New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia is a really great Hidden Object Game. The story is compelling: you're a detctive in 1950s NYC trying to solve a string of disappearances of Mafia bosses under mysterious circumstances. In addition, each of these disappearances seem related to another dissapearance, this time of a small child. Somehow butterflies are also related. It's a nice little mystery.

The puzzles are challenging, and there are several difficulty options you can choose from, affecting the amount of help the game gives in the form of visual cues or hints. The music's really cool and fits the theme nicely. I love the retro style and the "period feel" of the 50s and the artwork really showcases that. Overall, New York Mysteries is a high-quality HOG.

There are loads of collectible items (and completing each collection earns you Steam achievements) and there are a lot of different areas to visit in the game. The map is huge, but fortunately, there is also a convenient fast-travel system allowing you to jump around from place to place quickly.

One thing you won't find in this HOG are word-lists and cluttered scenes where you have to cross all the words off the list by finding the items. Hidden object scenes are more organic here, you're given a group of silouettes and you have to work out the objects that fill them. Each of the objects is usually used in the scene to uncover one or more of the additional objects, so the scenes work out more like a puzzle than a straight-up search.

This seems like it is one of the longer HOGs I think I've played, though it's still a game you can complete pretty quickly. I don't really see that as a down side at all though, since the polished and well-presented gameplay and story are really enjoyable.

Here is some gameplay video footage of New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia (shot by seph.au from Gaming All the Time):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoDH9mcap3c
Note: A copy of this game was provided for review purposes.

As many of you may be aware, I'm a HOG addict at this point. I won't lie; I love this genre. I love puzzles, I love revealing stories step by step, and I love spending some mindless time on them. Yet, the HOG genre consists of one of the most repetitive gameplays ever. Thus, it is remarkably hard to make anything either new, or even refreshing as a HOG. New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia is one great HOG, with hours of gameplay, imaginative puzzles that I haven't seen before which comes with comparatively logical item combination. Plus, the story is interesting!

It's New York, 1955. The fearsome Mafioso of their time disappear one by one, leaving only an odd green residue and a butterfly behind them. It is also reported that children all over the city disappear alongside these dangerous criminals, drawing the exact same butterfly as the last thing they do. Our protagonist, investigator and reporter Laura James is contacted by the curator of the New York Museum, where the last disappearance has occurred. Laura is asked to investigate this odd phenomenon and find the missing children if possible. She suddenly finds herself in a picture with a secret organization, old underground passages that trace all over the city and an Indian ghost story. How come all these odd happenings are connected?

Coming up with a strong and interesting story, this is a great game for its genre. Art and environment design are high quality - depicting the hidden beauty of New York City during its shadier years - , with beautiful character design and marvelous cinematics. There is real labor put into this game, I tell you. Voice acting isn't excellent, but it's obviously beyond par. I'm a bit disappointed that we don't hear Laura's voice commenting on something, but it's not a priority.

HOG scenes are not your usual. They are compact; weaved with puzzles and item combinations similar as an adventure game within themselves, designed to reach a singular item at the end. Puzzles are numerous and mostly brain scratching, designed elaborately. I went for not skipping any puzzle for the achievement, so it was a tough and fun experience for me. If you are into puzzle solving, this is a neat addition.

Maybe the greatest bonus of the game is its game time. Added up with the time you'll be spending for many imaginative puzzles and the bonus chapter, there is an approximate game time of 6-7 hours! The gameplay has an usual amount of backtracking, but with the usage of the interactive map, nothing's a chore. You are also given the option of collecting some phantom objects and collection items for achievements, if you are into that sort of thing.

If you are fresh out of HOGs to play, do not think twice. New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia is an A+ HOG for you to enjoy. The game comes from FIVE-BN games, - nope, it's not Artifex Mundi, but definitely AM quality - a relatively small producer that I suggest keeping an eye on in the future. Enjoy!

Please also check out Lady Storyteller's Curator page here - follow for regular updates on reviews for other games!

The first game of the series New York Mysteries, You play as Laura, a young beautiful journalist who was assigned to investigate the disappearance of five mafia leaders as well as kids. At the scenes of the disappearances, the common thing between them is the strange liquid and a butterfly. The story is very interesting and the artwork is so beautiful. If you enjoy 1950's them you'll like this game.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=974054743

The voice acting is good, as well as the soundtracks although it sounds familiar as if they used it in their other games. The hidden objects scenes are not the traditional list of items to find, instead, you need to interact with the scene with the silhouettes they gave you until you find the item you need. Also there are tons of puzzles to solve, I enjoy this kind of pace.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=974227411

The journal is very well-made, and the map is helpful, there are lots of backtracking but the good part that you can fast travel and check the map indicators to find out which area needed your investigation. There is also an optional collectible to find, they were not easy to spot at times.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=974068167

Pros:
+Beautiful detailed artwork and locations.
+Fast traveling map.
+Good music.
+Good voice-overs.
+Variety of puzzles. (Some of them are difficult)
+Bonus Chapter.
+Collectables.
+Steam achievements.

Cons:
-The characters design are dated, only the main character looks good.

The length of the bonus chapter is good, almost two hours to beat. I recommend it to people who enjoy adventure and puzzles and want a game with beautiful artwork, this game is for you to pick.

𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑐𝘩𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑚𝑦 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑎'𝑠 𝐶𝘩𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia
  
• Original Release: 2014
  
• Genre Tags: Point & Click; Adventure; Hidden Object; Casual
  
• My Overall Grade: B
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 5-7 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: None
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Casual gamers

I play a lot of hidden-object/point-and-click adventure games because sometimes I just want a relaxing gaming experience where I have to think, but I don’t have to react. Nevertheless, I will be the first to admit that: even when these games are well developed, I can understand why a large percentage of gamers would find them unexciting. New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia (Collector’s Edition) is one of the better hidden-object/point-and-click adventure games I have played, simply because there are so many things done “right.” But if you don’t really like these types of games, you probably shouldn’t bother with it, because there isn’t anything special about it that will change your mind. However, any gamer who already enjoys this particular genre should definitely check this out.

All of the things you would want a game like this to have, it does have. Various difficulties, a fast travel map, challenging-yet-intuitive puzzle solutions, collectibles, and achievements. It also has a decent story and the cut-scenes aren’t horridly cringe-worthy, which many games in this genre can’t truly claim. Another rare and awesome feature is the fact you can unlock most of the missable achievements from the “extras” menu to replay specific puzzles— rather than having to replay the entire game for one achievement.

One of the best features of the game, though, is the integrated strategy guide. I think it is a great dynamic and it is certainly easier to use than having to alt-tab to find a guide online. It is organized so that you can choose to use it: only to help find collectibles, only if you are stuck, the whole way through, or not at all.

New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia (Collector’s Edition) certainly won’t be blowing anyone’s socks off, and it probably won’t appeal to gamers who aren’t big fans of the hidden-object/point-and-click adventure games. But if you are a fan of this type of game, then I can wholeheartedly recommend this game to you, because it is definitely one of the better games in the genre.

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New York Mysteries is a great casual adventure game with a wide variety of puzzles and a surprisingly good plot. Don’t expect any traditional list-based hidden object scenes in it though.

New York Mysteries: Secrets of the Mafia is an ambitious game that tries to push the boundaries of the hidden object genre, but it doesn’t try to change too much.

Like many good HOGs, New York Mysteries knows the importance of a good story: we are following an investigative journalist on the trail of some mysterious child disappearances that always occur at the same time when a prominent member of the Mafia goes missing. While the plot involves a secret society and some supernatural elements, it retains the more realistic thriller-like atmosphere to the end.

Although it is classified as a HOG, the game has no traditional hidden object scenes, only procedural ones, where you have to use uncovered objects to get even more items. The developers focused on the numerous and diverse puzzles instead, including several types that are rarely seen in these kinds of games, elevating New York Mysteries among the best HOG types on Steam.

I was honestly surprised at how good this game was. It's far from the usual HOPA game and more like a classical adventure, with a strong narrative and very interesting puzzles, including hidden object scenes which are sort of puzzles of their own and not what we're used to based on experience with other games. Technicalities are also great and it runs well.

You're a young journalist recruited by Mr. Bishop to solve the enigma behind kids's disappeareance but also mafia bosses. From docks to a lake, welcome to the '50 New York!

The plot is in reality a double story: the kids and the mafia bosses. The bosses are abducted by a real ghost while the kids are by humans. Yet, everything is tied to a mysterious order. I was kinda disappointed by the plot twist because I wanted more "paranormal" stuff.

The hidden objects scenes are inexistant in their normal form: here, the list is composed of silhouettes: it's up to you to find them through different actions. The puzzles are not too hard but not too easy. The guide that is included will help you if needed. For me, it was only useful for the bonus chapter.

You have also to find special items and objects that morphing into another regurlarly, which is now a standard for a casual game.

The graphics are correct, though I found the character I was incarning not so well-proportionned. The soundtrack is also ok.

One of the good surprises is the possibility to play the minigames from the menu, meaning that you can unlock some achievements without doing another playthrough.

The game was quite a surprise for me, as I didn't expect a paranormal story - I didn't read the description and with the header, I really thought that I was going for a noir story. I found the bonus chapter a little long though.

So in the end, I enjoyed it. I recommend it without hesitation.

I'm a fan of the noir genre, and I've played many HOGs over the years - so I was very surprised to find this one that combines both features; it was a very fun and charming experience!

The main story features a journalist named Laura, who takes it upon herself to try and solve the mystery behind the kidnapped children and some mafia bosses who have been disappearing from all over New York City.

The main story features elements that are borrowed from the typical noir settings, as well as some paranormal traits, and it also borrows from some Native American folklore, as well.
It's very unique and enjoyable because it has pieces of the HOG and noir comfort zone, but the developers weren't too afraid to step beyond the borders to keep things fresh and unpredictable.

After completing the main storyline, a 'mini-episode' will be unlocked and players can enjoy going just a bit further into New York Mysteries' universe; via an underground city that has been left untouched for years.
But, when one of Laura's previous aquaintances has been poisoned by a mysterious toxin from an unknown plant, it's up to her to explore the abandoned city to try and find the antidote to save them.

As for gameplay, it's a mixture of HOG features as well as some from classic Point & Click adventure games.

It was nice to find and pick objects from a 'clean' scene instead of looking for them in a jumbled mess, like most typical HOGs have players do to progress. And, on the flipside, I enjoyed interacting with the enviroment, turning keys to open doors, mixing chemicals, rejoining torn papers as well as clicking on puzzle pieces.

On top of that, there's some nice cutscenes, along with some voice-acting (Though, sadly, Laura doesn't have much of a speaking part) to really paint a picture for new players.

It's a good balance, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Now, with all that in mind, I will definitely say that the game was most definitely enjoyable from my end and was worth every penny - six hours for a comfortable playthrough for six bucks sounds fair to me; and with the replay value of revisiting the puzzles and the massive open-world levels with lush artwork, it's almost a steal!

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't have some issues, however minor...

-You only have ONE save file, you can't have multiples.
Also, even worse, if you're replaying some of the main game again but want to also replay the bonus chapter, the save data for the bonus chapter WILL overwrite your save data for the main game - and vice versa.

-Spilling text on certain documents.
On some of the books and journal entries, the bottom of the text runs off of the page.
This can prove to be frustrating, I'd like to finish what I'm reading instead of it running off into oblivion or cutting abruptly.

-Bonus chapter's too short.
I can understand that it's a 'mini-episode' and all, but it just felt like the very end was a bit sudden; Laura explores the underground city and rescues her companion, but, there was no real explanation for what happened to the people there.
Maybe it's supposed to be left up for interpretation, but there could've been a little more to it.

Other than that, I loved playing through the game; it was nice to sit down and relax with.

I really enjoyed this PnC Mystery.
This was by no means a short game and I was emotionally involved in the story, with the good use of Cut Scenes and Musical Score.

Anyone who knows me, will kno my brain loves Puzzles & Mystery, and found this game to be full of varied and enjoyable puzzles.
FYI - For the HOG achievement, to avoid any un-necessary clicks it is important to find a way to exit the pop-up screens, within the game's functions... there are plenty of good Guides if you need more assistance.
There weren't many HOGs, tho what were there I enjoyed for their practicality , in relation to the story.
Items that we have to search for, are for a reason etc...

Loved the Achievements, one being playing the Main and Bonus Game on Hard Mode. I always love a PnC to have the ability to remove the 'helper markers', like sparkle areas etc.. Personally, I did miss 2 hiding objects, not as in HOG, but hidden as in they morph into a different object, so I do have to re-do, for 100% achievement status. The story experience had me distracted, that I had to double back, quite a few times as I had forgotten these side quest, non-story related tasks.

As for doubling back, or traveling between areas, it is really quick that having no area map, isnt missed at all.

The story is intriguing, and it shows that as much thought and application went to the story as it did to the game itself.
I quite enjoyed the cut scenes as well, at times feeling like I am experiencing the journey and I especially chose to play this game at night, in the dark, to emphasise this effect.

A great game for PnC Mystery, Achievement & some HOG Fans - Thumbs Up

Great Quality.
Lesser of Hidden Object puzzle picking scenes,
more of Problem solving Detective Work.
Felt larger exploration, longer and harder puzzles than usual.

Consistent One collectible and One Phantom object each area makes chasing them easier.

Start Hard mode, pay attention at each area,
complete in one meticulous playthrough.



Good Game.
Getting ready to start Part II - High Voltage.