My Game Rating… 6.5 / 10
The concept was there, but missed out critical areas that made similar games, such as La Noire a masterpiece.
The concept was there, but missed out critical areas that made similar games, such as La Noire a masterpiece.
Murdered Soul Suspect marks a very similar resemblance to that of La Noire where facial animations and crucial detective evidence gathering was the main objective to be had. Set in a dark, gothic small settlement, you play as detective Ronan: a man whose past was clouded by years of law breaking who ends up being over powered and shot several times in the chest by a immensely strong male known as the "Bell Killer."
After failing to apprehend the Bell Killer, the transformation began from living to dying. Ronan is horrified upon seeing his own body being brutally attacked with the killer walking away, scott free. Eventually, you get acquainted with a ghost girl (named, Abigail Williams) whose been wandering the streets as a ghost for a very long time making Ronan believe she knows "the way things work around here."
The overall concept of the game was pretty well thought of, if not too short in game duration. I say this because you can't interact with weapons or use a gun whereas most games nowadays seems to copy the same old objective. So instead on relying on weaponry, you use your head and skills as a former detective to find out who murdered you. Refereeing to the conversation you have with Abigail William previously; she states that the talents you have had in life, become powers in death. Graphics were a stunning feature, especially the ghost drawings featured on walls scattered across the city and the transparency of the main character. Yet there was the occasional glitch on the Xbox 360 (I wanted to compare next generation graphics to an older console to which the next generation console won in this experiment.)
The overall concept of the game was pretty well thought of, if not too short in game duration. I say this because you can't interact with weapons or use a gun whereas most games nowadays seems to copy the same old objective. So instead on relying on weaponry, you use your head and skills as a former detective to find out who murdered you. Refereeing to the conversation you have with Abigail William previously; she states that the talents you have had in life, become powers in death. Graphics were a stunning feature, especially the ghost drawings featured on walls scattered across the city and the transparency of the main character. Yet there was the occasional glitch on the Xbox 360 (I wanted to compare next generation graphics to an older console to which the next generation console won in this experiment.)
Combat was a fresh air but lacked that spark that could have made it a pleasure to play. As previously
mentioned earlier in the review, the player cannot touch or pick up objects. Instead you can inspect and search for clues. Guns aren't a playable feature, so combat mainly consists of hiding in ghost memory spots, avoiding demon sight lines and eventually creeping up behind demons, destroying them in the process. By adding more creative ways of killing demons, I believe most uncertainties
about MSS would be solved. The historical and mythological research that went into the game was a brilliant experience, the theories of the killer were quite philosophical yet haunting to read and take in. And Let's not forget the cinematics! Character facial expressions and body language really added to the haunting atmosphere practically when you solve a murder. One of the features I found very enjoyable was the chance to solve other ghosts deaths, sending them to heaven after success. To improve the game, I would like to have had more interaction with ghosts, solving more aspects of their troubled lives and generally comforting them.
As a ghost, you can possess, peek, influence, read minds, walk through walls and teleport short distances etc. While I believe these abilities gave you the upper hand in detective situations, there wasn't much of a fun factor. I believe that making objects move or smash, adopting the characteristics of a poltergeist character would have added more pleasurable game experience and would have created a more in depth sense of power to the main character.
From the list of character's which featured, I particually enjoy Joy's character. A reluctant medium who commits petty crimes in search of her mother, both of which are targeted by the killer and have been hiding separately to avoid detection. As a medium, joy can hear and see other entities and is able to decode her mother's cryptic journal. Her transformation from solely wanting to work alone and answer back to Ronan becomes more of an intelligent thinker and team player.
Should a sequal be in mind, as a player, I would like the game which allows us to get to know the character's individually as well as adding more puzzles to solve, more items to collect, a game which has a pro longed storyline, larger explorable areas, and more interesting and unconventional ways to complete objectives.
If I have at any point missed areas during the review, this is because I do not wish to spoil what happens for those players who have yet to play the game.
