Danse Macabre: Lethal Letters - A Mystery Hidden Object Game (Full) Reviews

D.M. Lethal Letters - finally a tune I can dance to!

Dracyy

Eipix did their usual spectacular job on this latest in the Danse Macabre series (each plays as a stand alone). Artwork is superb, storyline grabs you from the start. Transporting indicated map labeled inventory and a match 3 for those that prefer it in the HO scenes. No diary or custom difficulty but so far that's the only negative. Collecting hand bells in every scene. Has a murder but not tons of blood or even graphic descriptions of violence, they tell the story artfully without the in your face unnecessary gore. Verdict:buy!

Love the action!

vmprwmn

I really like these games put out lately that start out with some REAL ACTION! So fed up with fantasy, fairy games! This is proving to be very exciting. Graphics are spectacular, sound effects are stirring and fit the scenes very well. I like the fact that the games are a bit shorter, as there is no time to get bored and just wish the game would end. Those fantasy games seem to go on forever, and really bore me! My recommendation, is to buy the game now! I don't see why people complain about the cost of these games. $4 or $5 dollars is a small price to pay for some really good entertainment. I find it hard to believe some people have all of the problems with the games they say they do. I play on my iPads and never have any problems.

Dear "Danse Macabre": Your "Letters" Are "Killing" Me!

KimTwilight69

This premise portrays an intriguing and refreshing mystery that successfully builds excitement and progresses fluidly with climactic, bustling actions that occur within the movement of the storyline. Unfortunately, the graphics are deficient and mediocre in both presentation and quality; at times, especially in the HOS, they appear blotchy, faded, and indelicately drawn. The colors emit bright, vibrant, and pastel-like tinctures to induce a more lively and zestful climate. You cannot customize your settings; this hindrance impedes player usability and negatively affects enjoyment. The inventory is labeled, interactive, and puzzle-like; items require assembly. Due to the omission of customized settings, the teleport map is rendered as being inadequate with regards to the indications of available actions; depending on your mode of difficulty, you might find yourself vacillating from mode to mode to find something to do. Transition between scenes is smooth and brisk. The HOS are plenteous in quantity; pioneering in nature; and intricate in form and discovery. They include advanced techniques, such as multi-layered sequences where one type transitions into another type. The puzzles were on the casual side but were original, unconventional, and imaginative; an example is when you drive the car through downtown streets while avoiding obstacles by changing paths in order to get to the asylum. You have a collectible; they can be well-camouflaged. I took off a star for the reasons stated above, as well as the omission of a journal. In addition, this installment is fast-paced, hinting at shorter playtime. I would have liked to have rated this 3.75 stars; however, the story holds my attention together with the nice variety and originality incorporated within. Therefore, I am rounding off my rating to 4 stars.

Deadly Dancer in Danse Macabre!

SunshineSusie

Why would a skilled ballerina (Irina) shoot her fiancé during her performance? Perhaps it has something to do with the handbell conditioning (like Pavlov's dogs) that she received at the mental asylum. As Dr. Hawthorne, you are sent to investigate and prove her innocence. Along the way, you collect hidden Handbells in each scene. Adjustable levels of play add to the challenge. Puzzles are typical, and travel from the ballet auditorium to the sanitarium. Hidden Object puzzles may be exchanged for Match 3. Love the Transporting Hint and Map! Nice, clear artwork and smooth controls (including a Back Button and Panoramic Viewing in some scenes.) Great game at a great price!

Letters

Stormiemaxannie

Hypnosis and murder. Very interesting and wonderful graphics

My idea of a game!

Rivka S

This has all of the entertainment, challenges and logistics required for a game. The hint and map buttons are located so as not to redirect you to a former room, which is a huge irritant. Keep 'em coming like this one.

In the middle of the pack

jennifer626

Lethal Letters, another game from EIPIX in the Danse Macabre series, has much to commend it but also suffers from some glitches and outdated controls. There are three levels of difficulty; however, the "casual" option is the only one that indicates places with active tasks on the map and includes helpful comments. I tried the game on the moderate and challenging levels and there were far too many occasions where it was impossible to figure out the next step without a clue. I think this is the only game I've ever played using the casual option. The map enables teleportation, but can be hard to navigate because none of the scenes are labeled or named. You have only a rough layout of the environment. There is no journal, although you can track overall objectives through the casual option. I missed the journal particularly because there were many written clues and plot notes provided during the game. Often I inadvertently clicked too fast and never had the chance to read them. I did enjoy the somewhat novel storyline, and gameplay lasted several hours. There is a bonus chapter that adds about 45 minutes. The graphics were fine but not extraordinary. Most of the HOPs are word lists, but some involve silhouettes or riddles. The minigames are easy to moderate in complexity. There are collectible handbells, most of which I found hard to spot. A nice touch, though, is that the game extras let you find the handbells you missed by telling you the scenes in which they appear. There are also souvenirs (one per scene) that you can collect after the bonus chapter is completed. Finally, the game would've benefited from some more QA testing. For example, in the first scenes, a character that you rescue is simultaneously shown as safe and in peril on the screen, and you are still directed to save him. On a few occasions, the map failed to indicate any active tasks or directed me to a scene where I could not get through anything. My rating is closer to 3 1/2 stars, but because I overall found this entertaining and purchased this on sale, I rounded up to four.