Blend Games writes: "The only downside I found while playing was that it's incredibly easy to get burnout on the gameplay. Suffice to say, Cate West is best played in small doses, maybe a chapter at a time. Sitting down for a longer session of four chapters was more than enough for me in one sitting. Cate West: The Vanishing Files doesn't actually do anything new; it simply combines point-and-click adventures with I Spy, but that's more than enough for what it is. Being able to rope the wife into actively playing and enjoying herself is a definite plus, and hopefully this will be a gateway into more adventure titles".
N-Europe writes: "Cate West: The Vanishing Files is based upon the PC game of the same title, which actually has a free demo to download. The game revolves around finding items hidden in images, but not hidden as you might expect, some are stashed "in" the furniture, a shotgun might be superimposed on a chair leg or a broom, and the quest to find them begins. Unsurprisingly, you assume the role of Cate West, a mystery novel writer who has visions."
Cate West lacks the style and humour found in Phoenix Wright but surprisingly, once you strip away those desired factors, you are still left with something reasonably solid and presentable.
While adventure games are becoming more and more popular over recent years, there has been a new entrance to the arena: the Hidden Object Game. This new breed has inundated the PC with numerous variations on the theme, taking place in fairgrounds, lost temples, mysterious locations and even haunted houses, and naturally they all vary in quality. It was only a matter of time before these games would filter across to consoles, and while several average efforts have featured on the Nintendo DS (why hello, Mystery Stories and Millionheir), this outing from Cate West is actually worth consideration.
Another good Wii game (three out of fives are GOOD games). Seems decent.