At three hours long, A Case of Distrust held my attention all the way, but that’s not to say it’s without imperfections. The main character, I think, lacks the energy of her associates. She’s rightly angry about how she was treated as a woman on the force, but her feminism falls somewhere between overly earnest and glib. Despite a strong backstory, she lacks emotional force and presence. Even so, this is a damned fine game. Murder-mystery books and TV shows can sometimes feel like a bit of a chore, rolling through familiar procedures as they wend their way toward the whodunit. It’s a sign of the times that a point-and-click dialogue tree narrative adventure gives flight to a genre that’s been so thoroughly tilled in other media. I’m looking forward to playing more games like A Case of Distrust.
For all practical intents and purposes, this is L.A. Noire’s pocket sized, train-hoppin’, indie tramp cousin. Featuring highly stylized visuals and a soundtrack to match, Phyllis Malone’s investigation in the dark underbelly of 1924 San Francisco may be short but will leave detective mystery fans with a very warm aftertaste, much like the finest bootlegged liquor.
A Case of Distrust is a charming and gripping noir interactive text adventure. Halfway between 80 Days and Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, Ben Wander’s game tells us about the roaring 20s in a very stylish way. If you can turn a blind eye to some cumbersome mechanics and a couple of trivial choices you’ll spend three lovely thrilling hours hanging around San Francisco.
A dearth of hints, an enormous plethora of potential leads and an overall lack of narrative urgency means that only the dedicated players will see the game through to the end. A good detective novel can spellbind its readers with only words. A Case of Distrust can too, if you have the patience and concentration to make it through the whole way.
Hopefully Wander is able to focus on getting the story right in his next effort, because there’s a ton of potential in A Case of Distrust. So much so that it’s worth checking out despite its flaws. Its art style alone could warrant a purchase and coupled with the animation, transitions and music, it has a really great noire feel to it. The story is just OK, but A Case of Distrust is cool and different, and it deserves a look.
A Case of Distrust is a stylish and solid mystery adventure, but with no chance to solve it yourself, you may be left wondering what your role in this game actually is.
SummaryA Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game.