Post Mortem

  • August 26, 2011
49%
Game Brain Score Based on 153 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Post Mortem Game Cover
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In "Post Mortem," players step into the shoes of former detective Gus Macpherson, now a painter, who is drawn back into his old life when hired to investigate a series of gruesome beheadings in Paris. The game features stunning 360° panoramic views, detailed environments, and a riveting plot filled with intriguing characters and multiple game paths. It serves as a prequel to the Still Life adventure game.

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Reviews

49%
Audience ScoreBased on 153 reviews
story52 positive mentions
graphics10 negative mentions
  • Intriguing story with a dark and creepy atmosphere set in 1920s Paris.
  • Well-written dialogues and a variety of NPCs to interact with, enhancing the detective experience.
  • Offers multiple endings based on player choices, adding replay value.
  • Chaotic dialogue system that can lead to confusion and nonsensical conversations.
  • Numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and unresponsive elements.
  • Clunky interface and frustrating puzzles that often require trial and error, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story136 mentions

    The story of "Post Mortem" follows retired detective Gus Macpherson as he investigates a complex murder case in 1920s Paris, featuring intriguing plot twists and a dark atmosphere. While the narrative has potential with engaging dialogue and a non-linear structure, it suffers from chaotic execution, bugs, and pacing issues that can confuse players and detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, many players appreciate the story's depth and the effort put into its development, making it a worthwhile experience for those who prioritize narrative over gameplay mechanics.

    • “The game is about 6 hours long and on paper everything looks great, as 'Post Mortem' offers an interesting setting (Paris in the 1920s), an intriguing plot, and a great atmosphere (it's really dark, disturbing, and creepy from the very beginning) and a large number of NPCs (and we can have long and detailed conversations with them).”
    • “Gus is a likable protagonist and the story keeps you guessing.”
    • “The story really manages to attract your attention from the beginning to the end.”
    • “Unfortunately, this system (although amazing on paper) does not work at all, because the story can quickly get chaotic and confusing as the game’s engine just doesn't cope with the freedom it offers.”
    • “Due to this bad design decision, the plot can quickly become a mess and it’s a pity because the story told in the game is actually really good: the seemingly ordinary investigation quickly becomes truly intriguing as it turns out that the victims had their secrets and there was a very specific reason why they were in Paris.”
    • “The story does not always make sense in its puzzle solving and I had to eventually rely on a walkthrough.”
  • graphics46 mentions

    The graphics of "Post Mortem," a 2002 point-and-click adventure game, are widely regarded as dated and lacking polish, with many players noting that they reflect the era's limitations. While some appreciate the unique charm and atmosphere the visuals provide, particularly in capturing post-war Paris, others criticize the poor quality of character models and environmental details. Overall, the graphics are seen as a secondary concern to the game's narrative and gameplay, appealing primarily to fans of older titles despite their shortcomings.

    • “The visuals have a unique charm, capturing post-war Paris well.”
    • “The graphics and sound are typical for that time period.”
    • “The horror story is strong and the graphics, while dated, do much to support the atmosphere.”
    • “Let's start with the graphics - 'Post Mortem' is a game from 2002 and well… it simply looks like a game from 2002.”
    • “The box in the hotel that Gus uses to get upstairs is just a white box, the clairvoyant woman's door has no graphic assets, and Hulot's paintings puzzle is impossible to pass because the paintings are just plain white boxes and you can't interact with them.”
    • “The animation is something out of the 90s, not 2000s. This game was released in 2002, and I recall much better games with much better graphics for the time.”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a point-and-click experience that involves solving puzzles, interacting with characters, and exploring the environment, but it suffers from dated mechanics and frustrating design choices. Many players find the gameplay clunky and unengaging, with some puzzles relying on trial and error, while others criticize the lack of meaningful choices in dialogue. Overall, while the atmosphere and story may appeal to some, the gameplay is often seen as a significant drawback, leading to mixed reviews.

    • “The game employs familiar point-and-click mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is the usual affair, hunting for interactable elements in the environment, combining items in the inventory, talking to people and presenting them said items.”
    • “The gameplay is also highly different from Still Life - there is a lot less clicking to search for items, and more focus on dialogue and talking to people.”
    • “Even if this game had been seen as at least a 'good game' at the time it was released, its gameplay, story (the first three hours doesn't mean that you experienced all the story, I know, but I don't care), and music make this game boring to play.”
    • “Besides, the gameplay does not exist.”
    • “Good story, but due to bad gameplay, bugs, and the difficulty of even getting this game running on a modern system, I recommend you just watch a let's play instead.”
  • atmosphere30 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its dark, creepy, and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the unsettling essence of 1920s Paris. While the music is noted for its fitting ambiance, its limited variety can lead to repetitiveness. Overall, despite some gameplay and dialogue shortcomings, the game's strong atmospheric design and engaging horror elements leave a lasting impression on players.

    • “The game is about 6 hours long and on paper everything looks great, as 'Post Mortem' offers an interesting setting (Paris in the 1920s), intriguing plot, and great atmosphere (it's really dark, disturbing, and creepy from the very beginning) and a large number of NPCs (and we can have long and detailed conversations with them).”
    • “The atmosphere is on point, the puzzles are challenging, a bit buggy here and there, but I think it's overall 10/10 (taking into consideration it came out around 20 years ago).”
    • “All this creepy atmosphere, all dialogues, being scared about the ending (since there is a bad one), all these animations, dark tone of locations... and I felt it, for some time!”
    • “I am hard pressed to find a game that does atmosphere better through the art department alone, and I wish for an idealized game in similar settings, where writing and gameplay didn't look like an afterthought in comparison.”
    • “The horror story is strong and the graphics, while dated, do much to support the atmosphere.”
  • music29 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received for its atmospheric qualities and fitting the story's mood, but it suffers from a limited selection, with only four songs that quickly become repetitive. Some players noted issues with the music's execution, including bugs and jarring transitions between styles, such as sudden bursts of 1920s dance music. Overall, while the soundtrack has its moments of charm, it can also be grating and inconsistent, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The music is nice and it fits the setting and the atmosphere of the story, but there’s one small problem with it: there are literally just 4 songs in the game, so unfortunately they quickly become repetitive.”
    • “I feel so bad for everyone that worked on this because a real effort for the story was made here and that music really carries you through.”
    • “Beautiful art and good music, especially for when it was made.”
    • “The soundtrack quickly gets very repetitive.”
    • “I found some of the music to be a bit grating, but others to be oddly enjoyable and still have them stuck in my head.”
    • “Music feels random at times.”
  • stability13 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and technical glitches that hinder gameplay, such as disappearing text and unresponsive dialogue options. While some players appreciate the story and atmosphere, many find the overall experience frustrating due to these persistent issues, leading to a general consensus that the game is a "buggy mess." Despite its engaging narrative, the stability problems significantly detract from the enjoyment and functionality of the game.

    • “Unfortunately, 'post mortem' can also be quite buggy: sometimes it's impossible to read the documents or the notes we found because their text simply disappears, and it's not something to overlook as some of these documents are crucial to the story.”
    • “It's a buggy mess, and what's sad is I don't think what you are learning to deal with is bugs; it's just how the game is programmed. You get no reference for clues because sometimes what you have to click on is like a single pixel hidden around a poster or something, and you only get in-universe answers that say vague things like 'grab a corner and look behind a picture,' but how you actually go about doing that is clicking a very small pixel.”
    • “Buggy mess of a game and a massive step down from the previous two in the series.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd and over-the-top voice acting, which some players find both entertaining and off-putting due to its lack of immersion. The exaggerated character designs and awkward lip syncing contribute to a comedic experience that leans more towards ridiculousness than darkness, making it a source of enjoyment for many.

    • “The voice acting is hilarious, and I can't say if that's a bad thing or not.”
    • “I found the story kind of ridiculous and hilarious instead of dark and twisted.”
    • “The lip syncing to the actors' voices is strangely hilarious.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in engagement, often requiring multiple playthroughs to uncover missed elements necessary for achieving good endings. This repetitive nature can detract from the overall experience, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable challenge.

    • “This also makes replaying the game more tedious – but it’s clear that the devs intended for you to replay the game, either to see how different approaches turn out, but more likely because you realize at the end of your first playthrough that you missed clicking on a pixel that represents a piece of evidence that you’ll need for the good endings.”
    • “Tedious with little interaction is the best way I can describe this.”
    • “It's incredibly tedious to read through.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is questioned as players feel that achieving multiple endings heavily relies on collecting all evidence, which may hinder progression for those who struggle with this aspect.

    • “The game boasts several endings based on your performance throughout the case, although I don’t know how one would progress without collecting all the evidence.”
    • “The optimization is lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “I encountered numerous bugs that hindered my progress, which suggests poor optimization.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Users express a desire for increased replayability, particularly in relation to bundled games like Still Life 1 and 2, indicating that they hope these titles offer more engaging gameplay experiences that encourage multiple playthroughs.

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

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