Parker & Lane

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Are you ready to solve the case and bring a criminal to justice?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

37%

Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews

story9 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique detective-themed storyline that is engaging and enjoyable, reminiscent of the Emily time management games.
The mini-games are fun and add variety to the gameplay, with a gradual increase in difficulty that remains reasonable.
The graphics and cinematic cutscenes are well-designed, enhancing the overall experience of the game.

The game suffers from significant design and balancing issues, including frustratingly difficult levels and a broken achievement system.
Character development is weak, with the main character, Lily, being portrayed as unlikable and judgmental, which detracts from the story.
There are numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with mini-games and daily challenges, making the gameplay experience frustrating at times.

story
25 mentions
36 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The story features rookie detective Lily Parker and defense attorney Victor Lane, but it struggles with character development and pacing, leading to an abrupt ending that leaves many players unsatisfied. While some find the storyline engaging and filled with mystery, others criticize Lily's unrealistic behavior and the overall lack of emotional impact. Overall, the narrative is seen as acceptable but fails to fully captivate or thrill players.
- “The story begins with a rookie detective named Lily Parker and a defense attorney, Victor Lane.”
- “It was a fun storyline and engaging.”
- “I enjoyed being a detective and working in the lab; the story is good, filled with mystery and trying to catch the criminal mastermind behind all the deaths.”
- “The story from this series is fine, but not to the point that it really captures my heart entirely nor leaves any highlight impression.”
- “The time management game setup makes the detective storyline develop relatively slowly, which takes away from the urgency and the thrill of a murder mystery.”
- “Lane is a cardboard cutout with a sprinkling of drama but not much substance past the cliché backstory.”
gameplay
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it simple and unengaging, while others appreciate the inclusion of minigames. While fans of the Gamehouse series may find some enjoyment, many agree there are better titles available, and concerns about game mechanics and thematic elements have been noted. Overall, it may not satisfy those seeking a compelling detective experience.
- “The gameplay wasn't too complicated and the minigames were a nice touch.”
- “Good gameplay.”
- “Very unlike any of the Emily games I've played as far as game mechanics go.”
- “If you're a fan of the GameHouse series for the gameplay, you might like this one too, but there are better titles in their roster.”
- “I briefly read some reviews about the blatant sexism and terrible game mechanics and purchased it anyway.”
music
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, enhancing the detective atmosphere, but players report significant issues with glitches, including inconsistent music playback and silence in many levels. While some areas, like the police station, feature music, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems.
- “The soundtracks are not bad; they really get you into the detective mode!”
- “After you finish a level that has music, it keeps playing on the star screen with the end-of-level music.”
- “I've also noticed some serious glitches with the game, such as the daily challenges never resetting and music not playing in some of the levels—although this seems to happen at random, rather than on the same specific levels.”
- “Most of the levels are silent without music; only some at the police station have music.”
- “After you finish a level that has music, it continues playing on the star screen with the end-of-level music.”
optimization
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is lacking, as it fails to provide players with performance metrics for each level, leaving them to guess which levels hinder their progress towards perfect performance. This absence of tracking tools forces players to either replay the entire game or manually record their performance, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game lacks a display of metrics for the player's performance on any level.”
- “There is no way of knowing which level is preventing the player from achieving perfect performance.”
- “Players are left to randomly pick levels or replay the entire game while tracking their performance manually.”
- “Additionally, the game does not keep track of metrics for the player's performance on any level.”
- “The player is left with randomly picking levels or replaying the entire game while keeping track of their own performance on a sheet of paper.”
graphics
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The graphics are well-designed and consistent with the game's style, which appeals to players familiar with the series. However, some users reported glitches that affected gameplay, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The graphics are very well designed.”
- “I immediately recognized this game was in the same style and artwork, so I bought it.”
- “The minigames were not as fun as others in the Gamehouse series, and there were a few times that the graphics glitched out and made things difficult to play properly.”
replayability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game offers replayability through its two playable characters, Lily and Stella, allowing players to experience different gameplay styles and narratives with each character.
- “The game lacks variety, making it hard to find motivation for a second playthrough.”
- “Once you've completed the story, there's little incentive to replay it.”
- “The limited character options and predictable outcomes diminish the replay value.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players note that instead of engaging in traditional grinding activities like serving customers or farming, "Parker and Lane" focuses on solving murder cases, which offers a refreshing change from typical gameplay mechanics.
- “Instead of serving various customers, preparing different dishes, or farming all kinds of plants and animals, Parker and Lane have you solving some murder cases.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Many users have criticized the character development in the game, highlighting issues with the plot and instances of sexism, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, some players find certain gameplay elements to be unfairly difficult, further complicating their engagement with the characters.
- “A bunch of people have already mentioned issues with the character development, plot, and sexism throughout the game.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “There are parts of the game that seem unfairly difficult and frustrating, which detracts from the overall experience.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game experiences notable stability issues, including glitches like daily challenges failing to reset and music not playing in certain levels, though these problems appear to occur randomly rather than consistently on specific levels.
- “I've also noticed some serious glitches with the game, such as the daily challenges never resetting and music not playing in some of the levels. This seems to happen at random, rather than on the same specific levels.”
humor
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the humor in the game may rely on outdated stereotypes, particularly regarding gender roles, which some players find unamusing and potentially offensive.