Cate West: The Velvet Keys is the sequel to The Vanishing Files, starring the titular heroine as a psychic private eye. Unfortunately, I had not played the first Cate West game, so much of the backstory in The Velvet Keys is obscure, since the sequel never properly spells out the events of the first game. However, it is clear that Cate is a brilliant mind that’s troubled, and it doesn’t help when visions of a ghostly man starts appearing.

Somehow, the man is connected to a rash of odd “deaths”, in which lifeless bodies are being found, but not decomposing. Cate’s friend Wesley enlists her help to psychically find out what’s going on. As it happens, the “dead” are actually in Limbo, suspended between death and life, and Cate must construct “velvet keys” from their memories to revive them.

As it happens, Cate must perform hidden object puzzles to find objects that will build the velvet keys. The puzzles themselves are well-designed, and sometimes require some brainpower. For instance, a puzzle may be looking for three explorers – you might have to find names like Magellan or Columbus written somewhere. You might be asked to find 22+5-17, which might be a “10″ or an X. At other times, Cate will be given clues, such as “We used to argue about which movie to see”, which might result in having to find a ticket stub. Other puzzles involve matching scenes – you’re given two scenes that require you to place objects on one half so that it will match the other. Another mode requires the player to grab two halves from each screen and put them together. The player earns 100 points for each successful find, with a 200 bonus if the next item is found quickly. Random clicks deduce 30 seconds from the timer.

Yes, the player performs these puzzles with a timer, though a “Relaxation” option is available. However, the faster the player does puzzles with the fewest hints, the higher the score. This is important in that there are multiple endings, and a ”perfect ending” requires a high overall score. The game also tosses in some normal puzzles such as a sliding block puzzle or a weight puzzle to open the “Ossuary”, a chamber that revives the lifeless bodies.

Overall, this is one of the best hidden object puzzle games you’ll find, as it combines challenging gameplay with a suspenseful story. Cate West: The Velvet Keys is strongly recommended.