Murdered: Soul Suspect

Gameplay

The game takes place in the small town of Salem and, at first glance, is controlled like a classic PC title - using a keyboard and mouse. However, the real originality comes with the game mechanics associated with the afterlife.

The main character, detective Ronan, moves between the world of the living and the world of the dead. This allows him to use unique abilities - walking through walls, reading people's thoughts, or influencing them. These mechanics significantly enrich the exploration and the investigation itself.

A large part of the gameplay consists of a combination of detective work and stealth passages. In the afterlife, there are demons that must be avoided. You have no way to defend yourself, which creates tension and forces the player to proceed carefully.

However, the strongest element is the investigation itself. The game does not lead you by the hand - you need to actively search for clues and put them together. Once you collect enough of them, a complete picture of the events is created. This system feels natural and is one of the most fun parts of the game.

A minor weakness is the poor readability of some clues in places. Sometimes it happens that clues are not visible enough, and searching for them can be unnecessarily lengthy.

The relationship between Ronan and Joy also works very well. Their interaction seems natural - an experienced detective and an inexperienced girl gradually complement each other. This aspect is underlined by the high-quality dubbing, which fits well into the darker atmosphere of the game.

Music

The musical accompaniment is not very memorable, but it serves its purpose well. It does not disrupt the atmosphere and appropriately complements the individual locations.

The sound effects, on the other hand, are very good. You can often tell the location of enemies using sound, which is especially important during stealth passages.

Overall, the sound works reliably and supports the tension and atmosphere.

Graphics

From today's perspective, the game does not seem completely outdated, but its age is noticeable. Nevertheless, it has its own distinctive style, which is reminiscent of slightly "painted" visuals.

A big advantage is the distinction between the world of the living and the dead. Thanks to the stylization, it is easy to see what belongs to which plane of existence, which helps orientation and atmosphere.

The game offers semi-open locations in which you can move relatively freely. The world does not seem empty - on the contrary, at almost every step you will encounter side interactions, such as helping lost souls, or the possibility of pure mortal thoughts.

Story

The story is the main driving force of the entire game. In the role of Ronan, you investigate your own murder and gradually reveal his past and motivations.

The narrative is clear and consists of gradually obtained information. Thanks to this, the player is able to logically piece together individual events.

The emotional level is also a strong point. As you learn more about Ronan's past, the player begins to form a relationship with him.

Side quests are not mandatory, but they are worth completing. They expand the world and often add interesting story moments. Thanks to smaller locations, you return to some places repeatedly, which helps build continuity.

Optimization

Technically, the game works without any problems. I didn't encounter any bugs or crashes while playing.

The only complaint is the limited save system. The game uses autosave and allows you to have only one position. This can be problematic, for example, when trying to achieve 100% completion.

Content and pace

The pace of the game is quite brisk from the beginning. The main plot starts very quickly and manages to keep your attention until the end.

The content is well balanced - it alternates between investigations, stealth passages, and side activities. Information is disclosed gradually, so the player is not overwhelmed. In addition, several dozen snippets in the game complement the story and are all needed for complete completion.

Curiosity about the development of the story is the main engine that drives the player forward. In my opinion, this is a positive feature, but some players may not appeal to it. Unfortunately, despite the exciting plot, the game is shorter and can be completed in one long evening.