Hopefully, at least the next few years, developers will no longer include the word «crime» in the name of the game. Especially if it is a game for the Nintendo DS. Especially if it is an interactive investigation.
Look around: Unsolved Crimes, Crime Scene, Metropolis Crimes ... Let the first appeared in 2008, the release of the last two accounts at the end of 2009. Is not surprising to see the questions on the forums in the spirit: "Is not Metropolis Crime and Crime Scene - it's not the same thing? I've seen screen shots - like the same! ". No, not the same thing! And it is not the same. Although, if you look at the screenshots in passing and do not read reviews, wonder and confusion. But, unlike the other mentioned games, Metropolis Crimes we do not recommend missing lovers detectives for Nintendo DS.
 | |  | Clips are collected from static images, but it does not matter - some of them literally make you hold your breath! | | Characters are drawn very "on the fan - at first glance like a style a little, but the game quickly gets used to it. |
One of the main distinguishing features of Metropolis Crimes - availability of sequenced style. According to the developers, the game has absorbed the spirit of America of the twenties of last century. And although the characters are actively using mobile phones, you believe that willingly and quickly. It lacks the elements of film noir: anxious music, no bright colors (except red, of course), a stylized comic in black and white screen saver. And, of course, a dark story: crime on the streets of the fictional city of Metropolis weight, the weapon is sold on every corner for mere pennies, as corrupt and incompetent police are not even able to arrive in time to the scene - not to mention the capture of this criminal. And only one professional detective (in any case, he is inclined to think so), Red Johnson, is able to deal with lawlessness. It is sad, but his first job in the game - to determine the causes of death photographer friend, to whom he directed in one day. Who is guilty: hang out on the street arrogant man, or at least suspicious viper woman who allegedly found murdered? But the first investigation - is not unique. Johnson faces a murder at every turn - right after breakfast, for lunch and during an evening stroll. As you see, to solve difficult problems of criminal pushes Red's fate itself.
And not only encourages, but even picks a dangerous game: the suspects are not always unarmed and submissive - and therefore, there was a place desperate fight and chase. Could deal with everything going on with the help of a gun or other available means of self-defense, but such moments occur without the participation of the player. In other words, an action-insert is not here. Weapons Detective Metropolis Crimes - care and logic. That was the sequence, since a lot of time spent on finding clues at the crime scene. And each piece of evidence found or a clue - this is unique zadachka to be solved using the stylus and microphone.
 | |  | Not without its laboratory, where Johnson led the player considers the evidence found, making comparisons with a computer and summarizes the investigation. | | If desired, you can resort to the tip - a slippery Informant (this name, and the profession at a time) is always ready to give a tip. But in most cases it hints too vague, so that seriously rely on his help is not necessary. |
Familiar puzzles there are few. Lexis Numerique went on its way and offer a very non-standard for games of this kind of pastime: examine for clues tie dead, find the secret liner in your frame, figure out how to open a cache, delete the stairs from the second floor at first, to detect fingerprints on the glass, to lure the suspect out of the house by telephone, to examine the documents and draw appropriate conclusions, read the SMS on the phone who was killed - lists can be long: the authors repeated often. And any of the proposed task takes very little time - from several seconds to a couple of minutes. Because of this, even the most absurd puzzles simply have no time to tire or get bored - over the next half hour will be decided yet about five really good, and boring or uninteresting surely be forgotten.
Slightly more time is spent on the examination of a witness or a suspect. Here, too, must be smart - to catch in a lie or ask a tricky question. However, do not need to invent anything - the authors in most cases have already prepared all the answers, so that an assistant here will be a good memory and fast reaction (if you think too much over the answer choices will have to start from scratch). And the logic, of course - sometimes it is necessary to bring the murderers found evidence or to decide in the process of communicating non-standard puzzles.
 | |  | Within each episode are not too many locations, so that the search for clues a lot of time will not take. | | Interrogation is arranged in the form of a "duel": select the desired theme and try to take a few rounds in a row. In case of winning the suspect must give the whole truth. |
As regards, in fact, most of the solutions of cases, the developers here have nothing to reproach. The question is not only in diversity - the authors intentionally do not make any allusions. So just figure out who actually committed the crime, and someone just walked next to impossible. And this peculiarity is also providing Metropolis Crimes against such adventures, where a high probability of the offender is guessed in the beginning, and all the time remaining player only collects the evidence.
As a result, we can safely say that Metropolis Crimes - a breath of fresh air through interactive investigations for DS. At Lexis Numerique received very bright, unusual and exciting game. To date, no information about a possible sequel did not appear, but we would like to believe that, in Lexis Numerique thinking about the sequel. At Red's Johnson has the potential to become no less known than some Phoenix Wright.
 | Studio |
Lexis Numerique almost twenty years, manages, year after year to produce a lot of colorful and cute, even games that cater to very young audiences (the majority of development did not go beyond France.) But this small studio has its own "flip side" - intelligent games for adults, due to which the company and became famous. Talking about In Memoriam, In Memoriam 2: The Last Ritual and eXperience 112. This project brings together several important points: firstly, they all require thoughtful passage, and secondly, they are tough enough and are not ashamed of this, and thirdly, none of these games can not be called pass - all received at one time more than one award and were favored by players and critics. Metropolis Crimes does not shock the player and did not require him to too many bends. Will awards - one more question. But despite that, Metropolis Crimes still fits nicely in this list: It's original, it is interesting, it expands the scope of the genre. And most importantly - like all the rest of its "adult" projects, staff Lexis Numerique love her very much. To understand this, we can not even play - just visit the official website. Even when everything is left to chance: the total design, great art, kilobytes missing in-game information about the characters and the city itself - is as old fans, or just interested.
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