New York Mysteries: The Outbreak > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

44 of 54 found this review helpful

AH AT LAST, ANOTHER NEW YORK MYSTERIES IS FINALLY HERE!

PostedMay 26, 2019

biscuitsmama

fromI’ve been waiting years to finally play another game in this series and it’s definitely worth the wait.

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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

It’s been a little over three years since the last New York Mysteries game was released and I wasn’t sure there would be another game in what I consider an excellent series. It’s been a long wait for me and when The Outbreak was released this morning, I purchased the game instantly. Five-BN Games is a developer that gives me what I want in a game and I didn’t need to think about hitting the buy ...Show more

It’s been a little over three years since the last New York Mysteries game was released and I wasn’t sure there would be another game in what I consider an excellent series. It’s been a long wait for me and when The Outbreak was released this morning, I purchased the game instantly. Five-BN Games is a developer that gives me what I want in a game and I didn’t need to think about hitting the buy button.

The Outbreak has an excellent storyline that will keep you guessing as you play. You play the game as Laura, an investigative journalist, who not long ago was brought into a secret order by the elusive Mr. Bishop. The Order of the White Stone is not only a secret organization, but it deals with supernatural incidents that the police can’t handle. As you play The Outbreak there are so many twists and turns in the game that you don’t always know who to trust and you soon discover that things are not always what they seem.

I love the interactive HOPS in this game. The scenes are not always easy as you try to find the needed items and then where to use them to perhaps find another required item until you finally complete the scene. The Puzzles are fun and even though there are a lot more of them than HOPS in this game it doesn’t bother me too much since the HOPS are so well-crafted. I love the Puzzles in this game where not all of them are easy to solve.

Aside from the standards such as being able to customize your mode of gameplay, there is also an old school journal or diary included that keeps track of the story as you play the game. It is not often that we find a diary included in more recent games, but I happen to appreciate having one and, at least for me, it enriches the gameplay.

If you purchase CE games because you appreciate the extras you will certainly not be disappointed with New York Mysteries: The Outbreak. The game includes not only one collectible to find but five different sets that each have anywhere between one and ten different items to find. There are also morphing objects hidden in each scene and some are difficult to spot. The Strategy Guide is excellent if you happen to get stuck and are not sure what to do next. It also provides the steps needed to solve puzzles rather than simply showing screen shots of the end result.

If you want a game that will keep you entertained and involved in the action, then New York Mysteries The Outbreak is the game you have been waiting to play. If you have played the earlier games in the series or even other games by this developer than you know exactly why I love this game. Even though the game is exactly right for me, please try the demo to see if New York Mysteries: The Outbreak is a game you will enjoy as well. Happy gaming! Show less

I recommend this game!

+34points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

19 of 23 found this review helpful

I LOVE YOU FIVE BN GAMES

PostedMay 26, 2019

charlene_lane

fromWellington, New Zealand

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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

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

Current Favorite:

New York Mysteries: The Lantern of Souls

(33)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS

This developer just seems to better and better with each game to give us a truly wonderful experience playing. This game represents a true adventure with lots of intricate puzzles and HOPs and makes you feel like you are part of the journey. Well done devs. There is:

* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes;
* Interactive ...Show more

REVIEW OF COMPLETED GAME AND BONUS

This developer just seems to better and better with each game to give us a truly wonderful experience playing. This game represents a true adventure with lots of intricate puzzles and HOPs and makes you feel like you are part of the journey. Well done devs. There is:

* Voiceovers (with dialogue);
* Casual, Advanced, Hard and Custom modes;
* Interactive map;
* Diary.

What I loved the most is that you can turn off Hint, Skip and the hand/cursor over the morphing objects and collectibles so you can collect them yourself. So you can make it as hard or as easy as you like. As I love a challenge, this is my ultimate favourite function.

The graphics are gorgeous with plenty of colour and are well defined. The characters move around just like us which makes it feel so much more real. Sound is good and the familiar music is the same from previous games to keep you company.

The HOPs are highly interactive silhouette and straightforward. These have a reasonably good challenge to them and each one takes a good 5-7 minutes to do each. These require finding one item to use to find another, etc.

The mini-games are fantastic. Some are quite intricate and takes some thought but are all very accomplishable. I just took my time with each one - don't rush them. I always yell "yeees" when I finish one that was hard to do.

Keep a notebook beside you to write down numbers, sequences, etc because bits of paper as clues are not always there to help you. You will need to use your logic here as there is no hand-holding when you have turned everything off.

So, do you get the CE or SE? In the CE, there are 22 achievements, 9 statuettes,6 records, 7 4 leaf clovers, 9 feathers and 31 morphs in the main game and the 10 medallions in the bonus. There are 13 replayable mini-games, 5 replayable puzzles and an extra 20 puzzles after you have finished the game. My personal preference is the CE because there are a lot of extras.

All up the game, bonus and extras took me a good 9 hours to do. I loved every minute and will definitely be playing this game again. It took me a while to get to this game because I played the earlier games again to get back into the swing of this series.

Overall, an unmissible game and definitely worth putting in your collection. This truly is a gem. Show less

I recommend this game!

+15points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

16 of 19 found this review helpful

High Praise For An Outstanding Game

PostedMay 28, 2019

Kirland

fromCalifornia by way of New York

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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, Brain Teaser, Time Management

Current Favorite:

New York Mysteries: The Outbreak

(15)

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I love this series. New York Mysteries The Outbreak is by far one of the best games this year.

I have been waiting for a real adventure. Tired of the fantasies with cute little animal helpers. Graphics were superb, story-line fresh and riveting. Almost like watching a tense thriller with the good guys stopping a disaster.

I beta tested this and knew right away it was going to be a sure ...Show more

I love this series. New York Mysteries The Outbreak is by far one of the best games this year.

I have been waiting for a real adventure. Tired of the fantasies with cute little animal helpers. Graphics were superb, story-line fresh and riveting. Almost like watching a tense thriller with the good guys stopping a disaster.

I beta tested this and knew right away it was going to be a sure purchase for me.

Thank you devs for the great stories and game play throughout this series. Show less

I recommend this game!

+13points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

11 of 15 found this review helpful

A Wonderful Game with Excellent Graphics to Match

PostedMay 29, 2019

ariannadiangelo

Skill Level:Expert

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I normally don't write reviews, but I had to write about this game because I was stunned by the quality of the graphics. The animation was better than any I've ever seen from Big Fish Games, with the exception of maybe Artifex Mundi's Enigmatis series. The cut scenes were so fluid and visually engaging as a result, and it made me want to keep playing. It's very exciting that this type of animation ...Show more

I normally don't write reviews, but I had to write about this game because I was stunned by the quality of the graphics. The animation was better than any I've ever seen from Big Fish Games, with the exception of maybe Artifex Mundi's Enigmatis series. The cut scenes were so fluid and visually engaging as a result, and it made me want to keep playing. It's very exciting that this type of animation is coming to hidden object games!

The story and voice acting were excellent, and the locations for each chapter of the game were unique. Puzzles were a good mix of simple and challenging with a few puzzle types I haven't played before.

I will say, though, that I think the improved graphics come at the expense of the UI, which was a little clunky for me with the strategy guide in the upper right corner of the screen. Otherwise, though, I really appreciated that the map features icons that tell you if you still have a collectible/morphing object left to find in a location. There are lots of achievements to earn in the CE, too.

Many hours of fun and interesting game play supplemented by some truly wonderful animation make this game a must-purchase. Show less

I recommend this game!

+7points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

2 of 2 found this review helpful

Movie Quality Storyline

PostedApril 26, 2020

Kimmycoo

fromVirginia USA

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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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This was a REALLY good game. I mean, just wow! It was a long game too! I loved the mini games so much. The scenes, the characters, the developers really outdid themselves with this!
Just a fantastic game and if any game should be 5 stars, its this one!

I recommend this game!

+2points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

Fastest most fun game ever

PostedSeptember 12, 2019

Dragmire

fromWheeling WV

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

if you like fast moving games, this is one. and never a dull moment.

I recommend this game!

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Overall rating

4 / 5

41 of 50 found this review helpful

LOVE THE GAME~LOVE THIS DEV~LOVED THE CE VERSION COLLECTIBLES!

PostedMay 26, 2019

pennmom36

fromClimb aboard the Five-BN Games train, destination New York ⚘

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

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

Completed CE Game approximately 6.5 hours
(including the CE Bonus Chapter & all puzzles)
Demo only Standard Version

It can go undetected and unnoticed by nearly everyone. It can remain dormant for centuries, it can affect anyone, it often affects everyone. It may be curable, it may be deadly. It may happen anywhere, it may happen everywhere. It could come on strong and disappear quickly, but ...Show more

Completed CE Game approximately 6.5 hours
(including the CE Bonus Chapter & all puzzles)
Demo only Standard Version

It can go undetected and unnoticed by nearly everyone. It can remain dormant for centuries, it can affect anyone, it often affects everyone. It may be curable, it may be deadly. It may happen anywhere, it may happen everywhere. It could come on strong and disappear quickly, but it could also be apocalyptic and deadly, and it could be intentional. It could be happening right now, running ramped through the streets of New York. It could be The Outbreak that destroys the human population, and the world as we know it...it could, but will it?

Five-BN is my absolute favorite developer, I fell in love with these dev's the second I had to chop my way through a tree to save little Jimmy in the Lost Lands. They have some of the best Computer Generated Graphics around, clearly, their graphics department is top-notched, so much so, that they deserve some well-earned praise, so I "tip my hat" in recognition of your incredible talent, kudos ))) ღ (((

My favorite Five-BN feature, besides the graphics, is the CE version Morphing Objects, and Collectibles. They can be quite elusive at times, but that's how it's supposed to be! In the CE version, there is a Morphing Object in each of the 31 Scene Locations (no morphs within the 10 CE Bonus Chapter Scenes) completing the Morph Collection unlocks an achievement and 20 extra Mini-Games. In the CE version, each scene also has a Collectible (there are 5 different categories of Collectibles) and for each completed Collectible, you will unlock an Extra Square Puzzle. The Morphs & Collectibles alone make the CE version so entertaining, and receiving extra games and puzzles is just icing on the cake, not to mention it has a very lengthy Bonus Chapter, so if you can swing the extra price, I highly recommend the CE version!

There are 10 Hidden Object Scenes +3 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Five-BN Games is by far the champion in this department. Most of the HOP's (some include mini-game puzzles) are Interactive~Progressive with either Listed Item Finds or Silhouetted Shapes requiring you to find objects and use that item Interactively to expose the next object and so forth. They are far more challenging and definitely more entertaining than any HOP by any other developer...period! There are also Multiple's of the Same Object Finds, Replacing Inventory Item Finds, and Interactive Listed/Silhouette Item Finds available.

There are 38 Mini-Games +7 within the CE Bonus Chapter, 6 of which are within the Hidden Object Scenes. Several puzzles required you to remember clues found earlier, a feature I'd love to see more often because the alternative "sticky note" clue has no challenge whatsoever, which is simply a time-waster! I loved ღ these puzzles, most of them are original, all of them are creative. Here are some of my favorites:

1~Use rotational arrows to guide the steel ball to the center button using gold balls as bumpers. ღ
2~Slide trains along patterned tracks to their color-coded slots x3 challenging layouts. ღღღ
3~Arrange masks so no row or column has the same color or emotion. ღ
4~Use the blue buttons to swap 14 key positions and then rotate the adjacent gem positions according to the clue.ღ
5~Swap numbered buttons so each row equals the sum of 34.ღღ
6~Rotate angles and guide wires through every point x3 boards. ღღღ
7-Arrange square blocks with 4 edge colors to complete a pattern. ღღ
8-Find & use items to navigate rooms w/o being caught before the timer runs out (or you will have to restart) ღღღ
9~Empty all water tanks to the upper right tank by clicking tanks in the correct order. ღ

The Collector's Edition Bonus Chapter winds back the hands of time to discover the origins of The Order, playing as Hank, one of the founding fathers. Several catacombs were discovered during the construction of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and The Order has been investigating what seems to be remanents of a similar organization abandoned two decades ago. The priests became concerned and alerted Hank when the investigative team disappeared two days ago, one of which was Hank's sister. There are 10 scenes within the lengthy CE Bonus Chapter that has 7 Mini-Games, and 3 Hidden Object Scenes. There are no Morphing Objects remaining but you will start a new Collection of The Order Medallions, one in each scene.

The Collector's Edition version has 11 Wallpapers 15 Concept Art Pictures, 15 Movie Video Cutscenes, 6 Music Soundtracks, 13 Replayable Mini-Games, 22 Achievements, 31 Morphing Objects, 20 Additional Mini-Games (when Morphing Object Collection is Completed) 41 Collectibles in 5 Categories (9 St. Patricks Figurines~6 Vinyl Records~7 Four-leafed Clovers~9 Feathers~Bonus Chapter~10 Medallions of the Order) 5 Bonus Square Tile Puzzles (unlocked with each Completed Collection Category) 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-in Strategy Guide...ps~take lots of vitamin C and if someone sneezes, RUN!

NEW YORK MYSTERIES SERIES LIST
Title***Standard Edition Release Date***Average Rating

1-Secrets Of The Mafia (May 18-2014) 4.4
2-High Voltage (July 5-2015) 4.3
3-Lantern Of Souls (May 1-2016) 4.6
4-The Outbreak (May 26-2019) n/a

by: Five-BN Games (my all-time favorite developer!) Show less

I recommend this game!

+32points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

9 of 11 found this review helpful

Great Game!

PostedJune 4, 2019

PATinPNS

fromPensacola, FL

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):Hidden Object, Match 3

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

This is posted after playing the entire game.

WOW! I'm really impressed with this game. I've got the others and didn't think it possible to be better than those, but this is right up there with them. I totally enjoyed it.

Graphics were extremely well done. I think this is the best of the series. Realistic and easy on the eyes. I never have been a fan of the music, but it's not intrusive and ...Show more

This is posted after playing the entire game.

WOW! I'm really impressed with this game. I've got the others and didn't think it possible to be better than those, but this is right up there with them. I totally enjoyed it.

Graphics were extremely well done. I think this is the best of the series. Realistic and easy on the eyes. I never have been a fan of the music, but it's not intrusive and we do have a way of turning it down. Voice overs were excellent as well.

The only complaint I have with this series are the hidden objects. Silhouettes are my least favorite of hidden object scenes and there seems to be a lot of them. There is list and interactive games as well, but the majority are silhouettes. I actually did most of the puzzles which is surprising. They were interesting to do... well most of them anyway. I played in the custom mode which made skip a lot quicker.

Others have gone into detail about the story line, so I'll not bore you with my rendition. Just suffice it to say I loved the story. Not a big fan of the supernatural, but this one seemed more like a mystery than the usual ghosts and goblins. My favorite character in this series is Will. Just wish he had come on-board a little earlier, but when he did it was at the right time.

As always, try the demo and see if this isn't to your liking. I sure enjoyed it. Show less

I recommend this game!

+7points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

6 of 8 found this review helpful

Another enjoyable NY Mystery

PostedJune 9, 2019

Rescue_helo

fromLondon (UK) - French Alps

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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

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

Current Favorite:

Syberia II

(77)

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

I have just completed The Outbreak (CE) and even though I haven't been in the least disappointed I found it a bit inferior to "High Voltage" and "Secrets of the Mafia".
Yet, it is good enough to warrant a solid 4 star rating.
So what's my beef ?
First, everything is under lock and key. That means.... a lot of keys.
Second, the development of the story is predictable, thus eliminating the ...Show more

I have just completed The Outbreak (CE) and even though I haven't been in the least disappointed I found it a bit inferior to "High Voltage" and "Secrets of the Mafia".
Yet, it is good enough to warrant a solid 4 star rating.
So what's my beef ?
First, everything is under lock and key. That means.... a lot of keys.
Second, the development of the story is predictable, thus eliminating the element of suspense that keeps you on your toes and adds to the quality of the plot. It also based on the old theme of a disease that has to be stopped; not exactly a novelty.
Third, even though you do find more logic in the New York series than in most other games, there still come a couple of moments when you stop and ask yourself "does that really add up ?"
But we all know we live in an imperfect world...
Other than that, the rest is fine.
No stupid junk pile as HOGs (thank you devs); they are interactive, and pleasant to tackle even for someone like me who doesn't like HOGs.
My priority is to always focus on puzzles. The Outbreak has a lot of clever ones, that do require some thinking without ever driving you to such despair that you decide to throw in the towel. They range from easy to moderate.
Tasks are clear, hopping from scene to scene is fairly straightforward and you shouldn't get lost nor will you scratch you head trying to figure out what to do next. Hints are there to help anyway.
The artwork is great, nicely on the retro side, very clear, well drafted.
The pleasant animations and cutscenes reinforce the story very nicely with a satisfactory dose of realism.
I am not much into morphing thinggies or collectibles; I bought the CE for the bonus chapter (highly enjoyable) and to replay some of the puzzles.
All in all, a very nice game to add to your collection; getting the CE is not a waste of money, but if you're on a budget, the SE will be a good alternative, as the game is not tough enough to justify continuously having to refer to the Strategy Guide, save maybe in the unlikely event one of the puzzles stumps you.
And of course.... do play the demo. Show less

I recommend this game!

+4points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

1 of 1 found this review helpful

she is soooo sophisticated

PostedSeptember 16, 2020

storm011

fromaustralia

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:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

love the new york mysteries - they are true to the storyline in each of them which means they keep true to the series.

The developers have done a fantastic job on her outfit - and i love the little red car :)

I purchased this game at the start of the lockdown (2020) but didn't finish it - i started again and finished the game.

I found the puzzles (and i am not a puzzle person) needed a ...Show more

love the new york mysteries - they are true to the storyline in each of them which means they keep true to the series.

The developers have done a fantastic job on her outfit - and i love the little red car :)

I purchased this game at the start of the lockdown (2020) but didn't finish it - i started again and finished the game.

I found the puzzles (and i am not a puzzle person) needed a little more information. They have also changed the hidden objects to includes lists (but still they were fun).

I love the tunnel system (wouldn't that be so cool).

The great thing about this series is that if she does have assistant - they actually assist and not stand about doing nothing.

Definitely a great game - try before you purchase - happy gaming :) Show less

I recommend this game!

+1point

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