Well here go, another point and click adventure. The Switch has quite a few of these for the genre. It’s ok though, this one presents itself as a normal detective game, that is until the twist happens on your first case.
The setting for this game takes place in an alternate time line, sort of a mix of a industrial/steampunk atmosphere. You take on the role of Mr.Fordham, a mannered speaking gentleman and a detective that is known to solve any case. Your partner Bill is known to be witty and snide with his remarks which at times is hilarious. Upon the first case you take all is normal, until the untimely death of your partner. This is where the game takes an intriguing turn. Following this case, Fordham is now a freelance detective and your partner now speaks just to you from the grave. The cases you take now are but a small step towards catching your partners killer.
The graphics & static screens might be detractors but there is a solid game here. It looks like an early point and click adventure which is not a bad thing. At first you might be overwhelmed by all the objects on screen that might hold clues but with a press of a button everything that you can interact with is revealed. Moving the cursor around the screen feels normal and fluid on the Switch. Some other quality of life mechanics is your case book which is easily accessible. It contains information on the current case, clues, suspects and documents which is very handy. Another nice touch is that all the dialogue has voice over which brings this classic looking game forward to a more modern feel.
Always remember that your decisions could have unwanted outcomes. You can fail the cases your working on, so knowing this the replay here is high. I did enjoy the story and overall challenge that is represented in this game. Plus you gotta love Bill’s comedic commentary, even when it’s lewd yet hilarious. If you’re a fan of the genre try this one out, the replay is there along with the challenge.
Pros
+ intriguing story
+ replay value high
+ challenging
Cons
– classic graphics might detract some
– save often
– point and click games are not for everyone
Game Title: Lamplight City
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux
ESRB rating: T for teen
MSRP: $14.99
Release Date: June 2, 2022
Obtained: code provided by developer/publisher for press purposes
