It’s a game many have looked forward to, and if it’s one you haven’t heard up, be prepared to hear a lot more about it. Secret of Chateau de Moreau is a point and click (well, touch and tap) adventure with a murder mystery backstory. It’s been praised for its 100+ puzzles, intricate artwork and dynamic outcomes. The game boasts dozens of alternate endings, each set into motion by the individual choices of the player as he or she races to uncover the secrets of the chateau.
Of course, there’s more to the story. Just click on to find out.
The Beginning
Secret of Chateau de Moreau is a game that demands the player’s attention in order to progress, and that starts in the intro. Luckily, the game is good at getting and keeping a player’s attention, via its intriguing storyline.
You play as Antoine, the victim of an evil plot or a sly murderer…
In addition, the visual presentation is stunning, giving the player a taste of the style and artistry present throughout gameplay. There’s even a teasing bit of information to get the player’s mind in detective gear.
Step into Antoine’s World
Players will become Antoine Moreau, a young man who is both very fortunate and very unfortunate due to the current circumstances. His foster father has just been murdered, and Antoine is fortunate enough to be named heir to the Count Moreau’s wealth. His misfortune, however, is to be considered the prime suspect in the Count’s murder. And with a castle full of disgruntled and disinherited relatives, the responsibility of proving his innocence falls on Antoine himself.
You will encounter many different suspects in the game. It's your job to find out their role in this evil plot!
He’ll set out to do this by exploring the rooms and corridors of the sprawling three-story Chateau. The immersive nature of the game is first attributable to the story’s hook, but it takes smooth controls and an intuitive interface to keep the player in the game instead of becoming frustrated.
Interface & Functionality
Secret of Chateau de Moreau has this covered. Many ambitious games for iOS have turned off players by making the controls cluttered or awkward on smaller screens; a touch screen doesn’t necessarily mean convenience. But Secret of Chateau de Moreau’s controls are well designed to allow the user access without interfering with the experience. Navigating the rooms is a simple matter, and the game’s adventure genre/point-and-click heritage translates well to touch-and-tap.
Puzzles make sense and are actually puzzling
Design & Performance
Good game design, an entertaining plot, and moving visuals are some of Secret of Chateau de Moreau’s positive qualities. They aren’t going to make for a must-have game without quality content (and plenty of it), however. While many players will rave about the game’s good looks, it’s really the size of the game and the gameplay experience that will make Secret of Chateau de Moreau a hit.
With over 40 endings you must choose carefully!
For the gaming experience, it’s the ingenuity behind the 100+ creative and challenging puzzles integrated into the plot that make it hard to put Secret of Chateau de Moreau down. There’s also untangling the mystery of the unknown killer — made more suspenseful with teasing clues gathered from interactions with non-player characters.
Value
For this game to justify its hype, it has to be huge, too. Either many hours of play to beat it, or great replay value. The challenge of the puzzles give Secret of Chateau de Moreau enough substance to make playing satisfying. The alternate endings (40 of them!) are a stroke of genius, because they give the player more content and replay value. I’ve never had a game that’s as much fun to lose at, just to see how it will play out.
With over 100 puzzles this game is a must have for fans of the genre!
Closing Thoughts
All of this makes Secret of Chateau de Moreau a consuming experience, and the attention to fine detail in the graphics and audio top off this quality app. If you’re going to become immersed in a game world, make it a fun world to be immersed in. Beautiful graphics, portraits and thoughtful visual and audio nuances make exploring the chateau and its inhabitants irresistible.
While small screen games have often opted for simplification in their graphics in order to maintain clarity, Secret of Chateau de Moreau has gone the extra mile to optimize intricate scenes for a smaller display, giving the game and its story even greater depth and texture.
Secret of Chateau de Moreau does live up to its promises. I can recommend this game unreservedly, to anyone that wants to be entertained and challenged by a well-crafted mystery. This game offers more than enough to satisfy players that give it a chance; it’s got me hoping that Secret of Chateau de Moreau will launch a new franchise.