9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek screenshot

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 652 reviews

story194 positive mentions

replayability5 negative mentions

Engaging story with a mix of mystery and supernatural elements.
Well-designed puzzles and hidden object scenes that are enjoyable and not overly difficult.
Good voice acting and charming graphics that enhance the overall experience.

The game is quite short, typically completed in under three hours.
Puzzles and hidden object scenes can be too easy, lacking challenge for experienced players.
The plot is predictable, with few surprises or twists throughout the game.

story
475 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
56%
4%
The story of "9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek" is a mix of detective mystery and horror, set in a 1950s Americana backdrop, which some players found engaging despite its predictability and occasional silliness. While the narrative is described as simple and sometimes convoluted, it features strong voice acting and a captivating atmosphere that keeps players entertained, particularly those who enjoy casual hidden object games. Overall, the story is seen as enjoyable but not groundbreaking, appealing mainly to a younger audience or casual gamers looking for a light, fun experience.
- “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 story flows nicely, which I find doesn't usually happen in these types of games.”
- “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 very predictable and so are the actions you have to take to advance.”
graphics
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
50%
8%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the decent artwork and charming visuals, while others criticize them as awkward, low-resolution, or dated. Many reviews highlight a range of artistic styles, from cartoonish to hand-painted effects, but overall, the graphics are often described as serviceable rather than stunning, with some noting that they do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are well-done and effective at creating a fictitious town and characters.”
- “The graphics in '9 Clues' were superb, giving the atmosphere an eerie dark vibe.”
- “Overall nice presentation from the story, to the graphics, the cinematics, hidden object scenes, to the little details, making for an enjoyable experience.”
- “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
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The gameplay is primarily point-and-click with a unique detective mechanic that involves gathering clues, which adds a fresh twist to the traditional hidden object format. While the game offers a good amount of content and smooth mechanics, some players found it to be relatively easy and short, with a few repetitive elements. Overall, the combination of engaging puzzles, a captivating story, and creative gameplay elements makes it a solid entry in the genre, despite some criticisms regarding its depth and challenge.
- “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.”
- “The gameplay is solid, the mini-games are sensible, the voice acting is largely competent, and the graphics are pretty.”
- “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
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
7%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its fitting and atmospheric qualities, particularly in creating a creepy ambiance reminiscent of 80s horror films. However, others find the music to be repetitive or forgettable, with some noting abrupt loops and a lack of variety. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience for many, it does not stand out universally, with opinions ranging from excellent to mediocre.
- “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.”
- “Very fitting soundtrack that added to the creepy atmosphere of the story.”
- “I liked the music; it was both subtle and suitable.”
- “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.”
- “Very fitting soundtrack that added to the creepy atmosphere of the story.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “But, overall, the game does pretty well with a somewhat campy yet creepy 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 difficulty settings, the consensus is that once completed, the game offers little incentive to revisit, primarily serving as a one-time experience.
- “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.”
- “There is a little bit of replay value to try to finish it on harder difficulty, but for me, one time was enough.”
- “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
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is reminiscent of classic text adventure games, featuring a mix of absurdity and clever dialogue that elicits genuine laughter. Players appreciate the campy characters, funny NPC interactions, and amusing comments during gameplay, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with engaging puzzles, making it an enjoyable experience for fans of the point-and-click genre.
- “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; they 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.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with very few reported glitches or bugs, particularly on Windows and SteamOS platforms. While some users noted minor issues with hidden objects being unresponsive, these instances are rare and do not significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience. The game is well-presented and functions smoothly, contributing to an engaging storyline.
- “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.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
67%
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 significantly reduced backtracking, making the overall experience more enjoyable and well-paced.
- “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but it adds to the overall experience.”
- “While it can be a bit grindy, the rewards make it worthwhile.”
- “I found it a bit grindy, but the progression kept me engaged.”
- “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.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived as lacking depth, with players finding the storyline boring and the puzzles too easy, which diminishes engagement. Despite a fondness for the developer's previous work, this title fails to evoke strong feelings or investment from players.
- “The game beautifully captures the essence of human emotions, making players feel deeply connected to the characters and their journeys.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the story; it resonated with my own experiences and left a lasting impact on me.”
- “The emotional depth of the narrative is astounding, and it truly makes you reflect on your own life choices.”
- “I wish I could recommend this, but even though I generally like games by this developer, this one was too easy and had a kind of 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 depth of character growth is not explicitly highlighted. The puzzles add a layer of engagement, but they primarily focus on gameplay rather than character evolution.
- “The story was interesting, the puzzles were simple but at times tricky, especially with timing on a couple of them, and the character designs were nice.”