Review for Marlon’s Mystery: The Darkside of Crime
Marlon’s Mystery: The Darkside of Crime, created by Made in Mavis, is an outstanding hidden object game. It uses a simple interface to merge appealing graphics and music. Together, they impart a compelling mystery examining the consequences of the powerful exploiting the innocent. A minor graphical glitch and one dangling story thread slightly dull the luster of this otherwise splendid game.
Abby Marlon and her partner Jared Evans are private detectives trying to enhance their reputation. The mystery they are working on is quite intriguing, and despite the lack of voice acting, their chemistry is evident. They have friendly dialogues, and their partnership is candid. Abby handles the observations and deductions while Jared takes notes. Even though they haven't been working together for long, they make quite a team. Upon receiving a letter to take on a missing persons case, they eagerly accept the opportunity. However, they soon discover that the situation is not as straightforward as it appears.
As they delve deeper into their investigation, they encounter a variety of intriguing individuals. I particularly liked Eleanor -- the missing person's daughter -- as a character because she is the most mysterious among the cast. However, there is one part of the story that could have been better integrated with the main plot. Abby keeps having nightmares about her father, but the reason behind this is not fully explained.
The world of the game is introduced through beautifully illustrated graphics that are filled with vibrant colors. The characters are depicted using static poses, but their emotions are conveyed effectively without the need for excessive animation. Players will find themselves captivated by the mesmerizing visuals.
The soundtrack imbues the game with energy. My favorite track is the one in Abby’s office, which helps make the location an almost perfect entrance to adventure. One auditory hindrance -- the buzzing/beeping sound that occurs whenever there is dialogue. Hearing it slightly weakened the spell cast by the graphics.
Aside from the annoying sound effect described above, interacting with this world is as easy as pointing and clicking. Players have four main tasks: searching for and collecting hidden objects, traveling to locations, interrogating suspects, and making deductions.
Searching for objects is a snap. Move the mouse around the screen and press the left mouse button. The game will give you hints on where to look, so paying attention to conversations is important. Clicking on a character will present a list of topics to activate with the left mouse button.
To interrogate characters and search for objects, you need to travel to different locations. You can do this easily by clicking on the map icon, which is found in the upper-left corner of the screen. Once you activate the map, you will see a list of locations to choose from. To select a location, simply click on it. If you want to explore a specific area within a location, you can use the left and right arrows next to the slider.
Players will also search for hidden objects and discover information about them using the left mouse button. The upper-left corner of the screen contains a board icon for making deductions and a bag icon for holding inventory.
Solving the case means taking the items and information the heroes gather and ascertaining how they fit together. For example, the first puzzle in the story is to determine how a vase shattered. Doing so requires using the bag icon, clicking on the shattered pieces from the items tab of the bag, and clicking on the “send to board” button. Then, after activating the board icon, the interface changes to a deduction board. This interface contains a hand for moving things onto the board, a nail and string to connect evidence, scissors to cut errant connections, and an eraser to remove items. Successfully connecting notes or items and clicking on the “deduce” button will reveal their relationship, add to the bag’s “deductions” tab, and advance the plot. The story is seeded with enough clues so that even a dunce detective like me could crack the case.
Even novice players can feel like they have the skills of Sherlock Holmes due to the user-friendly interfaces. However, during my playthrough, I observed that one of the rooms did not display fully on my screen compared to the other rooms. This was a bit disruptive, but overall, I still had fun playing the game.
The compelling mystery this game presents makes it easy to set aside these minor flaws. The interfaces are well conceived and using them is easy as pie. Moreover, the narrative evokes a cozy feeling; the sort one might feel when enjoying a beloved classic. Fans of Laura Bow or other mystery adventures should definitely consider playing Marlon’s Mystery: The Darkside of Crime.
