Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None

I may be wrong, but I believe this is the first commercial computer game featuring a mystery by Agatha Christie. If there have been others I’d like to know about them, so drop me a line. I don’t know why her mysteries haven’t been used before, maybe this is the first time her estate has given permission to use her work. Anyway, it’s about time, because Agatha Christie’s mysteries are a perfect fit for adventure games.

For those who may not be aware of who Agatha Christie is, she is one of the most popular and prolific English mystery writers of all time. Her books, while simply written, are masterpieces of the cozy mystery set in the British upper classes. Her first mystery was published in 1920, followed by almost 80 novels. Her books are still in publication today.

Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None was developed by AWE Games and published by The Adventure Company. Lee Sheldon, a writer who has worked on computer games (Remember The Riddle of Master Lu?, one of my favorite adventure games!) and TV shows, and also written books. According to an interview conducted by the folks at the Just Adventure gaming site, he is also a long-time fan of Agatha Christie, and has taken great pains to recreate her book faithfully. Personally, I think he’s done a great job of staying true to the book, while making necessary changes for the benefit of gamers. The spirit of the novel is captured superbly, and fans of Agatha Christie and adventure game enthusiasts will find much to like in this game.

The beginning of the game starts with a short movie that sets the stage. There are eight guests who have been invited to Shipwreck Island by the owner, Mr. Owen. Interestingly enough, none of the guests have met Mr. Owen. Besides the guests, there is a married couple by the name of Rogers, hired to look after the guests, and Patrick Narracott the ferry captain, a new “eleventh” character, who provides a playable character for gaming purposes. After the guests arrive, unpack their suitcases and eat their dinner, they listen to a gramophone recording that Mr. Owen left with the Rogers, with instructions to play immediately after dining. The recording, in very bald terms, lists a series of murders committed by the guests and the Rogers. Pandemonium erupts, and Mrs. Rogers faints. Patrick takes this opportunity to question all the guests and continue his snooping around, of which he has already done a considerable amount. If readers will remember from the book, everyone on the island is slated to die; if Patrick doesn’t want to be the eleventh victim or the survivor who is branded a murderer, he must discover the real culprit.

This is a traditional adventure game, played in the third person. Gamers will play as Patrick, and spend a lot of time collecting items, recording written clues, and interviewing the other characters. This is an extremely linear game, and much of the action depends on previous actions. For instance, early on in the game, gameplay basically comes to a halt if Patrick doesn’t pick up the recording from the gramophone player after it has played and the guests have gathered in a sitting room. Also, some puzzles and clues only become available later in the game, after certain actions have first been completed.

The clues and puzzles are elegantly integrated into the story, and there is never a forced feel to anything. The whole atmosphere of the game is pleasing, especially the wonderfully detailed period backgrounds. The graphics of the settings and general environment are exactly what they should be for this type of game. The characters are 3D and don’t look as good as the rest of the game, with stiff movements and gestures. The mouth movements are particularly awkward, and aren’t synchronized very well with the dialogue.

The interface is simple and easy to understand, and players will be able to navigate with ease throughout the game. Patrick can run with a double-click, good news for those impatient gamers. Icons of certain actions will show as eyes, hands and feet. However, there are no hotspots included for puzzles; players have to figure out on their own whether to use an item on a stationary object. Inventory items can be examined, and also combined together. There are a few puzzles of the code and anagram sort, but not a whole lot. The game isn’t short, but most of the gameplay involves talking and gathering clues, rather than solving tons of puzzles. There are several possible endings, and players may want to replay the game for different outcomes.

I’ve had a really good time playing this game and have enjoyed it immensely. I’m a pretty sharp critic when it comes to presentations of my favorite authors (my family refuses to watch The Lord of the Ring movies with me), and hate it when things are changed either badly, or for no good reason. While there are changes in this computer adaptation, they are still well in keeping with the spirit of the original novel. For solving purposes, the murderer is of course different than the book.

Players who have never encountered Ms. Christie will also have fun with this game, as it is a great example of a well-designed adventure game. Much of the fun is derived from leisurely exploring, with a good assortment of puzzles that are logical. The only drawback to the game is the extreme linear design, which can cause players to just waffle around if they haven’t triggered a key action. And, the game isn’t very difficult, despite the occasions of not being able to progress.

Still, despite these few quibbles, I’ve had more fun with this game than most of the other adventure games I’ve played lately. A good, professional job. Thanks AWE, Mr. Sheldon and The Adventure Company, for a trip down memory lane with Agatha Christie. If you’re already Christmas shopping, this is a great gift idea for mystery fans who like computer games!

Gameplay: 8.0
A lotta fun to play, for the most part. However, the linear nature may be off-putting to some, and the number of puzzles could be beefed up. However, the puzzles are well-integrated into the story and won’t cause people to pull their hair out.

Graphics: 7.0
Great graphic detail in the backgrounds, but the 3D characters aren’t attractive, at least not to me.

Sound: 8.0
Wonderful period music.

Difficulty: Medium
Fairly easy to play.

Concept: 8.0
It’s about time they made a game from a Agatha Christie novel!

Overall: 8.0
This is an above-average adventure game that will provide hours of entertainment for adventure game fans, whether or not they are fans of Agatha Christie, although that would be plus in the enjoyment factor. A definite top choice for a holiday gift!