Number eleven, Hauntless
Plot Deconstruction: A murder has occurred-! But it actually happened years ago at an old, now decrepit, circus. Help the victim’s tethered spirit move on by discovering the intricacies of the circus performers’ lives, searching through the ruins, and putting the pieces together. Eventually, you must uncover her killer.
Positives: This was a fun game! I am a big fan of murder mysteries because I can never get enough of the ‘Aha!’ moment that eventually comes along with it. I fully immersed myself into these characters, their storylines, and discovered parts of who they were outside of the general mystery which I enjoyed. The author put a spotlight on all of the performers’ interpersonal relations with one another so that the reader could get a feel for how their dynamics worked outside of their interactions with Vivian. This really helped flesh them out and I ended up getting too invested in a storyline that had nothing to do with the murder haha. This game also had absolutely beautiful art, it was super atmospheric, and I’d say that it had a pretty good ending.
My Questions/Notes:
Here are some random thoughts that arose during my playthrough
- Why are the acrobats bullying Ford?! He seems like such a sweet guy!
- You know, I may be building an unnatural hate for Arya.
- (Later in the game) Maybe Vivian’s unfinished business is with Josephine…
Overall Impression: Very engaging mystery that was ambitious and a pleasure to immerse myself in. I still want to know so much more about the characters!