Reviewed on November 25, 2021
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Game Examination
| Date of Release | November 25, 2021 |
| Platform(s) | Windows (Steam), iOS, Android |
| Genre | FMV Interactive Fiction, Mystery |
| Developer | PCI Agent |
| Cost of Game | $19.99 (Steam) Free w/ In-App Purchases (Mobile) |
| Hours of Play | ~12 Hours |
| Storage | 300 MB |
| Players | Singleplayer, Online Co-op |
| Age | Teens, Adults |
Player Examination
| Hours Played | ~3 Hours |
| Completion | Incomplete (only 2/6 scenarios completed): “The woman who cried under water” “A Star is Dead” |
| Date of Play | November 19, 2021 – November 24, 2021 |
| Price of Play | Free (review copy) |
Gameplay
PCI feels like a workaround; you primarily click around jpegs, external YouTube videos, and loads of text. Suited more for web browsers or phones, the experience on Steam is more than okay. The game revolves around answering “trivia” questions to guide your investigations and doesn’t severely penalize you for getting wrong answers. Other forms of interactivity include searching the crime scene, conducting interrogations, submitting case files or search warrants, and determining sentences.
While most of the game is relatively laidback, I did experience a difficulty curve with search warrants, in which evidence can be quite overwhelming to gather. A hint button might have been desirable, though you can technically break the system by submitting all the information about a single character, since no penalties are given for incorrect answers. But as with these types of games, don’t expect too much involvement or exciting action.
Writing
The lengthier investigations, such as “A Star is Dead”, have much more emotional engagement and production value with acting and visuals. It might be best to skip the shorter scenarios, like “A Woman who cried under water”, due to how vague and simplistic they can be.
And while the cases themselves are quite realistic and well-written, anything involving your in-game player can feel a bit odd. Speaking with your supervisor, Guillaume Biassini, is often irksome due to comedic, referential jokes that don’t match the vibes of the game. And the choices of dialogue for the player is too restrictive and insensitive for my tastes (for instance, there was an irrelevant option to ask about a suspect’s breast size). In general, there are plenty of moments where text messages could use some polish in phrasing or grammar.
User Interface
Though general UI can feel a bit bland, the game mostly succeeds with immersion with aspects like the cell phone, autopsy reports, and interrogations. In fact, the FMV sections and crime scenes have the strongest sense of immersion and have excellent acting. Still, these aspects feel slim in comparison to the boundless text, causing an imbalance that makes the game feel slower and more tedious than desired.
Nuances & Nuisances
You must create a separate account on the PCI platform in order to save your progress.
Verdict
EYE KINDA LIKE
OVERALL…
A collection of crime mystery narratives with some rough edges but solid acting and immersion. Still, there are other FMV experiences with more cohesive, thematic stories to be told –
Price
Especially since the mobile versions are free-to-start, $19.99 is a relatively steep price to pay. It would be best to either wait for a sale ($9.99 seems like a good deal), or get a taste of the game for free through the mobile versions.
Review copy was provided through Steam Curator Connect; regardless, the opinions and impressions expressed in this review are my own.
CRITICAL EYE 