Hope Springs EternalHope Springs Eternal

Game Details:  Mystery, 2005

Links:  Moby Games, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  9/9/2016

Suggested Listening:  Where There's Smoke (Ash 25)

Hope Springs Eternal is the second game in a long-running series of detective games by MDNA Games, where you play as Carol Reed, solving a series of mysteries. This follows after the previous game, Remedy. In this game, you take on your first case for the detective agency you have taken over from your deceased friend. The next game in the series is Time Stand Still.

Home

Read the unfinished letter, then look up and go left into the bedroom. Turn around and open the closet, then take the scissors from inside. Find the front door and pull the jumping jack - it will fall to the floor. Look down and pick it up, and try to put it back on the door. Turn left and enter the kitchen. Pick up the newspaper from the table and read it to see your advertisement. Open the cupboard in the corner of the room and take the hammer and nail. Return to the front door and use the hammer on the door, then hang the jumping jack back up. The phone will start ringing, so return to the kitchen. Turn right and pick up the phone to answer it. Go back to the front door and leave.

Katarina

Enter the apartment and talk to Katarina about everything to get a new case and a new address to investigate.

Anna

Go forward under the archway and turn left, then go forward and turn left again. Pick up the bottle from the ground to the right, then head inside the apartment block. Go upstairs and turn right. Look at the nameplate here, then ring the bell and try to open the door - it is locked. Go back outside and talk to the caretaker - try to take the keys from the end of his wheelbarrow but he won't let you.

Go back out to the covered archway and look at the ground here. In your inventory, combine the newspaper and bottle, then break it with your hammer before putting the broken glass on the ground. Go back and tell the caretaker about the broken glass, then turn away and back again and he will have left. Now you can take his keys.

Turn around and head back into the apartment block. Go up the stairs and turn right, then use your keyring on Anna's door to get into her apartment. Turn left and open the chest on the ground. Look at the postcard, and take the picture of Anna from in the chest, then close the chest. Next turn left and open the door to find the toilet. Pick up the pencil from the floor. Look at the yellow latex gloves beneath the basin. Go back out (don't worry that the door locks itself), then open the opposite door. Pull aside the curtain to see the bedroom. Take the key from the lock here, then close the curtain and the door again.

Return towards the entrance and turn left to find the kitchen. Look inside the rooster on the table to see a cigarette packet. Turn around and make your way to a white door in the corner of the room. Use the key you just found to unlock this closet, then take the pencil sharpener from inside. Look at the rolled up poster (September 04). Close the closet again, then look at the painting on the wall next to it (December 04). Turn around and enter the living room, then turn left and approach the small bedside table. Look at the Call Boomer answering machine, then turn right and go over to the cabinet - both drawers are locked. Go to the opposite corner of the room to see another painting on the wall (May 03). Back out and search through the trash can on the floor here to see two notes, then turn right to see a desk. Examine the typewriter to see a recipe, then look at the pad to the left. Try using your pencil on the pad, but it isn't sharp enough. Sharpen the pencil with your pencil sharpener, then use it on the pad to see a message about another painting. Go over to the painting on the wall above the blue couch (October 04). Take this painting, then leave the apartment (you will leave the door unlocked). Go back outside and return the caretaker's keys to the chain on the wheelbarrow. Go back out through the archway to leave.

The Kiosk

Go inside and talk to Stina to get a new address, then leave again.

West Side

Walk forward and over a bridge; when you get to the end turn left and you will see a handbag that you can't quite reach. Turn around and go forward towards a building, then turn left and go towards a park. Continue left, forward and right to find a waterfall, then climb up the stairs to the left and turn left - take a roll of tape from the long wooden bench here. Turn around and continue up the stairs, then continue past the orange building and turn left on the street. Continue along here until you reach the exit but don't leave - instead turn left and go forward to find a Pet Cemetery (this will now appear on your map).

The Pet Cemetery

Enter and talk to the gardener, then turn around and return to the road, Turn left and leave.

Katarina

Head inside and talk to Katarina to learn about another location.

The Lofstad Castle

Go straight ahead to the end of the path and turn left, looking at the sign over the door of the stables "AFHCD 1783". Turn around to see 2 paths heading towards the castle - take the right path, then go forward until you reach another branch. Take the left path this time and continue until you reach double doors leading into the back of the castle. Turn away from the doors and step forward to see over the grounds, then turn right and follow the narrow path down. Examine the red flyer on the ground (the concerts started in 2001), then continue right and down. Turrn left at the fork and go over a small white bridge to approach a monument dated "20 June 1810".

Turn around and go forward, left, forward again, right and then go left at the fork in the path. Keep going and turn left to find a much narrower path. Follow this to reach a small building and examine the Swedish flag on the roof. Go back along the narrow path and turn left at the end, then go all the way along here back to the stables. Turn around to see the 2 paths and this time take the left path. Go through the gates and look up at the main castle to see more writing "AFHCDG 1753". Turn left and talk to the lady on the bench, who is the guide here. Turn around and approach the opposite building, where you will find a quiz machine on the wall and a small gate near the ground just to the right. Examine this gate and open it, then press the 5 buttons in a specific order so they all remain lit (the correct order is 2, 5, 1, 4, 3). Now examine the quiz machine and press the red button, then examine the screen. Click Start on the screen, then answer the quiz questions based on your recent exploration around the castle grounds:

  1. AFHCDG
  2. 1783
  3. The 21st century
  4. 1810
  5. A Swedish flag

Now solve the sliding puzzle, then take the entry ticket. Go back and talk to the tour guide, who will give you a gem to protect you from ghosts. Back out, turn right twice and enter the building. Turn right to see a darkened room with a lantern that you can't turn on. Turn back to the left and go forward to reach the main hallway. Straight ahead of you is a painting of a servant with some animals. Turn right and read some posters - note that Fersen's favorite number is 211. Turn around and read both posters near the other end of the hall, examining one to remark on the gem you brought with you.

Continue forward to the room with red carpet, then turn right and go through another door to the back area of the building. Go 2 rooms to the right and examine a small writing desk beneath the window - it has a 3 digit lock. Set the combination to 211 and open the lock, then take the key from inside the desk. Turn right from the desk, go forward, right and forward again to reach a locked door. Use your key to unlock it and enter the kitchen. Take the matches from the table here, then go back to the main hallway. Go along the exit hallway and look into the darkened room again, then use the matches on the lantern to light it. Go downstairs and turn left, then go into the cellar and turn right. Pick up the map to see the secret meeting place. Turn around and see the X on the wall here (Nisse's resting place). Leave the cellar and go upstairs, then exit the building.

Turn left, forward and left again, then enter the side entrance through the grey doors. Look at the picture above the fireplace, then leave again. Go back to the stables, then turn left and go all the way until you are about to leave. Turn right and go forward twice (you can only do this if you have the map). Approach the wall more closely and turn right, then examine the bag in the grass, open it and read the letter inside. Back out, turn right and go forward to return to the path, then turrn right and leave.

Anna

Go through the archway, then up and around into Anna's apartment - you will hear something fall. Go to the living room and head over to the window to see a pot has fallen to the floorr. Examine this to see a small purse. Open the purse by clicking on the small buttons: if they are numbered 1-3 and 4-6 along the top and bottom rows, click them in the order 5, 4, 6, 3, 6, 3. Now take the golden key from inside. Back out and look at the wall over the blue couch, then replace the painting you took earlier. Turn around and approach the cabinet with the locked drawers. Use your new key on the right drawer and read the letter inside. Next use your key on the left drawer, and 4 symbols will appear. You need to click these in the date order of the paintings on which they appear within this apartment; from left to right click them in the order 3, 2, 1, 4. Examine the ring and document inside. Back out and return to the front door. Read the mail on the floor, then go outside and leave the area.

Katarina

Go inside and talk to Katarina once more.

The Prison

Try to walk forward, but you don't know what to do here.

The Cottage

Head around the back of the red cottage and try to open the green door but it is locked. Explore the backyard a bit, then leave.

Anna

Walk forward to talk to the caretaker and you will end up back inside Anna's apartment. Go to the living room and examine the Call Boomer answering machine; press Play to listen to the message. Now leave again.

The Cottage

Go to the back of the cottage again. Look under the doormat and take the key, then use this to unlock the door. Go inside and turn right to find the living room. Read the letter on the table and take the mobile phone. Turn left from the table and walk towards the covered armchair near the window - you will hear some noises from above. Turn left and enter the dark room, then turn left again and climb the ladder. Look out through the window, then turn around and find the upstairs bedroom on this floor. Examine the bed and the bedside table, and look at the watch here - note the inscription on the back of the watch. Examine the key here to see it is the same as the one you already have. Make your way back outside and leave.

The Pet Cemetery

Walk forward twice and talk to the gardener, then turn around and head back to the road. Turn around once more and go back towards the cemetery, then take the hoe standing against a tree. Now go back to the road again; you cannot leave by heading left as you have the hoe, so instead turn right. Go forward to the end, then turn right and go forward to the end again. Go down 2 sets of steps, then turn left and go forward to the end, turn right and go forward to see the handbag again. Use your hoe to get the bag, and take the library card from inside. Go all the way back to the tree and replace the hoe, then leave the area.

The Library

Enter the library and insert your library card in the slot on the right. Use the mouse, then scroll down through the articles about Axel Weber. Retrieve your library card, then leave the library.

The Kiosk

Go inside and talk to Stina to see a phone book. Turn the page twice to the right and look at the second column of names to get the address of Urban Nystrom.

Urban Nystrom

Approach the house and knock on the door. Knock again and talk to the woman to find out that Urban is dead. His wife will let you into his office. Walk forward to the red stool on the ground, then turn around and try to reach the green box on top of the cupboard to the left of the door. Turn back and get the red stool and place it on the floor near the cupboard, then climb on to it and get the green box. Click on the picture in the middle until all segments are shown, then read through Urban's notes.

The Kiosk

Go inside and talk to Stina to get a new address, then leave again.

The Junkyard

Walk forward and enter the blue building on the right, talking to the mechanic inside. Back outside, head around to the red building just past the blue one. Just at the entrance to the red building, turn right and try to open the side door to the blue building, but it is stuck. Turn right and go forward twice, then turn right and go forward twice more. Turn right, then look at the van closely and pick up the crowbar. Go back to the closed door and try to use the crowbar, but it will make too much noise. Leave the junkyard.

Home

Go to the kitchen and pick up the Telematic from next to the telephone, then take the 4 batteries from inside.

Urban Nystrom

Head inside and go forward to the window, then turn right and pick up the battery charger. Put your batteries into the battery charger, then turn left and plug the battery charger into the power strip on the floor. Leave to the map and come back inside again, where Urban's wife will give you a letter. Go back into the study and take the batteries from the battery charger.

The Junkyard

Enter the blue building again, turn right and give the batteries to the mechanic. Go outside and around to the side door, and use your crowbar to get inside. Look at the piece of paper on the right to see different shapes of keys. Take the letter from beneath the Key Master machine and take the key from inside. In your inventory, use your magnifying glass on the key to examine it closely. Look at the piece of paper again and place your key on the AW shape.

Risselgatan 142a

Try to open the door but it is locked. Go around to the left, down the stairs and into the basement. Turn right immediately to see a note on the noticeboard about broken and missing fuses. Go down the hallway past the fuse box on the right and open the next door on the right to find a toilet. Pick up the key from the floor. Go back to the fusebox and unlock it with your new key - there is a frayed wire on the right. Back out, turn right and go through the door opposite the noticeboard. Go forward and look to the left; search beneath the newspaper to find a screwdriver. Go back out to the hallway, then leave.

Anna

Go inside Anna's apartment, turn left and use the screwdriver to open the toilet door. Take the rubber gloves, then leave again.

Risselgatan 142a

Go back down to the basement, then go forward and open the fusebox again. Use the rubber gloves on the frayed wire. In your inventory, use the scissors on the tape, then use your piece of tape on the frayed wire to repair it. Now read the piece of paper stuck behind the fuses. Swap the fuses from sockets 5 and 6. Move the fuse from socket 2 to socket 3. Flip the switch for Front Door 1 to the Off position. Go back outside and now you should be able to head through the front door. Look at the label on the first door on the left, then ring the doorbell. Talk to Per Verganter about everything, then leave.

The Police Station

Approach the building to find out that Per Vergander was arrested.

Home

Once you get inside, your mobile phone will ring and you will automatically answer it.

The Viking Terminal

Turn left and go into the terminal to find Axel Weber. Talk to him and he wil leave.

Anna

Go up to the apartment and ring the bell, then talk to Anna - you will automatically leave.

Home

Go to the front door and read your mail.