Game: Madorica Real Estate 2 – The Mystery of the New Property
Genre: Puzzle, co-op game
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows))
Developer | Publisher: GIFT TEN INDUSTRY
Age Rating: EU 3+ | US E
Price: UK £15.99 | EU € 18,99 | US $18.99
Release date: November 9th (US) and 16th (EU) November 2022
Review code used, with many thanks to GIFT TEN INDUSTRY
Do love watching those real estate programs on television, where someone buys a house at an auction and sets out to make it liveable after that? The state they sometimes encounter is scary. But nothing really scary like the manager encounters in Madorica Real Estate. When you take on this job, you are met with haunted houses.
In a town full of haunted properties, Madorica Real Estate is the only agency that rents out safe, ghost-free houses. And it’s your job as the newly appointed manager of the branch to get rid of the ghosts and make them available for rent. A good thing you can conjure up some spells just for that!
Back in 2018, I reviewed the first game, and now developer Takashi Hamada is back with a second game. Guess Madorica got some new properties in their portfolio. Let’s take a look.
The Sherlock Holmes of Property
In Madorica Real Estate 2 – The Mystery of the New Property you are greeted by 20 new puzzles to unravel. Because, unlike the introduction might suggest, Madorica Real Estate isn’t a scary or horror game. It’s a puzzle game, full of logic puzzles to rid each property of the ghost that hovers in the final room. A bit like ghostbusters, but instead of getting out the big plasma guns, you use spells and the buttons on your Switch to vanquish them.
Inspired by the “Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective: Game Book” Takashi made us new brain teasers that aren’t easy. And aside from that, they are unique. Because to solve them, you need the printed floor plans of each property and scissors and pencils as well. This is a game that you can certainly enjoy on your own, but it would go down smashingly played on a Saturday night with a couple of friends. Poring over de maps and trying to find out what to do while vanquishing the crisps and beer.
How to Get Rid of a Ghost
Before you start, you must print out the floor plans. I know what you’re thinking, that might be a challenge in itself. But believe me, for some of the puzzles you can’t do without. You can find them on the GIFT TEN INDUSTRY website here.
The properties in Madorica Real Estate 2 – The Mystery of the New Property unlock in sequence, so start with your first puzzle. It’s one with no time pressure, as the first 3 are. After that, you get a time limit, but if you’re not fond of that like I am, you can also opt for no stress. Each floorplan shows on top what you need to complete it. (A printer, for as I said, you need paper plans, but also scissors, pencils and sometimes sound).
Entering the first property you are met by the ghost who is obviously enjoying himself very much. The ghosts are depicted in a way that this game is not scary at all, so you can play it with kids as well. Go from room to room finding the hints of the spell you must type in at the doorway. The First Condominium is simple of course, once you’ve found which buttons to push you just close your eyes (with the L or R button), type the spell and you’re in the next room.
The second one, the Folded Villa, presents an additional problem, though the name gives it away. And it’s the third one, the Painted Gallery, that throws more challenges your way. They get more difficult the farther you go.
There is a Solution
When solving the way to rid yourself of the ghost you have to remember that hints and clues can be anywhere in the room. Not just on the walls, but on the floor and ceiling too. And they might be in plain view, but could also hide in small lettering or light and dark. Though the time limits might sound doable, for some you’ll have to work (and think) fast. As it can be difficult to envision how it works in Madorica Real Estate 2 – The Mystery of the New Property I’ve included this video:
As you can’t progress to the next property without solving earlier puzzles, the developer has included the solution. Pressing + you get a QR code, and when scanning it you will see a clip with the answer. A bit like doing a crossword puzzle with the solution on the last page of the book. You want to find it yourself and keep yourself from taking the easy way. But you don’t want to be stuck on the same puzzle and not be able to move on.
I quite like that as it keeps the gameplay fun, and challenging and doesn’t get frustrating this way.
Visuals and Music
The visuals for Madorica Real Estate 2 – The Mystery of the New Property are good but of course, they are basic. This isn’t a game that needs frills and decorated surroundings. This is, after all, an empty house you’re walking into.
As for the first game, Masuko Tsukasan, known for the Megami Tensei series, is responsible for the soundtrack. It has a lounge room vibe that is perfect as a background. When you buy the psychical game, you get the music on cassette tape at the same time. There’s a QR code on the cassette tape as well if you want to keep listening.
Conclusion
Refreshing my memory after playing the first game with these new puzzles, I repeat my verdict for Madorica Real Estate 2 – The Mystery of the New Property. There isn’t any other puzzle game on Switch quite like it. The combination of challenging puzzles, the use of paper floor plans, QR codes and silly ghosts is unique.
Play this escape room puzzle adventure alone and get the feeling of great achievement when you get rid of the ghost. Or play it with friends or your kids and have great fun together. The first ever interview we did on LadiesGamers was with Takashi Hamada (you can find it here) and I’m glad he brought us another great puzzler.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up