Noir Syndrome
- June 4, 2014
- Entropy Phi
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Noir Syndrome" is a procedurally generated detective murder-mystery game with a new story each time, featuring pixel art animations and a jazzy soundtrack. Players must visit locations, interrogate suspects, search for clues, and solve the case before the killer escapes or they meet their own demise. With permanent choices, a notebook for collecting clues, and a ticking countdown, every action counts in this unique investigation.
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Reviews
- The gameplay loop is compelling and offers a unique take on detective work with randomized characters and scenarios.
- The game is perfect for short sessions, allowing players to solve a mystery in about 5-10 minutes.
- The atmosphere and music effectively capture the noir aesthetic, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game becomes repetitive quickly, with limited variation in gameplay despite the randomization.
- The mechanics are overly simplistic, often reducing detective work to spamming a button without much strategy.
- There is a lack of narrative depth and character development, making it feel more like a puzzle than a true detective story.
- gameplay65 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Noir Syndrome is characterized by a simple and repetitive loop that involves searching for clues and interrogating suspects, which can become monotonous after multiple playthroughs. While the game features a charming atmosphere and a unique procedural mystery concept, many players feel that the mechanics lack depth and variety, leading to a disconnect between the gameplay and the narrative elements. Despite its potential, the execution falls short, with some mechanics, like the hunger system, being seen as unnecessary and detracting from the overall experience.
“The twist in this case being a short, tight gameplay loop with randomized characters.”
“But the atmosphere and the gameplay is just nice, and I thoroughly enjoyed the few hours I spent playing this game.”
“Noir Syndrome is a great game boasting easy-to-get-into gameplay and a low level time commitment!”
“Even though the game boasts theoretically thousands of combinations, really the gameplay only provides few ways of dealing with the situations.”
“The result is something more likely to annoy you than provide entertainment as the added game mechanics either get in your way or allow you to do really basic actions like robbery for a small reward.”
“The gameplay is free and you can go whenever you want mostly, but you have a time limit in days to catch the culprit... or you might just go on a murder spree.”
- story35 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in "Noir Syndrome" is largely criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with many reviewers noting that it feels more like a series of random logic puzzles than a cohesive narrative. While players take on the role of a private investigator solving procedurally generated murder cases, the absence of meaningful character development or plot progression detracts from the overall experience. Despite its stylish presentation and potential in gameplay mechanics, the game fails to deliver a compelling story, leaving players feeling disconnected from the mysteries they are meant to unravel.
“I can't honestly say there are any other games I know of that can distill a whole organically woven detective story into a few spare minutes, and that's something this game manages to achieve in a way that's also replayable.”
“The story of Noir Syndrome is that you are a private investigator whose mission is to solve a murder. To do that, you'll have to travel to different locations across your city to gather clues and find suspects. You'll talk to NPCs that may tell you who might have committed the crime or where you could go to find clues. Those clues give you information about the murderer, which eventually helps you pinpoint the culprit, and they are hidden within different objects scattered among various locations.”
“All in all, this is a repeatable noir detective story with a great soundtrack and a great feel to it.”
“There is no story and no actual investigation.”
“The cases don't have a story or require logical thinking; a lot of times it is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.”
“It's not a murder-mystery nor does it have a story, and it certainly is no 'highly stylized vision of film noir.'”
- music27 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and genre-appropriate jazz soundtrack, which effectively enhances the noir aesthetic. However, many players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive after a few playthroughs, leading some to turn it off. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience, a desire for more variety and options in the music settings is expressed.
“The ambient music is fantastic, 100% noir, so I'd say that is a point in the game's favor as well.”
“As you would expect from a noir game, it features a lot of jazz, with a bit of chiptune influences at times, and also classical music in a couple of places (expensive hotels and the hunting club, for example).”
“My favorite thing about the game is the music; the composer sure knows how to write a jazz tune.”
“More music; just a few more noir-themed tunes could really breathe some life into the game.”
“There's also an aspect of the game that I think many people are neglecting in their reviews: the music.”
“The music, however basic it is, also helps set the tone.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a typical pixel art style that some players appreciate for its noir aesthetic, while others criticize it for lacking uniqueness and polish. Although the retro visuals fit the game's theme, many reviewers feel that the simplistic design detracts from the overall experience, with some describing it as a product of "indie-dev laziness." Overall, the graphics evoke a nostalgic charm for fans of classic adventure games, but may not satisfy those seeking more refined visuals.
“I like the noir and pixel aesthetics.”
“On the positive side, the pixel graphics fit the noir style nicely.”
“I bought it because of the noir and pixel graphics.”
“This is a game that's making a ripoff of great adventure classics like Sierra's Police Quest, King's Quest, and Space Quest games, as well as LucasArts' Monkey Island and Indiana Jones games... but released around 2 decades later, with worse graphics and worse gameplay.”
“Because it’s procedurally generated, characters don’t have personalities, or even distinguished faces (the pixel graphics are far from slick).”
“The game's art style is not beautiful, nor unique.”
- replayability15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it features randomly generated cases and in-game achievements that encourage multiple playthroughs, many players feel it lacks the depth and variety needed for high replay value. Some reviews highlight that despite the procedural elements, players often find themselves revisiting the same locations and clues, which can diminish the overall experience. Overall, while there are elements that support replayability, the consensus is that it falls short of expectations.
“It has the basic logic features down, it has badges (in-game achievements), challenges (which aren't always in tandem with solving the mystery), plenty of choices in locations to explore, and most importantly - replayability.”
“Noir Syndrome is a murder mystery with the right combination of strategy and randomness to keep the game interesting and replayable.”
“Each case is randomly generated and lasts just a few days, so the replayability factor is huge.”
“Unfortunately, despite 'procedural generation' (I don't think the developer used this term correctly), it doesn't offer the kind of replayability you would expect.”
“Even worse is the fact that, despite this game's advertised replayability, you'll just be visiting the same 12 or so locations trying to find clues that won't really narrow down your search since none of them seem to narrow down anything past 'civilian/mobster/police'.”
“It doesn't offer enough replay value and, in any way, it compensates for the lack of narrative depth.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its enjoyable music, art style, and distinct 2D environments, particularly evoking a film noir vibe. However, some players find the music repetitive and feel that gameplay can detract from the overall mood. Overall, the atmosphere contributes positively to the experience, despite some mixed feelings.
“But the atmosphere and the gameplay is just nice, and I thoroughly enjoyed the few hours I spent playing this game.”
“The atmosphere is enjoyable (the soundtrack and art style are very nice), but the gameplay totally took me out of the mood.”
“Game really has the incredible atmosphere and flavor of film noir.”
“The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it feel disjointed and uninspired.”
“Despite the variety of locations, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninviting.”
“The 2D atmosphere in each area fails to create an immersive experience, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as dynamic and engaging, providing a consistently funny experience that keeps players hooked.
“Constantly changing, funny, and addictive.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players feel that the grinding in the game is not justified by its cost, as it requires significant effort to reach a point where the gameplay becomes manageable across different difficulty levels.
“It simply isn't worth the full cost, and it hinges on your willingness to continue grinding away until the game becomes 'easy enough' at each of the difficulties you'll be playing in.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious, making the game more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
“I found myself spending hours on repetitive tasks just to progress, which really took away from the fun of the game.”
