A fantastic Mystery seek & find game! (Mystery Case Files: Millionheir (DS))

Member Name: kiss_me2070

Product:	Mystery Case Files: Millionheir (DS)
Date:	13/02/09 (562 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great game for all ages, Great graphics

Disadvantages: Nothing

***MYSTERY CASE FILES***
Me and my mum have become huge fan's of these seek and find games, which we play on the PC and purchase form Big Fish Games. There are currently 7 different games from Mystery Case files which include:

* Agent X
* Huntsville
* Madame Fate
* MillionHeir
* Prime Suspects
* Ravenhurst
* Return to Ravenhurst

The object of the games are to search levels and different locations to find hidden objects on the list, as you find these objects they will be crossed off your list. In between these locations searching for these hidden items are also puzzles and brain-teasers to complete in order to move onto the next section. You can skip this game in the pc version if you have enough hints!

***MYSTERY CASE FILES MILLIONHEIR***
This game has only been advertised on the TV for the past week, but I noticed this has been available to buy in other countries from some point last year. This is the first Mystery Case files available on the Nintendo DS and as far as I know this Millionheir game is not available on pc, unlike their other games!

In this game you will progress through an interactive detective story and investigate a number of sneaky and suspicious characters. Solved and interact with puzzles, that not only use the stylus on the Nintendo touch screen but the built in microphone on the DS as well.

Your assignment is to:
* Locate cleverly hidden objects in intricately detailed scenes using the touch screen and microphone
* Use the stylus to interact with scenes and play mini games
* Operate special clue-finding tolls to help you search in the dark, underwater and even inside other objects.

* For the first time on a Mystery Case Files game you can play special multiplayer modes with up to 3 friends as well!

***PLAYING THE GAME***
When the game loads up onto the main screen you need to select a game mode, which is either single or multi-player. In my case it was a single player and I wanted the timed option so I chose this from the next menu.

Navigating around the screen is quite simple as you can move the screen up, down, left and right by using your stylus, how-ever I find this easier using the arrow buttons on the DS itself. On the top screen you will see the whole of the location you are searching and you will also see the Objects left to find list as well. The time remaining and hints remaining are also displayed on the top screen of the DS. On the bottom screen, this gives you a closer more detailed view of the scene which you can move around to look for items.

When you use a hint on the game a section on the top screen will sparkle to show you where an item is, you then just simply look at this section on the lower screen to take a closer look.

***FINDING ITEMS***
Once you have found the item on the list just tap it using your stylus and the item will be removed from the list. There is also a back button, hint button and a choice to open and close your crime computer which enables you to save the game and choose other investigation tools.

On the list of Objects to find some of these items may have an * sign next to them, this means that you need to use one of your tools to find that object.

There will also be items such as Burst Balloon and Free the penguin on the list of things to find. You have to use your tools (the hand) and simply tap the balloon and it will then pop! You use the stylus in different ways in order to get these items crossed off of your list. It's quite obvious with some of the items what you have to do.

***INVESTIGATION TOOLS***
Some scenes will require you to use some investigation tools which include a Flashlight, X-Ray, Super Straw and Goggles. The location will sometimes tell you which items you need to use to uncover the objects/more clues but sometimes you have to use your imagination and figure out what tools you need to use yourself!

***MINI GAMES***
Throughout your investigation you will be required to complete mini games such as Spot the Difference, Jigsaw puzzles or other puzzles games. There are no hints for these games and there are no time limites either which is good. I find these mini games quite easy.

When you go into the menu to save your game you can also do a microphone test which will ask you to blow into the microphone and then it will highlight whether it worked well or not.

***USING THE BUILT IN MIC***
Using the built in microphone definitely gives this game so extra added fun and I particularly like these parts of the game which consisted of me trying to blow out a fire in order to try and find some case files. You will use the mic in different parts of the game.

***THE CHAPTERS***
In each chapter you will investigate different people and different scenes. You will need to gather fingerprints and evidence from everyone and them investigate further and try to match their dna to other objects and items. There are 10 chapters altogether, but chapters 8, 9 and 10 are fairly short and can be completed within about 10-15mins. Of course this also depends on how quick you are at finding the items as well.

***GRAPHICS/SOUND QUALITY***
When I bought this game I was bit unsure how easy it would be to find some of the item as the screen's on the DS are so small compared to playing the game on the PC and I have to admit that I was very surprised at the quality of the scenes in this game. Objects are quite detailed and are easily spotted when looking for them. The sound quality is great and there is subtle music in the background as you look for the hidden objects. Thus music isn't irritating at all, and rather the characters talking with annoying voices you just simply read the script which is displayed on the top screen and you simply tap the crime computer button to move onto the next piece of script.

***AVALIABLITY/PRICE***
I purchased this from Game which cost me £29.99, but is also available from Amazon for about £24, but please note this does not include postage!

***OVERALL OPINION***
I LOVE this game and find it highly addictive. You don't need to worry about bad graphics and hard to recognise objects as the graphics in this game are fantastic. I'm not sure younger ages would know what some of the items on the list are, there were even a few items on the list I wasn't sure what they were. I think £30 for this game is reasonable as it has only just recently come out and I think the game is worth every penny! If you love the Mystery Case File games then this is definitely one you should try. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and am hoping that they may release a new Mystery Case Files game for the DS, in the future.

Summary: A fantastic mystery game where you seek and find objects.