| Scene of the Crime, The | Pastel Games | 2009 | |
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This is another series from Pastel Games, the masters of short, atmospheric point-and-click adventures. Episode 1 (May/09) With a story conceived by Karol Konwerski, it takes us into the sleazy, blood-stained world of detective novels. Kind of a Great House Escape as re-imagined by Frank Miller. In a world so noir that sunshine has been legally replaced by ominous street lamps, you play the part of a detective on a murder case. Rather than track down the perpetrator yourself, your job is to collect evidence and put together a case for conviction. Point and click your way around the grisly crime scene until you've ticked off all the necessary plot points, and then leave the apartment to conclude the story. Access your briefcase full of forensic tools through the icon in the lower-left. There's a nice physicality to this, aided greatly by Kamil Kochansky's thick, twisted visuals. The fiddling with forensic tools, the clump of your footsteps as you explore the apartment, the syrupy background saxophones by composer Kolczok—it all puts you in the scene. The adventure is short, just a chapter in the saga, but even so, there's a feeling of disconnect between the vibrant cutscenes that book-end the story, and the gameplay itself. It might have been more effective to sprinkle parts of the (surprisingly violent) closing scene throughout the game as you discover details, CSI-style. Episode 2: The Golden Doll (July/10) is a new noir point-and-click mystery that asks you to solve a murder on some quiet beachfront property. Click to interact with people and objects, and click on items in your inventory to use them. Dust for prints, Remember to check your reports tray on your desk back at the office frequently; as evidence is analysed, reports will come in that can unlock new clues and locations. The office is also where you'll be able to dust evidence you find for fingerprints and track your progress on the leads board; click and drag items pinned to it to attempt to combine clues. Click on your map to travel to new locations as they become available. This episode is longer, and requires you to do a bit more detective work this time around. The game is no slouch in regards to its presentation either; the artwork is gorgeous, and the soundtrack is so mellow and appropriate you'll probably find yourself spontaneously sprouting a trench coat just by listening to it. Episode 3: Dream of a Murder (Mar/13) A body is found in a crashed car out in the desert. When investigations into the murder attract the attention of the FBI, it seems that this case may be bigger than it first appears. The graphics not the black and white stylized drawn ones of the past episodes, but it's now in realistic colour. | ||
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