Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Airtight Games
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Platform: PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Action, Mystery
MSRP: $59.99
Spiritual Sleuthing: A Phantasmal Murder Mystery
Murdered: Soul Suspect is very different than what gamers are used to, and in many ways is a breath of fresh air. In this market that’s over-saturated with shooters, RPG’s and action adventure games, Airtight Games has delivered a unique experience*that combines the mystique of point-and-click mystery with a deep story-driven narrative.
Throughout their ghostly exploits in Salem, players*must tap their deduction skills to investigate and solve mysteries, all while unraveling a riveting plot that stretches from the mortal realm to the depths of true evil…and beyond.
Apart from the mechanics, Soul Suspect is awash in prevalent supernatural themes. From recognizable after-death elements like the Purgatory-esque ghostworld of Dusk, players will encounter a number of identifiable motifs such as being able to possess citizens and walk through walls (think of the movie Ghost) as well as new ones like being able to see remnants of Salem’s long-forgotten past.
Unfortunately the game does suffer from an*arguably severe lack of action, sacrificing meaningful combat interactivity for sleuthing and in-depth story. As a result the game feels skewed and unbalanced–instead of marrying action sequences with cinematics and story, the game seems to throw in the few actual trial-some moments as an afterthought.
Now let us cross over to the hallowed, spectral halls of Dusk. We have a murder to solve…
Dusk Falls: Story and Plot
Soul Suspect chronicles the unfortunate fate*of Ronan O’ Connor, a conflicted anti-hero detective in Salem, Massachusetts who was murdered by the infamous Bell Killer.
Ronan’s backstory shows a life filled with corruption, strife and crime. He robbed and killed, spending a good number of his years behind bars, all of which shaped him into a foolhardy and tough anti-hero. When he met his wife Julia, however, everything changed–she became the transformative force in his life, becoming the light to his darkness.
After his death, Ronan wakes up into the ethereal in-between Purgatory-world of Dusk. Julia, who had died shortly before, comes to Ronan and tells him that he’ll be trapped in Dusk until he resolves his unfinished business–solving his own murder–and soon fades away. Resolving to be re-united with his beloved, Ronan sets off on a spiritual journey to discover his murderer, stepping onto a road full of plight and danger.
Across his journey he comes across Joy, the daughter of a powerful psychic and a medium who can hear and connect with the undead. Ronan helps Joy uncover clues about her mother’s disappearance, revealing that the brutal Bell Killer is after her mother. The two continue onward while unknowingly digging up bits and pieces of a deep-seeded diabolical plot*that threatens the entire mortal realm itself.
This evil conspiracy ties into*Salem’s infamous history quite well, and as the game progresses the ties become deeper and deeper while revealing more dynamic intricacies between the two timelines–and the two worlds.
Game Mechanics:*Being Dead*has its Perks
Soul Suspect is quirky and has a variety of neat and unique elements to its gameplay. As a ghost Ronan can do a number of interesting things like walking through walls and doors, but there are some rules. Ronan can’t go through consecrated doorways (yet another inventive little addition) and thanks to Salem’s puritanical history, pretty much every entryway has been blessed.
Before we go further, it’s prudent to discuss how Dusk works. The Purgatory-like world isn’t separate from the living realm–it overlaps it. Ronan can see things from both realms including everyday citizens out for a stroll as well as long-dead spectres and relics from the past like old monasteries, crashed ships, and more.
While Ronan can walk through a lot of the things in the living world, he’s bound by those in Dusk. This duality is interesting and provides a vivid representation of the game’s prevalent themes.
Possession is pretty much how Ronan gets around certain obstacles in the real-world and is one of the best parts of the game. Many times you’ll need to possess nearby citizens–that is to physcially enter them in ghost-form–to see through their eyes to glean clues and info. Sometimes you can influence them to remember certain pieces of info, and you can even possess a black cat (another witchy motif) and pakour with it up obstacles and walls.
Dusk, that stopping point between Heaven and Hell, is littered with confused and tormented revenants that are trapped just like Ronan. Players can interact with these poor souls and often take part in side-missions to solve their plight, finally giving them peace enough to move on to their true light-filled afterlife.
Apart from giving the narrative and story more substance, these side missions don’t really add much to the overall game or affect the outcome–even still I found myself obsessively trying to help every ghost I came across. The idea of being caught in this spiritual Twilight Zone forever gave me the willies.
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