Unofficial Tex Murphy

I´ve mentioned the Casebook series before, but now i´d like to take some time for bringing this format up again: Every episode of the FMV adventure/casual game hybrid Casebook is now available for 5 $. The price is pretty insane and it´s a great chance for checking out the series and supporting a very small indie team that offers one of THE most professional FMV productions ever. Not to mention that they´ve developed one of the most creative technologies out there.

There´s been 3 episodes so far and the movie material for the 4.th one is already done. However, it´s a really small team and it´s very hard for them to get any attention on their concept. So the future of the series relies on how the sales develop. Any help is appreciated and necessary, so if you want to support FMV in the year 2010, please check out the series and help spreading the word! If this team succeeds with this format, you can guess that it´s not necessarily the worst thing for a return of Tex as a FMV game either.

A personal advice: Start with the 2.nd episode "The Watcher", you don´t need any knowledge of the predecessor: The first one was an impressing tech-demo and had a great FMV production, but there were quite some flaws. The 2.nd and 3.rd episode were a great improvement though.

If you want to find out what Casebook is all about, what the philosophy behind this team is, how the technology works etc. I can suggest you an interview that i´ve recently done with Areo´s Sam Clarkson (director, co-writer, designer, editor, creative director):
http://www.adventure-treff.de/artikel/i ... 8&lang=eng

You can order the games, and check out trailers, on the official website:
http://areo.areograph.com/

And last but not least: New fans on Facebook are very welcome!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Casebook/17125158330

Hey Jack,
I've played the Casebook series 1-3. They are a very good deal at 5 bucks a pop. I'm eagerly awaiting part 4.

It's a promising FMV game. I like the lead character. Though I've got to admit the game play is not as great as I'd like but I think the story is strong enough to keep people interested.

Cool!

I agree about the gameplay, it´s quite simple, but the overall package does a really good job. I guess it´s the traditional problem for every game that wants to appeal to adventure gamers and casual gamers. In fact, Areo is working on special editions of the first 3 episodes now, moving a little bit more towards adventure gamers. I have to say though that i prefer the Casebook gameplay to the gameplay in the 3 Cards series. I like the 3 Cards games a lot, and i think that Casebook and 3 Cards might have an extremely familar target audience, but especially in Dead Time it seems to me like story and gameplay are two completely seperated elements. The element i like about the Casebook gameplay is that the actions of the player make much more sense in relation to the plot.

And like you say, i like the lead character,too and especially the circumstance that he´s going through a lot of personal development, revealing more and more of what´s under the surface. In the interview with Sam you´ll find a little preview of what´s happening next with Detective Burton.
In case that it interests you: I also did an interview with the lead actor, Julian Temple:
http://www.adventure-treff.de/artikel/i ... 7&lang=eng

Screenshots of Episode IV: In Absentia are available under the following link (and on Facebook):
http://www.adventure-treff.de/images/ga ... alerie=638

Also... I hope they are able to continue and grow...

I haven't gotten around to playing them, just way too busy... Can't wait for Life to just slow down a bit...

Jack,
Yes I agree the game play of Casebook does blend more seamlessly into the adventure story than 3 Cards. I do like going through the motions of doing things detectives would do. I just wish the mini-games were more challenging. My biggest gripe is that their camera only holds 8 pictures. That just seems so silly in this day and age.

But 3 Cards suffers from the opposite problem. Very challenging puzzles but the HO doesn't flow with the story. It's feels like we are playing 2 separate games.

Yes I had guessed from the ending of #3 that Burton was headed into private practice. I wonder how he'll do without the police force's forensic team behind him.

Thanks for the links about the interviews. I was wondering about Julian Temple's shoes. I noticed one looked bigger than the other. I've been checking the Areo website but haven't seen much activity on their forums.

I'm pleased considering they are such a small company they do a fantastic job with what they've got. I'm sure we can expect their games to keep getting better.

I downloaded 1 & thought it wasn't too hot but I gave it another go & bought 2 & 3.

I enjoyed them after all but the partner references all the time pisses me off a bit.
I will be looking forward to no.4

Haha. I hate it that we don't have a name. I'm sick of being called partner all the time too!

I understand this allows the player to be male or female and it doesn't change the dynamics of the game. Having played as both male and female characters in video games, it doesn't bother me that much if I have to play a character of the opposite sex.

I wish they'd just go ahead and choose a gender and a name for us already.

yeah that might fix it up selecting male or female, calling you maybe mate or buddy might work also

Yeah I had forgotten that. The game is set in Australia but the actor speaks with an American accent.