Happy Birthday, Lamplight City!
Happy 1 year anniversary to Lamplight City! Special thanks to everyone who has played, reviewed, and supported the game in the last year.
For those unfamiliar, or who haven't had a chance to play yet, here are some frequently asked questions:
What does "a detective game where it's okay to fail" mean?
In most detective games, the game pushes you towards the right solution no matter what. In Lamplight City, true detective work is required to reach the right conclusion, as each case has multiple suspects that can be accused (rightly or wrongly) and several leads or paths which might be closed off based on your actions.
However, restarting the game because you're completely stuck at a dead end is never required. Even if all your leads are closed off, the case can still be declared unsolvable, and the story will continue. While you may not see an optimal ending, you can still get to the end of the main story no matter what.
Do my decisions matter?
Absolutely! Unlike most adventure games where dialogues usually consists of clicking on a topic until all are exhausted, Lamplight City encourages you to consider your choices carefully. Some characters might require a more forceful approach to part with information, while others might shut down completely and close off a lead if you handle them too roughly. It's up to you to read characters' emotions and attitudes and determine the best approach (also, the game will usually give you fair warning if you're entering a potentially risky situation!)
Why is there no inventory?
The core of a detective game is investigation and interrogation. Therefore, it seemed tonally inconsistent to feature inventory combination puzzles. A real detective trying to catch a criminal wouldn't waste time constructing a fishing rod from a stick, a piece of string and some chewing gum. Instead, Lamplight City handles inventory in a context-sensitive way.
If you click on a locked door, but haven't yet found the key (or other means of entry) you might get a message saying that it's locked. If you return to it later once you have found an appropriate means of entry, the cursor will usually change to a hand (interact) and the item will automatically be used, or a menu will pop up allowing you to choose what to do next.
I've seen some reviews mention that there is a lot of talking in this game. Is that right?
Yes. The bulk of the gameplay involves tracking down persons of interest and asking them questions in order to get information pertinent to your current case. However, while the game does feature over 50 characters to question, you won't necessarily encounter them all during a single playthrough. In addition, you're also required to investigate and explore crime scenes and other locations to search for clues and documents which will help you crack each case.
What is the casebook all about?
The casebook acts as your archive for all items, clues, and documents collected in each case. At any time, you can open it to review these. It also keeps a list of objectives, so you'll always have an idea of what to do next, or have a reminder of what you've done if you need to put the game down and come back to it later.
Does this game have a branching storyline/multiple endings?
It does! While the overarching story remains the same, each of the individual cases has different possible outcomes that, on some occasions, will affect events in other cases. For example, if you accuse a suspect in one case, you might encounter someone related to them in another case who might be angry at you for sending them to jail...or might be extremely grateful!
The game itself has 4 distinct endings, but it's up to you to find them all!
Will I see all five cases no matter what?
Not necessarily! There are a couple of ways to get a special ending before Case 5, but again, that's for the detectives out there to discover.
In addition, a major update is being worked on: Developer Commentary! It will be rolled out as a free update before the end of the year. Developer Francisco Gonzalez, along with Narrative Consultant/Editor Jess Haskins and Composer Mark Benis will offer behind-the-scenes anecdotes and information about the game's development. Keep an eye out for the announcement!
For those unfamiliar, or who haven't had a chance to play yet, here are some frequently asked questions:
What does "a detective game where it's okay to fail" mean?
In most detective games, the game pushes you towards the right solution no matter what. In Lamplight City, true detective work is required to reach the right conclusion, as each case has multiple suspects that can be accused (rightly or wrongly) and several leads or paths which might be closed off based on your actions.
However, restarting the game because you're completely stuck at a dead end is never required. Even if all your leads are closed off, the case can still be declared unsolvable, and the story will continue. While you may not see an optimal ending, you can still get to the end of the main story no matter what.
Do my decisions matter?
Absolutely! Unlike most adventure games where dialogues usually consists of clicking on a topic until all are exhausted, Lamplight City encourages you to consider your choices carefully. Some characters might require a more forceful approach to part with information, while others might shut down completely and close off a lead if you handle them too roughly. It's up to you to read characters' emotions and attitudes and determine the best approach (also, the game will usually give you fair warning if you're entering a potentially risky situation!)
Why is there no inventory?
The core of a detective game is investigation and interrogation. Therefore, it seemed tonally inconsistent to feature inventory combination puzzles. A real detective trying to catch a criminal wouldn't waste time constructing a fishing rod from a stick, a piece of string and some chewing gum. Instead, Lamplight City handles inventory in a context-sensitive way.
If you click on a locked door, but haven't yet found the key (or other means of entry) you might get a message saying that it's locked. If you return to it later once you have found an appropriate means of entry, the cursor will usually change to a hand (interact) and the item will automatically be used, or a menu will pop up allowing you to choose what to do next.
I've seen some reviews mention that there is a lot of talking in this game. Is that right?
Yes. The bulk of the gameplay involves tracking down persons of interest and asking them questions in order to get information pertinent to your current case. However, while the game does feature over 50 characters to question, you won't necessarily encounter them all during a single playthrough. In addition, you're also required to investigate and explore crime scenes and other locations to search for clues and documents which will help you crack each case.
What is the casebook all about?
The casebook acts as your archive for all items, clues, and documents collected in each case. At any time, you can open it to review these. It also keeps a list of objectives, so you'll always have an idea of what to do next, or have a reminder of what you've done if you need to put the game down and come back to it later.
Does this game have a branching storyline/multiple endings?
It does! While the overarching story remains the same, each of the individual cases has different possible outcomes that, on some occasions, will affect events in other cases. For example, if you accuse a suspect in one case, you might encounter someone related to them in another case who might be angry at you for sending them to jail...or might be extremely grateful!
The game itself has 4 distinct endings, but it's up to you to find them all!
Will I see all five cases no matter what?
Not necessarily! There are a couple of ways to get a special ending before Case 5, but again, that's for the detectives out there to discover.
In addition, a major update is being worked on: Developer Commentary! It will be rolled out as a free update before the end of the year. Developer Francisco Gonzalez, along with Narrative Consultant/Editor Jess Haskins and Composer Mark Benis will offer behind-the-scenes anecdotes and information about the game's development. Keep an eye out for the announcement!