Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek

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"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 511 reviews

story179 positive mentions

grinding17 negative mentions

Engaging and thrilling storyline that keeps players invested.
Challenging hidden object puzzles that require careful observation.
Atmospheric graphics and sound design that enhance the overall experience.

Lack of fast travel leads to tedious backtracking across the map.
Some hidden object scenes contain vague or misleading item descriptions.
Technical issues and bugs can disrupt gameplay, such as unresponsive puzzles.

story
379 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 features a classic detective narrative involving supernatural elements and a haunted town, which keeps players invested despite some predictability and linearity. While the story has its clichés and occasional plot holes, it effectively sets the stage for the sequels, making it a solid introduction to the series.
- “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 the visuals are very appealing.”
- “The first of the excellent Enigmatis mystery series is an enjoyable hidden object puzzle adventure with lots of hidden object scenes and an engaging, if creepy, story.”
- “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.”
- “The story was lacking compared to the others in the series.”
graphics
101 mentions
53 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and appealing 2D landscapes, while others note that the visuals can appear dated or murky, particularly in cutscenes and hidden object scenes. Some players appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of childhood games, but others express disappointment in the low resolution and occasional pixelation. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, though they may not meet modern standards.
- “The graphics and animations are really cool and well made.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous and the storyline is intriguing, making me want the sequel.”
- “The graphics are perfectly drawn, the puzzles are logically structured, and the music adapts to the scenes.”
- “In some cutscenes, the graphics suddenly switch to 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, then sometimes they are not being registered on the first or second click, which is extremely annoying.”
music
58 mentions
53 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
5 % 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 praised it for being immersive and fitting the game's tone, contributing to a sense of tension and ambiance. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, with memorable and well-composed pieces that complement the visuals and gameplay.
- “The haunting music is perfectly themed and remained stuck in my head long after the game was over.”
- “The soundtrack is as fitting as it is memorable.”
- “The tone is well set with music and dreary colors making the town of Maple Creek even more ominous.”
- “The music is all right, but again, there's nothing special; it's almost like elevator music.”
- “Music/sounds became annoying and intrusive, especially the triangle.”
- “Background music gets repetitive and annoying after a while.”
gameplay
51 mentions
25 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring standard hidden object mechanics and puzzles that some players find enjoyable and relaxing, while others criticize it for being repetitive and plagued by bugs. The integration of story elements with gameplay mechanics, such as the evidence board, adds a layer of engagement, but many feel the overall execution lacks refinement compared to other titles in the genre. While the atmosphere and narrative are praised, the gameplay experience is often marred by awkward mechanics and a need for improvement.
- “I can confirm that the main part of the gameplay (hidden object and puzzles) did translate well into the Steam Deck, which is great.”
- “Fun plot that ties in a bit more with the mechanics than the usual hidden object game.”
- “The gameplay is not too hard; anyone who played point-and-click games for the first time could play this in expert mode.”
- “I've also encountered so many bugs during the gameplay.”
- “The mechanics seem way less refined in comparison to other Artifex Mundi games, or other hidden object games in general.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
34 mentions
71 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
9 % 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, contributing significantly to its enjoyment.
- “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.”
- “The animation is lush, the music is atmospheric, and the gameplay is grand - regardless of its point-and-click nature.”
- “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.”
- “The story itself, I wasn't so impressed with - but the atmosphere alone made up for it!”
- “I really into this atmosphere because sound and background tone in this game so good.”
grinding
17 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 detracts from the overall experience. Many players found the puzzles repetitive and the exploration frustrating, leading to a sense of monotony that overshadowed the game's potential enjoyment. Overall, the game's design choices contribute to a frustratingly tedious gameplay experience.
- “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.”
- “Have to tediously go through each part of the map to get where you're going - no shortcuts.”
stability
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with many users reporting a bug-free experience. However, some players have encountered occasional glitches, particularly with puzzles and translation errors, which detracted from their enjoyment.
- “No glitches or technical difficulties.”
- “The game is completely bug-free.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, providing a smooth experience.”
- “There are a few translation errors and buggy clicks.”
- “Ran into some glitches with some puzzles.”
- “I also did not like all the glitches.”
replayability
5 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, with many users noting that it offers minimal variation in scenes and can be completed in a single run to achieve all achievements. However, some players found it more replayable due to its challenging nature, suggesting that difficulty may encourage additional playthroughs for mastery.
- “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.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of awkward moments, particularly due to subpar voice acting, and quirky elements like the Polish sausage, which adds a cultural touch. Overall, players find the humor to be a blend of funny, creepy, and exciting, contributing to a unique gaming experience.
- “The Polish sausage was kind of funny, considering the game was created in Poland.”
- “It is funny, creepy, and exciting!”
emotional
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is undermined by subpar voice acting, which can make poignant moments feel awkwardly humorous rather than impactful. Overall, the game's tediousness and lackluster story detract from any potential emotional engagement.
- “At the end, an incredibly tedious game with a boring story and mediocre puzzles.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization on Mac, leading to significant heating issues and an overall lack of performance improvements.
- “And another poorly optimized port to Mac; it overheats constantly.”
- “The game runs terribly on my system, with no optimization in sight.”
- “Performance issues abound, making it clear that optimization was not a priority.”
monetization
1 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.