In The First Degree

Rating:
Summary: In the First Degree
Review: An involving, complex game. Interview suspects, review interrogations and then go to trial. It took several seperate interviews and interrogating of suspects and witnesses to finally get a "murder in the first degree" verdict but it was fun playing each and every time. You have a dead art gallery owner and a jealous partner who has guilt written all over him, your job is to make him reveal all on the witness stand, just like an old "Perry Mason" episode. You interview the victim's wife, the art gallery flunkie/gopher, and the girlfriend of the jealous partner. How you handle the qustioning of these witnesses is key to finding the evidence you need to nail the murderer. I loved playing this game. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes problem solving and a challenge. If your style of game is the "shoot-em-up and blasting everything in sight"style of game, you will disappointed because this game uses the brain over brawn style of game play. I give this game an enthusiastic 5*'s!

Rating:
Summary: Maybe I'm Missing the Point?
Review: I dove into this game, looking forward to a modern-day, interactive version of "Clue." The premise is certainly there: a San Francisco art dealer is dead, his partner looks guilty as sin, and you're in charge of finding evidence to prove the guy guilty.

The problems begin immediately, starting with your own character in this melodrama, who gruffly plays out like every last "private dick" from every last stale whodunit film ever made. Trite, trite, trite.

Next is the actual finding evidence process... this involves interviewing potential trial witnesses. And NOTHING ELSE. The computer supplies you with an extremely limited list of questions to ask of the virtual witnesses seated in front of you. Again, the characters are dull, and sitting there listening to them blather on is just plain boring.

The "key" to the game is to figure out which questions to ask and which ones not to. Big dull deal. This isn't sleuthing... it's a long, drawn-out, game of trial and error. There's no tension, and nothing at stake except losing your case in court. Frankly, I had more fun playing my guy as an inept fool and listening to the trial judge chastise me in the end.