Case Solved: The London Files got my grey matter working. The logic-based problems, curveballs, and wacky characters keep you interested from beginning to end. However, if you come to this expecting lengthy problem-solving, deep and meaningful action, or anything other than lighthearted detective work, you will be bitterly disappointed.
This problem-solving endeavour has been developed and published by Minimol Games. It is a single-player title where evidence gathering, red herring detection, and an eye for detail are a must. However, you won’t want to take things too seriously as there are witty moments, silly experiences, and a host of zany and cliched characters.
Case Solved: The London Files and murder!
Murder is afoot! It is the 60s, and you are in the criminal underbelly of the country’s capital city. Everything is going well until reports of murder hit your desk. It is your responsibility to solve each case in a timely fashion. Thankfully, a logical mindset and a watchful eye will ensure that you get to the bottom of every problem you find.
Sadly, when I say timely fashion, I actually mean no time at all. I flew through each case in little over 30 minutes. This was unfortunate as I enjoyed everything I saw. However, the problem-solving wasn’t that challenging, and piecing together relevant items and ignoring the gossip and madness wasn’t that difficult.
Interesting despite the short playtime.
Although Case Solved: The London Files is horribly short, each of the levels was great to experience. The range of characters and their witness testimony was excellent to work through. Each stage of the case requires you to question the suspects, search for objects, and deduce the truth from the lies.
The hidden object bit could have been great, but the clues were far too easy. I’d have liked the developer to use an abstract approach or to make it a multi-layered design. Sadly, this wasn’t to be, and you’ll build your clue board in no time.
Once you have gathered your evidence, you must use pieces of each piece of evidence to solve the case. You may be asked to place a witness in an area, decide if their alibi is correct, or work out if they were completing a certain task. Fortunately for those who have limited problem-solving skills, you’re given a healthy head start to resolving the issues at hand. This was far too easy and something that should have been balanced before release.
Case Solved: The London Files looks great.
I may have found the problem-solving to be a little underwhelming, but I loved the graphics. The wonderfully dated style was great to look at, and the characters were full of charm. Furthermore, piecing together each key element and disregarding evidence had a real detective edge to it. My only complaint is the lack of unique areas. Unfortunately, each case revisited the same spaces, and this became a little repetitive.
The audio has a gentle jazz-inspired edge that adds to the 60s theme. This isn’t overpowering and instead forms a pleasant background sound that adds energy to the sinister theme. Although murder was a key concept, the music is lighter and more relaxed than expected.
Slow controls.
I don’t want to be negative about the controls, but they were slow. Case Solved: The London Files would be better with a mouse and keyboard. Unfortunately, I tried it with a gamepad, and moving across each set scene was sometimes slow and painful. This is me being particularly critical, but it wasn’t as free-flowing as I’d have liked.
I’ve mentioned the short levels, but I haven’t highlighted the excellent inclusion of secret codes. This magical element adds hours of gameplay for keen-eyed gamers. If you can identify the right codes, you’ll unlock a host of new cases to solve and play this for hours.
Case Solved: The London Files is good but limited.
I 100% enjoyed playing Case Solved: The London Files. Yet, I cannot ignore the limited playtime, easy-to-solve cases, and the slow-moving cursor. However, I also cannot ignore the excellent story, brilliant characters, witty dialogue, fun problem-solving, and excellent 60s theme. Accordingly, despite my complaints, I enjoyed it and recommend buying it here! Can you resolve every case on your desk? Search for clues, interrogate the suspects, and solve every murder!
