The American Girl: Kit - Mystery Challenge
Kit is an American Girl character, living in the '30's during the Great Depression. The
game sets this tone in a most realistic way. The Kittredge household has had to take in
borders to make ends meet. Kit and her aunt had to give up their bedrooms and are
moved into the attic. The house is filled with people packed two to a room. A big crowd,
plenty of suspects if there was a mystery - and there is.
Starts off pretty tame - someone left the latch open on the coop and the chickens got loose,
but then, this is American Girl. This is the first of five mysteries - most of the others
involve finding missing objects - mother's pearls, a Cinderella Costume, a rose - one
involves surreptitious tracking and surveillance.
The 2-D scenes are meticulously done with an immense amount of detail that isn't really
made use of. Kit takes on the job of finding out who did it. This involves running up and
down through the house, questioning everyone and getting alibis - a la Nancy Drew.
Then there's a whole thing about footprints and finding shoes - more running through the
house. Meanwhile, evidence, alibis and found objects are cataloged, and when Kit can
put together enough clues she can make an accusation. If correct - case solved, if not -
back to the drawing board. The idea of amassing clues and conversations in a file is
standard OP for a Nancy Drew - no need to take notes. Not so here - not all events are
included and so you will have to remember what Aunt Millie said and what you decided
about Mr. Pike's shoes. A little more work on the part of the designers is needed here.
Solving real mysteries takes lots of legwork, collecting evidence, going over the crime
scene, making deductions - but this is a game and there is too much repetition and
backtracking. It's a standard way of extending the length of a game instead of using
content, and players resent it. The designers did such a good job of setting the tone for the
game but they neglected the game play.
Reviewed by: Editor - 03/09
Ages: Everyone
Fun Factor: To much repetition and backtracking
Female Factor: The American Girl formula produces characters that are almost too perfect.
Player Friendly: Girls need better games