Eurogamer Expo 2009 Hands-on: Blue Toad Murder Files
Given how successful the Professor Layton games have been on the DS, it’s no surprise that in the last few months similar titles have started to filter through, keen to share similar levels of critical and commercial success. Blue Toad Murder Files is the effort from small British development studio Relentless Software, best known for the Buzz! series, and will be available next month as a downloadable game on the PlayStation 3.
Well, he’s clearly a bloody liar
Taking control of a quartet of amateur sleuths, the mayor of a small English village has been murdered and with the police baffled it’s up to the Blue Toad agency to question the villagers and get to the bottom of the crime. Most gameplay segments involve speaking to villagers or getting their interpretation of events in the hope that things will fall into place or clues present themselves. During each short section there is a mini-game, which might, for example, involve piecing a disjointed message together, working out the route taken by an intruder or working out how a section of pipes and corner joints fit together. Like with Layton, these mini-games are fun interludes and help break up the constant conversations.
Blue Toad is primarily a game intended to be played by groups of people. Four players can participate and work together, listening to conversations and watching out for clues, and having played a couple of short sessions with groups of strangers, it is a lot of fun working together to solve puzzles and try to solve devilishly simple conundrums. It remains to be seen whether it will have any significant value as a single player-only game, but it’s clear that the best situation in which to play it is with companions.
The visuals are quite nice, for a downloadable title. It’s all rather charming (and occasionally irritating) in a Wallace and Gromit style, with characters boasting exaggerated features and overstated British accents. The village is pleasant, with a very Victorian feel to it, the frame rate appears to be solid and consistent (not that it does anything especially intensive) and characters and animations are smooth and detailed.
My money’s on the woman with the unnaturally large chin
We were told by a Relentless representative that Blue Toad Murder Files will come in six episodes and that the first two will be released on the 17th December for £10, which should each incorporate 60 - 90 minutes’ gameplay for one play-through. Given the obvious social nature of this game and its timing, it could be a perfect time to pick up such a game to enjoy with the family after the turkey and Christmas Pudding. Representing possibly the first game of its kind on PS3, Blue Toad should fill a niche with its charming style, interesting gameplay mixture and enjoyable social aspect.
Comments
No-one has commented yet. Be the first.