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Mystery Case Files: Huntsville

Locate enough hidden clues to solve the crimes in the town of Huntsville and become a Master Detective!

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Storyline

Locate enough hidden clues to solve the crimes and become a Master Detective. Solve a collection of intriguing mysteries and brain-teasers. There are picture puzzles to ponder, strange crime scenes to explore, and much, much, more! With thousands of hidden clues it's a new game each time you play!

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Review History

Reviews

112 total

≥h

Steam User 2368STEAMRecommended

Even if you're not a hidden objects fan, you may still enjoy this game. It has a nice style to it and feels like the designers put some real thought into it. The music is pleasant, the challenge is reasonable, and there are enough levels that you feel like you get what you paid for.

Mar 17, 2026·21h·Verified

Steam User 9524STEAMNot recommended

I don't think I'll finish this game.
It's not actually bad, there is some humour here and there, the HOG and jigsaw gameplay is pretty solid. I'm torn about the fact that each case is timed (your time for several HOG scenes and one jigsaw scene accumulates) - sometimes it feels like a nice additional challenge (it's not very hard) but sometimes it annoys me. The part that makes me give this a thumbs down is the graphics, they are just very old and kinda ugly, the resolution is very low - and the way things are hidden in the HOG pictures is sometimes nonesensical. That's the reason this just doesn't feel worth my time and I will likely just let it rot in my library.

Mar 8, 2026·3h·2·Verified

Steam User 7653STEAMNot recommended

The game does not work. Steam will not refund my money

Feb 25, 2026·4h·1·Verified

Steam User 4105STEAMRecommended

I completed it in just under three hours. If you remember the locations of the objects, you can complete it faster.

Feb 12, 2026·10h·Verified

Steam User 4493STEAMRecommended

It's the first Mystery Case Files game! It's an oldie, so it changes the resolution on my PC to 800 x 600 when playing, but it has a weird glitch on my Win11 PC where it doesn't change it back after exiting the program. (Prime Suspects, another game in the MCF series DOES change the resolution back). It's not the end of the world, just a bit annoying to have to go back in and change the resolution settings every time i finish playing. 800 x 600 is not a resolution anyone really uses much anymore.

Jan 25, 2026·Verified

Steam User 2126STEAMRecommended

i've played this before and i got nostalgia playing this game again these days.

Jan 20, 2026·Verified

Steam User 6206STEAMRecommended

What distinguishes this from almost all other hidden object games is that you will actually find hidden objects in this game.

You will not do inventory fetch quests. You will not slide tiles or assemble jigsaw puzzles. You will not funnel steam through pipes or inexplicably unlock a door by erroneously spelling something in Hebrew from left to right. You will not have the option of playing mahjong if you do not like hidden object objects. You will not enjoy a predictable narrative written at a middle school reading level and read by voice actors employing a Radio Shack passive cardioid mic without a pop-filter.

You will find hidden objects. Hundreds of hidden objects.

You will be timed. If you click like a maniac, you will be penalized. If you are slow, you will fail. This is a game. This is how it should be. There is no skip button.

I've played a half-dozen modern "HOPAs." That's hidden object puzzle adventures to you and me, Russ.
Let me tell you, I had far more fun with this than all of those combined.

Yes it's an old game, you might have to change your resolution, you might have to configure compatibility mode. I'm sorry if you are too casual for that. The game's runtime will terminate eventually, if you force it to stop. What are you worried about? It would be best if Big Fish Collector'ed this Edition, but Big Fish doesn't care about you anymore.

The Big Fish eat the little ones
The Big Fish eat the little ones
Not my problem, give me some

You can try the best you can
You can try the best you can
The best you can is good enough

Jan 11, 2026·12h·2·Verified

Steam User 6623STEAMRecommended

One of the first hidden picture games. Still good.

Jan 5, 2026·7h·Verified

Steam User 1492STEAMRecommended

Reviver o Huntsville é uma experiência implacável, pois me transporta diretamente para a infância e para o início de uma saga de jogos que conquistou o meu coração. Há algo de profundamente emocional nesse primeiro contato, uma mistura de nostalgia, descoberta e encantamento que não se repete da mesma forma. Mesmo com uma mecânica simples, é magnífico o sentimento de estar entrando em um universo novo.

Jan 5, 2026·5h·Verified

Steam User 1798STEAMRecommended

Mystery Case Files: Huntsville is the foundational entry that launched Big Fish Games’ long-running Mystery Case Files franchise and helped define the hidden-object genre as a mainstream form of casual gaming. Developed by Big Fish Games and published by BFG Entertainment on Steam, Huntsville may appear modest by modern standards, but its influence is undeniable. It introduced a structured investigative framework that transformed simple object-finding into a cohesive detective experience, laying the groundwork for countless successors and genre imitators.

The game places the player in the role of a newly recruited detective assigned to the quiet town of Huntsville, which has been plagued by a series of petty crimes and suspicious incidents. Rather than focusing on a single dramatic mystery, the narrative unfolds through multiple small cases, each tied to different locations around town. This episodic structure gives the game a steady sense of progression, as players move from solving minor thefts and vandalism to uncovering hints of a broader criminal organization operating behind the scenes. The story is light and utilitarian, but it provides just enough context to make each task feel purposeful rather than abstract.

Gameplay centers on timed hidden-object scenes where players must locate a list of items scattered throughout densely illustrated environments. These scenes are designed to test observation and memory, with objects often blending seamlessly into cluttered backgrounds. The time limit adds tension and encourages efficiency, rewarding players who learn to scan environments methodically rather than randomly clicking. While the core mechanic is simple, it proves surprisingly engaging, especially as scenes become more complex and the item lists grow more demanding.

A key feature that elevates Huntsville above a straightforward scavenger hunt is the Crime Computer. After completing scenes and collecting clues, players use this system to analyze evidence and identify suspects. This mechanic, though basic, introduces a layer of deductive reasoning that reinforces the detective theme. It creates a satisfying loop: search environments, gather clues, analyze data, and close the case. This structure gives the game a sense of closure and accomplishment after each investigation, something many early casual games lacked.

The visual presentation reflects its era, relying on static, hand-drawn scenes that prioritize density over clarity. Backgrounds are often busy, sometimes to the point of frustration, but this clutter is intentional, designed to obscure objects and heighten the challenge. While the graphics may look grainy on modern displays, they still succeed in conveying a grounded, everyday realism that fits the small-town crime theme. The sound design is minimal, focusing on subtle effects rather than music, which keeps attention firmly on the task of searching rather than atmosphere.

Huntsville also introduces light puzzle elements that break up the hidden-object gameplay. Between cases, players encounter simple mini-games such as tile matching or logic puzzles, offering a brief change of pace. These moments are not especially deep, but they help prevent monotony and reinforce the idea that solving crimes involves more than just spotting objects. Combined with the variety of locations—homes, offices, streets, and businesses—the pacing remains brisk throughout the campaign.

Difficulty is approachable but not trivial. Early cases ease players into the mechanics, while later investigations demand sharper focus and faster decision-making. Limited hints and penalties for incorrect clicks ensure that success feels earned. Replayability is enhanced by the way object placements and lists can change between playthroughs, encouraging players to revisit cases to improve their performance or simply enjoy the satisfaction of mastering familiar scenes.

Viewed in isolation, Mystery Case Files: Huntsville may feel simplistic compared to later entries in the series, which introduced deeper narratives, integrated puzzles, and more elaborate settings. However, its importance lies in how effectively it established a template for the genre. It demonstrated that hidden-object games could be structured, goal-oriented, and narratively framed, rather than purely casual diversions.

Ultimately, Mystery Case Files: Huntsville stands as a milestone in casual game design. Its blend of observation, light deduction, and structured progression created a formula that resonated with a wide audience and fueled one of the most successful franchises in the genre. For players interested in the roots of hidden-object games or those who enjoy classic, no-nonsense puzzle experiences, Huntsville remains a compelling and historically significant title that still delivers satisfying detective gameplay on Steam.

Rating: 7/10

Dec 31, 2025·12h·Verified

Steam User 0849STEAMRecommended

So nostalgia for my kid ^^

Dec 25, 2025·5h·Verified

Steam User 1392STEAMRecommended

Nice

Nov 6, 2025·5h·Verified

Steam User 8280STEAMRecommended

Un juego pionero en su género, el de los Hidden Object Games, que pese a no contar con una gran historia engancha y entretiene hasta el final.

Así que aparte de algunos problemas técnicos al tratarse de un juego de 2005 (no acepta alta resolución ni se puede jugar a pantalla completa) y de no estar traducido al español en esta versión de Steam, me parece altamente recomendable.

Mi nota: ****

Oct 19, 2025·7h·Verified

Steam User 1327STEAMRecommended

i like 2 click the objects (EVEN IF I HAVE TO CHANGE MY SCREEN RESOLUTION TO 800X600...)

Oct 15, 2025·4h·1·Verified

Steam User 4212STEAMRecommended

Love MCF games

Aug 28, 2025·5h·Verified

Steam User 9158STEAMRecommended

Fun little hidden objects game.

Aug 19, 2025·6h·Verified

Steam User 4173STEAMRecommended

can't believe i've spent 65 hours on this game

Jul 28, 2025·66h·2·Verified

Steam User 9523STEAMRecommended

After only sampling a small portion of the Mystery Case Files series, I decided to start from the beginning. Honestly, I enjoyed my time! At first it seems difficult but once you go through different stages regardless if you pass or fail (and restart the case), you'll get a better understanding of where everything is thus going through the stages faster and having extra time despite the time limit. By the end, I had between 6 to 9 + minutes left. You can knock it out in one day/few hours depending on how good you are at these games. But I welcome those who are new to the "Find Hidden Objects" to give this a try!

The game isn't perfect. The music loops the same song over and over again. Turning it off will save you here but it feel strange without the music playing in the background, so I ended up toughing it out. The story is quite engaging, although it takes a few cases to really start seeing the main big bad that you'll start tracking down through the list of items you have to hide.

One nit-pick is that you have to create a whole new safe file if you want to beat the game in a nice 2 hrs and 30 min run time it has in game (which is a different time compared to what steam tells you). There's no new game plus, and the items doesn't change location when you are given the option to visit different areas to explore, *however*, if you're interested in the overarching story that Mystery Case Files: Huntsville started, you won't be disappointed.

Honestly, my recommendation is to have fun and take your time with the game (and well with the given time each case gives), eventually it'll become muscle memory as you click your way through.

Jul 28, 2025·7h·1·Verified

Steam User 6867STEAMRecommended

I bought the whole Mystery Case Files series during the Summer Sale, so I'm going to binge-play them all in order. Let's see how long I keep up with the reviewing of each one...

Huntsville is pretty good, even for a 20-year-old game. It's a traditional hidden object game - scenes with a bunch of junk and a list of items to find, nothing weird. Then there's a swap-the-tiles puzzle at the end of each chapter. There are time limits, but usually they're pretty easy - only the last one I had to replay since I ran out of time.

The only issue I had was with the graveyard scene. It wouldn't let me click one of the dang bats.

Other than that one issue, it ran flawlessly on Linux, full-screen.

Jul 9, 2025·4h·Verified

Steam User 6258STEAMRecommended

I know there are newer HOG's that try to create more plot and atmosphere, but this is one of the older ones that just set out to be fun. And it is. I've played it so many times that I can get through all of it in just over an hour and a quarter, but on first playthrough it would take quite a bit longer. Replayability is high, though, and it's just so relaxing in spite of the rounds being timed. If you're only going to try one HO game, this is the one.

Jul 1, 2025·77h·Verified

Steam User 4785STEAMRecommended

While the overarching story is a bit simple, (Though that is fair for a first game in a franchise) I found it to be very enjoyable to play. This is primarily a hidden object game that was challenging without being too much so. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who doesn't like hidden object games because, while I know later games in this franchise do branch out with puzzles and collecting objects, this one does not. Took me about two days playing constantly to complete (was sick at home all day).

Mar 17, 2025·10h·Verified

Steam User 3421STEAMRecommended

Puta jogão, se você é daqueles que adora passar horas procurando objetos escondidos em lugares que vai fazer você ficar com raiva quando achar, esse jogo é perfeito pra você!
São 15 missões pra fazer, o que é até bastante conteúdo. O único defeito desse jogo, é que depois de alguns casos, os lugares se repetem e de vez em quando, ele pede objetos que você já sabe onde tá, então acaba perdendo um pouco da graça. A OST é bem boa, mas depois de uns casos...acaba irritando.
De qualquer forma, um jogo que eu recomendo muito pra passar o tempo e se distrair um pouco. Recomendadíssimo!

Mar 13, 2025·8h·Verified

Steam User 6356STEAMRecommended

It was fun. I would still recommend this game since this is where the whole MCF franchise started. I just wished I was able to play this at full screen. It's full screen mode only covers a third of my monitor.

Dec 27, 2024·8h·Verified

Steam User 1549STEAMRecommended

Super fun to play with a friend via Discord screen share. Loved this game as a kid and love it again as an adult!

Dec 27, 2024·10h·Verified

Steam User 8613STEAMRecommended

Awesome Game....

Oct 12, 2024·5h·Verified

Steam User 5965STEAMNot recommended

This was a childhood game of mine that I never finished, but wanted to give it a go as an adult and finally beat it. I did, but man it was not fun. Some of the objects you need to find or so niche that we do not have nearly enough time on the clock to find them. I found never expect kid me from 2005 to know what a toy blimp would be called. I may play a few of the others but man is this one not fun at all.

From the technical aspect, I have to play the game on windowed because if I go full screen, my PC's aspect ratio is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥ that I need to do a full restart. It is not optimized at all which sucks!

Aug 27, 2024·8h·Verified

Steam User 2157STEAMRecommended

fun! challenging but not extremely hard. good puzzles

Aug 14, 2024·10h·Verified

Steam User 5128STEAMRecommended

for those who buy this
it works on windows 10 vary well but it messes with your monitor (it turned my monitor to 60 hrts from 240 and set my 1920 to 800)
but for a game from 2005, i expect it

Jul 1, 2024·1h·Verified

Steam User 8121STEAMRecommended

Thank you for letting me relive one of my favorite childhood games and memories <3 I use to play this with my dad sitting together at the computer, when I was young, probably 5 or 6. I beat the game with 8 seconds to spare on hard difficulty, my heart racing and a giant smile on my face. Thank you genuinely.

Jun 30, 2024·5h·7·Verified

Steam User 2151STEAMRecommended

8/10

Jun 27, 2024·8h·Verified

Steam User 7171STEAMRecommended

LOVE THIS GAME! PLAYED THIS GAME AS A KID WITH MY GRANDMA AND PLAYING NOW AS AN ADULT IS AWESOME!!! AMAZING GAME!!!

May 22, 2024·5h·4·Verified

Steam User 8376STEAMRecommended

Good for training your eye at spotting things.

May 6, 2024·5h·Verified

Steam User 9298STEAMRecommended

Huntsville is the inaugural game in the Mystery Case Files series of casual hidden-object-adventure games. Released in 2005, it tasks you to fill the shoes of a Rookie Detective as they become tasked with solving a spree of crimes occurring within a small town named Huntsville. As you play through the game and defeat its challenges in the form of finding well-hidden items within a maze of trash, you will climb the ranks of detective to reach the title of "Master Detective", the name by which your character goes by for the rest of the MCF titles.

Being the first in the series, this entry lacks the more involved stories of its successors. What you see is really what you get. Every phase of the game goes like so: You learn the name of the baddie you are set to crack, and are given a randomly selected list of locations to find objects in within a small time frame. Allotted to assist you are three hints that do not replenish for the duration of that phase cycle, so only use them if you are truly stuck. Failing to solve a case in time causes you to have to repeat that phase from the beginning, with different items being selected within the new locations you can go to. Once you have found all of the items required to solve the crime and end the phase, you are given a sliding picture puzzle to complete to figure out the identity of your bad guy. Beware, you are still timed, so be quick!

While the game play of Huntsville is solid and sets the stage for the better games to come down the line, it does unfortunately suffer from age. The images you need to comb through to find items aren't the best in quality, and the whole experience suffers from existing in a time where computer screens were smaller and the game was played on Windows XP.
Younger folk who play this game out of curiosity may be unable to find certain items due to their differing looks to what they may expect, something that happened to me as a child when I played this off the CD-ROM in the 00's and 2010's.
Lastly, be warned that if you play this game and like it enough to play the others, you will be stymied by the fact that certain later games in this series don't work on modern Windows due to their reliance on the dearly departed Adobe Flash. Unless you want to learn how to install an older version of Windows on a Virtual Machine, games like Dire Grove are, for the moment, unplayable. You can play this one though, and I recommend you do. Despite being possibly a little pricier than a casual game this old should be, I consider the cost to be worth it, nearly two decades later (Ouch). Seek and find, mysteries await!

Feb 19, 2024·16h·Verified

Steam User 6920STEAMRecommended

good game

Feb 15, 2024·5h·Verified

Steam User 7804STEAMRecommended

Huntsville is the first of many Mystery Case Files games in the franchise. Because it was initially released in 2005, it has aged. Some of the objects are too pixelated and others are in sucker punch places. Also each case has a time limit, but it is fair, except for the Big Boss case. You only have 4 minutes to find the 8 items and construct the puzzle, which blows. Despite my gripes, this is a fun little game that you should be able to complete within 3 hours and perfect to sharpen your item-finding skills.

Feb 12, 2024·9h·Verified

Steam User 8387STEAMRecommended

great game

Jan 31, 2024·95h·Verified

Steam User 3720STEAMRecommended

[h1] I'M AN OFFICIAL MASTER DETECTIVE! [/h1]
I decided to replay the entire Mystery Case Files series, starting with Huntsville. You have to appreciate the fact that MCF: Huntsville was the first Hidden Object Game created. Mystery Case Files eventually blazed a path for a whole new genre of HOPAs.

Huntsville broke all previous casual game sales following its release on November 18, 2005, by over 100%, selling over $1 million in digitally distributed copies! To date, there are 26 games in the Mystery Case Files franchise. Games 1-9 were developed by Big Fish Studios, Games 10-11 were developed by Elephant Games, Games 12-20 were developed by Eipix Entertainment, and Games 21-26 were developed by Grandma Studios.

[b]MYSTERY CASE FILES: HUNTSVILLE[/b]
You are an intern working for a royal agency who has been assigned to investigate a series of crimes in the small town of Huntsville. You will apprehend 15 members of the S.T.A.I.N organization. Slick Rick, Violet Burgundy, Hoodwink Harry, Lou, Doris Blevlins, Ty, Eugene Needlemeyer, Gill T. Azell, Bill Larson, Luna H. Tick, Elmer, Rudy, Darla Rudder, Harold Funkmeyer, and the leader of the pack, Gertrude Goodlittle.

There are two major drawbacks to this game. The biggest drawback is that it is a Timed game that requires you to race against the clock to solve each crime. The second issue is that it was purposely designed with a grainy appearance which adds to the challenge, but also adds to the players' frustration of finding the objects within the allotted time.

There are 14 Cases to solve, and a final Boss Level. Each Case has several scene locations, but here are just 21 different locations so you will be replaying the same levels as you progress. You have 15-20 minutes to solve the entire crime (several locations) and the final puzzle which is a Square Tile Swapping game. If you run out of time, you must replay that Investigation.

You only get 3 Hints per chapter! The best way to solve the chapter within the allotted time is to select a location and find all of the easily spotted items first, then click on the Map tab choose another location, and repeat the process. Then return to the locations and search for the harder-to-find objects. Now you can use the 3 hints (wisely) but keep in mind that you have to save time on the clock to complete the swapping tile puzzle. When I started using this method I was finally able to solve the investigations without running out of time.

[b]MYSTERY CASE FILES SERIES ORDER[/b]
•Huntsville
•Prime Suspects
• Ravenhearst
•Madame Fate
•Return to Ravenhearst
•Dire Grove
•13th Skull
•Escape from Ravenhearst
•Shadow Lake
•Fate's Carnival
•Dire Grove, Sacred Grove
•Key to Ravenhearst
• Ravenhearst Unlocked
•Broken Hour
•The Black Veil
•The Revenant's Hunt
•Rewind
•The Countess
•Moths to a Flame
•Black Crown
•The Harbinger
• Crossfade
•Incident at Pendle Tower
•The Last Resort
•The Dalimar Legacy
•A Crime in Reflection

[quote][quote][h1]MY REVIEWS[/h1]
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[url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/thewoodsforum]Click HERE to check out our Steam Group[/url][/quote][/quote]

[quote][quote][h1]JOIN OUR FORUM[/h1]
[url=https://thewoodsforum.boards.net/]Click HERE to check out The Woods Forum[/url][/quote][/quote]

Jan 21, 2024·7h·4·Verified

Steam User 9768STEAMRecommended

Der erste Teil der Reihe und daher noch etwas spezieller. Es war eine einfache Erfahrung und hat mich gut beschäftigt. Zum Vollpreis würde ich es eventuell nicht kaufen aber mit einem guten Angebot kann man es sich mal anschauen, wenn man auf das Genre steht und einfach was simples sucht.

Dec 22, 2023·4h·Verified

Steam User 7241STEAMRecommended

classic

Dec 7, 2023·3h·1·Verified

Steam User 2024STEAMRecommended

Hard to believe this game is now 18 years old. It was one of the first hidden object games I played way back when as young parent my gaming time was limited to about 2 hours a week and these sort of "dip-in/dip-out" games were perfect.

Yes, it's very long in the tooth and it's showing it's age. Yes, you have to set your screen res to 800x600 to full screen it but it's nice trip down memory lane. If you're looking for hidden object games and haven't played them before then you're better off sticking to the Artifex Mundi collections, more modern , better graphics and more varied gameplay than these old MCF games.

If you have money to waste and want some nostalgia then wait for MCFs to go on sale and enjoy them once more.

Nov 29, 2023·7h·Verified

Steam User 0095STEAMRecommended

Nice OLD GAME

Oct 18, 2023·38h·Verified

Steam User 0910STEAMRecommended

It was fun, but not as challenging as the prime suspects. The hidden objects that you have to find often repeat themself. Still reccomended if you are looking for a hidden object game that isn't too short.

The main draw back is the bad resolution, but It's like that because this game is old.

Sep 27, 2023·15h·1·Verified

Steam User 7900STEAMRecommended

games pretty fun. not as morbid as later games

Sep 7, 2023·6h·Verified

Steam User 6915STEAMRecommended

18 years later this game is still fun. Hidden object puzzles w/o anything else in-between. Challenging the first time through & re-playable for speed runs. I love the whole series but the earlier games are definitely the best of the set.

Sep 2, 2023·3h·Verified

Steam User 7020STEAMRecommended

Even though its pretty old, I still cant get enough of this part. I played it at least 5 times but it still makes so much fun. I can just say that i highly recommend this game

Aug 21, 2023·19h·Verified

Steam User 4158STEAMRecommended

for the very first of it's kind, it's not bad 👌

Aug 9, 2023·4h·Verified

Steam User 8077STEAMNot recommended

For it's time this may have been great, but it's aged rather poorly. In a sub-genre that's as repetitive as Hidden Object, Huntsville is extremely simplistic. It goes as far as repeating the same clues and puzzle layouts again and again as you repeat the same rooms multiple times to finish all the cases. With a little bit more variety this could've been a recommended title to fans of the niche genre, but no game should ever literally have me fighting sleep while playing it

Jul 18, 2023·4h·Verified

Steam User 4232STEAMRecommended

))0_0((

Jun 23, 2023·4h·Verified

Steam User 1882STEAMRecommended

BIG FISH i demand the 4 mystery case file games you yet to bring to steam give us dire grove

Jun 15, 2023·7h·Verified

Steam User 6507STEAMRecommended

Petit HOG sympa, sans prétentions, où chaque niveau est une nouvelle affaire où vous devez trouver un certain nombre d'indices dans un temps imparti.
Certains lui reprocheront le fait que la résolution est datée et vous obligera parfois à remettre votre écran en HD après y avoir joué.
A noter que le jeu est uniquement en anglais. Donc oubliez si vous ne maîtrisez pas la langue, ou alors ayez un dictionnaire à côté de vous, d'autant que le jeu joue régulièrement avec les homonymes.

May 24, 2023·5h·Verified

Steam User 7438STEAMNot recommended

this must be the worst game i attempted for a long time! sometimes nostalgia does not serve you well. See i never did play this game, but bought it on recomendation. This game... if you leave it fullscreen its so pixelated and weirdly cropped that you can't see a thing on the screen, and if you window it, it's so small that you can't see anything either. But worst of all is that the game doesn't shut down, it keeps running and if you shut it down via the steam app, it just says 'stopping' for something akin to fifteen minutes. *Even taskbar doesn't execute imediate shut down. What is this even.

May 19, 2023·Verified

Steam User 8544STEAMRecommended

Just like I remembered and still frustrating with the phrasing of clues to find

May 7, 2023·5h·Verified

Steam User 1814STEAMNot recommended

No comprar, por alguna razón a pesar de que el juego si salio en otros idiomas en la versión de steam solo se puede jugar en ingles, lo que hace que ya de por si sea mas conveniente piratear el juego que comprarlo

Mar 5, 2023·6·Verified

Steam User 8399STEAMRecommended

A fun and entertaining game, full of different puzzles. 10/10!

Mar 4, 2023·9h·Verified

Steam User 4241STEAMRecommended

This and Ravenhearst are two extremely similar games, but ultimately I prefer the vibe of Ravenhearst more. Still no reason to go back to these when Return, Escape, and Dire Grove exist (Also please bring the original Dire Grove to Steam you have a confirmed purchase on sight with me on that one)

7/10

Mar 2, 2023·6h·Verified

Steam User 2226STEAMRecommended

Great

Jan 14, 2023·12h·Verified

Steam User 7607STEAMRecommended

10/10

Dec 15, 2022·5h·Verified

Steam User 3696STEAMRecommended

I played these games with my mother as a child and bought them and played them recently. They are not designed for modern usage. Though they can be used on your computer and serve the intended purpose, there are a few things you may need to overlook to enjoy this game. Such as; Image Quality, the images are a little fuzzy and some of the object you need to find are rough on the eyes, especially if you have hindered sight. Alternative Wording, there are multiple occasions where they use bizarre words for description, such as in a level it specifies "Decoy", which you would never guess is a wooden duck. Also I noticed a spelling mistake with the Lei article of clothing, stereo typically being used in Hawaii, but that's a little thing. Finally, the searching for the items itself, it is a great finder game and I really enjoy the entire series and it's fun to come back too after a bit and play again, it has a very basic story unlike the Ravenhearst collection (My personal favourite) but it is enjoyable, the only issue I had that I experienced on a few objects was their click boxes being slightly off or non existent.

Apart from these minor technicalities, and it being overpriced considering the higher quality games that are cheaper that come afterwards, if you can catch this game on sale I wouldn't hesitate purchasing it for yourself! It is fairly quick, I finished my first run in about 2 and a half hours. But if you wanna take your time and do the levels individually it is a fun way to spend time and challenge yourself a little bit.

Nov 30, 2022·5h·2·Verified

Steam User 6761STEAMRecommended

un jeux de mon enfance que jai toujours adore je suis contente de le retrouver sur steam! cest excellent jaime bien le jeux , en anglais seulement parcontre !

Nov 19, 2022·2h·Verified

Steam User 7962STEAMRecommended

I love hidden objects game and the Mystery Case files series was the first one for me. I never got to play this one as a kid so getting to play this one was a trip and I enjoyed it although the big boss case was the hardest with the small amount of time they give you.

Sep 7, 2022·4h·Verified

Steam User 7484STEAMRecommended

Interesting concept for hidden objects game, but I actually really enjoyed it. :) Wouldn't recommend for anyone who doesn't like time limit challenges with their games.

Sep 4, 2022·3h·Verified

Steam User 4567STEAMRecommended

A basic item find game with puzzle elements. Pretty basic and slightly dated now, but if you enjoy the type of game its good. I played it with my young kids. It was fun to see them get excited when they found the items. Fun for what it is, but don't expect any bells and whistles. As of my review I have played the entire game and its not long.

Jul 15, 2022·6h·Verified

Steam User 8486STEAMRecommended

Test your eye sight

May 29, 2022·56h·1

Steam User 7528STEAMRecommended

Love: Nostalgia and caricature art
Like: Music and game play
Dislike: Minor bugs with hit detection (needing to click on a very specific part of an item) and interface sounds
Hate: Price to replay value (get on sale and/or in bundle) and window resolution

May 16, 2022·6h·Verified

Steam User 6877STEAMRecommended

This is a really good game for a first installment of a good series. One thing I liked about the game is that a timer is provided so there is a bit of a challenge in the game. However, one thing that could be improved upon is a few more customization options, especially with screen resolution.

Feb 11, 2022·9h·Verified

Steam User 1481STEAMNot recommended

Mystery Case Files: Huntsville

===================
Personal Rating: 4/10
===================

Details:

The first installment of the Mystery Case Files Series. You play as a rookie investigator that works his way to the top of the agency via finding a varied list of objects across multiple locations. When you find all the items, you are then tasked to complete a puzzle to uncover the culprit behind the various crimes that you are instructed to investigate. There are 15 levels in total, providing varied levels of difficulty as you progress further into the game.

Pros:
- Works as intended, no bugs or issues with running.
- Easy to jump into. Controls aren't complicated.

Cons:
- Finished in one sitting, relatively short for those experienced in Hidden Object games.
- Story feels lackluster.
- The music felt very repetitive after only playing for the time that I did.

Closing Statements:

Despite enjoying rapidly finding the items that were required to progress in the levels, I feel as though the game as a whole lacks in providing me with a purpose to continue playing. The story placed into the game does not appeal to me as the stakes feel rather insignificant. Each level consists of a time limit you're pressured by- and though I always managed to finish with quite a bit of time left over, the stress associated with rushing through levels and scenes negatively impacted the gameplay as a whole for me.

Jan 16, 2022·4h·1·Verified

Steam User 8850STEAMNot recommended

as games go its OK, but some of the clues really suck - in one level there are 03 clubs, and they are a stick weapon, a gold club, and a playing card club thats super hard to see - some clarity would be nice. one clue that upset me was "seven" - the answer were some dice that added up to seven that i couldnt read in windowed mode. some of the picture answers are hidden behind other objects, or theres very little of it showing. this game is NOT worth the ten bucks, but if its one sale for maybe three id recommend it - 04 out of 10 stolen cheese wheels , maybe the next installment will be better

Jan 11, 2022·6h·Verified

Steam User 3658STEAMRecommended

Pretty old game, so the density is not good. I like these type of games but these picture puzzle after every crime is a bit boring.

Dec 25, 2021·5h·Verified

Steam User 9080STEAMRecommended

A classic that holds up pretty well, particularly if you ignore the lower resolution graphics and it messing with your graphics settings such that it doesn't always change your resolution back when you get out of it.

Nov 27, 2021·4h·Verified

Steam User 6978STEAMRecommended

An iconic hidden object game that definitely shows its age as the franchise releases more games. There's not really much to say about a point and click adventure game such as this, but it is quite nostalgic. Some objects however are a little buggy to collect and can decrease time from the timer. As such some people may have trouble rushing through the game due to the short length of the timer on some cases.

Nov 5, 2021·3h·Verified

Steam User 3416STEAMRecommended

Just an update this game now supports full screen at a higher resolution. They must of fixed it in a update.

Oct 2, 2021·4h·Verified

Steam User 9554STEAMRecommended

So difficult to play, almost impossible to spot things
But
It has many lexicons

Aug 21, 2021·9h·Verified

Steam User 9996STEAMRecommended

画风很对味，画面的排布别具创意，就当在学英语{雾}

Apr 16, 2021·2h·Verified

Steam User 3552STEAMRecommended

MCF was one of those games that my mom was really into when I was a kid and she was really into hidden object games at that time. I had tried playing the games when the franchise was starting up with this game here, Prime Suspects, etc, but never could get past one or two of the cases.

All these years later, I had actually played and beaten a few of the MCF games scattered over the years (including Millionheir exclusively on the Nintendo DS) and with getting a new gaming PC, a powerful beast that runs games like Doom Eternal and Max Payne 3... I decided to pick up a game like Huntsville, which takes barely an ounce of that power.

Joking aside, there is some nostalgia to find here for me after all these years while searching these disturbingly messy environments and discovering the putrid perpetrators behind the various crimes in town. Going back to locations from prior cases to recollect items can be either good for your brain as you remember where various items were before or to find that one rare new item, or feel repetitive and take little time to collect everything. In exchange, new locations open up through progression that it refreshes the difficulty by giving you new scenes (Does anybody even hire sanitation crews here?) that will take up the time to find all the new items. Each case also has a time limit, which gives you enough time to find the required number of seemingly random items/clues/junk and a little extra if you get perplexed by a tough item or two.

There's also a few curveballs the game will throw in with items that have more than one meaning. Example, two canes can mean a regular walking cane as well as a tiny green candy cane in the same scene or finding four fans that range from powered fans and handheld extended fans. And there are some items that are hidden so abstractly that unless you save up your three hints per case, there's a chance of repeating the case again after time runs out. More than a few times, I had myself loudly saying 'Ok, how was I supposed to see that?' or 'How was I supposed to know that was a *insert item here*?'.

The first of the long running Mystery Case Files franchise, it's a casual title I would recommend for anyone looking to play something a little less intense, looking for brain fuel, or anyone who grew up on stuff like I Spy or Where's Waldo?

Mar 26, 2021·19h·Verified

Steam User 9098STEAMNot recommended

Sooooo many 'two things' 'three object' 'something four'. even 'five stuffs'!

Feb 18, 2021·4h·Verified

Steam User 5716STEAMRecommended

This game is fun and will help exercise your brain!

Jan 11, 2021·8h·Verified

Steam User 7974STEAMRecommended

Can be very repetitive but its okay if you want to beat the top pc's time which is 2hr 30 mins :D

Jan 5, 2021·3h·Verified

Steam User 1622STEAMRecommended

Love these games. Believe its the first in the series and fairly formulaic but figured id go back and start with the first very casual game for anyone.

Jan 4, 2021·16h·Verified

Steam User 5437STEAMNot recommended

nagyon rossz a minősége és nehezen kivehetők a képek

Dec 22, 2020·4h·Verified

Steam User 3270STEAMRecommended

I've played the second instalment before and it was clearly upgraded with new and different puzzles to solve. However, this game was also a lot of fun to play.

Dec 20, 2020·5h·1·Verified

Steam User 0313STEAMRecommended

This is a hidden object game and there's really not much else that can be said about it because that's pretty much all it brings to the table in terms of content. The scenes are good and the objects are usually pretty well-hidden. There's a decent amount of objects in each scene so if you return to a scene you will probably see a few repeats but you can always expect a couple undiscovered objects as well. The story is not very good and the crime computer is tedious at best, so this game is not good for any reason other than the hidden object content.

This is also one of the more difficult games of the series. Future games in this series were much more generous with time. I actually had a few times where the clock ticked down really close to zero and I barely managed to finish in time. The game is made further difficult by the fact that you only get three hints per case, and some of the cases towards the end of the game expect you to find 50-60 clues. If you're still not convinced this game is hard, you're expected to find pretty much every object in every scene given (i.e. out of 40 total clues, you'll probably be expected to find 38 or 39 of them). That being said, I actually never ran out of time on any of the cases, but I would understand if a more leisurely player got frustrated with this game, especially since relaxed mode does not exist like in future titles.

There's about four hours of content total and it's decent enough that I feel like I would recommend it to anyone looking to scratch a hidden object game itch. I would probably be more inclined to recommend a game that came later in the series like Ravenhearst or Madame Fate, but if you've already played those, I have no issues recommending this game to you.

Dec 10, 2020·6h·1·Verified

Steam User 6397STEAMNot recommended

If you don't mind timers that rush and ruin a casual experience that can't be turned off than you may enjoy this game.

Dec 8, 2020·1h·5·Verified

Steam User 9208STEAMNot recommended

My friend gifted this game to me and when I first launched the game it was working fine, then suddenly the game crashed. The application was not showing in my screen, I tried to relaunch the game but it says that it's already running. I restarted my Laptop and tried to relaunch it and my task bar disappeared. It says game is running but still the app is still not showing up, I tried fixes suggested by steam but it's still the same so I requested for a refund. There's barely any solutions on the internet since the game is so old. I then just find a crack on the internet and it's working fine, so the problem has got to do something with Steam.

Nov 4, 2020·2h·2

Steam User 6619STEAMNot recommended

This is one of the oldest hidden object games. It's a first entry in the "Mystery Case Files" series, which at the time of this review has 21 game.
This is a pure hidden object game. There are a few puzzles, but most of the time so search for objects. It only works on 800x600 resolution and items are often hard to spot and recognize. Also you keep coming back to same locations and it's often not matter of spotting items, but remembering where you found them last time. Well, and there is a time limit for everything.
Steam version didn't work well on full screen for me - had to switch desktop resolution to 800x600 before launching the game.
Overall, it's not the best hidden object game, there are plety of better ones.

Nov 4, 2020·7h·3·Verified

Steam User 7768STEAMRecommended

Mystery Case Files: Huntsville est sorti en 2005 et risque si vous êtes un habitué des Hidden moderne de vous décevoir...

Le jeu est composé de 15 niveaux dans lesquels il faut trouver un certain nombre d'objets et faire une reconstitution (puzzle) d'un lieu en un temps limité...

Il n'y a pas de narration, ici ce n'est que de la recherche pure. Chaque niveau augmente le nombre d'objets à trouver donc la difficulté... en théorie...

En pratique, il n'en est rien car vous allez tellement les voir ces "lieux" que vous allez finir par connaitre l'emplacement de chaque objet. Et quand bien même si il y a des changements dans la liste, ils ne sont pas assez marqués pour vous bloquer... On fini par tous les faire...

En soit ce Mystery Cases: Huntsville n'est pas un mauvais hidden mais il s'agit là d'un dinosaure et on peut le trouver repoussant à bien des égards...

Le premier est que visuellement ça "pique" un peu les yeux sur l'écran. Il est parfois difficile de reconnaitre certains petits objets. Sans compter que les objets sont mis pelle-mêle sans tenir compte de la taille (et parfois même de la couleur)... Merci la bouillie de pixel....

Le deuxième concerne la désignation et les hit box.... Il faut attendre que l'animation de l'objet (qui amène votre objet dans la "pitite" mallette à droite de l'écran) soit terminée sinon vous cliquez pour rien... Ca à l'air de rien mais c'est super ennuyant. Certains objets ont des hit box très petites, le problème avec un grand écran c'est qu'elles restent petite... Et la petite chauve souris que l'on veut désigner... ben ça marche pas sur les ailes, il faut cliquer sur son petit bedon pour qu'elle veuille bien aller voir ailleurs si j'y suis ^^

Le dernier point est que sur Windows 10, le jeu reste "ouvert" en arrière plan lorsque vous arrêtez de jouer. Le moyen de vous prévenir de cela est de mettre l' .exe en mode comptabilité Windows xp.

Au final, on se trouve en face d'un Hidden ancienne génération, pour peu que vous ne soyez pas trop regardant (ou que vous ayez une bonne mutuelle pour les lunettes) et que seul la recherche d'objets vous intéresse alors il devrait vous satisfaire.
Sinon... passez votre chemin

Jul 28, 2020·7h·2·Verified

Steam User 2800STEAMRecommended

Pros:
The origin of hidden objects genre, and MCF franchise is the best among them. Little bit harder above average level, which provides just enough challenge.

Cons:
You can only switch to full screen in 800*600 resolution, and seems big fish doesn't want to fix this issue at all.
As origin of hidden objects genre, the game mechanic is way too simple, all you need to do is to find objects over and over. Makes this one bit dull for 2020 standard.

Jul 27, 2020·4h·1·Verified

Steam User 7748STEAMRecommended

Just a very simple hidden object game. It is a fun enough time waster.

Jul 5, 2020·16h·Verified

Steam User 2515STEAMRecommended

This is a rather difficult hidden object game in the MCF series, mainly because of the short time limits (usually under 20 minutes or even 10 minutes with some cases).

If you are particularly struggling, note that there is an exploit that you can use:

The game has this "feature" where, if you press Escape, it immediately exits the game. Use to this to your advantage by tapping the hint button, wait for the game to highlight an object, tap that object and wait for it to register on the list, and then press Escape. When you re-enter the game, the object should count as found, but you'll still have all three of your hints.

Jun 27, 2020·7h·1·Verified

Steam User 9317STEAMRecommended

Fun game. Each case has you searching for various objects from different locations and then completing a picture puzzle at the end of each "case" Very fun and challenging.

May 17, 2020·7h·Verified

Steam User 4704STEAMRecommended

Love the early mystery case files games , still challenging after all these years love it

Mar 27, 2020·8h·Verified

Steam User 8498STEAMNot recommended

Generally I like MCF puzzle games, but this one is not fun or enjoyable. The timer rushes you through the game and makes it feel like work. If they had only allowed the timer to be optional then this would be a much better game.

Mar 15, 2020·1h·10·Verified

Steam User 2984STEAMRecommended

A Big Fish Games classic! If you are like me you like something that occasionally allows you to just unplug and go into autopilot, this game does that for me, hunt pecks are just the best way to get in and get out with as minimal damage as possible.

Mar 9, 2020·64h·1·Verified

Steam User 6143STEAMRecommended

不错

Mar 5, 2020·27h·Verified

Steam User 3738STEAMRecommended

[b]Mystery Case Files 1: Huntsville[/b] (HOG)
[i]January, 2012 review, updated March, 2019[/i]

Options include Full-screen* and separate sliders for sound effects and music.
*NOTE: The Steam version will NOT go full-screen unless you change your desktop resolution to 800x600.

This was the very first hidden object game made for PC, and is a straight hidden object game.

You have 14 cases to solve, plus the "Big Boss". There are twenty hidden object scenes, and you will explore at least two of them per case.

Each case is [b]timed[/b] and you only have three HINTS for each one. You can't earn more, nor they do not refill. On the plus side, you do have a one-item leeway (if you have 15 items to find, you only have to find 14 to pass the level.)

There is a rapid mis-click penalty, which will cause you to lose precious seconds on your timer.

Being one of the early HOG's, I was surprised at the quality of the game. The artwork is very nice and the game mechanics a familiar friend. The crime computer has been present from the very beginning of the series.

At the end of each case, you must do a tile-swapping puzzle. Not slider-puzzles (thank goodness!), but the type where you can click any two pieces to have them swap places. These pieces will lock in place when you have them in the right position.

I have only one gripe with the game, which is that you can't find items in rapid succession - You have to wait for each one to be recognized as having been "found" before you can click on the next item.

Definitely a good game to try if you like straight HOG's or are new to the genre, but if you are unwilling (or unable) to mess with your desktop settings, you might want to buy this one directly from Big Fish so that you can see the game full-screen.

Mar 31, 2019·1h·46

Steam User 9224STEAMRecommended

Nice HOG. First of the serries. Good overall scenes and decent end puzzles. Even has a decent story, such as it is. Only real issue is no fullscreen. Get this if you love the serries, like old school HOG's and want to exercise your brain.

Dec 31, 2018·4h·Verified

Steam User 0865STEAMRecommended

This is an old-school hidden object game that requires you to repeat a fixed number of screens multiple times but with different lists of objects to find. As the number of objects you need to find increases per level, you need to vaguely remember the layout of screens in order to keep up. If you are a fan of similar classics, then I recommend this game to you. If you want a hidden object adventure, I recommend trying a different title.

There is a theme (a detective solving "cases"), but no real story. Personally, I prefer the older hidden object games that didn't need to be held together with a thin (and often ludicrous) story line. Find a rubber duck, a crown, and 5 dinner forks makes a wee bit of sense as a object-finding sleuth, but it makes no sense as a hero trying to defeat a pirate ghost or stop a mad scientist. Let's just admit what were are doing doesn't make any narrative sense and move on.

Nov 4, 2018·4h·Verified

Steam User 5058STEAMNot recommended

Terrible on a new(ish) with PC/HD display.

Without changing resolution I couldn't get anything other than the same tiny window. All 'fullscreen' did was to move the same tiny window to the top left of my monitor. By changing the monitor resolution I got sort-of full screen. But although the graphics were probably nice at the time, now they just look grainy and low-res.
(And resetting everything after the resolution change was a real pain the the !"&$.)

Even from what little I've seen, this really shows its age compared to modern HOG. Going to refund this one as essentially unplayable.

Sep 21, 2018·1·Verified

Steam User 0535STEAMRecommended

十多年前，刚买了电脑之后不久的时候，当时有个叫reflexive的网站，天天更新游戏，MCF的这一作，就是我下载过的一款小游戏。
当时这种找东西类型的游戏还不多，这个玩法也很新奇，同时难度也比较大：不能乱点，乱点会扣时间，时间到了就要重新再来，提示就三个，用没了就不能再用了。
起初的游戏都是给一堆单词来找东西的，代表作就是大鱼的MCF系列，和Spintop的Mystery P.I以及世界环游系列。
其实我在steam上发现这些游戏已经有段时间了，一是乱加一的毛病总也改不了，这几款游戏又很少打折，二是大鱼的节操实在是硬，一年只打两次折，打折还要5刀，国区有了价格之后打折18块钱一个游戏也算是比较贵的了。
这个游戏玩法单一，画质粗糙，分辨率低下，难的要命，还这么贵，我觉得我真的是为了情怀在补票。

Jul 4, 2018·4h·5·Verified

Steam User 8862STEAMRecommended

Ich kenne die Mystery Case Files Teile schon lange bevor sie auf Steam kam und muss sagen für Wimmelbildspieler ein ganz klarer Kaufmuss. Es gibt aber leider Contra zu den Teilen. Damit muss ich leider alle Teile ansprechen.

Pro
+Hammer Atmosphere
+Geschichte der Hammer
+Grafik in Steinzeitalter

Contra
- Kein richtiges Vollbilderlebnis ist vorhanden, sobald man es auf Vollbild stellt, wird es nicht Vollbild sondern bleibt auf 640x480 Fenstermodus und wird auf der obere Linke Seite verschoben
- Sprache nur auf Englisch vorhanden, wobei Ravenhearst auf deutsch und Französisch einstellbar ist.

Wenn dies BigFish noch patcht bzw die jeweiligen Sprachen hinzufügt, ist alles Perfekt.

Jul 3, 2018·6h·Verified

Steam User 4998STEAMRecommended

one of the most challenging games ever !!!

Have to get help to play it.

If you like a hard hidden object game this is the one

Jul 2, 2018·13h·Verified