Though I am a gamer that is, by all accounts, very vocal and somewhat snobbish, I am also a fan of underdogs. And what bigger underdog can be found in this day and age than the traditional point and click adventure game? I have been very outspoken for the past few years regarding the Adventure Genre and the lopsided coverage and ultimately poor review scores that it receives. Having said that, I intend to offer a very candid and hopefully insightful review into a game you may have not heard about, but one which deserves some attention.

“With a mounting body count, no solid leads, and, of course, a boss yelling at you, you can only hope to solve this case before things get really out of hand.”

As I mentioned in my earlier preview of this game, Microids were the designers and the power behind this title. Microids, better known for their critically acclaimed Syberia series, have an uncanny ability both to capture the artistry of games and to tell a good story with engaging characters. The question was: could they do the same with a new game?

In Still Life, you are the brilliant and subtly sexy FBI Special Agent Victoria McPherson, investigating an ongoing serial murder case. To those in the know, yes—Victoria McPherson is not only related to, but is the grandchild of Gus MacPherson, sleuth of Microids’ dark Post Mortem. With a mounting body count, no solid leads, and, of course, a boss yelling at you, you can only hope to solve this case before things get really out of hand.

Gameplay
Normally this is my longest and most drawn out portion of game reviewing. Fortunately for you and me, this is a more traditional adventure game, meaning simpler controls. It’s a point and click title, so you will really only be using your mouse. You simply click to move or look at an item and then double click to run to a location (a great tactic for some slow walking in-game.) The only real differences in terms of gameplay come with the puzzle aspects of this game. From the photo-based puzzles (in which you look at a picture and then the real world site and try and find the differences) to the dreaded slider puzzles, they’re all here.

One puzzle in this game which deserves special note is the lock picking puzzle. I have cracked quite a few puzzles in my time, many of them by accident, but all of them pale in comparison to this one. I cannot, for a moment, believe that real life lock picking is as difficult as this puzzle, and it took me some time and a hint or two to get by it. There are a few other puzzles which are less intuitive, but much more solvable (a cooking puzzle comes to mind.) I was actually forced to go online and ask some family members for assistance with this one.

“…this game is like a menagerie of dark and dreary beauty, a real haven for those of the gothic mindset.”

Still, puzzles and problem solving are often the bread and butter of this genre and this one really doesn’t disappoint in this area. Just be aware that there are some tough puzzles out there and if this is something that bothers you, remember that in this information age, places like Gameboomers are there to help you through the rough spots.

Graphics
For such a dark and gritty game, its amazing how good looking it is. To those familiar with games like Syberia, the high-quality static backgrounds will come as no real surprise. From parking garages to the streets of Prague, this game is like a menagerie of dark and dreary beauty, a real haven for those of the gothic mindset.

A warning to those of dainty sensibilities: this game does feature some very disturbing imagery, including nudity, scenes involving intense violence, and the suggestion of dark sexual imagery. So tread lightly. If your church group is out burning Harry Potter books for inducing kids to practice the Craft, you may want to wait for a Chronicles of Narnia game.

“Still Life makes you feel as though are you are playing a movie, evoking memories of films like ‘Seven’ or ‘Saw’.”

Where this game truly comes together is in some of the cut scenes that the game makes use of. While they sometimes look like they are just glossed cuts from the in-game engine, I assure you that they are well worth watching at least once, if not often. The cut scenes show the visions of the characters and help advance the action in a truly remarkable way. This game makes you feel as though are you are playing a movie, evoking memories of films like ‘Seven’ or ‘Saw’.

It’s unwise to judge a book by its cover, they say. It’s also unwise to underestimate how smart the hot girls can be, a definite correlation to this very attractive and also smart game.

Sound
This game, as an almost interactive movie, relies heavily upon its voice acting, sound effects, and overall soundtrack to help establish the mood.

“The sound effects are often sharp and fast, almost jolting, which kept me on edge, waiting for something to jump out at me.”

The voice acting proved to be smart and rather appropriate for both the time setting of the game and the realism associated with it. Victoria actually can talk like a cop and I found myself laughing at some of the lines she used throughout the game. There is a certain amount of vulgarity in this game, but it is used in the proper context and spoken in the way one would expect a cop to speak. If you have no idea what I am talking about, just trust me: cops use the F-Bomb as an adjective.

The sound effects in this are often sharp and fast, almost jolting, which kept me on edge, waiting for something to jump out at me. This, coupled with a brilliant soundtrack, made for a great gaming experience. It is very difficult to find a game which can sound as good as it looks, but this game manages it quite well.

Multiplayer
This game does not feature a multiplayer component and will not be rated in this category.

Replay value
Well now, this is where the Adventure genre itself gets a tad tricky. By its general nature and with only a few exceptions, most adventure titles have only one path and therefore one ending to find and follow. This can make some bitter, but, for myself, I have found Still Life to be quite the experience. I often replayed portions of the game to show friends and will likely play it again once I find the time. This game will probably take the average gamer at least a week to get through—perhaps even longer for those who struggle with the puzzles, but prefer to use the available spoilers. I completed it in about 12 hours, and that doesn’t quite include the time I spent agonizing over that lock picking puzzle.

Conclusion
As an interactive movie type of experience, this game is easily the best I have played since the Longest Journey, which was the best adventure game that I had ever played. The way the game flows between Victoria and the flashback sequences, when the player takes over as Gus MacPherson, is very well done. The scenes advance the story amazingly well and connect two seemingly unrelated cases which are separated by decades.

The game switches between problem solving and puzzles smoothly, aside from the occasionally evil puzzles. However, this is a genre which requires patience, and hopefully those who play it will not just get stuck and immediately consult a walkthrough. Remember the days before the internet when one had to buy a game guide or call a 1-900 number to get past their logjam in adventure games?

“…certainly the best Adventure Game of 2005 and possibly destined to be considered one of the most elite point and click adventure games ever released.”

I fear that to say more about the story in this game will ruin it for those who have yet to play it. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy movies like ‘Seven’ and ‘Saw’, you will find this very dark and somewhat twisted game to your liking. While this game may actually get the coverage it is due across the internet and printed media, it will be up to the gamers to see that Still Life gets the attention it deserves. Still, with a generous price tag, $29.99 for the PC version and $19.99 for the XBOX, one should give it the benefit of the doubt and pick it up. If all of this still doesn’t sway you, the demo of this game is available for download and features two playable chapters from the full game, guaranteed to give you a strong taste of what this game is about.

Microids and the Adventure Company have released what is certainly the best Adventure Game of 2005 and possibly destined to be considered one of the most elite point and click adventure games ever released.

Key High Points

- Absolutely gorgeous graphics and cut scenes

- A soundtrack which immerses the player in a chilling and often uncomfortable world

- Amazing story which will have the player actually caring about what happens

Key Low Points

- Some occasionally draining and very difficult puzzles

- No branching storyline with multiple endings