Murdered: Soul Suspect
Review
Only mostly dead
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Eerie Story
The narrative is quite good, although at times I found the pacing a little slow when you are attempting to find the final clues for a particular piece of the puzzle. There were a couple of points where I was looking for clues, only to figure out that I needed to possess a particular character and read their thoughts to reveal the final important pieces of evidence. But having said that, the clue and evidence system works remarkably well, allowing the gamers to take their time to think through each of the scenarios.
Murdered: Soul Suspect is somewhat linear, requiring you to complete one part of the case before moving on to the next, but in saying that the clues for each case can often be found in any order. The side cases add to the experience though, allowing you to step away from the main plot from time to time. I actually enjoyed the side cases quite a bit, as you search for evidence involving people stuck in limbo. Solving their cases allows them to move on.
Perfect setting
The setting is perfect for the nature of the game. Salem, Massachusetts is a town with a well-documented supernatural history – one where innocent people were burned at the stake for being witches. The game is often filled with suspense, as you wander through the town in search of clues. The creepy history of the town adds to the story wonderfully. With Ronan being in limbo, the settings are all dark and sombre. The locations that you search for clues further encourages the feeling of dread as you’ll spend time in a cemetery, a mental hospital and an abandoned run down courthouse.
The audio multiplies the eerie feeling as well, with some haunting background music. The music, combined with the sound effects works marvellously. As I was wandering around searching for clues, I was listening for the ever present sound of nearby demons. Their blood-curdling screams as they spot you is a noise that you don’t want to hear too often. Each of the characters is fully voiced too, although there were times that I was thankful for the written dialogue. Ronan often speaks with a cigarette in his mouth and when he does, it seems he mumbles a bit.
Verdict
Although at times the pace of the game can seem a little slow, I have found that Murdered: Soul Suspect to be an enjoyable detective experience – even if it is somewhat simplified detective work. The story, the setting of Salem and the haunting backgrounds music combined make Murdered: Soul Suspect a memorable game. Although the main story is a tad on the short side, completing all the side cases and finding all the collections adds a considerable amount of exploration to the game. Indeed, some of the side collection stories were quite intriguing and helped to further enhance the eerie nature of the game. If you’re a fan of mysteries, Murdered: Soul Suspect would be a worthy purchase.
8.0
fun score
Pros
Audio and Visuals set the tone perfectly for the eerie story.
Cons
Can be a little slow at times, and some clues can be difficult to find
