Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek
- October 16, 2014
- Artifex Mundi
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple Store"Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek" is a thrilling hidden object puzzle adventure game that takes you on a quest to solve the mystery of a missing teenager and uncover an ancient evil lurking in the peaceful town of Maple Creek, Vermont. The game features an evidence board to collect and analyze clues, AAA-quality cinematics, and stunning autumnal scenery. With its immersive storyline and challenging puzzles, you'll be drawn into this chilling adventure.
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Reviews
- Engaging story that keeps players interested throughout the game.
- Challenging hidden object puzzles that require careful observation.
- Atmospheric graphics and sound design that enhance the eerie setting.
- Lack of fast travel leads to tedious backtracking across the map.
- Some hidden object scenes have vague or misleading item descriptions.
- Voice acting is subpar, detracting from the overall experience.
- story758 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek" is generally well-received, with many players finding it engaging and intriguing, particularly for a hidden object game. It follows a detective investigating a missing person in a haunted town, blending supernatural elements with a classic mystery narrative. While some reviewers noted predictability and linearity in the plot, the overall atmosphere and character development, along with the promise of sequels, kept players invested in the storyline.
“It kept me on my toes and the story behind it all was very shocking and thrilling.”
“The story was absolutely fascinating, I kept wanting to speed through the puzzles just to find out what would happen next.”
“The story is intriguing, and visuals very appealing.”
“The story does its job but it's ultimately forgettable.”
“The story is complete, cliche-ridden nonsense; it only serves as a tool to force the player to traverse a map set up to be as tedious as possible.”
“Whoever wrote the story obviously couldn't have cared less.”
- graphics202 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the beautiful artwork and atmospheric visuals that evoke nostalgia for older titles. However, several comments highlight issues such as low resolution, murky cutscenes, and dated graphics that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the graphics charming and fitting for the genre, others express disappointment, noting that they fall short compared to more modern standards.
“The graphics and animations are really cool and well made.”
“The graphics are perfectly drawn, the puzzles are logically structured and the music adapts to the scenes.”
“But the graphics and visuals are gorgeous and the storyline is intriguing and the mystery made me want the sequel.”
“In some cutscenes, the graphics suddenly switch to something like 144p.”
“The graphics are murky in both the cut scenes and the hidden object areas.”
“The graphics are so low-res that often you simply cannot recognize the objects, and if you do, they are not being registered on the first or second click, which is extremely annoying.”
- music116 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some found it repetitive or reminiscent of elevator music, others highlighted its effectiveness in creating tension and immersion, particularly during key moments. Overall, the soundtrack is described as fitting, memorable, and integral to the game's ambiance, contributing positively to the gameplay experience.
“The haunting music is perfectly themed and remained stuck in my head long after the game was over.”
“From the beginning, it pulls you into itself and immerses you in its world with the appropriate music/sfx and design.”
“Sometimes I even stay in the menu just to listen to the music, and omg it fits so well and it's so awesome I even got the shivers!”
“The music is all right, but again, there's nothing special; it's almost like elevator music.”
“Background music gets repetitive and annoying after a while.”
“There was at least one music track (in the bonus chapter) that would end abruptly, cutting off mid-note, only to restart after a moment of silence.”
- gameplay102 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of hidden object scenes and puzzles, which some players find enjoyable and relaxing, while others criticize it for being repetitive and plagued by bugs. The integration of mechanics, such as the evidence board, adds a unique twist, but many feel the overall execution lacks refinement compared to other titles in the genre. While the story is generally well-received, the gameplay experience varies significantly, with some players appreciating its simplicity and others finding it frustrating and flawed.
“The gameplay is not too hard; anyone who played point-and-clicks for the first time could play this in expert mode. The easy mode tells you everything you need to do while holding your hand.”
“Great story, good gameplay, and fitting aesthetics all come together, making this title shine.”
“I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the twist of the main character having memory loss and forgetting she had already solved the case, I enjoyed the gameplay; it’s just a well-made game all around.”
“I've also encountered so many bugs during the gameplay.”
“The big minus for this title is the lack of logic to the overall game mechanics.”
“The gameplay is very annoying, because you can't fast travel to the other locations and you need to go manually through scenes to complete the puzzles.”
- atmosphere68 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, enhanced by stunning artwork and atmospheric sound design. Players appreciate the combination of a creepy ambiance with engaging puzzles and a compelling storyline, although some find certain gameplay elements detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
“Fantastic story, immersive plot, fun puzzles, creepy atmosphere, stunning artwork that's aged well, and for cheaper than most other Artifex Mundi games.”
“Excellent long game with a big map, intricate story and eerie, well-developed atmosphere.”
“Exploring the town is exciting because of the mysterious atmosphere and because advancing in the game feels satisfying, like you actually accomplished something through thinking.”
“The story itself, I wasn't so impressed with - but the atmosphere alone made up for it!”
“Decent spooky hog but some scenes include pointless and stupidly obscure symbols (ex: @,=,$) ...which kill the atmosphere in addition to being frustrating to search for.”
“This hog isn't short or with a pointless story, to be honest it has a creepy atmosphere at first.”
- grinding34 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tediousness, primarily due to excessive backtracking and a lack of fast travel options, which makes exploration feel frustrating. Many players found the puzzles repetitive and trivial, leading to a monotonous experience that detracted from the overall enjoyment. While some elements, like the evidence board, provided brief relief, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from a tedious design that hampers engagement.
“It's not a terrible game, but there are many better Artifex Mundi games to play, so I wouldn't waste time on one with no fast travel - it makes the experience really tedious.”
“The story is complete, cliché-ridden nonsense; it only serves as a tool to force the player to traverse a map set up to be as tedious as possible.”
“Which means the game quickly became frustrating and tedious, checking through many familiar scenes to find the next spot that would advance you in the game.”
- stability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is generally stable with no major technical difficulties reported; however, some users experienced occasional glitches, particularly with puzzles, as well as minor translation errors and buggy clicks.
“No glitches or technical difficulties.”
“+ Bug free”
“No glitches or technical difficulties.”
“There are a few translation errors and buggy clicks.”
“Ran into some glitches with some puzzles.”
“I also did not like all the glitches.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many users noting that each scene offers limited variation and that achievements can typically be unlocked in a single playthrough. While some players found the initial challenge to enhance their desire to replay, the consensus leans towards minimal replay value.
“To me, it has a higher replay value since it was pretty difficult the first time.”
“Minimal replay value.”
“I think each scene has a maximum of 3 sets of objects, so the replay value is not too high.”
“The replay value for the game is low.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of funny, creepy, and exciting elements, with specific mention of a humorous reference to Polish sausage that resonates with its cultural context. However, some players find the voice acting inconsistent, leading to awkwardly funny emotional moments that detract from the overall experience.
“The Polish sausage was kinda funny, considering the game was created in Poland.”
“It is funny, creepy, and exciting!”
- emotional4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is undermined by subpar voice acting, leading to moments that feel awkwardly humorous rather than genuinely moving. Overall, the tedious gameplay and lackluster story further detract from any potential emotional engagement.
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for poor optimization on Mac, leading to significant heating issues and an overall lack of performance improvements.
“And another dirty port to Mac, no optimization, heating and heating...”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with users noting that while the game itself is enjoyable, there are persistent bugs and irritants that detract from the experience. Additionally, the quality of search ads, voice, and art is considered acceptable.
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