Type of app: Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game
Platform/where to buy: iPad (iPhone version here); available in the App Store
Developer: Anarchy Entertainment / G5 Entertainment
Description:
Rose sees dead people who have been killed unjustly, with their mortal wishes left unfulfilled. Her super-practical father refuses to believe her ghostly visions and puts her in an asylum, where she falls into the clutches of the evil Dr. Sigmund Fraud. Help Rose use her psychic powers to solve gruesome murders and outwit a homicidal maniac in this spine-chilling mystery.
TRY IT FREE, THEN UNLOCK THE FULL ADVENTURE FROM WITHIN THE GAME!
Features:
● 42 horrific, heart-pounding games to play
● Solve grisly murders across seven chapters
● Nine death-defying achievements to earn
● Impressive graphics and haunting music
● Game Center Support
● New iPad Retina Display Support
Major features: Integrate a cool story in a solid gameplay mechanic and I’m hooked. And Hidden Object Puzzle games are the perfect vehicle for a mystery story – you have a scenario laid out, uncover clues gradually while viewing specific scenes from the story, and generally uncover the entire story and solve the mystery. All wrapped up neatly in a two to four hour long game!
The story centers around Rose, a young girl who can see and interact with dead people who were killed unjustly. She describes them as her friends, and her insistence on their reality lands her in an asylum under the care of Dr. Sigmund Fraud. Her parents disagree over her state, and are in the midst of a divorce which is partly carried out through letters we read between levels.
The entire story unfolds between levels, with notes from the Doctor, letters, notebook entries from Rose’s detective uncle, and Rose’s own diary. The different perspectives and voices add depth to the game and make it more fun to unfold the mystery.
In terms of graphics and sounds the game is very well done. Scenes are detailed, and the objects you need to find are easy to spot and the touch-recognition works very well.
The hidden object gameplay is also well done. Each scene has a list of items to find that relate to the current mystery, and in between levels there are a variety of puzzles such tile-match, find a number of the same item, and reassembly puzzles. Each chapter solves another murder, and I never found myself bored as the difficulty and size of lists ramp up with each chapter.
Overall Redrum: Dead Diary is a fun and intriguing mystery game with plenty to do and solid gameplay mechanics.
Ease of use/Overall performance: If you are familiar with hidden object games you will have no problem here. Each scene has an item list, and the items are detailed and relatively easy to find – and the hint system works very well to help you as needed. On occasion the name of something reflects ‘British English’ and might take a moment to figure out, but that is rare and doesn’t slow the pace.
Would use again/recommend?: Absolutely! I enjoyed the dark themes presented in such an intriguing way, how the text-based story was done from multiple views, and the overall gameplay.
Suggested changes/wish list for updates: Nothing.
Price: $6.99 ($4.99 for iPhone – but on 12/05 ONLY they are $4.99/$2.99 for iPad/iPhone)
Here is the trailer:
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