9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek

About

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek is a single player casual puzzle game with mystery, thriller and kids themes. It was developed by Tap It Games and was released on July 10, 2014. It received positive reviews from players.

"9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek" is a horror-noir hidden-object puzzle-adventure game set in the 1950s. As a private investigator, you're searching for your missing reporter friend in the peculiar town of Serpent Creek, where citizens are sleepwalking and the streets are overrun by snakes. By collecting and combining clues in the Detective Mode, you'll unravel the dark secrets behind the town's supernatural events.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek screenshot

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 673 reviews

story198 positive mentions

replayability5 negative mentions

Engaging storyline with a mix of mystery and supernatural elements.
Unique detective mode adds a fun twist to the hidden object gameplay.
Visually appealing graphics and decent voice acting enhance the overall experience.

Game is relatively short, taking only about 2-3 hours to complete.
Puzzles and hidden object scenes are often too easy, lacking challenge for experienced players.
Predictable plot twists and character motivations may detract from the overall enjoyment.

story
480 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it engaging yet predictable, often likening it to a classic detective mystery with supernatural elements. While some appreciated the intriguing plot twists and character development, others criticized the narrative for being convoluted or lacking depth, with several noting that it felt aimed at a younger audience. Overall, the story is seen as a decent backdrop for the gameplay, providing enough interest to keep players engaged despite its simplicity and occasional clichés.
- “The story and characters were interesting, the voice acting was actually pretty good instead of forced or bland, and it didn't shy away from some darker elements.”
- “The story was very exciting and had nice plot twists which made me very hooked on the game.”
- “The story is interesting and quite mysterious though it lacks originality.”
- “The plot is nonsensical and half-baked and seems to be written by someone who doesn't understand how humans work.”
- “The only thing that irked me was that story-wise some items are found in the most illogical places.”
- “The story is a bit messy, and seems a bit rough around the edges.”
graphics
134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated or low-resolution, yet some appreciate the decent artwork and overall visual presentation. While some find the graphics charming and fitting for the game's theme, others criticize them as mediocre or lacking detail compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, the visuals are generally considered acceptable but not groundbreaking, contributing to a varied gaming experience.
- “The graphics are fantastic and top-notch, as with all hidden object games.”
- “Overall nice presentation from the story, to the graphics, the cinematics, hidden object scenes, to the little details, making for an enjoyable experience.”
- “The graphics are well-done and effective at creating a fictitious town and characters.”
- “The artwork and animation can only be described as awkward.”
- “Mediocre hidden object game that lacks good graphics and challenges in terms of the hidden object scenes and the general complexity of the riddles.”
- “Despite the 2013 release date, the low-resolution graphics and some design flaws make it feel like the game was made around 2007, especially in the normal puzzle segments.”
gameplay
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of point-and-click mechanics and innovative puzzle-solving elements, particularly the unique clue-reconstruction feature that enhances the detective experience. While the puzzles are generally easy and the hidden object scenes are less frequent, the game offers a solid amount of content and engaging storytelling, though some players noted a lack of challenge and occasional repetitiveness. Overall, it provides a smooth and enjoyable experience, particularly for fans of the genre, despite some criticisms regarding its length and depth.
- “The puzzles are simple, and there are some neat and slightly innovative mechanics for the genre, like the clue-reconstruction feature where the character pieces things together in sequence.”
- “Overall great game, everything made sense and the gameplay was smooth.”
- “I liked the detective sequences where you find clues and then you get a comic-book style recreation of what a culprit did; it's a neat twist to the standard hidden object mechanics.”
- “Honestly, it barely felt like a hidden object game; those sequences mostly felt few and far between in favor of more point-and-click adventure gameplay and puzzle solving.”
- “The story is pretty mediocre, and the gameplay is like any other hidden object game, just with a few flares.”
- “Wish I hadn't bought this game - it's short (2 hours of continuous gameplay), ridiculously easy (in both puzzles and hidden object scenes), and the art is quite dodgy at times.”
music
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
47%
6%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its fitting and atmospheric qualities, particularly in enhancing the creepy ambiance reminiscent of 80s horror films. However, some find the music repetitive or forgettable, with a few noting abrupt loops and a lack of variety. Overall, while the soundtrack contributes positively to the experience, it does not stand out as exceptional for all players.
- “I was surprised by the quality of voice acting and music in general.”
- “Very fitting soundtrack that added to the creepy atmosphere of the story.”
- “The strongest thing this game had to offer were the ambient sounds and soundtrack, which fit well with the subject matter and probably went unnoticed, which is the sign of a good soundscape.”
- “The story and gameplay are okay, but the music is forgettable.”
- “Bad ('cheap') musical accompaniment.”
- “The only complaint I had was finding the music loops ending abruptly.”
atmosphere
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
40%
10%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and engaging qualities, effectively blending elements of Lovecraftian horror with a campy, 1950s noir aesthetic. Players appreciate the visually appealing graphics and fitting soundtrack that enhance the overall mood, although some find certain narrative elements and hidden object scenes to be unnecessarily padded or absurd. Overall, the game successfully creates a memorable and immersive atmosphere that appeals to casual horror enthusiasts and fans of detective stories alike.
- “The atmosphere is perfectly eerie, with nice-looking locations that work well here.”
- “The big standout in this game is the atmosphere; it's very Scooby-Doo solve the crime, and I enjoyed it a lot.”
- “The 1950s noir detective story motif and the incredibly talented scene compositions– which feature slanted shots and lots of wide angle close-ups– create a powerful atmosphere.”
- “Slightly creepy atmosphere and people die, but overall feels like Lovecraftian horror with a PG rating.”
- “No atmosphere.”
- “Your avatar will never get too rattled by anything she meets, no matter how deadly, and the campy characters and their hilarious voice acting only add to the charming atmosphere.”
replayability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
58%
26%
Overall, the game exhibits low replayability due to its short length and limited variations in gameplay. While some players noted minor replay value from randomized hidden object scenes and the option to play on harder difficulties, the consensus is that once completed, the game offers little incentive to return. Achievements may encourage a second playthrough for completionists, but many reviewers found a single playthrough sufficient.
- “The hidden object scenes in this are randomized, so there is some replayability.”
- “This one is replayable even because of the 'mahjong' variety in it (instead of hidden object, you may choose which one) and it looks much better graphics-wise.”
- “Being that it has a pretty specific storyline, it doesn't have much replayability--the only real difference seems to be that some of the hidden object minigames ask for different items.”
- “The replay value for the game is low.”
- “Unfortunately, quite short playing time and replayability at the most to collect the achievements to 100%.”
- “There is little bit replay value to try to finish it on harder difficulty but for me 1 time was enough.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring a blend of witty dialogue, campy characters, and amusing scenarios that evoke nostalgia for classic text adventure games. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, with funny comments during gameplay and entertaining interactions with quirky NPCs, making it a delightful experience rather than a scary one. Overall, the humor adds charm and enjoyment, enhancing the gameplay without overwhelming it.
- “In a way, some of it reminds me of the humor you get with old text adventure games, like 'I don't know how to kick ass' or 'I can't look good.'”
- “Dialogue with NPCs can be funny at times, especially the mayor, Alister Braminus, and the sheriff are quite the personalities.”
- “Your avatar will never get too rattled by anything she meets, no matter how deadly, and the campy characters and their hilarious voice acting only add to the charming atmosphere.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly when it involves revisiting old locations for new items. However, the introduction of fast travel has alleviated some of the frustration associated with backtracking, contributing to a more streamlined experience. Overall, while some grinding is present, it is not overwhelmingly frustrating compared to other adventure games.
- “It can be a bit grindy sometimes, but the rewards make it worth it.”
- “The game feels a bit grindy, yet it adds to the overall experience.”
- “The rest is AFK card farming.”
- “It was disappointing to have to go back to old locations that will suddenly have new items appear; I find that really tedious.”
- “Tedious and predictable plot, characters, and dialogue.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with most players reporting a smooth experience and minimal glitches. However, a few users noted isolated issues with certain hidden objects being unresponsive. The game is described as well-presented and bug-free for the majority of platforms, particularly on SteamOS and Windows.
- “A great game, well presented, bug free and quite a clever engrossing storyline.”
- “The story is well thought out, the controls are very easy to use, the graphics are pleasing (the hand brush painted type of graphics where there’s not so much animation, but rather layering images on top of each other in sequence), and most importantly, there are very few to no glitches.”
- “Works without any problems in SteamOS, quick loading, no glitches.”
- “Some (though very few) of the hidden objects are buggy and very resistant to getting clicked.”
- “It is buggy.”
- “The story is thought out, the controls are very easy to use, the graphics are pleasing, and most importantly, there are very few to no glitches.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived as lacking depth, with users finding the storyline boring and the gameplay too easy, which diminishes engagement. Despite a few interactive puzzles, the overall experience fails to evoke strong feelings or investment in the narrative.
- “I wish I could recommend this, but even though I generally like games by this developer, this one felt too easy and had a boring storyline.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with users noting that while the protagonist's performance is commendable, the overall character portrayals and voice acting are subpar, detracting from the experience.
- “Too bad the same cannot be said about the over-the-top characters and the horrible voice acting (not counting the protagonist, whose performance saves a few scenes).”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is noted for its interesting story and appealing character designs, though the focus on puzzles may overshadow deeper character exploration. Overall, while the characters are visually engaging, their development may not be as intricate as the gameplay elements.
- “The story was interesting, the puzzles were simple but at times tricky, especially with timing in a couple of instances, and the character designs were nice.”

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4h Median play time

8h Average play time

3-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek is a casual puzzle game with mystery, thriller and kids themes.

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing 9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek.

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek was released on July 10, 2014.

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek was developed by Tap It Games.

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek is a single player game.

Similar games include Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden, 9 Clues 2: The Ward, Left in the Dark: No One on Board, Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek, Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily and others.

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