Murdered: Soul Suspect

Murdered: Soul Suspect is what you get when you create a point-and-click adventure game through the lens of a modern console game. It’s not perfect, but it’s a mystery worth solving.

71%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, replayability

81% User Score Based on 6,653 reviews

Critic Score 61%Based on 26 reviews

Platforms

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About

Murdered: Soul Suspect is a single player role playing game with horror, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Airtight Games and was released on June 5, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

In "Murdered: Soul Suspect," players become Ronan O'Connor, a detective murdered in a grisly ritual killing. Now a ghost, Ronan must use his newfound supernatural abilities to communicate with the living, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth about his own murder. With a unique setting and detective gameplay, Murdered: Soul Suspect offers a thrilling, otherworldly investigation full of suspense and mystery.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,653 reviews

story3.2k positive mentions

stability210 negative mentions

Engaging and unpredictable storyline with interesting twists.
Unique gameplay mechanics that allow players to possess characters and walk through walls.
Atmospheric setting in Salem, Massachusetts, enhances the overall experience.

Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with simplistic puzzles and easy investigations.
Combat mechanics involving demons are frustrating and feel unnecessary.
Technical issues, including bugs and a lack of manual save options, can disrupt the experience.

story
7,013 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The story of "Murdered: Soul Suspect" is a compelling blend of supernatural elements and detective work, following protagonist Ronan O'Connor as he investigates his own murder in the haunted town of Salem. While the narrative features intriguing twists and character backstories, it is often criticized for being predictable and linear, with some players feeling that the gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, many players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and engaging plot, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “Beneath that surface is a detective story with a creepy twist, full of mysticism, witch cults, ghosts, and unfinished business that haunts not only the main character Ronan but also other unfortunate souls.”
- “Murdered: Soul Suspect is an ambitious and atmospheric detective adventure that offers a truly unique story and a gripping narrative.”
- “This game is all about the great story by delivering a mystery that keeps you hooked from its opening moments to its dramatic conclusion.”
- “The story is rather short, which is a bummer, but complete.”
- “The plot is rather obvious.”
- “The story is fine, though the characters are weak and somewhat embarrassing.”
gameplay
2,606 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
58%
14%
The gameplay of "Murdered: Soul Suspect" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplistic and repetitive nature. While the game features unique mechanics such as ghostly abilities and detective work, the execution often feels underdeveloped, leading to a lack of variety and challenge. Players appreciate the engaging story and atmosphere, but the gameplay mechanics, particularly the stealth and combat elements, are frequently criticized for being tedious and poorly integrated into the overall experience.
- “Murdered: Soul Suspect offers a fresh take on the detective genre by combining a supernatural story with engaging puzzle mechanics and a strong sense of place.”
- “The gameplay consists of finding clues and piecing together hints (similar to L.A. Noire) as well as out of place stealth sections that quickly become repetitive and unfortunately become more frequent near the end of the game.”
- “The ghost mechanics really allow for the level design to shine.”
- “The game mechanics basically don’t let you fight back at all.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay struggles to match the intrigue of the story.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and gets boring quickly, and the dialogue screens are horrible.”
graphics
989 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
41%
5%
The graphics of "Murdered: Soul Suspect" are generally regarded as good for a game released in 2014, with many players appreciating the atmospheric design that effectively captures the eerie setting of Salem. While some visuals and animations show their age, particularly in cutscenes, the overall aesthetic and character models are often praised for their detail and style. However, there are occasional graphical glitches and a sense that the game does not push the boundaries of graphical innovation, leading to mixed feelings about its visual execution.
- “Considering that it is from 2014, the graphics are good.”
- “The visual design employs a subdued color palette that enhances the haunting mood, and while it may not push the boundaries of graphical innovation, it succeeds in reinforcing the game’s tone.”
- “The graphics hold up amazingly well; this game still looks very good and the main character model is just amazing to look at.”
- “Graphically, some cut scenes have aged horribly, but overall I still enjoyed replaying the game for the actual main story itself.”
- “However, the game's graphical fidelity is somewhat dated, with character models and animations that lack polish compared to more recent titles.”
- “The graphics are starting to show their age, and the gameplay and design choices are likewise dated.”
atmosphere
630 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The atmosphere of "Murdered: Soul Suspect" is widely praised for its dark, immersive quality, effectively capturing the eerie essence of Salem, Massachusetts, and enhancing the game's supernatural narrative. Players appreciate the combination of haunting visuals, atmospheric sound design, and a compelling storyline that draws them into a world filled with ghosts and mysteries. While some critiques mention uneven execution and repetitive gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game's atmosphere is its standout feature, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven adventures.
- “Set against the backdrop of Salem, Massachusetts—a town steeped in history and supernatural lore—the game crafts an eerie atmosphere that complements its narrative focus on mystery and redemption.”
- “The atmosphere excels in creating a hauntingly immersive world, with the eerie, fog-laden streets of Salem serving as a fitting backdrop for the supernatural narrative.”
- “The atmosphere is the strongest part of this game, at times you may feel so uneasy or engrossed in what's going on, especially with some cutscenes.”
- “Furthermore, while the atmosphere is solid, the experience felt like it was missing some great music that could have elevated the emotional and tense moments.”
- “The town is simply dull, some NPCs keep walking in the same path, really killing the atmosphere; they also have only two lines of dialogue, which are boring.”
- “While the atmosphere can be 'spooky' and your heart may race while trying to avoid the demons, the game is pretty tame.”
music
245 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and create tension, while others find it repetitive or lacking in variety. Many agree that while the soundtrack fits the game's eerie and haunting themes, it often fails to leave a lasting impression, leading to a somewhat forgettable experience. Overall, the sound design, including ambient effects and voice acting, is generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's immersive qualities.
- “Sound design also plays a crucial role; the haunting soundtrack and ambient effects immerse players further into the spectral world, heightening tension and emotional connection at key moments.”
- “The foggy streets, dimly lit alleyways, and haunting soundtrack come together to create a moody and immersive experience that perfectly fits the ghostly narrative.”
- “The music is great, and it makes getting chased by a demon feel almost scary.”
- “The lack of music makes the game quite boring though.”
- “Barely any music, no interesting set pieces, poor dialogue, and just a generally empty feeling world.”
- “While sound effects are great, the music is extremely lacking.”
stability
224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
2%
94%
The game's stability is frequently criticized due to numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking issues that force players to restart or uninstall. While some players report minor glitches that do not significantly impact their experience, many others highlight severe technical problems, particularly in the PC version, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the game's stability issues are a common concern, with many recommending caution before purchasing.
- “Good game, runs great; the story is awesome.”
- “Additionally, it runs great on older hardware.”
- “It is bug free and complete out of the box, no need to worry about patches or the possibility of DLC.”
- “I was enjoying this game a lot, aiming for a 100% playthrough, however after a game-breaking bug - the floor disappearing in the museum - and no troubleshooting efforts working, I was forced to uninstall.”
- “The game is full of bugs, glitches, and crashes.”
- “Unfortunately, this game is a buggy mess of a terrible console port.”
replayability
218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
55%
38%
The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to play again. Most players find the experience to be linear and short, typically lasting around 6-10 hours, and the only potential for replay comes from collecting missed items or achievements. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers minimal replay value, making it more suitable for a single playthrough rather than repeated sessions.
- “The game could extend and support replayability with many potential elements and concepts, but the design choice is way too generous and restricted.”
- “I can see how this game might disappoint others, as there is so much more it could do as a survival horror and as a detective game, but for what it is, I think this is a brilliant game, and there are enough items and secrets to find to give it replay value.”
- “This was definitely a game worth playing, and has some replayability to it due to all the collectibles and maybe if you want to finish it with 100%, but otherwise it's more of a 'play through thoroughly once and enjoy' type of game.”
- “The investigating mechanics are weak, the combat and stealth sections weaker, and the repetitiveness of it all makes this experience definitely not replayable.”
- “The game is non-replayable, so if you care about 100% completion, you need to be wary of collecting them and not miss miscellaneous things, but you will get them mostly done as there are no difficulty-related achievements.”
- “The game is very short, clocking in at around 10 hours, and doesn't offer much in the way of replayability.”
grinding
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and monotonous, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive stealth sections involving demons and the extensive backtracking required to collect clues and collectibles. While some appreciate the story and design elements, the gameplay often feels like a chore, detracting from the overall experience and leading to a sense of boredom as players navigate through the same environments and mechanics repeatedly. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the game's narrative strengths.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A lot of grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “There is literally almost no gameplay and it serves as being more tedious than anything.”
- “The demons, to be quite frank, were an absolutely awful addition to the game that feel like they existed solely to pad out the game through tedious and basic stealth segments.”
- “The gameplay itself can get tedious, but the story is rich and features seven mini horror stories.”
optimization
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
42%
35%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting performance issues such as stuttering, inconsistent frame rates, and bugs, particularly on PC. While some users found it playable and even well-optimized for lower-end systems, others criticized it as a poorly executed port with significant technical flaws, including a problematic 30 fps cap when vsync is enabled. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely depending on the hardware and settings used, leading to a divided player experience.
- “The simple 'aa' games, that were less than 10 hours long, had proper art direction and optimization, and still felt gripping.”
- “Excellent story, interesting gameplay mechanics, and a well-optimized PC port makes it easy to recommend this one.”
- “The graphics are nice and smooth and the game runs great on an old system, making it feel well optimized.”
- “The game isn't optimized well and was a waste of money.”
- “Great characters, acting, and cinematic sense but underpolished and poorly optimized for anything over 720p.”
- “I have over 100 games and a beefy computer to play them, but this game is just very poorly optimized; don't waste your time.”
emotional
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling narrative and character-driven side stories, which often evoke strong feelings and resonate with players on a personal level. While the main plot and character development have received mixed reviews, many players found the emotional stakes high, particularly in moments involving the protagonist Ronan and his interactions with characters like Joy. The haunting soundtrack and immersive atmosphere further enhance the emotional experience, although some critiques point to a lack of depth in certain character arcs and gameplay mechanics that could have strengthened the overall emotional impact.
- “Throughout the journey, players encounter a variety of characters, including a young girl named Joy, who acts as both guide and emotional anchor in Ronan’s quest.”
- “The main characters are explored in depth throughout the game, with their stories and relationships being interesting and relatable, which can easily allow you to establish an emotional connection to them and even make you tear up.”
- “I loved the characters, the storyline, dialogue, the side quests helping lost souls to cross over, the plot twist, the emotions (I cried when Iris and Rose left together), stories, thoughts, clues, mystery solving, and great detail into the history and attention to suicide awareness.”
- “Play through an unsatisfying and boring story as a ghost detective.”
- “This game honestly I thought it was going to be better; there wasn't any real climax for it, the demons got annoying hiding from them a lot, and just a boring story I called from the start who the villain really was.”
- “Nothing special, boring story with weak gameplay.”
humor
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dry wit and dark comedy, effectively balancing its serious themes with amusing dialogue and quirky interactions. Players appreciate the humorous glitches and character dynamics, particularly between the main characters, which add levity to the experience. While some NPC interactions lack depth, the overall comedic elements contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, making it an enjoyable and often funny adventure.
- “The dialogue avoids melodrama and often injects a bit of dry humor, which helps balance the darker themes.”
- “The game is humorous, has some funny dialogue, and is a slow-paced mystery game as you attempt to solve your murder as well as several other people's in the game.”
- “The two main characters, Ronan and Joy, have a great odd couple vibe that had me laughing in spots.”
character development
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
53%
11%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it shallow and lacking emotional depth, while others appreciate the well-written dynamics between main characters. Many reviews highlight that character designs are visually appealing, but the overall development often feels basic or underwhelming, relying heavily on collectibles for backstory rather than direct narrative engagement. Despite these criticisms, some players still find the character interactions engaging and the story intriguing, suggesting that while character development may not be the game's strongest aspect, it has its moments of effectiveness.
- “The duo Ronan and Joy feel really like a crime-solving team with their quarrels and wits; the character development is well written, with plot twists here and there.”
- “There is pretty great character development in this story, and the whole thing has a very distinct movie-like feel to it.”
- “1) Character development, to a degree, was pretty good; the main characters are fairly well fleshed out throughout the game.”
- “Character development can feel somewhat shallow at times, and certain plot points don’t always reach their full potential, leaving some moments less impactful than they might have been.”
- “Character development is somewhat lacking, leaving players with a protagonist who, while intriguing, doesn't elicit a strong emotional connection.”
- “The superficial questions were answered, but there wasn't really any explanation as to why any of it was happening, nor was there any real character development for anyone.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
14%
57%
The game is praised for its lack of monetization tactics, such as microtransactions, DLCs, or multiplayer components, which is considered a refreshing rarity in the current gaming landscape. However, there are concerns that the absence of these elements may be at odds with the expectations set by its AAA advertising budget. Overall, players appreciate the straightforward, enjoyable experience without additional costs.
- “A rock-solid fun game, with no microtransactions, DLCs, or anything else, which has become a rarity nowadays.”
- “A really good RPG game that does not include microtransactions. *woot*”
- “I have a sneaking suspicion that they received orders from their publisher that if they wanted a triple-A advertising budget, then it had to have those things in it because they feel completely at odds with the rest of the game.”
- “I am really glad that this game doesn't have any unnecessary extras, like DLCs, multiplayer components, or any sort of microtransactions.”

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61%Critics’ scoreBased on 26 critic reviews

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8h Median play time

8h Average play time

7h Main story

11h Completionist

6-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 116 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Murdered: Soul Suspect is a role playing game with horror, mystery and thriller themes.

Murdered: Soul Suspect is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 7 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 11 hours to finish. On average players spend around 8 hours playing Murdered: Soul Suspect.

Murdered: Soul Suspect was released on June 5, 2014.

Murdered: Soul Suspect was developed by Airtight Games.

Murdered: Soul Suspect has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Murdered: Soul Suspect is a single player game.

Similar games include Call of Cthulhu, Blacksad: Under the Skin, The Beast Inside, Sherlock Holmes The Devil's Daughter, Thief and others.

Murdered: Soul Suspect

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