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- Reviewed on: 11/27/2006
- Released on: 11/21/2006
- Originally published on GameSpot: Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express (PC) Review
Agatha Christie's mystery novels remain popular to this day, thanks to their skillful and compact blend of British sensibilities and tight plot. Murder on the Orient Express is perhaps the late author's most recognizable title, so its transition to an adventure game was a certainty in light of last year's adventure adaptation of another of the author's works, And Then There Were None. Yet it's hard to say what audience AWE Games was seeking with this adaptation. Christie purists will undoubtedly be annoyed with the story's liberties, not to mention the tacked-on "heartwarming" ending. Adventure gamers may enjoy some rewarding puzzles but will be annoyed by multiple plot gaps. If nothing else, at least it nails the proper atmosphere, thanks to a largely solid voice cast with character actor David Suchet leading the way as Hercule Poirot.
Murder on the Orient Express is a typical point-and-click adventure game, dropping you in the shoes of train company employee Antoinette Marceau. It seems Antoinette is an amateur detective, so she eagerly takes the lead as Poirot's eyes and ears after he is injured when the train is overtaken by a surprise avalanche. Of course, the train isn't the only victim: One of the passengers is stabbed to death in his sleeping quarters. From there, you question the suspects, search for clues, and tap Poirot's "little grey cells" for a recap of everything you have learned.
Christie's novel ended with one of the finer surprise twists of her illustrious career, and fortunately, the game doesn't fiddle too much with the basic plot. Obviously, concessions were made, but unlike in And Then There Were None, the famed conclusion isn't completely replaced. However, it's extended to make room for a second melodramatic plot twist that detracts from the original ending. If you're familiar with the novel you'll welcome the surprise, but you can't help but wish the drama was reserved for the novel's original finale. The new addition was meant to be touching but is just manipulative and contrived, completely missing the spirit of the book.
Other original touches would have been better left out. There is a significant plot twist towards the end of the second act that sets up the additional ending, but it's barely even mentioned before the final scene. Other story issues just reek of poor design. At one point, you mention to the barman that the chef was temperamental that day, before you actually speak to the chef to discover that tidbit. In another, you question a porter about his lateness before the engineer tells you it was even an issue. These and other moments make it obvious the game wasn't prepared for you to carry out tasks outside of a specific order. They also make you feel disconnected from the story, which is already coldly crammed with a ton of clues and plot threads to sort through.
But first you have to uncover all that evidence. You'll interrogate a healthy list of suspects, including a count and countess, a princess, a typewriter-ribbon salesman, an American grandmother, and plenty more. There is a lot of dialogue to wade through, particularly in the game's central act, and thankfully the voice cast is excellent. There are a few suspect accents, but the actors do a fine job of bringing life to a large group of characters that have relatively little to work with.
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