Bohemian Killing

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 85 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Bohemian Killing Game Cover
Bohemian Killing isn’t the prettiest game in the world, but it’s certainly a fascinating experience. It delivers on both its concept as a good ol’ fashioned whodunnit, as well as its unconventional approach to storytelling.
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"Bohemian Killing" is a narrative-driven courtroom drama game set in steampunk Paris of the late 19th century. Accused of murder, you must utilize nearly endless possibilities to prove your innocence, through lying, finding evidence, or even acting insane. Developed by a real-life lawyer, this game provides an immersive and open-ended legal experience.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews
story13 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique concept where players must lie to construct an alibi for a murder they committed, providing a fresh take on the detective genre.
  • The music and voice acting are well-received, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and immersion.
  • There are multiple endings available, encouraging replayability and exploration of different narrative paths.
  • The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including frequent crashes, bugs, and unskippable sequences that disrupt gameplay.
  • The gameplay is often described as repetitive and tedious, with a lack of meaningful choices and a small game world that limits exploration.
  • Many players found the mechanics frustrating, particularly the time management system that requires performing specific actions to advance time, which can feel cumbersome.
  • story40 mentions

    The game's story is a unique blend of postmodern narrative and detective elements, where players must craft their alibi while navigating a web of lies and evidence. While some players found the initial intrigue waning after multiple playthroughs, many appreciated the dynamic nature of the story, which changes based on player choices and offers multiple endings. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its creativity and depth, despite some criticisms regarding execution and dialogue options.

    • “The plot twist is that you are in fact guilty (you actually commit the murder at the very start) and it is your job to tell lies to the court that match up with not only the prosecutor's evidence & timeline against you, but also with your supporting evidence (should you find it).”
    • “I really like the storyline; it is splendid and very dynamic; I like how it changes based on your choices during the game.”
    • “Having to piece a story while adhering to the evidence collected by the authorities is a very nice twist on the usual take on the game of deduction.”
    • “Ultimately, I found the game’s story (and all its different iterations) rather uninteresting and dull, especially after the first few times through.”
    • “When you think about the plot, you imagine something that is really better and more creative might come, but this thought dissolves when you progress in the game for 20 minutes.”
    • “It's like following one storyline without options over and over again!”
  • gameplay32 mentions

    The gameplay of "Bohemian Killing" is a mix of adventure and walking simulator elements, where players navigate a small map to construct a testimony while managing real-time events. However, many users report significant issues, including janky mechanics, frequent glitches, and frustrating loading screens, which detract from the overall experience. While the game offers multiple paths and endings, the execution of its mechanics and the need for better explanations leave much to be desired, resulting in a mixed reception.

    • “The game, by its nature, pushes players to think and plan ahead in detail, but it does that with grace, without harming the smooth narrative flow and its joyful gameplay.”
    • “Overall, the gameplay of Bohemian Killing is very interesting; there are many different paths to take and several endings for those paths.”
    • “The gameplay can be best described as a hybrid between an adventure game and a walking simulator: you walk around the (small) map and interact with people and items in order to arrange a testimony in your favor.”
    • “Many of the mechanics are janky, and I had a hard time figuring out what I'm supposed to be doing when I first played it.”
    • “The mechanics aren't difficult, but the amount of glitches made it frustrating and impossible for me to complete the path I was on.”
    • “The way to advance time is the most infuriatingly annoying mechanic I have seen in a very long time.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the lighting and atmospheric elements are commendable, there are significant issues such as graphical glitches, poor character models, and an intrusive mouse cursor. Overall, the visuals are considered decent for an indie title, but they fall short of expectations, especially for a game released in 2016, leading to a general consensus that the graphics could be improved.

    • “The graphics and lighting are generally very good and atmospheric.”
    • “The game worked smoothly the entire time, graphics are good for an indie game as well as the soundtrack and voice over.”
    • “Don't expect triple-A graphics, but it runs smooth and the overall design is more than okay for an indie project.”
    • “However, your character does not appear in reflections (even in mirrors), and there is no way to turn off the crosshair/dot. The inactive mouse cursor shows up in the graphics of the game distractingly as a small but bright visual glitch that floats around the screen depending on where you look.”
    • “The graphics are subpar, and the opening murder scene has some atrocious character models.”
    • “A very interesting concept, but it is let down by the subpar graphics and clunkiness of the usability of the game.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its strong themes and quality, with some users highlighting its beauty and fitting nature for the game's setting. However, there are criticisms regarding the limited variety, as many noted that the soundtrack consists of only one repeating piece, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite this, the music is often described as relaxing and well-complemented by good voice acting and sound effects.

    • “Fantastic music with a strong musical theme.”
    • “A good game with an interesting concept and beautiful music.”
    • “The soundtrack is great and the voice acting is totally okay.”
    • “There is a soundtrack available on Steam, but altogether it is only about 15 minutes long.”
    • “The music repeats.”
    • “There is only one piece of music that repeats the whole time.”
  • stability11 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frustrating bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay and completion. While some users noted minor issues, the overall consensus highlights a lack of polish that detracts from the experience, making it difficult for many to enjoy or finish the game.

    • “However, it's so buggy that I eventually gave up without completing the game.”
    • “The mechanics aren't difficult, but the amount of glitches made it frustrating and impossible for me to complete the path I was on.”
    • “It just has one problem: I can never finish it, because it freezes and crashes all the game sessions... I hope it will get fixed.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    The game offers some replayability through multiple outcomes and different approaches, but many players feel that it diminishes significantly after the initial playthroughs due to a linear structure and a lack of engaging content. While there is potential for varied endings, the overall experience may not warrant repeated play, especially after unlocking most evidence.

    • “The game should have led with you not knowing and giving you a set of options to choose the actions you took and see how it ends up; it would even add replay value to try and get the 'good/evil' ending.”
    • “Short but with potential replay value.”
    • “There are multiple outcomes if you want to try different approaches and extract some replay value from the game.”
    • “Once you unlock most evidence, the replay value diminishes.”
    • “The only problem is there's very little replayability, and beyond the first one or two playthroughs, it just becomes a railroaded fetch quest.”
    • “There are multiple outcomes if you want to try a different approach and extort some replay value from the game.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for its impressive graphics and lighting, creating an opulent and immersive environment, particularly highlighted by the stylish decor and character designs. However, some players found the atmosphere lacking in depth, leading to boredom during subsequent playthroughs despite initial enjoyment of the setting and cultural elements.

    • “The graphics and lighting are generally very good and create a highly atmospheric experience.”
    • “I loved the atmosphere, especially the Parisian setting and the charming French accents.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The game's humor is initially amusing, particularly when engaging in silly antics, but this enjoyment diminishes quickly due to a lack of flexibility and variety. Players express frustration that the game fails to maintain its comedic potential, which detracts from the overall fun of experimenting with different actions for humorous outcomes.

    • “The game can be a little funny while doing silly things the first few times through, but this humor wears off quickly.”
    • “This lack of flexibility gets very frustrating as the game misses what should have been its core objective: to allow the player to have fun experimenting and seeing what the (hopefully humorous) results will be.”
    • “It's just the frequency of it that's a bit off, to the point that it gets hilarious.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on older hardware, such as an old laptop. However, some users noted that the voice acting is delivered in a deliberately exaggerated and distorted manner, which may detract from the overall experience.

    • “Well optimized”
    • “Runs smoothly on my old laptop.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players note that while the game is relatively short, attempting to unlock every ending and achievement can lead to a tedious grinding experience.

    • “This is a very short game overall and only becomes longer if you try to exhaustively go through and get every single ending and/or achievement, which I think would be a truly tedious exercise.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is mixed, as some players report feeling discomfort due to the lighting, which detracts from their overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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