Cate West - Master Detective

In Cate West: The Vanishing Files, you play the role of the titular character. You're not an actual detective - well, not professionally anyway - but that doesn't stop the police from coming to you when they need help solving a tough case. You have a talent for seeing things. I think the term "visionary" would suit Cate quite well, as she's plagued by visions that give her information that nobody else has. She's also an accomplished novelist, but I think that sort of takes a backseat to the whole "crazy visions" thing that she has going.

From the moment you fire up The Vanishing Files and hear the ominous, creepy music that accompanies the opening title screen, you know you are in for one heck of a ride. The entire presentation is very reminiscent of the eerie detective shows that you'd see on primetime network TV and it suits the game very well. The artwork is wonderfully illustrated as well and the writing is sharp and witty, complete with a few tidbits of voice acting. Overall, the game presentation is very impressive and you'll find yourself more immersed than you usually get with television shows and movies.

Put Your Skills to the Test

When you first being playing, Cate needs to go to a book signing at her friend Wesley's bookstore. Wesley tells her that she should bring some personal items with her because "fans love that sort of stuff." And with that, you begin the first stage, which is a hidden objects stage. If you've played something from this genre before, than you know what to expect. Find the items on your list, - there are 10 items in total, but you only need to find 8 to beat the stage.

The majority of gameplay featured in this product is hidden objects gameplay, or at least a variation of it. While there are standard stages like the one I mentioned above, there are also levels that require you to spot the differences between two pictures or put certain items back where they belong. There's a surprising amount of variety here and it makes for a game that won't get stale and boring any time soon.

Catch A Crook

You get recruited by the police pretty quickly and you're off solving all sorts of cases. After you play through four or five levels and hunting for clues and evidence, you'll eventually have to narrow it down to a single suspect and arrest him or her. At the suspect screen, Cate will analyze various clues and explain what they mean and you have to use that information to finger the correct culprit.

Unfortunately, there's still more work to be done. There will be a court trial and you'll usually have to solve a puzzle or two to make sure you nail a guilty verdict. The life of a detective isn't an easy life.

Case Closed

Cate West: The Vanishing Files is a spectacular game in all aspects, from story and presentation to replay ability and overall fun. I honestly can't think of a good reason not to recommend this game.