Search for games

Type three or more characters to search...

Links

Playstation

Xbox

Twitch

MONSTER

Murdered: Soul Suspect

Name: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Murdered: Soul Suspect
Item: Murdered: Soul Suspect
Author: Critik Editorial Team

2014

GenresFantasy, Adventure, Action, Third Person Perspective, Crime, Horror, Puzzle and Logic, RPG, Single Player

AvailableJun 3, 2014

PlatformPC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

DeveloperAirtight Games

Overview

Murdered: Soul Suspect is a supernatural detective thriller which challenges players to solve possibly the hardest case of all… their own murder. Set in Salem Massachusetts, players have the freedom to explore the New England-style wooden houses, narrow streets, Gothic churches and historical landmarks for clues. They will need to battle demonic spirits to preserve their souls whilst uncovering the shocking revelations about who is responsible for their death.

Elsewhere

7.0

Game analysis

Monster Scorecard

EXPAND ALL

Story and Narrative

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY

Story Score

Positive (80-100)

48%

Mixed (50-79)

42%

Negative (0-49)

10%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Murdered: Soul Suspect are varied, with some positive and negative aspects highlighted. Several critics, such as ActionTrip, Eurogamer Portugal, GameCritics, GamingTrend, Impulsegamer, Joystiq, Level7.nu, Polygon, Shacknews, The Escapist, Thunderbolt, Cheat Code Central, GameFront, Hooked Gamers, Official Xbox Magazine UK, Pure Xbox, Softpedia, and X-ONE Magazine UK, praise the story for its intriguing and unique premise. They appreciate the concept of a detective investigating his own murder as a ghost and the incorporation of Salem's myths and folklore. The narrative is described as engaging, well-paced, cleverly written, and filled with surprising twists. The relationship between the main characters is also commended for feeling natural and having chemistry. These positive reviews indicate that the story of Murdered: Soul Suspect successfully captures the attention and interest of players. However, there are also critics who express negative opinions about the story. COGconnected criticizes the narrative for being monotonous and dragging, while Digital Spy mentions that it falls short of being engrossing or entertaining as the movies it's based on. The 'whodunit' narrative is criticized for lacking enough suspects, making the twist at the end predictable. GameTrailers describes the story as a missed opportunity with a dull protagonist and uninteresting detective work. VideoGamer criticizes the plot for being contradictory and obvious, and for not exploring the relationship with the protagonist's wife in a meaningful way. These negative reviews highlight issues such as pacing, predictability, and lack of depth in character development. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While many appreciate the unique concept and engaging narrative of Murdered: Soul Suspect, there are also concerns about pacing, predictability, and character development. Positive reviews highlight the clever writing, surprising twists, and the incorporation of Salem's myths and folklore. On the other hand, negative reviews criticize the monotonous and dragging nature of the narrative, the lack of suspects, and the uninteresting detective work. Despite these criticisms, the overall sentiment suggests that the story of Murdered: Soul Suspect manages to hold the interest of players and provide an intriguing and entertaining experience.

TL;DR

story and narrative

Critics have mixed opinions on Murdered: Soul Suspect's story. Positive reviews praise its unique premise, engaging narrative, and clever twists. However, negative reviews criticize its monotonous pacing, lack of suspects, and predictable plot twists. Overall, while the story captures player interest with its intriguing concept and Salem folklore, it falls short in character development and engagement for some critics.

Gameplay Mechanics

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

68%

Negative (0-49)

32%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Murdered: Soul Suspect are quite varied. Some critics, such as ActionTrip and GameCritics, appreciate the gameplay mechanics, describing them as unique and fitting for the premise of being a ghost detective. They enjoy the exploration and detective work involved, including searching for clues and interrogating people. The inclusion of optional collectibles and side missions also adds to the overall experience. However, there are several criticisms raised by other critics. COGconnected and Eurogamer Portugal both mention that the gameplay lacks challenge and becomes repetitive over time. Digital Spy and Impulsegamer also express disappointment with the lack of challenge and variety in the investigations and puzzles. They feel that Ronan's unique abilities as a ghost detective are not put to good use, and the stealth sections involving demons show potential but are lacking in complexity. Gameplanet and Gamestyle criticize the puzzles as being half-baked and the combat as limited and annoying. The inclusion of ghostly demons is also mentioned by Gamestyle as disrupting the pacing of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that while the gameplay mechanics of Murdered: Soul Suspect have potential and offer some enjoyable aspects, there are significant drawbacks that prevent it from reaching its full potential. The lack of challenge and repetitive nature of the investigations and puzzles are common criticisms. The inclusion of ghostly demons and limited utilization of Ronan's abilities are also seen as missed opportunities. Some critics, such as Joystiq and Polygon, appreciate the gameplay for its unique elements and the satisfaction of solving cases, while others, like The Escapist and Thunderbolt, find it frustrating and lacking in depth. Ultimately, the gameplay of Murdered: Soul Suspect falls short of expectations, with a mix of positive and negative aspects that leave room for improvement.

TL;DR

gameplay mechanics

Critics are divided on Murdered: Soul Suspect's gameplay. Some praise its unique ghost detective mechanics, exploration, and detective work, while others criticize the lack of challenge, repetitive puzzles, and underutilization of abilities. The inclusion of ghostly demons also disrupts the pacing. Overall, the game has potential but falls short of expectations due to its mixed reception among critics.

Graphics and Visual Design

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS

Visual Score

Positive (80-100)

15%

Mixed (50-79)

75%

Negative (0-49)

10%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Murdered: Soul Suspect are quite varied. Some critics, such as Impulsegamer and The Globe and Mail, appreciate the decent visuals, well-animated cutscenes, and detailed environments. They find the game to be visually appealing in certain aspects. Additionally, Polygon describes the game as a rich, sad, and beautiful place to visit, highlighting the supernatural setting of Salem. The visuals and atmosphere are also praised by Shacknews, who believes they are the standout features of the game. These positive opinions indicate that there are elements of the graphics and visual design that are well-executed and visually appealing. However, there are several negative opinions from critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Murdered: Soul Suspect. COGconnected criticizes the graphics as uninspired and drab, with a washed-out color palette. GameCritics also criticizes the unpolished graphics and visual design, particularly the lack of integration of collectibles into the environment. Level7.nu finds the city of Salem to feel dead and claustrophobic, which suggests a lack of visual depth and immersion. X-ONE Magazine UK specifically mentions that the Xbox One version has bland and uninspiring visuals, a wonky frame-rate, and annoying loading times. These negative opinions highlight various shortcomings in the graphics and visual design, such as lack of inspiration, unpolished elements, and technical issues. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Murdered: Soul Suspect leans towards the negative side. IGN, in particular, mentions that the graphics and visual design are underutilized and wasted, with a small sandbox and arbitrary restrictions. Pure Xbox criticizes the sub-par graphics and visual design, pointing out wooden animations, characters with unmoving mouths, and infrequent appearances of terrifying demon designs. Eurogamer Portugal also mentions limited exploration and the ability to pass through objects as a ghost, which might contribute to a lack of visual variety and immersion. While there are some positive aspects, such as well-animated cutscenes and the supernatural setting of Salem, the overall sentiment suggests that the graphics and visual design of Murdered: Soul Suspect fall short of expectations and fail to fully utilize the potential of the game's concept and world.

TL;DR

graphics and visual design

Critics have mixed opinions on the graphics of Murdered: Soul Suspect. Some praise the visuals for being decent and visually appealing, while others criticize them as uninspired and lacking immersion. Positive feedback emphasizes well-animated cutscenes and the supernatural setting of Salem, while negative feedback points out issues like a drab color palette and technical problems. Overall, critics lean towards the negative side, highlighting shortcomings such as lack of inspiration and visual depth, ultimately feeling that the graphics fall short of the game's potential.

Music and Sound Design

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN

Sound Score

Positive (80-100)

14%

Mixed (50-79)

86%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.

The critics generally have positive opinions regarding the sound design and music of Murdered: Soul Suspect. COGconnected praises the voice acting, stating that it holds up well with only a few cheesy or poorly delivered lines. GameCritics and Softpedia also mention the decent voice acting in their opinions. Impulsegamer highlights the cool and intimidating sound work and character designs for the demons, which adds to the game's appeal. Shacknews appreciates how the sound and general atmosphere help with the gameplay. Hooked Gamers mentions that the audio and visuals set the eerie tone of the game perfectly. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by the critics as well. GameCritics points out that some audio cues and warnings are not visually represented, which may pose challenges for deaf and hard of hearing players. Pure Xbox criticizes the lack of emotion in the voice acting and mentions that the writing doesn't make up for these shortcomings. COGconnected also mentions a few cheesy or poorly delivered lines, indicating that not all aspects of the voice acting are flawless. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Murdered: Soul Suspect is impressive, particularly for the character Joy. IGN, Level7.nu, and X-ONE Magazine UK all highlight the solid voice acting in their opinions. The sound design and atmosphere of the game are also praised by critics such as Impulsegamer, Shacknews, and Hooked Gamers. However, there are some criticisms regarding the supporting cast's lack of impact and the lack of emotion in the voice acting. Despite these minor flaws, the positive aspects of the sound design and music seem to outweigh the negatives, making Murdered: Soul Suspect an enjoyable experience in terms of audio.

TL;DR

music and sound design

Critics generally praise Murdered: Soul Suspect for its impressive sound design, cool demon character designs, and eerie atmosphere, with solid voice acting particularly for the character Joy. However, some mention issues like lack of emotion in voice acting and challenges for deaf players. Overall, the game's audio and visuals set a perfect tone, making it an enjoyable experience despite minor flaws.

Voice Acting

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING

Acting Score

Positive (80-100)

27%

Mixed (50-79)

67%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.

The overall consensus among the critics regarding the voice acting in Murdered: Soul Suspect is mixed. Several critics, such as COGconnected and Gamestyle, praise the voice acting, noting that it is well done and adds to the overall enjoyment of the game. They specifically mention the lead character, Ronan O'Connor, as being interesting and instantly connecting with the player. The character interaction and banter between the main characters are also highlighted as fantastic by GamingTrend. IGN also commends the voice acting, particularly for the character Joy, but criticizes the supporting cast for failing to make an impression. The performances from Cassidy Lehrman and Jason Brooks are specifically mentioned as solid by X-ONE Magazine UK. On the other hand, there are critics who express negative opinions about the voice acting in Murdered: Soul Suspect. GameTrailers criticizes the voice acting for being flat and lacking emotion. Pure Xbox describes the voice acting as wooden and lacking emotion, further detracting from the overall experience. They also note that the characters' mouths don't always move when they speak, which adds to the negative perception of the voice acting. Polygon mentions an issue with the voiceover audio not matching up with the subtitles, which is considered annoying, but does not provide specific feedback on the quality of the voice acting. Overall, while there are mixed opinions about the voice acting in Murdered: Soul Suspect, it seems that the majority of critics find it to be decent or well done. Positive aspects highlighted include the connection with the lead character, Ronan O'Connor, and the fantastic character interaction and banter. The voice acting for the character Joy is particularly praised by IGN. However, there are critics who criticize the voice acting for being flat, lacking emotion, and not making a strong impression. The issue with the voiceover audio not matching up with the subtitles is also mentioned by Polygon. Despite the mixed opinions, it can be concluded that the voice acting in Murdered: Soul Suspect generally holds up, with some standout performances and a few shortcomings.

TL;DR

voice acting

Critics are divided on the voice acting in Murdered: Soul Suspect. Some praise the performances, especially for lead character Ronan O'Connor, while others criticize it as flat and lacking emotion. Positive feedback includes engaging character interaction, particularly for Joy. However, issues like characters' mouths not syncing with speech and audio-subtitle mismatches are noted. Overall, opinions vary, but most find the voice acting decent with both strengths and weaknesses.

Technical Performance

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE

Tech Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

33%

Negative (0-49)

67%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.

In terms of the technical performance of Murdered: Soul Suspect, there are both positive and negative opinions among the critics, depending on the gaming platform. On the PS4, GameCritics mentions the lack of a manual save function and far-apart checkpoints as drawbacks. However, Joystiq states that although there were technical flubs and finicky controls, they did not significantly hinder the investigation process. This suggests that while there were some technical issues, they were not game-breaking for the PS4 version. On the Xbox One, Softpedia points out some slowdowns in framerate and glitches with missing clues. X-ONE Magazine UK also highlights the struggles with bland visuals, a wonky frame-rate, and annoying loading times. These negative aspects indicate that the technical performance of Murdered: Soul Suspect on the Xbox One was subpar, with various technical issues affecting the overall experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Murdered: Soul Suspect had some technical glitches and issues on both the PS4 and Xbox One platforms. Polygon mentions voiceover audio not matching subtitles, malfunctioning buttons, and a game crash on the PS4, while Gameplanet describes the game as a technical mess on the same platform. These negative experiences are balanced by Joystiq's opinion that the technical issues did not hamper the investigation for too long. Considering the mixed opinions, it can be concluded that while Murdered: Soul Suspect had some technical flaws across both platforms, the impact of these issues varied. The PS4 version seemed to have more manageable technical problems, while the Xbox One version faced more significant challenges, including framerate slowdowns, glitches, and loading times. It is important to note that these technical issues, although present, did not completely ruin the overall experience for most critics.

TL;DR

technical performance

Critics had mixed opinions on the technical performance of Murdered: Soul Suspect. PS4 version had minor issues like lack of manual save, while Xbox One faced significant problems including framerate slowdowns and glitches. Despite technical flaws on both platforms, the game's overall experience wasn't completely ruined for most critics.

Replay Value

Click for more details

SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE

Replay Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

42%

Negative (0-49)

58%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Murdered: Soul Suspect are varied. Some critics, such as Gameplanet and Gamestyle, find the side missions and cases to be interesting and satisfying, enhancing the player's solving abilities and providing additional content to explore. Joystiq also mentions the presence of collectibles and hidden ghost stories that are worth finding, allowing players to take their time and fully explore the game. These positive aspects contribute to the potential replay value of the game, as players may want to revisit it to experience these side missions and collectibles. However, there are several critics, including IGN and Impulsegamer, who express concerns about the lack of replayability in Murdered: Soul Suspect. IGN points out that there are no consequences for failure and no branching storylines, which diminishes the incentive to replay the game. Impulsegamer also mentions the lack of substantial content and limited gameplay as factors that make it difficult to see players getting any longevity out of the game. Shacknews echoes this sentiment, stating that there is nearly zero replay value unless players wait a long while between playthroughs. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) also notes that while there are optional side missions and collectibles, there is little reason to replay the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards the game having limited replay value. While there are positive aspects such as the interesting side missions, collectibles, and the well-crafted detective story mentioned by Level7.nu, the lack of consequences for failure and branching storylines, as highlighted by IGN, diminishes the incentive for players to replay the game. Additionally, the lack of substantial content and limited gameplay mentioned by Impulsegamer further hinders the potential replayability. While some critics mention the optional side missions and collectibles, the overall sentiment suggests that these elements are not significant enough to significantly enhance the main game experience.

TL;DR

replay value

Critics are divided on the replay value of Murdered: Soul Suspect. Some praise the interesting side missions and collectibles that enhance gameplay, while others criticize the lack of consequences for failure and limited content, leading to little incentive for replay. Overall, the game is deemed to have limited replay value due to these shortcomings.

Overall Verdict

MONSTER

OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Monster Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

81%

Negative (0-49)

15%

Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.

In analyzing the opinions of multiple reviewers regarding the overall verdict of Murdered: Soul Suspect, it is evident that there are both positive and negative aspects of the game. Starting with the positives, several critics praised the game for its intriguing story and well-crafted narrative. ActionTrip commends the game for its enjoyable experience for story gamers, while Gamestyle highlights the entertaining aspects of the story, characters, and setting. Polygon describes the game as a great B-movie with a pulpy detective tale remixed as a classic ghost story, finding it charming and engaging. The engaging story and characters are also highlighted by ZTGD and Thunderbolt, respectively. However, the negatives of Murdered: Soul Suspect cannot be ignored. One common criticism among reviewers is the lack of challenge and complexity in gameplay. COGconnected describes the game as mediocre, with potential for improvement through refinement and a faster-paced story. Digital Spy believes that the game is full of missed opportunities, failing to use its great concept in an interesting or satisfying way. Eurogamer Portugal points out that the game starts with a strong sense of mystery but becomes repetitive and loses urgency. GameCritics praises the game for breaking genre conventions but criticizes its wonkiness and lack of a manual save function. IGN also mentions the game falling short in gameplay and replayability. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics, like Gameplanet and GamingTrend, acknowledge the flaws and specific target audience of Murdered: Soul Suspect, they still find value in the game and believe it is worth experiencing. On the other hand, critics like The Escapist and The Globe and Mail (Toronto) express disappointment in the game's failure to fully utilize its premise and lack of quality compared to other notable games in the genre. The varying opinions suggest that Murdered: Soul Suspect is a game with potential but falls short in certain aspects, making it a hit or miss experience for players.

TL;DR

Murdered: Soul Suspect receives mixed reviews with praise for its captivating story but criticism for lackluster gameplay and missed potential, leaving it as a hit or miss experience for players.

MONSTER

Reviews

128 reviews found

Hooked Gamers

Jun 10, 2014