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Mystery Case Files®: Shadow Lake Collector's Edition 
$ 13.99 USD or 2 credits
Uncover the evil legend that haunts a forgotten town in Mystery Case Files®: Shadow Lake! In 1973, something wicked took over the town of Bitterford, Maine, after an unsuspecting inmate unearthed a mysterious object from beneath the prison floor.
Years later, Bitterford lies in ruin. You must join forces with psychic Cassandra Williams, played by award-winning actress Lea Thompson, to investigate the events that led to the town's destruction.
Only you can expose the evil that lurks in the depths of Shadow Lake. But beware... What you discover may haunt you forever.
This is a special Collector's Edition release full of exclusive extras you won't find in the standard version. As a bonus, Collector's Edition purchases count toward three stamps on your Monthly Game Club Punch Card!
The Collector's Edition includes:
- Exclusive bonus gameplay
- Unlockable Morphing Objects
- Beautiful screensavers & wallpapers
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes video
- Dynamic casebook and integrated Strategy Guide
Click images to enlarge
Game System Requirements:
- OS: Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7
- CPU: 1.8 GHz
- RAM: 1024 MB
- DirectX: 9.2
- Hard Drive: 1597 MB
Game Manager System Requirements:
- Browser: Internet Explorer 7 or later
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Mystery Case Files®: Shadow Lake Collector's Edition
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Customer Reviews
Mystery Case Files: Shadow Lake Collector's Edition
780
780
Don't buy it it you love MCF
I must admit I wasn't mad about 13th Skull, for me Dire Grove is the benchmark - but this one is absolutely terrible. Being a Brit, don't know the actress that everyone seems to like, but she seems to be doing an awful job, either that or she's treating it as a huge joke to save her the embarrassment. Game is in parts too easy and too difficult, and definitely repetitive. And I agree with other reviews, what's happened to the graphics? Got two game credits to spend, but won't be on this.
November 21, 2012
Did I play the same game??
Wow, I am SO surprised by the negative reviews on this one, because I'm here to tell you...it is AWESOME! I have not finished the game yet, so there is a possibility it turns horrible past where I am, but I kinda doubt that.
What is most impressive about this game is the organic feel it has. By that, I mean it feels like you are actually trying to solve this mystery. It does make sense that you would have to look through several rooms to find a list of objects or that you would have to move stuff around to get things to look like they did. (I've played other HOG/Adventure games where you go to a place from history...and IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT WAS 100 YEARS AGO! Huh??) If you have to open a door, it makes sense that you would have to fix the lock, as opposed to doing some random puzzle. Or rewiring a fuse box by actually rewiring it, instead of playing some wire-based pipe puzzle. No, these aren't the hardest puzzles I've encountered in these games (EFR had one I didn't even know WHAT to do, much less how to do it), but they make sense in the story that's being told. And yes, the harder ones do have instructions, they just don't automatically pop up. You have to click the question mark.
I found the hint system very helpful actually in that that's exactly what it was; a HINT. A push in the right direction. Its recharge time (on Casual anyway) was quite fast; there's nothing I hate more than being stuck and having to twiddle my thumbs waiting for the hint to recharge. And while there are some sparkles on Casual, they didn't scream at you like they do in some games. I've not had to use the Strategy Guide, but I did take a look at it, and I can see why some people wouldn't like it as it's not a straight-up walk-through. Like the hint system, it tells you enough so you can move on. I know this was an issue in EFR; but, like I suspect will be true in this case, I found it to be enough for my needs. I needed a STRATEGY to get out of the spot I was in, and it gave me that. In some ways, I like it a lot better than a straight-up walk-through; I just finished the CE of "Redemption Cemetery: Grave Testimony" and it has a walk-through as its strategy guide. When I did use it, it was really kind of frustrating and confusing to try and figure out where I was and what I was missing, especially since the walk-through didn't always go in the exact same order I did. Flipping right to a picture of what I'm looking at and giving me a hint? Honestly, that's all I'm looking for.
The art style is different than the previous MCF games; instead of Victorian postcards we have a very photo-realistic environment. Again, that makes sense in this being an organic-feeling game. It works well, and I like it.
I like the journal this time around. It flips right to where you need to be and actually records stuff you need to remember (as opposed to EFR; the journal was the biggest fail in that game).
The music and the sound effects are very good at setting the mood; it's been a long time since a game has creeped me out this much.
The live-action actors are well integrated into the game; again, it feels like you're there, as opposed to being pulled out of the action in a cut scene. My only real complaint about this game (I'm sorry to say): Lea Thompson. While she is better than your average no-name video game actor, her performance is still rather stiff and stilted. Maybe she gets better later in the game, but so far, I'm not impressed.
If you're expecting another "Return to Ravenherst" (and I love that game too!), you're probably going to be disappointed. What we have here is a true adventure game with some HOG and puzzle elements; if you go into it expecting that, I think you'll really like it.
Overall, I would say Big Fish and MCF have done it again: they've pushed the Point-and-Click Adventure/HOG/Puzzle genre to the bleeding edge of concept and technology and showed us a good time while they were doing it. I can't wait to get back to playing it!
November 21, 2012
You have to be kidding
What an awful disappointment. I loved the 13th Skull and certainly did not imagine the new MCF game would be anything less but.........
The storyline was just fine; a ghost hunter program sends a camera crew to film the desolate town of Bitterlake to uncover ghosts. A psychic meets you there as the camera crew is leaving. Something is amiss.
The psychic is Lea Thompson. I have never seen her act so badly in my life. She emoted like the old silent film stars. It was bad.
Two modes of play, a map, a journal and a helpful hint button and an inadequate strategy guide. The guide is in picture form, no words, and doesn't help. I couldn't pick up the clue in the developer even though I was following the directions.
The graphics are fine, no problem there. The music is fine, too.
The look of the game seems very outdated. The magnifying glass is very small as are the navigation arrows.
I did a couple of puzzles that were okay and no HOS. I really can't comment any further because I did not play through the whole demo. I really didn't want to.
November 21, 2012
1st Time I Want My Money Back for a MCF Game
Thanksgiving was always for looking forward to family and food. Then MCF came along and a new tradition was born. Our family plans for this year (and Shadow Lake) were eagerly anticipated. But after buying it and playing all the way through, I almost feel as if I could cry with disappointment. This is such a horrible feeling of let-down. Good thing I am 56 and not 6 or I would be taking this a whole lot worse. The only good aspect of this game was the Madame Fate machine. I absolutely could not stand the floating puzzles. Weak storyline, bad acting from a usually outstanding Lea Thompson, no guidance where it was needed (some info about how the morphing objects would be activated could have helped) and too much where it wasn't (for goshsakes, I'm a Master Detective. I think I can investigate without a cheesy psychic calling me on a radio telling me "come back now" and "go out now" - PLEASE, for the sake of tradition and basic value for a buck, could we go back to Madame Fate or Dire Grove or even Prime Suspects. I can't believe I am saying this, but next year, I have no feelings of looking forward to the next MCF. I feel like it's over. I will never again buy a MCF game sight unseen the way I have in all years past. This is so very sad.
November 22, 2012
What have Ye done MCF?!
I have waited and waited (and WAITED) so long for the next MCF-game that I almost fell of my chair when it finally was released. Maybe my expectaions was to high but MCF-games have never disapointed me before. I guess we can't expect to get a 'Madame Fate' experience every time....I uninstalled my trial version after the free hour was up - sorry but I won't be playing that game again.
December 5, 2012
What a disappoinment.
Add me to the list of those who regret buying this game. What a bitter disappointment the whole thing is; from the drab, dreary and lifeless locations to the awful floating jigsaw puzzles, the game has just become a chore and no fun at all.
The strategy guide is useless; many of the puzzle instructions made no sense to me at all and the guide was absolutely no help. And whoever thought up the idea of trying to put together bits of a jigsaw as they float about the screen should be looking for another job.
I am supposed to be a Master Detective. Can you imagine anyone with that title running around doing the bidding of a psychic?? I got sick and tired of keep going back to the motel to get the stupid pictures, especially since finding the locations of them led to yet another jigsaw (which just got skipped after the first few). Oh and since I had never heard of Lea Thompson, her addition to the game meant nothing to me. And frankly if I never see her again it will be too soon.
I loved RTR and Dire Grove. Madame Fate was brilliant. 13th Skull was ok, EFR was gross and Shadow Lake is the worst of them all. The MCF games are steadily going downhill; in trying to be innovative, the games are becoming a chore to play. The HOS were just terrible; tiny items in a room and sometimes not even in that room so you have to look in another one. Inventory was a nuisance; fan type which meant you have to keep going from one side to another to find an item to use. That clunking sound when you pick up an inventory item and try to put it back was horrible. And I never found a single morphing object.
I can't be bothered to even finish this game. It will be deleted from the game manager and never played again (did the same with EFR). I'm annoyed with myself for wasting my money on this disaster; I should have gone for Brink Of Consciousness instead. At least that played in full screen instead of having a 3" black bar down either side. Hugely disappointing.
November 21, 2012
binky
What a waste of time, i couldnt believe how bad this game was. Very poor and boring played it because I bought it but at best mediocre. Go to the dentist instead that will be more fun.
November 23, 2012
Disappointing
Hate to sound so negative, but this game just wasn't up to the usual MCF standard. There was very little explanation or elaboration for the whole 'evil lurking in Shadow Lake' tagline, and the puzzles were some of the easiest I've come across. The storyline was poor with nothing to draw us into the events. I soon got fed up with matching puzzles and taking them back to Cassandra. Usually, soon after release, there are pages and pages of puzzle help posts in the message boards, but it can be seen that there is no real challenge this year. Compared to the rich and detailed scenes of previous MCF games, the Shadow Lake scenes were very flat and insipid. There are 2 or 3 'jumpy' moments, but even then, they made no sense. Also - there was no black humour at all - everything was so flat and dull. Whether you enjoyed Escape from Ravenhearst or not ( I did) there were some darkly comic moments. The Shadow Lake bonus extras were not worth the money. Judging by the many negative or ambivalent reviews, there must be a gap in the market for another game producer to come up with the goods. That's a shame because Dire Grove and the Ravenhearst games were superb. I have looked forward to this game for months and feel let down. I've never given such a negative review before and am not naturally a moaner but have only done so in the hope that everyone's feedback will help raise the standard for next year's MCF.
November 21, 2012
MCF has 'jumped the shark"
I didn't think any game could be less fun than "The 13th Skull" but this one has done it. I dislike the new HOGs with their splitting up the list between several locations, the mini-games are only so-so and not that challenging, and the overall game is only about 3 hours long. The graphics are OK and the use of human actors for the cut scenes is tolerable, but the overall game left me cold.
November 20, 2012
My first disappointment in MCF
This is the first MCF game I have been disappointed in.
Too many videos with bad acting. Not enough puzzles. I liked the new "jigsaw" type puzzle, but that was all there really was.
All in all, the game was way too easy, and I finished it in an afternoon.
After last years Escape From Ravenhearst (one of my favs), this one was a HUGE let down.
November 21, 2012
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