What do you think the worst part about being a Monster Detective is? Dealing with the actual monsters? Being constantly referred to as a low-budget Dean Winchester or Nick Burkhardt? Or the constant nagging from your mother as to when you're going to get a "real job" like her friend Marge's kid the doctor? In Pastel Games' latest point-and-click adventure, you and your scowl are called to look for a woman who's gone missing in a dingy town you soon discover has more than its share of weirdness and vanishings. Click around to talk to people, pick up items, and drag and object from your inventory to the place on the screen you want to use it, or on another item to try to combine the two. As you might expect from the spooky music and suspicious characters everywhere, nobody in this town really seems to want to help you, so you'll have to go everywhere and track down clues yourself.
This is really the sort of game where artwork just sort of seals the deal, and the fantastic black-and-white character designs and off-kilter architecture add to the sense of wrongness... in a very good way. What's nice is that items you can interact with typically stand out from their environments in a clear way that keeps you from fumbling around clicking on everything. Though you might not spot certain area transitions on your own, the changing cursor helps if you're thorough, and it helps even more that, by and large, the puzzles and item uses are all fairly logical and clear. It's not a particularly difficult game, but it might just have some of the best visual design Pastel Games has ever done, and as such provides a great, if short, moody little adventure. Sadly, since you never once refer to anyone as a "dame" or give an amusing noir narration ("His eyes were like two hard chips of public restroom wall tile"), I regret to inform you that you're probably not qualified to be a real detective, but that won't stop you from enjoying this gorgeously atmospheric case.
Walkthrough Guide
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Monster Detective Walkthrough
Starting Out: Outside the Street
You begin outside on a sidewalk. There's signpost on the left, click it to view a "map" of Fog Town.
In the lower left corner of the map is A DOCUMENT. Take it.
Doubleclick the document in your inventory to view the note: "...##".
Click "exit" to close the detail screen.
Click the bottom of the screen to back up from the signpost.
On the right side of the screen, another something is hanging from the corner of the building.
Take the DOCUMENT from the roof.
Examing the second document gives you another note: "##...".
Zoom in on the box next to the doorway:
Click the top of the box and it opens to reveal a number pad. You should now have seen enough to know what to do to open the box...
Use the information from the two documents to input a 4-digit code, then press the rectangular button to open the box:
Combine the two numbers "##..." and "...##" to get the code.
Your code will vary with each game.
NOTE: if you mess up the first time, you may need to back out and then zoom in again to input the new/correct number.
Inside the box you'll find several items. Take them all:
another DOCUMENT
"Anna Wallace. employee of the agency investigating series of mysterious disappearances in town."
and a fourth DOCUMENT (a picture of someone).
20 DOLLARS
and a CARD ID.
Back up from the box and click the door way to enter an alleyway.
The Alleyway and Inside the House
Here you see a Bar up ahead, a gate to the left, a wall covered with missing persons posters and an electrical box to the right.
Click the gate to the left to look at it more closely:
Use the CARD ID to unlock it.
Then click on the gate to go in.
Now you're on the doorstep to a house. Click the door to go inside. Go right into the bedroom area.
Take all the DOCUMENTS you find here:
On the computer
"Password: necromantis"
On top of the bed
"Necromantis Vampiris. A mysterious book describing the ritual of opening the transition between dimensions. According to the legende to open this portal you need to sacrifice 99 people and use someone with a pure soul as a gate."
On the floor by the bed
A picture of something (the portal perhaps?)
Back out.
Go left into the kitchen area.
Get the LAMP from under the counter.
Back out.
Back out twice to return to the alleyway.
The Black Swan
Go forward stand outside The Black Swan. Look around for something you can pick up:
There's a COG WHEEL next to the door. Take it.
Click the door to enter The Black Swan. There's a barkeep behind the counter and a guy sitting alone in a booth. Click on the barkeeper:
Click on the barkeep to talk to him:
Ask him about Anna Wallace and note that she hangs out with the local priest a lot.
Then ask how you can get to the IRS. He'll tell you the tram will take you there and that the guy in the booth is the driver.
Thank him to end that conversation.
Click on the barkeeper again to view items you can buy from him:
A "the bar" menu lists items you can buy.
The "shop cash" indicates how much it costs.
Since you have $20 from the box outside the gateway, you can buy:
a BOTTLE OF BOOZE
and MATCHES.
Also note that you are able to sell items from your inventory, if you want/need to.
Exit the bar "shop" and back out. Then, click on the man in the booth to talk to him:
Ask about getting a ride to the IRS building.
He tells you to turn the power back on first.
Turning On the Power and the Tram
Exit The Black Swan and go up the stairs on the left.
Click on the top of the stairs to climb higher.
There is another electrical box here:
Examine the box. Click to door to open it.
Click the switch to activate it.
Back out
Back out and then click the right of the screen to go back down.
From outside The Black Swan again, go right. Next to the wall with all the missing persons posters is an electrical box. Click it to zoom in on it:
Click the door to open it.
Click the switch to shift it down, activating this power line.
Back up.
Go forward then left, past The Black Swan to see a tram at the bottom of the stairway. Click on the tram to get closer to it.
Here is another electrical box, to the right of the tram. Zoom in on it:
Again, open the door, pull the switch!
This time, with the third box activated, you'll get the message: "The line is fixed now."
Back up three times and go back into The Black Swan. Then, talk to the driver again:
Tell him the line is fixed. He'll say he's on a lunch break and wants a drink.
Give him the BOTTLE OF BOOZE.
Take the TRAM KEY.
Back out twice and then left down the stairs to the tram. Enter the tram:
Pick up a COG WHEEL off the seat on the right.
Insert the TRAM KEY into the keyhole on the upper right part of the tram's control panel.
Then, click the center of the control panel to drive away.
The IRS Tower: Receptionist and Boss
The tram ride ends at the bottom of another stairway. Click them to climb up and stand outside a tall towerlike building. Click the doorway to move forward again.
To the left of the door is an intercom.
Examine the intercom then push the button to talk to the receptionist.
Back up.
Go through the door into the reception area. A woman sits at a desk in front of you. Talk to her:
You tell her you're from the Central Taxing Control and, after a bit of back and forth, she gives you the go ahead to see the boss.
Go left and go through the door. Here you can scan the room by moving the pointer back and forth. Pan all the way to the right until you see an elevator. Click on it to enter.
From inside the elevator, click the up arrow.
After the elevator travels up, click its doors to exit.
You'll come to a hallway with two doors and the elevator. The door in the middle of the hallway is closed. Go into the door on the far right to enter the boss' office. Click on the boss to talk to him:
Tell him you're looking for Anna Wallace and he assures you she's not missing, just visiting her mother.
Back up. Notice that there is a key in the wall that you can't access.
Go through the door on the left exit the boss' office. Then go back into the elevator and push the down button. When it lands, click the doors to go back out.
Restroom, Anna's Computer and the Library Key
Go through the double doors next to the elevator to enter the restroom.
Click twice on the stalls to talk to "someone" in the toilet.
This someone tells you about Anna's computer and then gives you a STRANGE SYMBOL.
Back out of the restroom. Scan the room and find the empty computer cubicle in the middle of the scene (just to the right of an older guy). Click on it to move closer.
Click on the left wall of the cubicle then on the book.
Take DOCUMENT 8 from inside the book (a picture of a tower).
You can also flip through the book to see what is written in it.
Close the book and back up again.
Then, click on the computer. It asks for your password:
You have something in your documents, specifically the PASSWORD REMINDER, to give you the password.
necromantis
Click the rectangle in the computer screen to bring up the prompting cursor then type in the password.
Click the arrow to enter the password.
Now you can "read" the emails and look through the files, but there isn't much else to see here at the moment.
Back out of the restroom then pan left. Take the far left door and back out to the reception area again.
Talk to the receptionist:
Give her the STRANGE SYMBOL and ask her about it.
She'll tell you about the priest and tell you where the library is, giving you the LIBRARY KEY.
Take the door to the right of the receptionist's desk. Go inside.
Note the symbols on the top of the book cases.
Click three times on the door in the back of the room to examine it.
Use the LIBRARY KEY to unlock the door.
Click it to enter.
Once through this door, you'll be at the bottom of a spiraling stairwell. Go up the stairs.
Click the niche in the wall on the right.
You'll see a SMALL BOTTLE. Take it.
Back up.
Then, examine the control panel on the left.
The lever in the middle shifts to focus control on one of four bookcases.
The lever on the right is used to move each bookcase.
Move each bookcase until they flush together to form a complete symbol.
Go back down the stairs, into the library.
The Secret Passage and the Crystal Skull
After moving the bookcases (see section above), a secret passage will open in the floor of the library. Click on it to get closer. It's dark in there, so you'll need a light.
If you haven't done so already, combine the LAMP and the MATCHES in your inventory.
Click the center of the screen to move down the stairs twice, until you come to the bottom.
Here you can barely see an OLD RUSTY KEY on the left side, near the bottom step. Take it.
Then, continue forward to another room that you can pan and scan.
Scan all the way to the right until you see another COGWHEEL (in between two statues).
Move all the way to the left and click on the gears.
Use the THREE COGWHEELS you've collected along the way to repair the machine.
Then, pull the lever on the left to activate the gears.
Back up.
Now a CRYSTAL SKULL floats above the machine. Take it.
Click the bottom left corner of the room to back out to the stairwell. Continue backing up into the library and go out the door on the right.
Then keep backing out of the IRS tower and you'll get the message: "I think I'm ready to go see the priest now..."
The Priest, the Cemetery and the Crypt
Back up from the tower and return to the tram. Now when you click on the tram's control panel, you'll be taken to a new platform. Climb up the stairs and keep going forward until you're in front of the church doors.
Click the door to go inside. Go forward once more then click on the man in the corner, the Priest, to talk to him.
He tells you Anna is a pure soul then gives you the CEMETERY KEY.
Back out to the church yard and go left past the church to see a pier with a boat moored to it.
Grab another OLD RUSTY KEY from the bushes on the left side of the screen.
Return to the church yard then click on the area on the right to see the gate to the cemetery. Move closer to it.
Use the CEMETERY KEY on the gate then click it to enter the cemetery.
Move forward and twice to stand before the crypt doors.
Use both OLD RUSTY KEYs to unlock the crypt.
Go inside the crypt.
On the body is KEY MECHANISM; take it.
Back all the way up to the church yard again. Go left to the pier.
The Altar, The Statue, Vampires and The End
Climb inside the boat and you'll paddle to an island.
Go forward to the strange building until you come to its door.
Use the KEY MECHANISM to open the door.
Enter the building and continue forward down the stairs until you com to the altar.
Go up the alter to stand in front of a large bowl.
Pour the SMALL BOTTLE into the bowl to get holy water.
Combine the HOLY WATER with the CRYSTAL SKULL.
Now you have a PURIFIED CRYSTAL SKULL.
Back all the way out, take the boat back to the pier, then back up to the church.
Go inside the Church. Move forward again to where the priest is. Click on the headless statue on the left side of the room.
Use the PURIFIED CRYSTAL SKULL on the statue.
The priest turns... takes book...now you have to go after him.
Back out of the church and enter the tram. It'll take you back to the town. Get back into the tram and continue to the IRS building.
When you go up to the tower, you'll see it's destroyed. Go to the right.
Continue you reach a locked door. Change each of the three symbols until all three segments are white. Then click the white area to open the door and go inside.
Take the STAKE from a bin in the center of the room.
Go through the doorway on the right and continue down. Unbolt the door and enter.
Now you'll see you came through the door that was shut in the hallway outside the boss' office.
Go through the door on the right to the boss' office.
Now you get that ELEVATOR KEY that was locked up earlier.
Exit the office and enter the elevator.
Use the ELEVATOR KEY on the control panel.
A new "up up" button will open up. Press it.
Exit the elevator and you're at the top of the tower. Climb up the stairs on the right. Here you see "the ritual" has already begun. Uh oh.
If you scan the room, you find a very convenient crossbow in the right corner.
Keep clicking the crossbow to move it to the left by the vampire.
Add the STAKE to the crossbow and...wammy! Yuck!
The end (?)
Posted by: elle
|
November 30, 2012 6:59 PM