Lamplight City
Genres: Mystery, Point & Click, Story Rich, Adventure
Release Date: 13-9-2018
Developer: Grundislav Games
Our verdict
8/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 12–18 h
Lamplight City is a pixel-art detective adventure set in a steam-powered alternate 1844, in a city loosely based on New Orleans. Investigator Miles Fordham, haunted by his dead partner's voice, works through five cases by examining scenes, interviewing suspects and choosing whom to accuse. Cases can be solved, botched or left unsolved, and the story carries on either way. It suits solo players who want real deduction from an adventure game.
Steam reviews are very positive (720 of 809). Players like that it does not let you click through every dialogue line: new questions only appear once you find clues, and several played with a notepad to track suspects. They praise the art, the music and the way cases touch on prejudice and social injustice.
The recurring complaint is that one wrong dialogue choice can lock you out of the right solution without warning, so reviewers advise saving often. Some found the lead's gloomy backstory heavy. Expect 12 to 18 hours. For detective fans who enjoy consequences, it is a fine buy at its low price.
Pros
- Five cases you can solve, botch or leave unsolved
- Dialogue options unlock only once you find the right clue
- Steampunk alternate 1844 city with strong pixel art
Cons
- One wrong dialogue choice can silently ruin a case
- Needs frequent manual saves to avoid lock-outs
About
The Gateway to Vespuccia, the City of Air and Light, Lamplight City - the thriving port city of New Bretagne is a beacon of progress and industrial advancement in the New World. Yet beneath the promises of a shining 19th-century future, the city rests upon foundations of poverty, class struggle, and crime.
For police detective turned private investigator Miles Fordham, Lamplight City's shadowy corners are just part of the territory. But with his former partner constantly speaking to him from beyond the grave, his grip on sanity is slowly loosening. Can Miles find justice for his clients and track down his partner's killer before his entire world comes apart?
- Be the detective you want to be. But prepare to face the consequences.
Investigate crime scenes, interrogate suspects, get information by any means necessary. Follow the law or make your own rules, but how you choose to act will affect people's attitudes towards you.- Five cases to solve, with multiple suspects, false leads, and different outcomes.
Never find yourself stuck in a dead-end situation. If the case becomes unsolvable, simply move on to the next one. The story will adapt based on your choices.- Single click interface with no inventory.
Gather clues and documents in your casebook for review. Item manipulation is handled via a context-sensitive cursor.- A fictional city with four boroughs to explore, each with their own unique flavor.
Players will visit each of these boroughs throughout the game, exploring themes such as class divide and the public's fear of emerging steam tech.- Inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens.
- Meet over 50 professionally voiced characters.
- Original score by Mark Benis
