The Jim and Frank Mysteries – The Blood River Files Review

By , on July 14, 2010


The Jim and Frank Mysteries – The Blood River Files
Download on the AppStore
5 out of 5

PROS

  • Incredible variety of puzzles.
  • Action sequences to break up gameplay.
  • Additional puzzles that add to the main story.

CONS

  • Odd character artwork.
  • Weak voice-acting.

VERDICT

Fans of classic puzzle-adventure and recent titles like Professor Layton will love The Jim and Frank Mysteries and this is easily recommended for gamers of all walks after a lighthearted challenge.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

'The Jim and Frank Mysteries - The Blood River Files' is one of Chillingo's latest releases and draws an easy comparison to the Professor Layton series on the Nintendo DS. You follow the adventures of Jim and Frank as they take part in a puzzle-filled mystery spurred on by Jim's Grandfather.

The game's basic controls are varied, with different gestures being required for each puzzle you encounter. While adventuring you can take part in a small hidden object game to earn Eureka points that can be exchanged for hints or to bypass puzzles altogether. Those familiar with puzzle-adventures will find a lot of the usual brain-teasers included in the mix, while some surprisingly fresh puzzles sourced from recent App Store titles have also been included. Action-oriented sequences also make a showing now and then, breaking up the heavy puzzle gameplay.

The characters of Jim and Frank aren't visually exciting, but the background work is simply amazing and creeps its way in to the puzzles too. Additional jigsaw pieces and word puzzles are awarded as you progress for an extra challenge, while completing the game also opens up a Puzzle Den to explore.

Fans of adventure games and the occasional brain-teaser will be delighted with the content in The Jim and Frank Mysteries and can expect the main story to take around 7 hours depending on their skill level. This is extraordinary value while it remains on sale and is definitely recommended for all gamers after a lighthearted brain-twisting new game.

Screenshots

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