Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove is an adventure-puzzle casual game developed by Big Fish Studios and distributed by Big Fish Games. It is the sixth installment in the Mystery Case Files series. The game is available exclusively at Big Fish Games website.

Story[]

In the fall of 2009, four graduate students traveled to a small township near Blackpool, England and were never heard from again. The Master Detective arrives at Dire Grove (now deserted) and begins searching the premises. She finds the students' car and that they've left video tapes around Dire Grove. The detective watches and learns more about what happened to them. After that, she discovers more of the legend of the Banshee, known as the "Ice Lady", and eventually find each of the students, frozen in suspended animation with relics containing gems the detective collects after solving their puzzles. Once that happens, the student temporally awakens and repeats an ominous phrase before returning to slumber. Because they are frozen in place, the detective is unable to move them and is therefore forced to leave them until she can solve the mystery.

After using the four gem relics to open the entrance to a portal of the Banshee's prison, the detective finds that the students have woken up, possessed by the Banshee's evil spirit and doing the ritual with their relics to bring the Banshee back. The detective jumps into the portal to stop the Banshee and discovers a woman's corpse sacrificed long ago, whose spirit is the Banshee. After combining items representing the four natural elements of the Earth and Mercury, the Banshee is forced back into her body as she screams. The detective steps out of the portal before it closes.

The story ends with one of the students doing a report on her findings. Then, a reporter asks if they can tell them who "the Good Samaritan" that helped the students was. The student said, "That person has asked to remain nameless, but I can give you their business card". She then holds up the business card showing the Mystery Case Files Logo, and the credits start.

In the Bonus Content, the detective answers a phone call in a storage room of one of the shops in Dire Grove. The call is from Victor Dalimar from Return to Ravenhearst, who describes an "icky bird" (a raven) and explains that the Dalimar family is close to plotting their revenge, revealing that a new sinister plot is at work in the remains of Ravenhearst Manor.

Mobile Version Ending[]

Instead of the Banshee grabbing at the Master Detective, her body regains flesh and she smiles at the detective as she disappears.

Promotion[]

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove was announced October 30, 2009, by Big Fish Games on their blog with slim details and an additional screenshot from the game. Mystery Case Files had posted a sizzle reel of Dire Grove on the main page of their website on November 10, 2009. ^[1] This led to a lot of speculation a few days later and many users posted comments on a Big Fish Games Dire Grove forum. ^[2] On November 17, 2009, Mystery Case Files revamped their website to promote the upcoming release. Release dates, deeper plot details and more screenshots were released the same day. Also, an official trailer was posted to help promote the standard edition as well as the Collector's Edition. ^[3]

Collector's Edition[]

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove was released on December 11, 2009; however, a "Collector's Edition" was launched on November 25, 2009, exclusively for Big Fish Game Club members. ^[4] It includes additional gameplay, levels and achievements; an integrated strategy guide; and behind the scenes artwork and videos. Whilst collector's editions are common amongst "core" PC games, Dire Grove is the first such example amongst casual games. ^[5]

MCF: 7[]

In the Collector's Edition, there is bonus gameplay and at the end of the game, you have to use the phone number you calculated and dial it on the telephone and a message is spoken:

"Well, hello again detective, nice of you to drop by. I would have stuck around for a chat, but the weather seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Feel free to make yourself at home, but I wouldn't dally if I were you. The man with the icky bird has been very busy in the dark. There is something he would like to show you. Clicky, clicky detective. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."

A seventh game was released in November 2010, but it was 13th Skull and it was the eighth game in the series, Escape from Ravenhearst, that continued the Ravenhearst storyline.

Trivia[]

This game has references to The Blair Witch Project
Celtic Mythology is heavily used in this game.

External links[]

References[]

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