Ben Jordan : Paranormal Investigator

Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator is a series of games produced by Grundislav Games and available for free download. These games are your traditional point and click fare, and are definitely at the top-end of the freeware market in terms of professional style, storylines and presentation.

Our eponymous hero has so far starred in 5 point and click mysteries, with another 3 scheduled. Each game is set in a different location, and each contains all manner of seemingly inexplicable terrors which Ben is tasked with getting to the root of. He meets many sceptics and oddballs along the road, but he also uncovers a lot of things that were intended to remain buried. Each story is based (allegedly) upon a paranormal folk-tale, so for those of you in London I would advise you stay away from 50 Berkeley Square…

I’ve grouped the first 5 stories together as one, because there is an overriding story arc and since the first episode, Search for The Skunk Ape, various characters have been introduced, and some appear in more than one case.

Unquestionably, the series has improved with each episode, as we have grown to know Ben and his life-story piece by piece. The characters who come into the story later on and then in multiple episodes, such as Percival Jones and potential love interest Alice Wilkins, are gradually growing their own personalities and this helps us to connect with the stories and with Ben’s burgeoning career.

The puzzles are tricksy but logical, the graphics are neat without being spectacular (which is usually the mark of a worthwhile game, as it proves it’s not all about the graphics), and the sound affects are perfunctory.


The prospect of the sixth instalment has been tantalising devotees ever since the title, Scourge of The Sea People, was revealed many months ago. Hopefully we will see something this Autumn which will live up to expectations. In the meantime, if you haven't played through the first 5 instalments then now would be an excellent time to start.