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Playing Detective: How Mystery Games Silently Changed An Industry

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In the world of games there are many careers. Among the Soldiers, Sages and Superheroes which players commonly personify with, another occupation continues to hold the employment and attention of gamers.

Since the earliest PC games, players played detective. From early ground working entries such as the 1982 command based Snooper Trooper titles from Spinnaker and the 1983 BBC computer game Granny’s Garden (which was commonly used in schools across the UK as a teaching tool) to the 1987 multi platform Police Quest series from Sierra games.

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Console wise, the detective genre was having a more significant impact in Japan during this time. Early system based efforts such as the Famicom Detective Club’ games and the Kyotaro Nishimura mystery novel games of the late eighties were striking a chord.

A string of Sherlock Holmes games were also produced by Towa Chiki in the mid eighties for the famicom, but adaptations of detective stories form other popular media are just a small part of detective games as a creative genre. What’s really significant is the sheer amount of original creative detective works that are unique to games.

                                  Cinematic Dramatics

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There’s been a constant evolution of the detective genre. It’s been a lynchpin for the industry and continues to change. When Lucasarts took their point and click games through the nineties from Sam and Max right through to Grim Fandango, they had progressively installed more cinematic approaches to their investigative games. It makes sense, after all this is the studio created and named after the man that gave the world Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

Nowadays, many games with a detective thematic at its core will use what works in films to act as a device in games. Not only do the script and characters need to be compelling but also the finer points; cinematography, lighting, scenery, music and many other elements are needed to involve the player.

In the look of recent yet traditional filmic fare like L.A. Noire and Heavy Rain (and it’s precursor Fahrenheit [indigo Prophecyin North America]), gamers are taken to the movies. Probably the most ambitious advances within the mystery medium in games have been made in a genre which still remains cultish in cinema and literature - horror. 

Investigating Horror

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Horror lends itself well to games, particularly within a detective mystery format, as it adds a level of jeopardy that wills the player to continue with their investigations. If the player can die then there’s more of a vested impetus to crack the case.

SNES era platformer Clock Tower had set requirements for the player to meet in order to reach certain endings and had cinematically referenced Dario Argentino much in the same way that Resident Evil would reference George A. Romero years later.

While the early Resident Evil games perfected this notion of clue collecting and mystery uncovering coupled with gunplay and fear. Giving the industry such a shot to the arm helped pave the way for Silent Hill, Alan Wake and a significant number of revolutionary entries in this field.

Cult DS mystery ‘The game with no name’ (Nanashi no Game) had a realistic first person perspective laced with a haunted 8 bit rpg throughout, a stylistic reference to both the Ring (Ringu) and the Grudge (Ju-on) film series. A concept that Tecmo Koei would take a step further in Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir for 3DS which would introduce 3D and Camera elements. 

Rather than relying solely on horror, more pulp and cult mysteries like oddball slasher Deadly Premonition have developed their own following due to their more unique and polarizing aspects. Such ambitious mystery games that went against the grain of the industry such asHideo Kojima’s neon noir Snatcher and Suda 51’s Flower, Sun and Rain would lead to their respective auteurs gaining celebrated notoriety within the industry with later games.

A Novel Approach

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While films have had a huge effect on detective games, mystery titles need to be clearly followable for the player which is likely why so many have been created within a heavily text based format, just as the original mysteries were in novels.

Handhelds are the mystery books of the games world. International hit properties like Professor Layton, Pheonix Wright: Ace Attorney and to a lesser extent Shu Takumi’s spiritual (in more than one way) off shoot Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective all combined puzzle elements with story based narrative.

Mystery games have also been used to attract new consumers to gaming. In 2009 Nintendo showcased Women’s Murder Club: Games of Passion amongst it’s E3 DS lineupin a conscious bid to attract an older female audience to it’s usually younger viewed system.

Another drive into the broader market came in the shape of Hotel Dusk. Hotel Dusk Room 275 was billed as a ‘mystery novel for DS’ in ads, promotions and on the game’s site. The intention was clear; If you read mystery novels you’ll like this game. It was a solid introduction to mystery fans that may have been computer game sceptics, and it worked. The title spawned the sequels Another Code: Two Memories (Trace Memoryin North America) andAnother Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memorieson Wii.

As recently as this week we’ll see another entry to this format in the vein of Guild02 eShop game Starship Damrey. This is the follow up to 1994 SNES mystery;Kamaitachi no Yoru(The Night of the Sickle Weasel ), which was written and co developed by Kazuya Asano and famed mystery writer Takemaru Abiko.

If you want to create a game that feels like a mystery novel, who better to hire than a mystery writer.

Case Findings

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Finding clues or discovering new information is an equivalent to getting any difficultly obtained amour, weapon or star coin/chaos emerald. The challenge of striving towards these ‘level ups’ pushes the player along the game. The final verdict or conclusion stands in place of a final boss, and has little difference in game scripting structure or the traditional culture of game design to most action/adventure/puzzle/fighting games.

Just as literature crafted into the common psyche the immortal characters of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Ms Marple so too did Television take its own turn in showcasing every sleuth from Columbo, Quincy, Murder She Wrote, Magnum P.I. To C.S.I and Dr House. Comics too have given the world Batman, Dick Tracy, Rorschach and TinTin, with many more besides. Cinema is too rich in detective films to do due justice to in this feature, but undoubtably games still feel the significant cultural effect of the Film Noir era of the 40’s when screen legends like Humphrey Bogart rooted the viewers perspective firmly in the detective’s raincoat and shoes.

Games are no different. Alan Wake, Detective Cole Phelps, Prof. Layton and Phoenix Wright are the detectives of this age and of this medium and they’ll be many more characters to guide gamers through future mysteries.

Read the full article at GamingIllustrated.com

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Wario demands your donations to his Game and Wario Crowdfarter

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That wacky Wario is at it again. The moustachioed maestro of games design may have successfully guffed out into the world the amazing Warioware Inc. Twisted!, Touched!, Smooth Moves, Snapped! And D.I.Y but now he’s attempting something new for Game and Wario – and it sounds like a load of hot air.

Shoulder barging onto the popular band wagon of kickstarter campaigns, Wario’s decided he wants YOU to fund his latest game. Liking and tweeting about his Crowdfarter campaign would really make him rich.. and er, make his dream game come true. The man has priorities!

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Anyway, here’s a letter we got from the offices of the master farter of disaster himself. It is simply too amazing not to share:


DIAMOND CITY– We here at WarioWare, Inc., are working with our fearless leader, Wario, to create his new Wii U game, Game & Wario – a game that can only be described as incredible, amazing, stupendous… and a bunch of other adjectives!

To help Wario achieve his dream of funding this awesome game by his target launch date of June 23, he has created his own special crowdsourcing site called Crowdfarter.com.

Here, visitors “donate coins” to the game by “liking” the site and daily updates from Wario via Facebook or by tweeting them to the masses on Twitter. Wario is so excited about bringing his genius vision to reality that he can hardly contain himself.

“Game & Wario is an entertaining collection of uproarious games that uses the Wii U GamePad controller in unique and hilarious ways,” said Wario, CEO of WarioWare, Inc., and all-around amazing guy.

“WAHAHAHAHA! THAT WAS MY IMPRESSION OF A SUPER-SERIOUS GUY IN A SUIT!GAME & WARIO IS THE BEST GAME IN THE HISTORY OF TIME! IT’S THE YEAR OF WARIO! WAHAHAHAHA!”

Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

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Assassin’s Creed Movie set to strike Cinemas in 2015

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Internet rumblings at MCV and IMDB are stating that 20th Century Fox have announced a premiere date for an Assassin’s Creed movie.

The New Regency helmed production will reportedly star young Magneto himself, Michael Fassbender as Desmond Miles.

The X-Man:First Class and Prometheus star will also produce the film while playwright Michael Lesslie will adapt a script for the screen.

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Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

Battlefield 4 wages war on Xbox One and PS4 this year

If you’ve been under a rock for the past 24 hours or just out there living life to the max, you may have missed the exciting news that Microsoft’s Xbox One will be heading your way before the year’s end.

With PS4 and Xbox One both packing impressive 8-Core processors, gamers can finally enjoy the next level of impressive multi-format games.Battlefield 4 looks to be one such game when it arrives on both systems this Christmas.

Announced by EA during the Xbox One launch, the latest instalment in the FPS franchise will be powered by EA’s impressive Frostbite 3 engine.

Players that pre-order Battlefield 4 will receive the Battlefield 4 China Rising premium DLC for free. In four massive multiplayer maps, players will fight it out across the sweeping Chinese landscapes. The expansion pack also boasts new vehicles and other high-tech military equipment. 

Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

Guilty Gear Returns While BlazBlue Gets Anime Adaptation

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On the back of their 25th anniversary celebrations in Yokohama this past weekend, Arc Systems Works have announced the hotly anticipated return of the anime sword fighter Guilty Gear.  

The trailer for Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- shows off the first Guilty Gear not to rely on sprites. Once again synonymous series icons Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske clash swords, only this time GG has made the 2.5D transition that Street Fighter IV accomplished. The nice looking new render comes courtesy of the Unreal Engine. 

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In other Arc news, BlazBlue looks set for an anime adaptation.

BlazBlue: Alter Memory will be a faithful adaptation of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger and cover the fighting game’s incredibly in-depth story arcs. the show is set to air this Autumn.

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Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

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Sony Japan Teases Freedom Wars, A Sci-Fi Shooter for Vita

Sony’s handheld looks to be getting a rather nifty looking exclusive in the form of action Sci-Fi shooter Freedom Wars. The newly unveiled multiplayer based drama sees a post-apocalyptic Japan ravaged by economic turmoil and war.

The game’s protagonist is a convicted criminal in the dystopian near future, sentenced to a million years of hard labour. The condemned man must fight for his freedom Running Man style by saving civilians and allies from giant enemies known as Abductors bent on capturing them. Successfully completing these missions reduces the sentence.

Previously known as ‘Panopticon’, little is currently known about Freedom Wars. What is known however is that the title will feature 8-player co-op support and competitive modes. It will also boast Adhoc and Wi-Fi internet connectivity and use the Vita’s GPS and Near tech. 

Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

Microsoft Xbox One Revealed

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Microsoft’s new black cereal box of sports and first person shooty wonder looks set to impress!

Tonight’s grand unveiling in Redmond, Washington of the Xbox One didn’t just reveal new info we didn’t know about the system, it also laid to rest some of the popular rumours on things that many theorists thought they did.

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Firstly, Xbox One doesn’t need to always be online, as widely believed after a spate of tweets from former Creative Director Adam Orth. It does however require an internet connection as the system will make use of Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service.

It will also always require Kinect to constantly be on to support its voice and gesture functionality. Microsoft are looking to implement these features in TV and Internet use. Users will be able to use the Internet, watch TV and Skype all at the same time through the system.

UK marketing director for Xbox, Harvey Eagle confirmed the console can’t function without Kinect at a London based event.

“Kinect does require to be connected to Xbox One in all cases, yes,” he said. When asked if Xbox One will accommodate people who perhaps play in their bedroom rather than their living room, Eagle responded: “Yes, absolutely. We use the living room almost as a moniker – that’s where we assume the best screen is in the house.”

Microsoft’s “all in one system” for games, entertainment, and television will boast an 8-core x86 processor, 8GB of Ram, a Blu-ray player, 64-bit architecture and a 500GB in built hard drive. Along with the Azure cloud gaming, Xbox One will be powered by approximately 300,000 servers and offer HDMI Pass-Thru technology to allow on console use of a TV.

Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

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GAME And Insert Coin Co-Op for New Uniform

Here’s something that’s pretty cool. GAME stores will now be rolling out a new staff uniform courtesy of fan made game gear outfitter- Insert Coin.

Insert Coin’s game based range has seen officially commissioned and adapted clothing based on everything from Dead or Alive and Assassin’s Creed to Zone of the Enders and Sonic the Hedgehog.

After GAME plummeted into administration, the high street chain saw a return in a reduced capacity thanks to a last ditch buyout from private investment firm OpCapita in March last year.

read the full article at ggsgamer.com

Gran Turismo 6 Burns Rubber This Year

The surprising news is that Gran Turismo 6 is set to hit PS3 this year around the end of the year.
Its expected ‘holidays’ arrival window should put the driving sim in stores around a similar time to the PS4.

Multiple sources such as MCV and CVG are stating that the game will feature all cars and tracks from GT5 along with seven new tracks. Brand new cars, tracks and features are also expected to appear as DLC later on. The news comes from a press release that leaked early.

GT6 sees the 15th anniversary of the series. Gran Turismo originally debuted on Playstation in December 1997.

According to series creator Kazunori Yamauchi: “It is amazing to think that it is 15 years since we first released Gran Turismo. Things have changed a lot since then and now Gran Turismo 6 is a further evolution of my dream. We’re pleased to deliver GT6 to PlayStation 3 as we have a very loyal community on that platform.”

Read the full article at ggsgamer.com

Project X Zone/Tales Of Cosplay Comp comes to London Comic Con

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Now is a good time for Cosplaying fans of Namco’s ‘Tales of’ Series and Project X Zone to get itching for some stitching because a MCM Expo hosted Cosplay-off is just around the corner.

The publisher of both games, Namco Bandai Games UK, will host two separate competitions at the MCM Expo on May 25, between 10.00am – 11.00am.

To add to the excitement of the Tales of Comp, Tales of Xillia producer Hideo Baba-San himself, will be judging. Three ‘Tales of’ fans will be selected based on their love for the series.

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Just look how happy he is about it!

MCM London Comic Convention is held at the Excel Centre in London’s docklands from 24-26 May.
Project X Zone is out in the EU on July 5 and NA on June 25.
Tales of Xillia is out in the EU August 9 and NA on August 6.

Read the full aticle at ggsgamer.com

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