Lark's Brisk Reviews: Murdered: Soul Suspect

Murdered: Soul Suspect

Story:
A serial killer is on the loose in Salem and its up to Detective Ronan O'Connor to save the day.  Well, at least that's how it was supposed to go, until the Bell Killer threw Ronan out a window and shot him dead.  Now he's a ghost, but isn't going to let that get in the way of his investigation.
Murdered provides an intricate storyline that wraps around Salem as Ronan follows lead to lead trying to solve not just his own, but several other murders through the town.  Side quests galore exist all over Salem.  Some involve finding remnants of artifacts that, when found, provide additional ghost stories.  When not solving his own murder, Ronan can interact with spirits of those who can't move on until Ronan helps them find out why.

Gameplay:
Murdered is essentially a new school adventure game.  You walk around, set up investigation areas, search for clues, and piece together what happened at each scene.  Murdered also solved the difficult problems surrounding small rooms with lots of furniture: You're a ghost.  You can access abilities earlier than the game expects you to, but you won't receive tips until you actually do it where it wants you to.  For example, you can find stray cats all over the city hub of Salem.  While you can possess them right off the bat, you won't find out you can climb or jump until either you mash the controller or wait until later.  While you'll primarily be exploring the environments, there are some instances where you'll be up against demonic spirits.  In order to deal with these spirits, you'll need to sneak up and exorcise them, so minor stealth elements come into play here.

Sound:
The soundtrack isn't too noteworthy.  The voice actors do a superb job delivering their lines.

Replay Value:
Low.  Aside from about 170 collectibles, there is little reason to return to the streets of Salem after completing the main story.

Rent/Buy: Rent.  I completed it in 2 days.
Murdered: Soul Suspect: 7/10

Final Verdict: Murdered is a nice break for those who are tired of action focused games and just want something equally playable while not feeling like a sluggish tour.  Salem is filled with collectibles that add to the backstory of the town.

RECOMMENDED!

WHERES CHRIS'S BLOOD