Miriel's Enchanted Mystery
Platform: Mac, Windows
People need to take more care of their magical eggs these days. Leaving them in basements, bus stops, and other people's gardens is a great way to put the entire kingdom in danger, as you'll discover in the new time management title from Myth People, Miriel's Enchanted Mystery, a follow-up to Miriel the Magical Merchant. When Miriel's grandmother shows up at her shop one day with a strange egg she's found, Miriel doesn't know what to make of it. She tucks it away in her shop and goes about serving her customers, never suspecting that she's just shoved an ancient relic in behind the bags of flour and last week's apples. Adventure and magic is all very good, but Miriel has a shop to run! But she's about to discover that sometimes adventure comes looking for you, too.
Control is simple, clicking on screen to direct Miriel to interact with objects. Before you can serve anyone, you'll have to order items by clicking on the appropriate picture on the board by the shelf, which can only hold so many items at a time. Customers arrive along the bottom of the screen and display their order in a word balloon. Pick up their items and drop them off quickly to earn a bonus, then click on the gold they leave to collect it. Make sure you don't take too long or they'll storm out, which can hurt your chances of achieving your daily goal.
But it's not all apples and flour. As you progress, Miriel learns new spells that can help out in the shop, recipes that you can bake for more valuable products, and a host of other upgrades for your humble little shop. You can also unlock actual recipes that you can cook yourself!... which, uh... is a mildly perplexing addition that makes you think someone at the company really wanted to go to culinary school instead and is a little hung up on it. But it's a cute touch nonetheless. And, hey! Who doesn't like macaroni, anyway?
And, of course, it turns out looks do go a long way as well. Everything in Miriel's Enchanted Mystery is crisp, clean, and well drawn. Even if the animation for each sprite only consists of a few frames, it's still bright and colourful and cute as the proverbial button.
Analysis: Alright, so Miriel's story isn't the stuff of sweeping fantasy epics, and you probably shouldn't hold your breath to see Orlando Bloom playing Granny any time soon. But as fluffy and predictable as it can sometimes be, it serves to drive the game along nicely. More variation in the stores would have been appreciated, but you'll still travel all over the realm as Miriel completes quests to unlock the mystery of her egg. You'll serve different types of customers, make all sorts of new items to sell, and meet mysterious people you may or may not be able to trust. (Just like in real life retail.) Man, I wish I was magic like Miriel. The only things I ever find in my garden are weeds and stinging insects. *sigh*
But while the game does feature some hidden-object scenes, the unfortunate reality is that for the most part they're really not much more as a minor nuisance. You're hunting about for pieces of the same objects nearly every time, and the only thing that ever really changes is the scenery. Buddy, if you keep ripping up that kite whenever we bring it to you and losing the pieces, we're going to start doubting the veracity of your wise and mysterious claims. While I can appreciate any attempt to shake up a genre, the object hunting here tends to fall flat and definitely isn't as fleshed out as it could have been.
The good news is that while it doesn't add anything new to the genre, as a time-management title, Miriel's Enchanted Mystery is definitely solid. The action ramps up gradually and is usually just enough to keep you on your toes without making you feel overwhelmed. If you fail to meet the requirements for a day's victory, you can just try again with no penalty. Just remember, if a customer starts to get angry, just like in real life, the best solution is to shove an entire plate full of free candy down their throats. I know that's how I solved all my problems at my old job.
If you're a fan of time management, you'll likely enjoy Miriel's Enchanted Mystery. It's not a revolutionary title, but it's a high-quality one that will satisfy fans and is light-hearted enough that kids can enjoy it, too. With enough adventure and challenge to handle a few evening's worth of play, not to mention goals and recipes to unlock, Miriel's Enchanted Mystery is a polished, tasty little tale that's easily worth a demo download.
Windows:
Download the demo
Get the full version
Mac OS X:
Download the demo
Get the full version
Walkthrough Guide
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Miriel's Enchanted Mystery Walkthrough
General Tips and Strategies
Over the course of the game you will have several shops. They will share upgrades such as larger shelves or paint, but some of the individual items are specific to regions.
Delivering multiple orders or picking up gold in quick succession will give you combos that reward you extra gold.
Delivering freshly cooked goods (bread, muffins, jam, etc) out of the oven will get you a fresh bonus of +5 gold.
Most quests have a basic and expert goal - expert becomes unlocked if you finish basic with time to spare. If you complete the expert goal the clock will immediately go to the end of the day and the level ends when you complete all current customer orders.
The hidden object puzzles contain fragments of objects you must find. If you finish before the timer is up, you will receive a coin bonus.
You can stock the shelves at any time, even if Miriel is busy. This is often a good idea because you won't have to wait for the items to load when they are ordered.
Every few levels a merchant will visit where you can buy upgrades, spells and new features for the shop.
Usually it is a good idea to upgrade Miriel's speed, shelf space, how many item's Miriel can carry, and shop speed as quickly as possible. These upgrades all allow you to take and fill orders more quickly. You can also upgrade to more expensive inventory items such as perfume, delicacy foods, and more involved recipes.
The Spellbook
There are four spells you can acquire throughout the game: Haste, Charm, Freeze, and Fulfill Wishes. Haste comes with the spellbook but the others must be bought through the merchant.
Spells are used by clicking the spellbook on the left when your spell meter is full. You fill your spell meter by quickly serving customers with the magic icon in their order box. The icon will flicker and disappear if you take too long to serve them. With four icons, you can cast any spell.
Haste - Haste causes Miriel and all the actions in the shop to go faster for a short period of time.
Charm - Charm makes all your current customers happy and more patient.
Freeze - Freeze causes all your customer to freeze, giving you more time to fill their orders.
Fulfill Wishes - This spell automatically fills all your current orders.
All the spells have a similar effect. Try to use spells as frequently as possible. Waiting until you have four orders and using Fulfill Wishes is often a good strategy.
Chapter 1: The Code Tablet
Quest 1
Goal: Deliver 5 apples.
Afterwards you will get an oven which allows you to make bread using flour and water.
Quest 2
Goal: Deliver four loaves of bread (flour + water in oven).
Afterwards gain ability to carry three things.
Quest 3
Basic goal: Earn 100 gold. Expert goal: Earn 150 gold.
Afterwards you will have access to the merchant to buy upgrades.
Quest 4
Basic goal: Collect six bottles of snake oil (from customers as payment).
Expert goal: Collect seven bottles of snake oil.
Quest 5
Find the object pieces hidden in the image to get a tablet fragment.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Quest 6
Basic goal: Collect 200 gold.
Expert goal: Collect 270 gold.
Afterwards you will be able to sell empty flasks.
Quest 7
Basic goal: Collect 200 gold.
Expert goal: Collect 280 gold.
Afterwards you will get access to red and green barrels to color your items red or green.
You will also receive a visit from the merchant to upgrade. Buy a larger shelf or the ability to carry more items.
Quest 8
Goal: Serve 5 green (or red) potions. (Use empty vial on green barrel.)
Quest 9
Basic goal: Earn 200 gold. Expert goal: Earn 280 gold.
Afterwards you can sell cheese in you store.
Quest 10
Basic goal: Collect six eggs for Zag. Expert goal: Collect eight eggs for Zag.
Quest 11
Find the object pieces. Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Quest 12
This level introduces overseers who show a list of written items instead of images.
Basic goal: Earn 250 gold. Expert goal: 290 gold.
Afterwards you'll get a visit from the merchant.
Quest 13
Basic goal: Collect 6 healing salves.
Expert goal: Collect 7 healing salves.
Then head to Frostville
Quest 14
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Screenshot 2
Receive the third tablet fragment.
Quest 15
Basic goal: Earn 250 gold in the Frostville store. Expert goal: Earn 290 gold.
Afterwards you will be able to sell cloth at your store, and you'll get a visit from the merchant. Buy the amulet of speed.
Quest 16
Basic goal: Collect six fishing lures.
Expert goal: Collect eight fishing lures.
Afterwards return to Heremore.
Quest 17
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive the last tablet fragment on completion.
Quest 18
Basic goal: Earn 300 gold.
Expert goal: Earn 420 gold.
Chapter 2: Crown of Longevity
Quest 1
Basic goal: Collect four scarves.
Expert goal: Collect five scarves.
The merchant comes again - buy bigger shelves or the ability to carry more items.
Quest 2
Basic goal: Collect six herbs.
Expert goal: Collect seven herbs.
Quest 3
Basic goal: Collect six flowers.
Expert goal: Collect seven flowers.
Quest 4
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive first crown piece.
Quest 4
Basic goal: Collect five scarves.
Expert goal: Collect seven scarves.
Quest 5
Basic goal: Collect 300 gold.
Expert: 425 gold.
Afterwards you receive the Spellbook.
Quest 6
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot
Receive the second crown piece.
Quest 7
Basic goal: Collect 250 gold.
Expert: 350 gold.
For the first time, you will have access to the spellbook. Serve three customers while the magic icon still appears in their order balloon and these will accumulate in the spellbook.
When you have four, you can click the spellbook and choose a spell to cast. At first you only have access to Haste, which speeds up both Miriel and everything in her shop.
Afterwards the merchant will visit.
Quest 8
Basic goal: Collect 10 lures.
Expert: Collect 11 lures.
Quest 9
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive the third crown piece.
Quest 10
Basic goal: Serve eight plain cloth.
Expert: Serve 10 plain cloth.
Quest 11
Basic goal: Collect 10 instruments.
Expert: Collect 11.
The merchant returns.
Notice you now have spells available in the shop.
Buy the Fulfill Wishes spell.
Quest 12
Find the hidden object pieces in the scene.
Refer to previous screenshots for object locations.
Receive final crown piece.
Chapter 3: Jewels for the Ring
Quest 1
You'll arrive at a new shop, Belowscape.
Basic goal: Serve nine plain cloth.
Expert: Serve ten plain cloth.
Quest 2
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive the first jewel.
Quest 3
Basic goal: Earn 300 gold.
Expert: 420 gold.
Quest 4
Basic goal: Collect six malachite.
Expert: Seven malachite.
Afterwards see the merchant again.
Quest 5
Basic goal: Earn 350 gold.
Expert: 454 gold.
Quest 6
Back to the Heremore shop.
Basic goal: Collect 10 herbs.
Expert: 13 herbs.
A new feature, mushrooms, opens.
Quest 7
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive the second jewel.
Quest 8
Basic goal: Earn 350 gold.
Expert: 454 gold.
Quest 9
Basic goal: Collect six necklaces.
Expert: Seven necklaces.
Quest 10
Basic goal: Collect 10 jacks-in-the-box.
Expert: !2 jacks-in-the-box.
Afterwards the merchant will visit.
Quest 11
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Receive the third jewel.
Quest 12
Basic goal: Collect eight rare minerals.
Expert: Nine minerals.
Quest 13
Basic goal: Collect six hair pins.
Expert: Seven pins.
Quest 14
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive the last jewel.
Quest 15
Basic goal: Earn 500 gold.
Expert: 650
Chapter 4: Shields
Quest 1
Basic goal: Collect 10 roses.
Expert: 11 roses.
Quest 2
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot
Get the first shield.
Quest 3
Basic goal: Collect 11 silver leaves.
Expert: 12 leaves.
Quest 4
Basic goal: Collect 10 tax forms.
Expert: 12 forms.
Quest 5
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot
Receive the second shield.
Afterwards you will be visited by the merchant.
Quest 6
Basic goal: Earn 700 gold.
Expert: 840 gold.
Quest 7
Basic goal: Collect 10 nuts.
Expert: 11 nuts.
Quest 8
Basic goal: Collect 10 jacks-in-the-box.
Expert: 12 jacks-in-the-box.
Quest 9
Find the object pieces.
Solution: Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Receive the third shield.
Afterwards the merchant will visit.
Quest 10
Basic goal: Collect 10 ice flowers.
Expert: 12 ice flowers.
Quest 11
Find the object pieces. Solution: Screenshot
Receive the last shield.
At this point you have completed all the storyline quests but can continue to build Miriel's shop if you choose.
Thanks to eileen for writing up this walkthrough! Wooty tooty flip bam booty!
Posted by: Kero
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October 25, 2009 4:17 AM