Other game news has dealt with heaven and hell recently, but with today's release of the first teaser for 3 Cards to Dead Time, the focus returns to that unearthly place that's somewhere in between.

In the latest game from acclaimed Tex Murphy creators Aaron Conners and Chris Jones, players will explore the mystery behind the sudden 1929 disappearance of a man calling himself "The Magician" and his select group of guests on All Hallows Eve. Modern day events take place a few months after the conclusion of 3 Cards to Midnight, and Jess Silloway has been trying to come to grips with her unique abilities. Following a series of new troubling experiences, however, she finds herself at "one of the most haunted spots in the world", an isolated bed & breakfast in Maine, along with a group of paranormal investigators who have come to make contact with the other side.



Still a casual game along the lines of its predecessor, 3 Cards to Dead Time will include some notable changes from the original. Among the technical differences are a significant graphical overhaul, subtitles, and the ability to run the game full screen, but the changes extend to the gameplay as well. While still including a mix of clue-based room searches and traditional puzzles, item identification will now include "objects that connect, have common bonds, or are opposites." According to Conners, however, the game no longer relies on "English-specific wordplay", allowing the game to be localized into other languages.

Other enhancements will reportedly include a branching narrative and a third difficulty level, but we won't have long to wait to discover any others. Like its subject matter, 3 Cards to Dead Time is currently targeting a release for Halloween this year.