Blade Runner meets Sherlock Holmes in the shadow of doubt

Did you know that every detective game you play limits your freedom? The world is vast, and it becomes exponentially harder to find the beacons needed to solve a crime when you’re not guided by a marker on the HUD or glowing objects at the crime scene. If you’re ready for a real test of your detective skills, Shadows of Doubt will be happy to challenge you. This upcoming detective game gives players almost complete freedom to solve mysteries. Each reference, all inferences must be made independently. No detective vision, no linear path from one shot to another. Shadows of Doubt forces players to rely on their own logic to put the pieces together.

The Expo’s most promising games took place in the small side room of April’s WASD convention. Here, under the banner of publisher Fireshine Games, ColePowered Games gave players their first hands-on experience in Shadows of Doubt. In an interview, lead developer Cole Jeffrey talked about the game’s anomalous premise.

“The basic concept of the game is that we have this town and we have a bunch of randomly generated citizens going about their daily lives,” Jeffers said. Mentioned. “They will live somewhere, they will have a daily routine, they will have friends, jobs and interests. There’s a serial killer among them and it’s your job as the player to hunt them down. Just follow the law.”

The ultimate goal is to catch the serial killer, but this film noir-inspired town harbors a series of dark secrets. To find them all, players need to use the open world to its fullest. All of the buildings are accessible, and each of the shady bars or dirt streets has the potential to provide substantial evidence or point to an entirely different crime.

“It’s a very open match. The idea is that you’re a detective. You can solve and follow up on problems however you want.

Like many independent developers, ColePowered had to figure out how to do very little. Shadows of Doubt, in its current form, is in the hands of four developers led by Jeffrey. He is joined by Voxel artist Miles Atkinson, writer Stark Holborn and sound designer Nick Dimond. Creating a dynamic world is a huge task, even for the biggest studios, but the limits are often creative decisions.

“We started using Voxels visually because we got the number of scenes we needed for a fairly small team in the game very quickly,” Jeffers said. “We needed a way to get many 3D models into the game. Just a necessity, but we developed it in such a unique style.”

Style and atmosphere were important, as was the case with the neon noir films that had such an impact on Shadows of Doubt. Jeffers cited works like “Blade Runner” and Terry Gilliam as important visual cues – dramatic yet bizarre. But there is a more surprising influence behind the game.

“We were inspired by a board game called Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, if you haven’t played it it’s like a game where you have the story and get a guide to the city – you can visit all these places. ”

The board game allows players to dictate their research. In Shadows of Doubt, they choose locations, documents, and servers to monitor for emulated properties. One way the game lets players connect with their leader is through an interactive evidence board. Players add the information they find to the board and can choose which information or evidence to match with each other.

If a player identifies a corpse in an apartment, a card with the victim’s basic information will appear on the board. They can then find a contact book in the name of a partner in the apartment. This is then added to evidence panels where a string can be attached to tie the two items together so players can keep track of relevant details.

This system allows players to take the secret into their own hands, forcing them to rely on their own logic and deductive abilities. It also encourages the player to be careful – there can be a strong link around every corner. This player freedom was the driving force behind the shadows of doubt that Jeffers lacked in other detective games.

“I’m a big fan of detective games in general, but they’re usually pretty linear and target you. Very precise advice will be given to you and they are all seriously designed. But in this case, you are one of a kind. Give vague evidence. The first time you enter and investigate a crime scene, you realize that you aren’t actually being pushed in any direction. You’re just looking for clues there. You can just go out into the world and search for them whenever you want.

But while full freedom can be unleashed, it’s a terrible hurdle for some – falling into the open world and being told just “go”. Players who feel overwhelmed in Shadows of Doubt can benefit from some early advice.

“Here’s a direction, if you want it,” Jeffers said. “If desired, we have a slightly more written intro section designed to teach the player the basic mechanics of the game.”

DBLTAP had the pleasure of trying the demo version on WASD and reviewed this introduction. It was surprising and encouraging that more written spaces were offered to hold hands while respecting the skill of the player. It’s a bit of a hassle getting yourself on the road, but ultimately it’s your own journey.

“I think the most special thing about this game is the casting agency,” Jeffers said. “Choose to conduct your own investigation.”

Shadows of Doubt doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s making great strides in game development. A new member of the London Game Festival, WASD presented the game publicly for the first time.

“The game is in a state where we can feel we can for the first time. Because it is a technically difficult project. There are still errors that people face today. It ruins the experience if you play. This year. especially a big change. So getting to that level is quite exciting. This is quite an important turning point for us.

Shadows of Doubt will release on Windows PC via Steam, potentially on other platforms in the future.