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EA’s Mystery Mania One of the Best iPhone Apps

10.27.2009 · Posted in Home and Garden Articles

Add one part deserted mansion, 27 parts riddle ridden rooms, throw in an amnesiatic robot, and sprinkle in some heart. Bring all ingredients to a boil and you’ll have EA’s latest puzzler Mystery Mania. Originally available in Java form on EA’s Mobile site, this head scratcher has made its way to the iPhone and iPod touch – and we guaranty it will confound you for at least a couple of hours.nnSupporting the entire game is its hero F8. Awaking from a deep sleep, F8 realizes he’s lost his memory. So it’s up to you to help F8 discover his past by exploring the mansion that is his world. Every room has a secret that must be unlocked. Clues can be pieced together is a certain order to unlock the mystery. Some rooms have multiple exits that must be discovered in order to progress to other rooms. Mystery Mania truly grants an endearing experience. We found ourselves falling in love with F8. He’s up for anything and will obey your every command. Sometimes, this leads him to a sudden electrocution or dog bite, but F8’s always ready for more action.nnIn Mystery Mania, you won’t find much in the way of tutorials or instructions. But that is part of the game’s charm. The sole method to help F8 solve each riddle is simply by using logic. Items are placed around each level. Use some objects in certain sequences to activate others. For instance, a candle on the wall can light a burner on a table. Chemicals can then, and only then, be combined in a vessel atop the burner. Make F8 drink the resulting potion and watch what happens. The process of solving the mini mysteries can be tricky at times. But we found ourselves solving them after a few attempts. The key is to be observant. Study the room to recognize some hints EA has thrown in.nnGraphically, Mystery Mania is comparable to a flash cartoon. Colors a vivid, yet the sets are rather flat feeling. Overall, there isn’t anything to write home about in the visual department. Since there isn’t spoken audio, dialogue between F8 and guest personalities are presented in sign boards reminiscent of silent films. The music incorporated into Mystery Mania is eerie and fits the entire tone of the game perfectly. If interrupted by a phone call or otherwise quit, the game will save your progress and resume where you left off upon the next launch.nnIf you like games that will stump, surprise, and gratify you, give Mystery Mania a whirl. All the ingredients of a classic crime drama are neatly packaged into the game. Currently, EA is offering the game for $3.99 on the App Store. The only complaint we have about it is that its over rather quickly. We’d love to see EA throw in more levels in a update. But as it is, Mystery Mania is one who-done-it that will leave you wanting more.

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