New Review Posted: Still Life

Daniel Weissenberger · 07-13-2005, 10:47 PM

I review Still Life, and am disturbed, but not in the way the game's makers were hoping:

"(Warning: This review contains spoilers. I wouldn't normally do this, but as a reviewer I feel a duty to keep people from being as horribly disappointed as I was.)

Murder mysteries have just a single rule that they need to obey. No matter how outlandish the setting, characters, or events, any entry in the murder mystery genre must contain but one thing—a solution. At the end of the story, we must discover who did it. It's actually right there in the genre title. Given that I've chosen to open the review this way, would anyone care to guess what my main problem with the game Still Life was?"

You can find the answer to that fairly obvious question here.

Daniel Weissenberger · 10-19-2005, 12:21 AM

Brad takes a second look at Still Life, and hates it even more than I did:

"I'm sure that anyone reading Dan's review of Still Life would walk away from it and think that he did a good job of highlighting the game's flaws while also pointing out the few things there were to appreciate. After playing through the game and rereading his synopsis, I find myself agreeing… but I'm thinking that he went too easy on it."

The rest of his comments are here.

Hypatia93 · 10-19-2005, 12:36 PM

Ouch Brad!

Yeah, I couldn't complete some of the puzzles without the use of a FAQ either, and the "ending" sucked too. But I wouldn't go so hard on the title probably b/c I like adventure games.

I liked the juxtaposition of story and characters, and I'm /always/ in for serial murderers. The interface was cool, especially the forensic tools. I liked the fact that after discussing what was essential, we could continue the dialogue along more personal lines -- or not. In that respect, I do wish we could've seen more of the scientist's personal life, since it was alluded to so heavily, at least initially.

All-in-all, I kinda liked the game, and I give it a.. 6.0.

David Stone · 10-19-2005, 12:53 PM

Heh, I remember Erin and I screaming at each other while I tried to guide her through than damn lock-picking puzzle using a FAQ. Definitely not a good relationship-building game, unless you're trying to guide it to ruin.

Daniel Weissenberger · 10-19-2005, 06:34 PM

Perhaps I should have mentioned the fact that it contained a puzzle so ridiculous that it's nearly impossible even using a FAQ - the worst part is, I had been looking forward to the lock picking, since Post Mortem had such a fun lockpicking puzzle.

Hyp - If I recall correctly, the references to the coroner's personal life were mostly meant as nods to the online prequel game, as were all of the 'creeper' comments. It's still playable on the game's website, but despite the game's suggestion, the website and prequel offer no contiuation of the story, nor any clues to the killer's identity.

Hypatia93 · 10-20-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GC_Danny

Hyp - If I recall correctly, the references to the coroner's personal life were mostly meant as nods to the online prequel game, as were all of the 'creeper' comments. It's still playable on the game's website, but despite the game's suggestion, the website and prequel offer no contiuation of the story, nor any clues to the killer's identity.

Well what a pisser that is! And how stupid to boot!

First off, I didn't know there was an online prequel to the game, and secondly, they shouldn't put so many unresolved issues into a game (especially the non-ending) without planning a sequel. Upon reaching the credits, I thought that the dev team had certainly planned one. But for the coroner to mention (was it?) troubles with her grrlfriend (so obviously she's a lesbian, which obviously picques /my/ interest) and /never/ get back to it at all!?! WTF!?!

And the same shite about the "creeper" comments. Not even red herrings really. Just piss poor design.

Blech. My numerical score's going down the more I talk with you guys. When I'm playing a game, I'm more forgiving, b/c I'm "in the moment," I guess. I'm just there having fun, and "forget" I suppose, or don't think of all the foibles and sloppy design decisions. Oi vey!

drshi · 07-13-2008, 02:23 AM

I agree with Daniel's faultfinding re "Still Life," (one flaw he failed to mention is how the killer managed to get into the police lab when Victoria can't even do it without an access card -- and a fresh one, to boot). Still, this game ranks among my very favorites, perhaps because I'm an inveterate adventure gamer who's also a sucker for the type of drop-dead-gorgeous graphics that this game boasts. Unfortunately, the only failing, graphics-wise, is the rendering of the young gals: Victoria looks and moves like a unisex librarian, and the hookers' walks from behind are more comical than titillating. One of the highlights of games like Dreamfall and Syberia was the pleasure of caboosing their eye-candy-heroines throughout. Though this game's ending is confusing I found that, compared to the great ride I'd enjoyed all along the way, I didn't really care all that much who was under that mask. To me the killer was an embodiment of Archetypal Evil; He always loses every war in the end, but He can never be destroyed; there will always be another face to wear His Hallmark Mask. This game goes into hibernation 'cause I know there'll come a time when I'll want to visit it again.