Family Mysteries 3: Criminal Mindset

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 74 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Family Mysteries 3: Criminal Mindset Game Cover
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In "Family Mysteries 3: Criminal Mindset," play as Nancy Bradford, a researcher studying mind control who becomes entangled in a web of intrigue at a top-secret laboratory. Uncover a conspiracy, save humanity, and discover your family's secret while avoiding detection as a CIA spy in this thrilling spy fiction game that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 74 reviews
story11 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The artwork and graphics are beautifully designed, providing a visually appealing experience.
  • The puzzles are varied and engaging, offering a good mix of challenge without being overly difficult.
  • The game features an interesting story with unexpected twists, making it enjoyable for fans of mystery and hidden object genres.
  • The voice acting is often criticized for being poor and lacking emotion, detracting from the overall experience.
  • There are significant plot inconsistencies and a lack of depth in the story, which can be frustrating for players.
  • The 'Unmistakable' achievement is bugged, making it difficult for players to complete the game 100%.
  • story62 mentions

    The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it interesting and engaging, particularly due to its themes of family, science, and mystery, while others criticized it for inconsistencies and a lack of depth. Many noted that it was an improvement over the second installment but still fell short of the first game's quality. Overall, the narrative is described as decent but often convoluted, with some players expressing frustration over plot holes and awkward dialogue.

    • “The overall story about family, science, mystery, and your quirky assistant definitely made up the plot for sure.”
    • “This was a captivating game that artfully combines a suspense-filled mystery, unforeseen plot developments, and excellent artwork.”
    • “The story is the part that is... not exactly rare, but a bit uncommon for Artifex Mundi games - it's a modern investigative type story with a few fantastical twists.”
    • “The story is horrendous; the game is not intuitive, I hated it, kept thinking about how the first game was better.”
    • “The story was not interesting, sorry... it was so boring I had a hard time finishing it; I kept falling asleep.”
    • “I categorically did not like it; plot inconsistencies are constantly hitting the eyes, and from the story, there is always a feeling of some kind of raggedness.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beautiful, polished artwork and intricate visuals, reminiscent of a dreamy children's book style. While many users appreciate the captivating and well-drawn environments, some note that the graphics are not revolutionary and often reuse assets, leading to a somewhat familiar aesthetic. Overall, the visuals are considered solid but may suffer from issues like low resolution and subpar character animations.

    • “Right off the bat, the artwork is amazing, well polished, and the voice acting is good.”
    • “🟢 Exceptional artwork and intricate visuals.”
    • “The art style is really good and the game is beautiful.”
    • “Nothing new or revolutionary, just the same style of graphics you'd expect with a mix of morphing objects to find both in the real world as well as the hidden object scenes.”
    • “Artwork was still more or less the same and they still reused assets.”
    • “As with most mobile ported hidden object games, there's a simplistic interface, locked/unchangeable screen resolution, next to no customizability, and somewhat low resolution graphical assets.”
  • gameplay9 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a diverse range of puzzles and mini-games that maintain player interest without becoming repetitive, featuring various hidden object mechanics. However, the absence of a reset button for mini-games is a notable oversight, and while the gameplay is generally enjoyable, it is marred by significant plot holes and awkward dialogue. Overall, the mechanics are well-executed for the genre, but some players may find the narrative shortcomings frustrating.

    • “The puzzles are varied enough and don't get repetitive, and the hops are varied in terms of layout and mechanics.”
    • “The game's mini-games offer both challenge and balance, adding to enriching gameplay.”
    • “The mechanics are top notch for the genre... it's a variety of hidden object scenes mixing the usual word matching, a few silhouette ones, a few find all of the same object, and a few find parts to complete an object.”
    • “Also, there's no reset button on the mini games, which is very annoying and seems like a silly oversight from a company that must know this is something casual game players almost universally want in a game like this.”
    • “The gameplay is fine, but there are gaping plot holes and the English dialogue is often excruciatingly awkward.”
    • “3.5 hour gameplay.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the ambient background music and sound effects, which enhance the overall experience. While some noted similarities to other games, the music is described as fitting and not overly intrusive, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere, though it may not stand out as particularly exceptional.

    • “The ambient background music is good, as are the game sounds.”
    • “It had a great story along with the puzzles, graphics, and music, and I was very happy with it.”
    • “The sound and music are good.”
    • “The graphics and music are solid, but nothing special.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find the developers' attempts at comedy to be unfunny and silly, others appreciate the unintentional humor stemming from poor voice acting and exaggerated action scenes, describing them as so bad they're amusing. Overall, the humor seems to stem more from flaws than intentional comedic elements.

    • “The voice acting is so cheesy it's funny.”
    • “It's so bad it's hilarious.”
    • “Though I'm sure the developers find this kind of thing amusing, it's actually not funny, just stupid.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the balanced difficulty of the puzzles, others feel that they can be either too easy or excessively tedious, leading to moments of frustration. Overall, the grinding is seen as manageable but can vary significantly depending on the chosen difficulty mode.

    • “I played in casual mode and the puzzles were either a bit too easy or extremely tedious.”
    • “Grinding in this game feels like a never-ending chore, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding takes away from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The stability of the game is marred by reports of a buggy achievement that affects some players, leading to frustration and inconsistent gameplay experiences.

    • “One of the achievements seems to be buggy for some players (including me).”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The consensus among users indicates that the game lacks replay value, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to play it again.

    • “There is no replay value.”
    • “Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of variety in gameplay makes it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is noted for its slightly dark tone, complemented by decent environmental artwork and engaging minigames. While it maintains a quality similar to the second installment, it surpasses the first game, offering a cohesive experience with a bonus chapter that aligns well with the main plot.

    • “This game has a slightly dark atmosphere, interesting minigames, decent environmental artwork, and a bonus chapter that complements the main plot.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
5-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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