Review for Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case
Blazing Griffen and Microids have once again partnered up to bring us another exciting and intriguing adventure, namely Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case. This new game explores the early years of the renowned detective Hercule Poirot and promises to be a thrilling experience for all fans of mystery and crime-solving games. The user-friendly interface can be easily controlled with either a mouse or keyboard. It seamlessly blends stunning graphics, captivating sound effects, and impressive voice acting to immerse players in a compelling mystery. The suspects in this whodunit are all burdened with logical motives, and the mind-bending puzzles rival those head-scratchers found in Agatha Christie's works. Although there are some minor issues with the menu and the mind map, they are hardly noticeable and do not detract from the overall experience. Fans of Poirot and newcomers alike will not want to pass up the opportunity to play this game.
Hercule Poirot is tasked with escorting a painting entitled “The Penitent Magdalene” to England. While on the ship, he and another passenger (who will be quite familiar to Agatha Christie fans) help out a mutual friend. This task brings the two men closer and sets the stage for a long-lasting bond between Poirot and the young Arthur Hastings. As players move through this introductory phase, they will witness the beginnings of a strong friendship.
Later, at the museum, it is discovered that all is not as it seems. The two new friends are drawn even further into a web of theft, forgery, and murder. The newly minted friendship will be tested for the first of many times as they attempt to unravel what occurred. At various points during the mystery, Hastings is frustrated by the abrupt way Poirot deals with people and his own struggle to understand Poirot’s deductions. I readily identified with his feelings. Yet, despite his standoffish manner, Poirot handles the game’s realistic puzzles with aplomb.
When I first opened the menu, I found it difficult to read the text against the purple background. I had to use the mouse or keyboard to highlight the item I wanted to read. However, this was not a major issue. The interface is simple and allows the player to control Poirot’s physical and mental actions. I primarily utilized the mouse to interact with the game world. Pressing the left mouse button makes it effortless to engage with the easily identified points of interest. Alternatively, players can opt to use the keyboard by simply selecting their preferred control method. Regardless of the chosen technique, the instructions are straightforward and easy to comprehend.
The freedom that the easy interface affords players will allow them to fully appreciate the other elements of the game, such as the wonderfully detailed graphics, which will demand players' attention as soon as they start playing. The lustrous, true-to-life visuals imbue this game with a realism that is just as powerful as the realism Agatha Christie achieved in her celebrated prose.
The graphics in this game are matched by the exceptional sound quality, which plays a crucial role in enhancing the atmosphere. The music in particular stands out, adding to the overall experience. The musical background for the title screen, for example, is fast-paced and exciting. It readied me for mystery and adventure!
In addition, well-employed sound effects increase the realism of the scenes that players encounter. The museum is a good example; the distance between the exhibits creates a visual impression of spaciousness, while the echoing sound is a further enhancement. It reminded me of other museums I had visited, and the echo effects enriched the atmosphere.
The aural realism is also bolstered through the voice acting. Poirot sounds as I imagine he’d would: bold, confident and headstrong. The characters he meets sound authentic too, and the exceptional voice acting succeeds in communicating the emotional state of the characters.
The threads woven by the interface, voice acting, music, and sound effects are augmented by magnificent writing. They entangle the player in a mysterious, exciting narrative equal to the mysteries in Agatha Christie’s novels.
“Order and method, that is the way to solve the problem,” Poirot confidently states during the case. This modus operandi serves him well as he solves the plot-driven challenges he encounters. First, with help from the player, Poirot scours the scene for evidence, examining objects for the minutest of details. During these times, I was thankful for the counter that kept track of the specifics I found and reminded me of those I had yet to find before I could progress. I interrogated suspects by left-clicking on conversational choices. When items were discovered that could be helpful, a “use” option was added to the context menu. Selecting it allows the player to designate the item of their choice and see the results.
Once the player has gathered all the necessary information, they must call upon their own deductive reasoning, just like Poirot's "little gray cells," to piece together a theory using the mind map. When Poirot uncovers new details, an exclamation mark will appear in the upper-left corner of the screen. By selecting it, the player can access a task list outlining what they need to do to progress and the specific aspects of the case they're working on, represented by circular icons. For example, one question might be, "Who stole Florence's cigarette case?" To activate the mind map, the player simply needs to move the corresponding icon onto the white circular target at the center of the screen. This will reveal which aspect of the case the icon represents.
Lots of questions arose as I delved further into the case, each issue having its own set of facts. The mind map would be easier to use if the labels were visible before dragging them to the target so that the player doesn’t get confused regarding what question they’re trying to answer. Other than that slight hiccup, using the map is simplicity itself. Select one fact and then the corresponding evidence. If they connect, Poirot will congratulate himself. If not, he’ll chastise his “little gray cells.” Many times, this connection will reveal other relevant information. Players are kept abreast of the facts they must connect by the number in the upper left-hand corner of the mind map. When it reaches zero, they have finished with their selected question.
I felt like a rookie detective playing this game. The logical motives presented by the suspects and the intricate puzzles of this mystery taxed my “little gray cells'' to their limit. Fortunately, the simple interface, alongside the Belgian sleuth’s cutting, though not cruel rebukes, make it easy to correct a mistake. Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The London Case is suitable for detectives of all experience levels. Even I was able to apprehend the culprit. Poirot requires your assistance, detectives. He cannot solve the case without you!
