Dangerous Curves

Brass Lantern
"This game is... frustrating. There are technical innovations but none of them really extraordinary. There are technical flaws but none of them really terrible. There's a story but it has no teeth. There's a fully formed world but it has no memorable distinctiveness of its own. It's just an average and rather... forgettable game." (Aris Katsaris)

"The plot makes sense, the coding is solid, and the puzzles are generally very good. The plot structure is also very loose and non-linear, but I have mixed feelings about this. At times it works really well: the plot thickens and progresses smoothly and naturally each time you find a new lead, allowing you to investigate new areas without the game having to force you. The flip side is that sometimes you just end up collecting clues for points, rather than uncovering new information. For me, this was particularly obvious towards the end, where I had essentially solved the mystery but couldn't collar the culprit until I'd picked up the remaining few bits of evidence." (Iain Merrick)
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IF-Review
Everyone's Got An Angle
"The prose burns with the wry humour and extravagant similes that fans have come to expect from hard-boiled fiction. The game is true to its stylistic roots, but thankfully, it doesn't take itself too seriously." (Brett Witty)
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SPAG
"Honestly, how many other IF-towns have you been to recently that had functioning offices, police stations, newsrooms, libraries, service stations, hospitals, bars, pawnshops, apartments, cars, restaurants, banks, etc. Of course, it's all under the illusion of man-behind-the-curtain 'functioning', but that's the point. There's even good IF-style humor lurking behind many of the stock answers that grease the wheels behind each the scenes of the functioning world-spaces [...]" (David Myers)
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5 star: (6) 4 star: (12) 3 star: (5) 2 star: (0) 1 star: (0)

Average Rating: Number of Reviews: 2 Write a review

The puzzle mechanics can be frustrating; the solutions make sense but could use subtle hinting. As it was, I had to refer to hints often for certain segments, and wasn't quite sure what my deadline was. Play this game, enjoy it, and don't feel bad when you check a hints file occasionally. The strength of the story and the solutions you do figure out will be rewarding enough.

For a game that impressively recreates the passage of time and days (you can even attend an evening mass one night at the Catholic church!), it didn't give me a real sense of timing. I wasn't sure how much time I had before the trial, or how to manage my time.

I had to get my complaints off my chest first, so I could tell you how I really feel, with any sense of frustration mollified. This game is incredible. The writing, the characters, and the world come to life as you read.

It was engrossing, and I appreciated the hard difficulty--it kept me hooked to the game for much longer than if the puzzles were more obvious. Yes, it could have benefited from some subtle cluing in parts, but on the whole this is a really strong game with an impressive implementation.

The plot is deep and layered. It was difficult to know where to go at times, but this wasn't a real concern, as it lead to further exploration, conversations, and experimentation in the world.

I don't know if Irene Callaci is a pseudonym, but was hoping to find much, much more by her. It is a shame that the author isn't more prolific, as she has managed to create such a compelling and real simulation of a city, rich in detail and story. I would love to see collaboration between her and some of the more technical programmers for future mysteries.

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This game can be overwhelming at first, with a large map (including a building with almost 300 rooms), an extensive time span (measured in days and hours), and a lack of strong direction. However, approached correctly, this is an enjoyable detective game.

You are paid to exonerate Jessica Kincaid from the charge of running over her husband. You take to the streets, examining items, talking to people, and generally investigating.

There are only about 4 or 5 things you have to do, and each of them are in obvious locations. However, it's hard to know what actions to take. Going to the movie theatre gives you a hint without telling you how to do it.

Even thrn, some things are hard. I thought the way to deal with the cop was disingeneous.

Overall, a solid game, and one of the better mystery games.

Note that part of the game takes place in a strip club.

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