Natalie Brooks: Secrets of the Treasure House
© 2008 Viva Media
Beautifully illustrated but poorly designed, this scavenger-hunt mystery is set in an old house with secret rooms and hidden corridors. Your job is to help detective Natalie Brooks -- a teenage girl -- find the clues she needs to win back her family inheritance. Content includes point-and-click puzzles, mini-games, and searches for hidden objects. You exchange dialog (delivered in print form) with other characters in the story, such as a grouchy old attorney, a superstitious banker, and the chief of police. As you play, you can refer to Natalie's diary for help and use hints to solve the puzzles. If you have the patience, you might consider this game; however, there are points where you may find yourself more puzzled by the design quirks than the mystery. Developed by Alawar Games for Viva Media.
$10, Windows
Teaches: logic, classification, reading, deductive reasoning
CTR Rating: 68%