Shadows of Doubt (First Impression)

Developer: ColePowered Games

Publisher: Fireshine Games

Released: 24 APR, 2023

Price: $20 USD

The only way to describe this game is with a comparison to the Deus Ex series, with good reason. The game gives off is that same palpable atmosphere while being slightly directed in a different genre of gameplay entirely.

The premise of the game is more or less focused on your detective skills, in that you're here to investigate crimes and do odd jobs, it has its moments of charm.

The game is literally "endless" in the sense that each environment you construct is randomly created, providing you a plethora of investigations to pursue in any way you see proper. Although the game is a "stealth" game, you can solve anything in any way you like be it knocking people out or paying them / talking.

Problems

Loading times & lag

While not really an issue this appears to be only when you first start the game and continue through the tutorial, though it could be a problem with the game itself. When you first load up your very first game you'll have very long loading time as the world itself is being generated. This can be anywhere from 2 - 6 minutes of waiting, depending on how large you decide to make the world.

Once you've completed the tutorial. There appears to be a stutter moving out of the introduction and into the whole unguided environment, so be prepared for your game to skip and stutter for a minute or so when you complete the tutorial.

Pinning information

I ran into this problem twice when trying to organize data. Basically, trying to connect and match events and people to the crime at hand, but sometimes can't dismiss a few of these notes as they stay on your screen eternally, making it impossible to organize things without pushing them to the side.

They eventually return to normal, however I am now unsure of what is causing this problem. It can be a hindrance, but it does not physically impede your progression as you can simply ignore them an focus on the other information.

Gameplay

Solving Crimes & Doing Odd Jobs

The game is a detective game, therefore you roleplay as a private investigator.

You'll be looking up cases on a bulletin board in order to get particular tasks. These can range from surveillance to solving a murder or other comparable tasks. It is your job to get to the bottom of the case as professionally as possible.

Each case is different

Because the game is generated at random, the cases will always be distinct and the world will always vary, providing hours of entertainment if you can muster up the courage to fully understand the game without tutorials.

It does require you to invest some time in learning the fundamentals of the world in the game, and there are no doubt many difficulties that have gone unnoticed, making progression difficult, if not impossible, if you can't begin your  duty.

Presentation

Visually pleasant but a bit dull due to a lack of music

The game manages to imitate the atmosphere of a retro classic while remaining notably unique in its own right. However, when you wander around the city that you generated, it becomes clear that there is a severe absence of music.

Meaning that you will not hear music for minutes at a time, and sometimes the entire case. Occasionally when you are investigating a crime scene or entering a bar where music may be playing it's good, but the rest of the time it will be the pitter patter sounds of footsteps, doors, and locks being locked and closed.

Outside of being a dreary noir detective game, I believe a game like this requires aesthetic both musically and visually to function in a more impactful way.

Overall, in my first thoughts after 4 hours of gameplay, the game performs an adequate job of introducing the game as a whole. It takes time to truly grasp the intricacies of the game and the various approaches to solve each case, but I do like what the game offers in each of the respective areas.

Conclusion

I'll need to dredge deeper

While I don't believe the game is bad, it is one of those games that requires a bit more time than others to properly comprehend how to move in a timely manner, unless you desire to spend numerous hours piecing together a case that is.

My current issue is that the game only does so much for your initial tutorial into the game, covering one mechanic, that of crime solving and piecing things together, whereas another task or job may require you to take a photo of a "person" but not provide any leads in any way, due to what I assume are bugs with the briefcases that you acquire for the task that hold the information.

It does a fantastic job of scratching that detective noir itch right now, but it may be a classic for future generations of players with a proper amount of polish.

My initial thoughts on this game come to a close with the caveat that, while others may disagree, that is what makes gamers unique. You don't have to share their interests or agree with them and are welcome to critic me on mine.

If you want to catch me on one of my streams or locate me on social media, you may do so at the following locations, I'm always playing something new.

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- Pawkt