Download Crime City

Crime City is a point-and-click adventure game from the United Kingdom in which you, as Steven White, investigate a recent murder in an effort to clear an innocent man... your father! You will need to use your wit, a keen eye and serious investigative work to track down the real killer.

The game interface is very simple, yet effective and you will master it in no time. Everything is basically self-explanatory, which is a sure sign of good design. The graphics are static as there is no animation, but they are well-suited for the game's age. I did not encounter any music, but there are some sound effects, such as dialing the phone, busy signals, etc. [Note: DOSBox did not play intro music, but VDMSound did.]

There is no inventory to manage in this game, which can be a good thing. If you pick something up, you simply use it automatically as needed. There is not easily apparent way to see what you are carrying. Discovering an item simply adds a new dialogue option to some one you need to speak with.

The game can be a bit difficult because you have a clock to contend with. Each action, such as traveling around town to investigate, takes a certain amount of time and/or money depending on your choices. You get tired from lack of sleep, which affects your health and so on. That can be a bit tedious at times, without really adding any game play value. There are some other attributes, but with out documentation I have not pieced together what they are for. Some characters are only available for questioning at certain times of the day.

Crime City even includes a simple "Breakout" type game on the in-game computer if you get bored investigating! Overall I felt Crime City is a fun adventure game that will keep you busy for a while garnering a rating of 3 in my book. Playing it is certainly not a crime!

Spoiler's below! Here is a little help to get you started and help you learn the game's mechanics

Read the letter. Read Diary. Click Phone Tab. Note David's number. Use Computer. Access Records. Read David Walker. Note his birthday. Click on map hanging on the wall. Click on police station (the building not the words). Talk to officer. Ask to see father. Question your father about murder until you have exhausted all options. Exit police station. Go to Crime scene.