I have to admit that the hype was just ingenious at best.
You have set a standard for IHOGs and I have become very picky about the games I choose. The MCF series are in a class of its own.
I have a problem with the length of time between the releases of new MCF games in the future. Waiting a year is torture--I rely on GBers opinions about new games before I decide to buy. And IHOGS are by for my favorite. So keep up the good work you and GB are the best!!!!!!

I'm also over 50, but I'm an avid gamer who started playing the first Colossal Cave on a mainframe. (Yeppers, really a relic here. )

Although I joined in the middle of the hype, I loved it, and enjoyed the game no end, as did my husband, who played with me, and he doesn't often get that involved in a game. Except for having to finally skip those dang trolls, we solved everything, so please don't make the next one easier.

(The Nancy Drew Dossiers are fun, but not a patch on a real brain taxing Nancy adventure for me, so easy is not what I love best in any game.)

As to the Russian Circus in the 1900s? Hmmm, all sorts of ways that could go. I see the Russian Revolution coming, so perhaps a way to connect to escaping to Great Britain for aristocrats, or perhaps creating an "assassination" plot? After all, the Tsar and the King of England were cousins.

BFG-Guy. I'm loving this game. This is the best MCF game yet. I like everything about it. It's a fantastic game.

GPM, my sympathy to you that you don't have time to immerse yourself in Return to Ravenhearst. It definitely adds to the pleasure of the game when you don't have to worry about work schedules and daily routines. I deliberately played the game during the darkest hours to add to the creepy atmosphere.

Madame Fate was indeed an easy game to sign on, play a level and then sign off without losing continuity. After playing Return to Ravenhearst, I can't imagine remembering all the paths through and around the mansion if I hadn't played it in large time blocks. (I think I only signed off twice from start to finish.) This game was an excellent crossover for the adventure gamer who also enjoys casual HOG games as it combined the best elements of both styles. However, I doubt the success of RtR will affect the quality or number of true casual HOG's. I hope and believe we will still have plenty of both available. They seem to be coming faster and faster.

OOPS, forgot to add, loved the fun parts, like touching the head of the mannequin and having the dern thing fall over, touch again and it comes back to center!

I am enjoying the game as well. It should make everyone who likes scary games and likes to scare the peep out of people happy to know that I am playing this game during the day or early morning instead of at night. The shower episode had me like the investigator trying to catch my breath and hoping like heck that charles was no where around.

I can't imagine what Russian circus people have to do with nobility but if I had to guess maybe it is like an acrobat troop who have come to England to perform for the queen and her guest at some party. That would be my best guess and of course I can never figure clues out.

Kem

Fantastic game - worth the hype. I love that it is a cross between HOG and adventure game. I enjoyed the entire game (with the exception of the troll game - not much for arcade type fast stuff) and am replaying it again to savor everything as I already know the story and won't be in such a hurry to get to the end.
I really appreciate that you listen to us and then have games designed that fit our desires. You and BFG are the very best!

Ditto for all the positive comments. I loved everything except Whack-a-Troll.

It seems like everyone disliked Whack-a-Troll! It is the only one I skipped. Maybe leave out anything similar in the future? Most of us casual-verging-into-adventure gamers are not as quick with hand-eye coordination as the kiddos.

Margaret

P.S. The crows and candles and bombs were my least favorite parts of Nancy Drew Dossiers too. However, with those you could at least keep playing and learn where the items were. I never improved with Whack, and eventually just skipped it.

Hmmmm, I made time to play this one just to get to the Whack a Mole. Not there yet, but looking forward to it. I love Whack a mole--so we shall see if I love it after I get to this one.

I think opinions are going to be split between serious casual gamers (i.e., only played casual games with no interest in the adventure genre) and cross-genre casual gamers (i.e., adventure gamers who also play casual games).

I was thinking that maybe MCF could be split into two different paths. One path could be straight HOG with fairly easy in-between mini-games and a more humourous tone (Huntsville, Prime Suspects and now Agent X for mobile and Millionheir for DS) and then the harder HOG with a more serious tone, puzzles and now adventure elements (Ravenhearst, Madame Fate, Return to Ravenhearst).

Personally I'd love to see not only a sequel to the Ravenhearst, Madame Fate, RTR games but I'd also love to see the quirky and funny games (like Huntsville & Prime Suspects) have their own sequel. Ambitious I know and I'd buy both!

I really loved the game. I love the story and the graphics and the music really had me engrossed from start to finish. I loved the pre-game hype, it was fun seeing all the people here and at your forums and Gamezebo going through riddles and forums trying to figure it out. Of course the game gave us more questions and that is the fun of this game, it lends itself to wanting more. I loved the contests at Gamezebo, almost won, but it was fun, fun, fun. Even used my Facebook account that my daughter set up for me, and felt like a kid again!

Thanks also for the skip puzzle button. I skipped about 4 puzzles including that Whack-a-Troll. I will go back and play again to try those 3 puzzles again, and to hear the music and see the graphics again. I just wanted to get to the story, praying it wasn't going to end, yet wanting to get to the end, just like a good mystery book!

....... As for Whack-a-Troll.... I may try again, but I doubt that's ever going to happen!

Koalanut

Another MCF winner! Glad it was hyped!

Bernie

I really can't brag because I skipped a few of the puzzles, but I did win the coin from Whack-a-Troll once I figured out not to hit the red ones. I love Whack-a-Mole at the fair, so it wasn't as difficult for me I guess. Also, I use a trackball instead of a mouse - maybe that makes a difference.

BFG...

The only thing I hated about this game is that it ended!!! (Okay...I wasn't crazy about the whack a troll game...here's to carpal tunnel with all the frantic mouse clicking!) By far it was one of the best casual games I've ever played...and I agree with the comments of everyone on this board. I played through it in one long sitting...then played a second time the next day, because it was such a well made game. I had no internet connectivity while I played so I couldn't resort to any hints or walkthroughs. And fortunately I was able to skip the "whacking" to get my coin. (The only puzzle I had to skip.) That's a very solid option. Kudos to you and your crew at Big Fish Games!

Cheers!

Definitely needed more time to whack that mole. As for hype, kind of missed most of it except for the pertinent parts. Like that Rose visited.

Got a crazy idea, what if Charles got Victor from the circus?

I thought MCF5 was absolutely spectacular--immersive, beautiful to look at, and just challenging enough, with a really sophisticated mix of puzzles. (Though I am throwing resentful glances in the direction of Whack-a-Mole ). IMO it raises the bar in a serious way for HOGs in general and HOG-adventure hybrids in particular. More please!

Kristi

I am really immersed in this game. I'll admit I have to skip some puzzles. I'm really a music buff and I think the music is exceptional!!! Will one of you who have finished the game, tell me a little about the music from the credits? Or can you, BFG? Teddo

Simply the best!

Finished the game. Thoughts.........lets see.....Hmmm.....Enough tease IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!! Quite challenging in many ways. The puzzles were different than the usual, which I found quite refreshing. Vastly different from the original Ravenhurst. It shows that you really built this game from the players view point. Look forward to the next challenge you provide for us. Thank you for an entertaining few days. I expect that I will replay it many times in the upcoming years. This is the kind of game you grab in case of fire when you rush out the door to safety.

This is the mark of a true BAAGer

I don't remember who composed the music, but it was played by an orchestra in Berlin. My husband (classical musician buff) had heard its name and was impressed.

Plus, you can buy the soundtrack and probably learn even more from the liner notes.

Minxs/Margaret

Thanks, Minxs. As I recall, BFG said that a Berlin orchestra also did the background music for Hawaiian Expedition. That was good music also. I'll check the credits when I finish MCF 5. It's slow going for me, but I love it. Teddo

I was thinking that Azada 2 had the same orchestra as RTR....I may be wrong though...

Koalanut