Murder For Dinner (XBLIG): "A CLUE-like Murder Mystery"

Indie games seemed to have once again picked up in popularity among aspiring game developers. I'm not only seeing more unique XBLIG titles coming to light, but kickstarter programs have also spawned featuring entirely unique video game creations by never-before-known developers. Recently a new XBLIG developer called Detroit Game Studio contacted me about reviewing their latest creation, "Murder for Dinner". In their email they told me a little about the game, and described it as an Agatha Christie/Clue style murder mystery. Needless to say the idea of the game definitely caught my attention. As a reviewer I try to cover games that are truly "unique", and this game fit the bill. I set out to see what the fuss was all about, and find out why it warranted a 240 msp price tag.

Murder for Dinner is a 3D first-person murder mystery that utilizes a "CLUE" based crime solving formula. If you've ever played the board game "CLUE" then you'll have a clue as to what I'm talking about (pun intended). When the game begins you find yourself standing at the gate of a castle-like mansion. As you make your way towards the house you find out through a pop-up journal entry that you have been cordially invited to Mrs. Havisham's surprise gathering. Once inside the house you find yourself amongst some fellow acquaintances who have also been summoned. Among the group are a banker and his wife, a playboy butler, a major, a doctor and his wife, a dutchess, and a huntsman. Through conversation you learn a little about each of the guests as you wait for the host of the evening to arrive.What seems to be an ordinary get together though soon turns into a mystery though as you (The Professor) find the dead body of Mrs. Havisham in her upstairs bedroom. Ultimately it is up to you to figure out exactly who it was who committed the heinous crime. You will interrogate each guest numerous times as well as scour the house for evidence. Can you figure out what the big surprise was going to be, and who ended Mrs. Havisham's life prematurely?

This game was definitely unique in all senses of the word. The 3D presentation that made up the game was nicely done, and featured fine texture details that really set off the eerie atmosphere of the game. From the outside sky to the oddly freakish house guests everything was rendered in an visually artistic manner. The constant classical piano music that played in the background gave the game a whimsical, and era style appeal that suited the characters, and genre of story that was being played out. When it came down to controls everything was simplified. To move you would use the (Left Thumbstick), and to look around you would use the (Right Thumbstick. Interacting with characters, and items was done by pressing the (A) button when prompted to do so. To help you with your investigation your journal which is accessed by pressing the (Y) button could be used to keep track of all the clues you had currently found. Overall it was a nicely polished game with user-friendly controls.

In retrospect I think "Murder for Dinner" had a lot to offer it's players. The graphics were good in their own respect, and the plot that played out through character driven dialogue was presented well. While I do wish there was some sort of directions given regarding where to go, and what to do I do realize what the developer was trying to achieve. This is a murder mystery, and as such it is up to the player to solve the crime through proper investigation techniques. The only issue I found with the game was when it crashed at one point after I tried to exit the premises. This of course occurred after I had discovered the dead body, and the house was supposedly in lock-down. My guess is my attempt at going outside was a forbidden task at that point, and resulted in the game crash. Whatever the case may be it does need to be sorted out. If you are looking for an indie game that is unique, interesting, and don't mind a good murder mystery then I think you'd like this one. As far as it being worth 240 msp I think the price is justified.