Dire Grove, Sacred Grove is the eleventh game in the Mystery Case Files series. It was developed by Big Fish Games and Elephant Games and was released on November 25, 2014, for PC, Mac, and IOS. The game is not a sequel to Dire Grove but is set in the same environment. New gameplay mechanics include an investigation board, a gender choice for the Master Detective, collectible puzzle pieces, and model buildings.
Story[]
An eagle arrives at the Master Detective's window with a message saying to come to Dire Grove, as a curse is threatening the town. Heading there, the detective meets a group of hunters led by Samuel Crowfield, who had recently captured a druid named Ulf, one of the Mistwalkers that live in the forest.
While searching for clues, the detective learns the temperature in Dire Grove is rapidly dropping and the Mistwalkers are sending wild animals to attack the town because someone had recently violated the sacred grove they protect. Samuel had two sons: Derek and Peter. Derek got ill after getting lost in the woods. Because the doctors were unable to heal him, Peter asked the Mistwalkers for help. They agreed, but due to a price needed to heal Derek, Peter left with them. After informing this to Samuel, the detective revives Ulf and learns it was he who sent the eagle with the message that brought her here.
The other Mistwalkers appear, leading to an all-out fight between them and the hunters before Ulf stops them and introduces the other Mistwalkers: Bjorn, Camryn, and an unnamed Mistwalker called the Forest Light, their leader. The detective learns they serve the Keeper Spirit, a mystical spirit who assumes the form of a white deer and is the guardian of the sacred grove. The violation of the sacred grove has angered the Keeper Spirit, and its wrath will not end until the violator is killed.
Through further exploration, the detective learns that Samuel's wife Lily, originally a Mistwalker, died from an illness and Bjorn and Samuel blamed each other for her death. Samuel also tried to get the townsfolk to stand against the Mistwalkers, with little success. He later discovered his son is still alive, proving his innocence, which the detective informs to Ulf while her suspicions have moved to Bjorn. She returns to the hunters and Mistwalkers to see Bjorn and Samuel about to get into another fight before Bjorn is shot by one of the hunters. After the detective heals Bjorn, he reveals that despite his anger, he would never betray the Keeper Spirit, which proves that Bjorn isn't the culprit.
After finding a hunter's badge, Samuel sends the detective to see Derek, who might identify it. Derek hands the detective a letter which proves that Ted, one of the hunters, is a poacher; however, he is innocent since he feared the Mistwalkers' wrath. Derek is revealed to be the one responsible for the Spirit's anger, having ransomed its child in an attempt to get his brother back. Because his message never reached the Mistwalkers, they launched their attack on Dire Grove. With the help of Samuel and the Mistwalkers, she finds Derek's hideout, locks him inside, and frees the child (a white-colored doe) before Derek breaks out. The Forest Light approaches Derek and reveals he is Peter, who had lost his memory a long time ago, causing Derek to feel guilty for his actions. Peter forgives Derek as the Spirit is reunited with its child, lifting the curse. Peter gives the detective a deer figurine to thank her as she prepares to leave.
In the Bouns Content, as the detective enters her car, the deer figurine turns into a wolf figurine, knocking her out. After regaining conscious and getting out of the car, the detective learns Derek was manipulated by a hermit, who assumes the form of a raven humanoid. The hermit used to be a Mistwalker, but betrayed them and was exiled. With Ulf's help, she learns the hermit is Alister Dalimar (revealed to be still alive), who was responsible for all of the earlier events. It was he who murdered Lily, led Derek into the woods, wiped Peter's memory, manipulated the fight between the hunters and Mistwalkers, and tried to get Derek to sacrifice the Spirit's child. Because the detective interfered, Alister's plan was foiled. He then decided to perform a dark ritual with Peter and Derek to complete his goals. After finding Alister's shrine, she discovers Alister, who has already begun the ritual with disks draining the brother's lives. After freeing them and destroying Alister, they help her destroy the dark shrine with a bomb. As the shrine is destroyed, Alister's raven watches with flaming eyes.