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Game
Game2014
Brink of Consciousness: The Lonely Hearts Murders
Developer MagicIndie
HOW FAR WILL YOU GO TO SAVE YOUR ONLY DAUGHTER'S LIFE? From the Steam store page
102 reactions from 1 source (Steam reviews) · newest Sep 6, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
85 positive · 17 negative
95% range 75–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 85 | 17 | 0 |
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
146 of 169 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 102 · most liked firstA murder mystery with a nice storyline and beautiful artwork. The Lonely Hearts Murders is the second game of the series Brink of Consciousness, the story about Owen Wright who is searching for his missing daughter. What worries Own more is the murderer who is still on loose, a mysterious man who kidnaps young people with heartbroken, killing them on the 30'th of their kidnapping. The Victorian style of the game adds a nice atmosphere.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm getting tired of this crap. How am I supposed to enjoy the story if the gameplay doesn't make any sense. Everything is just so random... I mean, there is a secret compartment in someone's house containing a puzzle piece that fits in a puzzle in MY house and when I open it I'll find a door handle or something, because that was worth hiding, right? Why the hell is a cuckoo from my grandfather clock hidden on the police station? You're supposed to be an investigator but everything is so devoid…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best hidden object games I've played so far, if you can forgive it's weaknesses that come from it's genre. Some story elements and puzzles makes absolutely no sense (Part of your clock ending up I think in a police officer's safe??), and the way characters move is a little rigid - though the developers took their time to animate whole body-scale moving of lots of (!) characters, this is quite a minor flaw. Strong aspects of the game: There is a story with lots of small details in…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This second installment in the Brink of Consciousness series serves as both a stand-alone Victorian detective story with a slight touch of occult, and a vague prologue for Oscar's tale in Dorian Gray Syndrome, for the perceptive gamer. I most certainly liked it. The terror factor is lighter compared to the first game, yet the elegance of Victorian Gothic is present and well grasped. It serves as an adventure game rather than a HOG however, which makes the game memorable compared to others of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Anyone experienced with Artifex Mundi's extensive oeuvre (whether developed or only published) will very quickly become familiar with certain hidden object game tropes. In fact, good as they are, it can sometimes get to the point where, from one title to the next, it can feel like a re-skin of previous outings. But what I really like about this and Magicindie's previous [url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/JacquesLeSauve/recommended/302130/]Brink of Consciousness game is that they're really trying…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Rather short (4 hours) and... Deadly. It lacks everything. HOGs are rarely logical but this one wins the absurdity trophy: the story is totaly silly, clues are hidden in everybody's homes and the characters rarely make any sens and constantly act stupid. The graphics are very dark and dull; and when they're not dark they lack contrast. So it's hard to distinguish anything and it makes everything ugly. It also makes the HOG scenes a torture. The general darkness do get a bit better in the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Oh boy, I love back tracking!" - Said no one ever. This game is a bit of an odd ball to me. While I enjoyed it better than the first installment I also can't pin point what exactly I liked about it. It's a classic hidden item game, nothing about it breaks any molds. You play Owen who is looking for his kidnapped daughter Olivia. It's fully voiced, beautiful artwork, good mini games and hidden item scenes and the story is decent...so I don't know why I feel meh about it. The story is what…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has a good story. Even playing the very short time I did I could tell the story line was interesting. With that said, I am not a fan of the gameplay. I know hidden object games have plenty of puzzles and such to find the things you need but it didn't make any sense. The beginning puzzles, it made no sense for there to be puzzles at that time. I like hidden object games but this one just adds puzzles in places of the story that make no sense to being there. For example, why do you…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent story, and despite the other review, good gameplay. It's not too long (4-6 hours, so I'd recommend getting it on sale), but if you enjoy point and click, hidden objects, and puzzles, you'll like this.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a high quality HOG game with excellent voice overs and stunning graphics. It is a pretty linear detective game with a map. However there is no fast transport to a scene, so a bit of backtracking. Owen Wright's daughter falls into the hands of the Lonely Hearts killer who murders people whose love affairs have gone wrong. You have 30 days to find her before she is killed too. You join forces with your detective friend to find the demented killer. This is fairly short....took me 5 hrs…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Disclaimer: I play hidden object games often, which means I'm used to the weirdness of them (item over here solves random thing over there, picking up crap you have no idea what it does, having an item that could logically solve your problem already but needing to find the "perfect" one, etc). I don't mind it. But I have to give this one a thumbs down. It's not terrible, but there's just nothing special here and dated mechanics make it a drag. It's one of the most linear hidden object games…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a side story of the Dorian Gray Syndrome, not as nice as Dorian Gray though. The Lonely Hearts is pretty much a comedy. I couldn't take it seriously, especially not that Jason officer (I think that was his name). And the detective wasn't trying to help in any way, he was pretending to be helpful. He should quit being a detective. The story and the characters didn't make sense to me, and the puzzles were meant for kids.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short version: 85% The Lonely Hearts Murders has one of the best stories in hidden object game history, along with great and many dialogues and a good number of original puzzles. Just don’t expect much logic in level progression, because there is none. Long version: The Lonely Hearts Murders is sort of a prequel to Dorian Gray Syndrome, set in London around the turn of the 20th century. It is more of a classic detective story than a psychological thriller. You play as a middle-aged father who,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Aka "the adventures of Inspector Bloody Incompetent Von I-Make-Lestrade-Look-Like-A-Dozen-Sherlocks-Combined" and his friend "Protagonist McSUDDENLYSHOUTY". An unexpected improvement over the previous installment in the series, actually. The gameplay is just about borderline adequate, and the story + voice acting are... well, see [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_skB6qrlhs]this by way of illustration (spoilers, obviously) but nonetheless, It’s kind of amazing how much of a difference a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played the first game of this series. Dorian Grey and it was a solid game. This one even looks better. The resolution is better as it now fills most of my screen. The older game I had to play with black bars all around the screen. The hint system has now been improved and tells you where to go instead of having to look at the guide. The game looks great and the voices are very well done. A very good game so far. The same group also made a game called Nearwood its another HOG game. I very…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game :) + graphic + story + music + HOG/Adventure
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →HOW TO PURIFY A BROKEN HEART💔 Victorian-era society valued a high standard of personal conduct across all sectors of society. London became a global political and financial trading capital and was known as a city of extreme wealth as well as extreme poverty. Although violent crime was rare, it did give rise to England's most famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. But this isn't a story about London's most notorious serial killer, known as Jack the Ripper. Brink of Consciousness is a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Definitely recommended. (I can promise that, because I also have a physical copy of this game.) I like story lines with mysterious aspects and this game certainly has that. There were many twists and turns before everything was revealed. The mood in the game is pretty grim and typically not what I'm into, but the story kept me interested. The bonus chapter is also kind of creepy, but interesting. (Yes, I used that word again.) Since I have played this game before, I knew what was going to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Childish puzzles and boring problems. You spend a lot of time running from screen to another and back again without actually any valid reason. I guess that increases gameplay nicely.. Definitely not a diamond of P&C genre.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wish HOGs were made like this today. Simple, beautiful games made for relaxing and enjoying the scenery, not for trying to drum up unnecessary drama or complexity. Highly recommended!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not as good as the first one, but still quite enjoyable. I got it on sale so it was worth the money but I'm not sure if I'd pay full price for it. I think it would be more appropriate priced in the 5 dollar range.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Actually this... Wasn't that bad. After numerous H.O.G. experiences... I have to give credit where credit is due. This game: -> Let's you be the logical "sidekick" to the Detective. -> You better remember where sheet is or rely on Hints only. Tch. -> There is more dialogue in this game versus any other H.O.G... But because it's a MYSTERY. There SHOULD be interactions. I am so used to lazy H.O.G.s with prettier graphics... That this was kind of entertaining. I mean... They didn't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good voice acting and music. The story is interesting and fast-paced, with puzzles and hidden object scenes placed in the right spots at the right moment. Recommended, but beware, the story is not really suited for kids. The collector's edition has a bonus chapter with only the detective and a constable doing the investigation. A pity it wasn't longer because I liked this formula better. Soundtrack, concept art and wallpaper and wallpaper are also included.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros: -the game is pretty fine if you like these kind of games and are used to ignore illogical settings/story. -nice artwork -nice music -Jayden Con: -Only 4-5 hours gameplay -Not enough Hidden Object Scenes. You will mostly just go back and forth between rooms to get objects and put them where they belong. -The story is NOT batsh*t enough for HOG. It's my personal preference but for HOG, the crazier the story is, the better it is. I always get a good laugh from a good crazy HOG story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's hard to make a review for this one. I agree with the others saying its predecessor held more entertain value. It wasn't bad, though it's hard to say why I felt like it wasn't as good either. It felt a bit rushed, the story is split into 5 chapters---4 murders in 4 different locations. There wasn't much time to digest each specific event, like we were quickly ushered from chapter to chapter only after dipping a single toe into it. The story itself was simple though that it ended up like…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great hidden object game with an interesting plot
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has a vastly different feel than your typcial Aritfax Mundi game. It has a dark feel to it, that never really lets up. For the most part the HOGs are not clever just well hidden. No tricks but nothing slick either. I hate it when an HOG hides 3/4 of the object and then your have to guess at it. The Brink games are not like that at all. And minimal language complications although watch out for the trumpet really being a french horn (so common in HOGs). I would rate this game a tad…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A who Dunnit with highs and lows... This game is technically solid, has good graphics, a fitting soundtrack, good HOS and a lot of suspense. As in all detective stories you need a good deal of extended footwork, and the final solution of the game is quite unexpected - the bonus content also adds to the impression that this game is a prequel to the game "The Dorian Gray Syndrome". The story takes twists and turns, you'll be bathed in hot and cold water during the game - sometimes in rapid…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very good game, great to see a mix of hidden object and adventure style game play together in this game. There is a lot to do in this game and many of the puzzles are really good. Most of the puzzles are quite obvious with no real place where you are likely to get totally stuck because someone decided that you need to use two most random items together as happens in many other adventure games and even if you get really stuck if your in easy mode there is always the guide and hint system to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is good. Graphic wise, its okay but it pauses for a few seconds when you try to change areas. As for the puzzles, some of them are really hard to spot and some are too specific. Overall, this game is worth playing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played a lot of hidden object games, and it's not exactly a genre known for quality. This is a good game only in comparison to its peers, which may not be a bad thing if you're into cheap, simple gameplay. Everything runs on moon logic and the story makes no sense, but I still enjoyed it for what it was.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun game! While the atmosphere is not as creepy as the first in the series, the storyline is compelling and the bonus chapter itself is fully worth the play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's not unplayable, but the framerate is locked at like 15 FPS and there's no way to fix it, not even an option menu for anything other than sound.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great well acted and constructed hidden object adventure, everything flows nicely.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really nice murder mystery with 3d graphics and plenty of puzzles embedded within the story line.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good graphics. Voice acting is good which made an otherwise dull story a little more bearable. Puzzles are surprisingly quite easy and pose no challenge. I don't hate it but I think better H.O. games can be found on Steam. No need to spend bucks on this. PASS.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Competent, but rather easy and short. A bit more of an adventure than an HO game in it's core. - Only a few HO scenes and they are also reused. - Good map, especially since it works without clicking on it. That's new. But no fast travel. Sections are small though and scene changes are fast. - Mostly fresh puzzles that aren't just the typical ones you always find in HO games. They are rather easy though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A good game overall, though nowhere near as good as the first. The art style is still very good and it is an interesting plot with easy game play and some challenging puzzles, but the use of a 30-day timeline made it feel drawn out and boring, and there was not as much tension and suspense as in the first game. However, I do recommend playing this game, just don't look forward to the same greatness as the first.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They definitely put money into this game. The voice acting is excellent and it has heaps of cut scenes and dialogue. That can also be a bit boring if you just want to play a hidden object game. Waiting for the detective to walk out of every scene was quite painful lol. The music is good, and it is a good mystery. The puzzles were interesting, but not that difficult. I think there was one that I spent a fair bit of time on, but overall the whole game with the bonus chapter took me 4.3hrs.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As with most of the more 'modern' HO games, The Lonely Hearts Murders is more of a puzzle/adventure game; the HO scenes are few. But that's to be expected these days. The mystery (who is the Lonely Hearts Killer?) is cleverly-plotted; the story itself is lacking severely in common sense. You are an average British chap whose daughter has been kidnapped by the Lonely Hearts Killer. This is a sensible start, but there's no real reason for you to be involved in the search for the kidnapper. You…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great Point and Click.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well... I played the 1st Brink of Consciousness game & found it very very good. For me, one of the best HO games i've played, so I had high expectations for this one. But i got disappointed :-(, really. This one is "casual" (in the bad meaning) in all its aspects. Technically it's ok but that doesn't make a good game. The characters are not "at the top", the story is too complicated to be followed or believed. You find one item (usually in VERY strange places) & you put it where it's obvious…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm towards the end, doing a hidden object puzzle (piano), Cant strike the first key because there is a white square that pushed down the first key. So, I cant finish the sequence and therefore cannot continue the game. Really bummed because I liked this game. 5/10
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great addition to brink of insanity series this is part 2 but it is a prequel to the first game , Unlike the first game this is more of a sherlock holmes classic mystery murder rather than the first games horror feel, The games tie in does not make sense till the bonus chapter when more is revealed , a very awesome story. cool bonus content seems to be a tradition they want to keep in their games. cool art and music sounds like baby making music. The games puzzles were great some a bit…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved it! Its brilliant and the story completely hooks you from the start. really wishing there were more from this series (other than the second game)!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hilariously bad but I still couldn't put it down - glad it's over and bonus chapter provided a bit of a twist... the Dorian Gray game is better but this was so bad it provided a few hours of smirks and laughs. 10/10 for that alone :-D
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An excellent casual adventure game with minor puzzles and hidden object games. Above par voice acting compared to what is typical for the genre. The story is a genuine detective mystery, and while the story is interesting, the placement of the clues and puzzles does not mesh with the story. This could have easily rectified, but overall this is a great game, although it clocks barely at 3 hours gameplay time with the bonus chapter. Also, although the is the second installment in the Brink of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very fun simplistic puzzle game where you are a detective solving murders. It's mostly casual, although there are a few tricky parts. You click around to find items and occasionally have a "hidden object" minigame which is almost always super easy since you can just click around until most of it is solved. The actual puzzle element is good, though. You don't see a lot of recycled puzzles here, though the actual layouts are absurd. Like there's one part where you need to find a random steam…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very good HOG with voice acting, animated scenes, interesting minigames and a decent story. Only downsides are the lack of achievements and the non-functional indicators on the minimap that has no quick-travel.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great story, on par with Dorian Grey Syndrome! Same issues with widescreen and readability of HO scenes. Still recommend!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game itself has a beautifull spooky athmosphere with common English from Islands :] Graphic and music are fayn also im giving 8.4 from 10.0. Sometimes is the game a little bit boring, but only for a short time. It could be less hidden objects scenes and more puzzles and dialogues can be shorter with more action and concretly content, but story line is almost perfect.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nice story, funny and macabre, very good music, voice-over and although graphics are outdated you can enjoy it much.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Decent little HOG.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Mediocre HO game, too much of point-and-click in the form of running back and forth with yet another nonsense item to solve yet another nonsense puzzle. Stupidity of the story was somewhat amusing though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is my favorite point and click adventure game ever made. I've played through it around 5-ish times and it never got old (most of them on my Ipad)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45030479/]🧩Undecided & Puzzled Reviews🧩Visit and follow my curator page if you enjoyed this review❤️ Brink of Consciousness: The Lonely Hearts Murders Standard HOG game. Unfortunately it does not have achievements or trading cards which is a con for me. Overall, okay story and decent scenes and mini games. Standard price is a bit high but if it goes on sale, definitely a good grab.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game looks outdated and the dialogs are too long, all true, but the game creates the true atmosphere of a detective. And there are some really ingenious puzzles. I enjoyed playing this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A pretty good HOG with an interesting detective story and great environments. The voice acting is a bit off and I encountered what seems to be a fairly common game breaking bug with the bonus chapter, but overall this game is fun and interesting and certainly worth a play!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First time playing a game like this. Grabbed it while it was on a sale for a couple of bucks. Easy. Not the greatest story telling, but still interesting enough to keep you engaged for the duration. Artwork is wonderful! Finished the game in just a couple of hours. Great game for those days when you crave entertainment, but don't really want to expend too much brain power. ^_^
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →mysterious puzzle/point & click/hog game. It support dutch subtitles,
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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