Murderous Muses Game review genre adventure & indie developed & published by D’Avekki Studios Ltd. – Spend three reality-warping evenings in a haunted art gallery in order to solve a sinister murder. A murder mystery with infinite replayability that combines deduction, exploration, puzzles, collectibles, and FMV.
We are huge fans of the FMV genre, having joined the bandwagon as the genre has experienced a bit of a renaissance over the past few years; there is now a plethora of titles on Xbox for players to investigate. However, while the FMV (full motion video) sections have been generally excellent, the experience occasionally feels like watching a film, with limited decision-making options.
Creators have been experimenting with the gameplay mechanics and structures of these games more frequently as of late. Murderous Muses is one of these games; it’s a brand-new adventure developed by the exceptional D’Avekki Studios.
Watch gameplay of Murderous muses on YouTube below:
What I appreciate about D’Avekki Studios is that they almost construct a repertory cast of actors who return in subsequent games. Here, Aislinn De’Ath from The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker takes center stage, along with Klemens Koehring from Dark Nights with Poe and Monroe. The authors have a gratifying understanding of the supernatural and enigmatic, but they are constantly winking at the audience.
Murderous Muses places the player in the role of a guard at the Gallery Argenta on the fictional island of Mirlhaven. Mordechai Grey, a renowned local artist, is being exhibited there. Unfortunately, this artist was murdered a year ago. During the day, your task is to display the artist’s paintings in the correct locations throughout the gallery and listen to audio descriptions of the artwork. But at night it gets very strange…
As nightfall approaches, the gallery transforms into an alternate reality. Here, six individuals whose portraits hang in the gallery are brought to life through video snippets. These portraits, along with the artist’s final works of art, provide insight into his fate. Your mission is to listen to their accounts and determine who, if any, murdered the famous artist. A burlesque dancer who is attempting to leave the island, a womanizing ventriloquist, two twins, an undertaker who is the last of his kind, a surgeon-turned-clockmaker, and a professor are among the six inhabitants. The characters are written with great contrasts of darkness and lightness. In fact, I believe the writing throughout the gallery is excellent, from the audio descriptions of the works of art to the references to supernatural documentaries that are scattered throughout.
This is where things begin to diverge, and the gameplay is unusual for an FMV, resembling a first-person adventure game. Throughout the day and night, you can move around the gallery and interact with the paintings you acquire from crates, using audio items and solving puzzles. Three days encompass the entirety of the game and your role, and it’s convenient that you can alternate between night and day at any time. The curator has assigned you tasks, such as mounting a number of paintings in the appropriate locations. At the conclusion of three days, you will select a homicide suspect. Expect to be incorrect at first, but the real fun of Murderous Muses lies in the multiple playthroughs required, as the order of things to do is procedurally determined.
Overall, Murderous Muses is somewhat unexpected, primarily due to its complexity and lack of hand-holding. You may utterly adore this element, or it may slightly turn you off. I personally enjoyed the overwhelming sense of confusion I felt when I began my first playthrough, trying to comprehend the puzzles, the sequence of events, and the need to piece together the entire story. By the third playthrough, however, I began to appreciate the game’s ingenious design and construction. I appreciate experimentation in games, and Murderous Muses is unquestionably experimental; it deserves applause.
In terms of visual identity, the gallery that you are perusing is quite simplistic and somewhat dated. However, the artwork’s design is enticing, and the video elements feature well-lit scenes with effective editing. All of the primary characters, as well as those in supporting roles, give outstanding performances. As previously stated, it is evident that the D’Avekki Studios team is extremely motivated to cultivate a talented population of individuals. In addition, the entire film features a solid and engaging audio, which is what maintains the tension and intrigue.
Murderous Muses relies heavily on multiple playthroughs. A single run-through may take a few hours, but the next time you play, you will undoubtedly encounter a completely different experience, with different elements and indications. Murderous Muses is another great game from a prolific studio. Perhaps some players would like more hints to assist them along the way, if only to avoid becoming discouraged in the opening moments, but overall, this is an excellent game.
Murderous muses: Spend three reality-warping evenings in a haunted art gallery in order to solve a sinister murder. A murder mystery with infinite replayability that combines deduction, exploration, puzzles, collectibles, and FMV. – kendajaya