Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders

Agatha Christie - The ABC Murders is a satisfying point-and-click whodunit adventure with plenty of puzzles.

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"Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders" is a 3rd person perspective adventure game based on the classic novel, where players step into the shoes of the famous detective Hercule Poirot. As ABC's mysterious opponent, players must explore various crime scenes, gather evidence, and solve puzzles to reveal the murderer's identity. The game demands intelligence and quick wit to outsmart the cunning adversary.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,283 reviews

story295 positive mentions

stability59 negative mentions

Engaging storyline that stays true to Agatha Christie's novel.
Enjoyable puzzles that require logical thinking without being overly difficult.
Charming art style and good voice acting, particularly for Hercule Poirot.

Clunky controls and slow character movement can be frustrating.
Some puzzles feel repetitive and lack depth, leading to a tedious experience.
Game-breaking bugs and glitches that can hinder progress.

story
693 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a faithful adaptation of Agatha Christie's "The ABC Murders," engaging players with its classic murder mystery elements and well-developed characters. While many players appreciated the intriguing plot and twists, some criticized the linear progression and lack of player agency, feeling that it sometimes detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative is well-received, particularly for those unfamiliar with the source material, but may feel predictable for fans of Christie's work.
- “The story was captivating with good plot twists.”
- “The story unfolds at a leisurely pace allowing you time to ponder over the gathered evidence.”
- “With its captivating storyline, challenging puzzles, and impressive attention to detail, the game manages to keep players hooked from start to finish.”
- “The game is a decent retelling of the story, but I don't enjoy how it's done and Poirot himself is oddly unlikable for being a generally compelling character in the books.”
- “This game also breaks a cardinal rule of game adaptations by telling a story that is definitively simpler and scaled-down compared to the original source material.”
- “The story is terrible and boring.”
gameplay
339 mentions
19 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Agatha Christie - The ABC Murders" is characterized by a mix of puzzle-solving and deduction mechanics that engage players, though many find it repetitive and lacking depth. While the game offers enjoyable moments through its narrative and some clever puzzles, it suffers from clunky controls, linear progression, and a reliance on simplistic mechanics that can frustrate players. Overall, it appeals more to fans of the source material than to those seeking a complex gaming experience.
- “The puzzle-solving and deduction mechanics are enjoyable, requiring players to think critically about the clues presented.”
- “The gameplay was engaging and kept me hooked the whole way through.”
- “I really enjoy the 'grey matter' mechanic that they have; yet I'm left wishing that there was some sort of punishment for guessing wrong, especially when the amount of combinations is so small that you could comfortably try them all within a minute or two.”
- “Overall, Agatha Christie - The ABC Murders offers an engaging narrative and an enjoyable mystery to solve but is hampered by repetitive gameplay and limited interaction, making it a more suitable experience for fans of the books than those seeking complex gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is rather slow and the storyline is very linear - you can't possibly get anything wrong (even if you do, there doesn't seem to be a real penalty) and there is no need for creative thinking or anything of the sort to solve any mystery.”
- “The gameplay consists of dragging Poirot through crime scenes, looking at stuff and solving easy puzzles.”
graphics
318 mentions
49 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as charming and stylistic, featuring a unique comic-book or cel-shaded art style that some players found appealing, while others noted it as simplistic or dated. While the visuals contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, they are often criticized for lacking detail and having occasional graphical bugs, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as adequate for the game's genre, though opinions vary widely on their quality and execution.
- “The graphics and art design are beautiful.”
- “The visuals and sound design help get you immersed.”
- “The graphics are nice and the background music and sound effects are adequate.”
- “The parts where you have to examine a suspect and figure out certain characteristics are more difficult because the graphics aren't done well enough for that.”
- “A point and click game that could have been okay if it weren't for the god awful voice over and ugly cartoon graphics.”
- “Graphically, the game is quite dated and hardly impressive in any manner at all.”
music
132 mentions
39 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and how it complements the setting and story. While some find the soundtrack to be repetitive or forgettable, others highlight its ability to enhance immersion and evoke the time period effectively. Overall, the music is described as fitting and enjoyable, contributing positively to the game's experience despite some criticisms regarding its variety and originality.
- “The voice acting and atmospheric music add depth, making the world feel immersive.”
- “The music is just about perfect.”
- “From the art style to the music, you cannot get much better.”
- “The soundtrack is forgettable but fitting.”
- “The graphics are meh, and could really benefit from some anti-aliasing (it's very noticeable), and the music was the kind that repeats itself throughout the entire game and gets on your nerves after a while.”
- “It's always the same music that plays and the puzzles and deductions feel random and not rewarding in the slightest.”
stability
61 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that disrupt gameplay. Many have experienced game-breaking bugs, particularly during puzzles, requiring restarts to progress. While some users noted that the glitches were manageable, the overall consensus indicates that the game's stability is a major drawback that detracts from the experience.
- “The game is old, but it runs great.”
- “The rest of the game wasn't buggy for me.”
- “While a perfectly fine murder mystery game, it's unfortunately buggy and very poorly optimized.”
- “I played the game 75% through, after which I can't progress further in the game because it freezes, and nothing else can be pressed except for the pause button, which allows me to quit the game.”
- “The game glitches too much and crashes every 20 minutes or so of playtime (using Windows 10, and even after changing the settings to a lower version of Windows it still crashes).”
atmosphere
49 mentions
61 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the effective voice acting, atmospheric music, and visually appealing art style that evoke the elegance of 1930s England. While some noted minor inconsistencies in voice performances and a lack of introductory context, the overall ambiance successfully captures the essence of Agatha Christie's world, making it a delightful experience for fans of classic detective stories. The game's slow-paced exploration encourages players to appreciate the detailed environments and narrative depth, contributing to its charm as a cozy mystery-solving adventure.
- “The voice acting and atmospheric music add depth, making the world feel immersive.”
- “However, for those who appreciate a captivating atmosphere and a meticulously crafted world, this game is a gem.”
- “The developers succeeded in capturing the atmosphere of the source material just right.”
- “Honestly, I was in a bit of shock right away when they show absolutely zero introduction, no atmosphere, no nothing. The intro is over in 30 seconds and you barely get anything to set up the story. It's as if they are expecting you to have seen the David Suchet series, so just substitute the presentation and storytelling yourself, and you can just engage in a bare-bones adventure game.”
- “There isn't a lot in the way of music, but what there is fits the atmosphere.”
- “The game is rather slow-paced, but once you are used to moving around slowly, it works for the better as it encourages you to look at every area in more detail and adds to the old-fashioned mystery story atmosphere.”
grinding
39 mentions
3 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is largely viewed as tedious and frustrating, with many players noting repetitive gameplay, slow mechanics, and unengaging puzzles. While some appreciate the story and atmosphere, the overall sentiment leans towards the experience becoming monotonous, especially during second playthroughs or when searching for specific clues.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I don't often write a negative review...but this game is incredibly tedious.”
- “The game is so tedious and slow moving that I was nodding off waiting for (unskippable) scenes and dialogue to finish.”
- “It's really tedious to play a point-and-click when it takes upwards of 10 seconds for the computer to churn through most of the clicks.”
replayability
30 mentions
20 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting that while there are multiple choices and endings, they do not significantly impact the narrative. Most reviews highlight that the primary incentive for replaying is to collect achievements rather than to experience a different story, leading to a consensus that the game lacks substantial replay value despite its enjoyable content.
- “Choices may not have long-term effects, but you can make a lot of choices, which is nice and makes it quite replayable.”
- “There are trophies to collect, which gives the game some replayability, and if you haven't ever read Agatha Christie before, this is the perfect encouragement!”
- “It was a good but not a great game, and of course the plot and story were excellent. Overall, I did really enjoy it, and there is replayability in trying to get all achievements.”
- “The game's negative is pretty simple: the price for a rather short game with minimal replay value, unless you're really big on trophy collecting.”
- “No replayability really, which would be fine if this were a 10-20 hour game, but I completed it in 6 hours and that was taking my time on a slow weekend night.”
- “There is little replayability to speak of, and no collectibles or other motivating factors to bother with another playthrough.”
humor
26 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of witty dialogue, amusing character interactions, and quirky voice acting, often leading to unintentional laughs due to awkward pauses and mispronunciations. Players appreciate the light-hearted tone and clever writing, which includes humorous nods to classic detective tropes and funny achievements, making the experience both entertaining and engaging. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its cozy detective gameplay, providing a relaxing yet amusing atmosphere.
- “Great story-line, gameplay, and funny characters.”
- “Funny dialogues, humorous, relaxing and tense music when appropriate, and good graphics overall.”
- “The voice-acting was pretty good, and the script was excellent; there were some very funny lines from Poirot, actually!”
optimization
20 mentions
35 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with players reporting slow performance, unresponsive controls, and frequent bugs that hinder progress. Many users spent considerable time troubleshooting frame rate problems, leading to frustration and detracting from the overall experience. Despite some redeeming qualities in the plot and character performances, the lack of optimization has led to widespread disappointment among players.
- “Not fully optimized controls, but otherwise a very good and entertaining game.”
- “It seems that the game is not well optimized, but still I recommend it.”
- “In fact, the performance in the game really kept me interested and obliterated the few flaws I encountered from my experience.”
- “One last thing that I didn't like is how badly optimized the game is.”
- “Extreme lack of optimization.”
- “Poorly optimized.”
emotional
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the emotional aspect of the game is hindered by stiff character animations and poorly aligned dialogue, which detract from the intended emotional impact of key scenes. While some players found enjoyment in the puzzle-solving elements, the lack of immersive storytelling and emotional depth left many feeling detached from the narrative. Additionally, the sound design and gameplay mechanics contributed to a sense of emotional disconnection, making it difficult for players to engage fully with the story.
- “Actually made me feel like Poirot, my favorite detective behind Monk.”
- “A little explanation, maybe even just an engraving on the side that made Poirot mention it was a gift from her mother or another family member, would have made me feel much more immersed in the game's story.”
- “This game made me feel powerless as I came up with the correct conclusions before the story railroaded me along.”
character development
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has been criticized for its lack of depth, with many characters remaining static and true to their initial portrayals, mirroring the original novel's limitations. Additionally, the character design and voice acting have been described as subpar, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game fails to enhance the characters beyond their original representations, leading to a disappointing narrative engagement.
- “You have lacks in character development in the sense that most end up being exactly the way they seem to be in the first place, but that's also valid for the book.”
- “Art is horrible, the character design is bad, voice acting isn't that special either.”
- “Bad voice acting, glitches, no puzzles, there is no interesting story, ugly character design, impossible to skip boring scenes.”