MumboJumbo, a leading developer and publisher of casual games, today launched Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, a hidden-object adventure game that challenges players to solve the 160-year-old mystery surrounding the death of one of America's most famous writers. The seek-and-find PC title is the first installment in the newly launched Midnight Mysteries franchise, and it is available exclusively through BigFishGames.com and mumbojumbo.com.
"Everyone loves a great mystery-the intrigue, the conspiracy theories, the whole unknown," said Mark Cottam, CEO of MumboJumbo. "In Midnight Mysteries, players can enjoy great hidden-object game play, solve puzzles and interact with characters to crack one of the most enduring mysteries of our time."
In Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, the player takes on the persona of a famed writer who is known for solving cold cases. One night, the player is visited by the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe and given an invitation to attend the bicentennial celebration of Poe's life and works. Recognizing this as an opportunity to discover the truth behind Poe's death, the player goes on a hidden-object adventure through some of the author's most famous works, including The Mystery of Marie Rogêt and The Gold Bug.
"We're very excited to kick off our Midnight Mysteries franchise with a tale about one of the most famous mystery writers. Who better to launch a series about murder and intrigue than Poe himself?" said Cottam.
Poe, best known for his short stories and poems, including The Raven and Annabel Lee, was born in Boston, Ma. in 1809 and died of mysterious causes in October 1849. Speculation about his death has gone on for years by scholars, doctors and enthusiasts. His death has been attributed to everything from alcoholism, to rabies, to the violent practice of voting fraud known as cooping.
Many of Poe's works also have been termed tales of ratiocination, or logical reasoning, which Poe's prominent Detective Dupin character uses to solve crimes in many of his stories-a factor that made this particular story one of interest for the first installment of Midnight Mysteries.
In Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, the player must collect clues, interview witnesses and piece together the conspiracy theory behind the famous American author's death to set Poe's spirit free.
The title is just one of many ways that the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe are being celebrated in 2009-this year marks the 200th anniversary of the acclaimed mystery writer's life. Across the nation, events are scheduled throughout the year, especially in cities that have particular ties to Poe's life, like Baltimore, Md., Richmond, Va., and Philadelphia, Pa.
Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy is available now at BigFishGames.com and mumbojumbo.com, and it will make its retail debut in August. To learn more about Midnight Mysteries, you can visit www.mumbojumbo.com.