playing for many years and it has been a long time since I have enjoyed a game so much. So seasoned gamers, check this one out!. You can catch the description of the storyline from earlier reviewers who do an amazing job of giving you the details of the game. If you have played the games involving these detectives, you get the treat of having the trio of detectives all in one game which is really fun. The storyline is credible, the tasks reasonable (you use your screwdriver multiple times instead of throwing it away!) The hops are challenging and unique. Some of the games are challenging as well in that they question your assumptions on the rules. The music fit nicely and the pace was great. You can play this one more than once and still have fun. My vote for game of the year. Show less

I recommend this game!

+11points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

44 of 73 found this review helpful

Elephant hits another Home Run

PostedAugust 9, 2018

pvsquare

fromHuntington, WV

Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Puzzle

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This game has all the parts that I look for.The characters, the sound and the story line. I hope there are plenty of sequels.

+15points

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	, share your thoughts about this game! Detectives United: Origins Collector's Edition Three legendary detectives unite! 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.