Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure

About

"Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure" is a cyberpunk noir detective mystery game where Tex Murphy, the last of the old-school detectives, tries to regain his lost memory of the past seven years. After waking up with a massive headache and no memory, Tex must uncover the truth behind unsolved murders, hidden agendas, and lost technologies while being motivated by lost love, revenge, and strong coffee. This immersive game features a rich storyline and is a sequel to the classic Tex Murphy series.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure screenshot

+10

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 991 reviews

story205 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Captures the charm and humor of the original Tex Murphy games.
Engaging story with multiple endings and paths, providing good replay value.
High-quality FMV cutscenes and well-acted characters enhance the overall experience.

Graphics and 3D environments feel dated and lack polish compared to modern standards.
Some puzzles can be tedious and rely on pixel hunting, which may frustrate players.
The dialogue choices can be vague, leading to confusion about character interactions.

story
508 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
3%
The story of "Tesla Effect" is a blend of humor, intrigue, and nostalgia, featuring a convoluted plot that intertwines elements of detective noir, sci-fi, and campy comedy. While some players found the narrative engaging and full of twists, others criticized it for being overly complex and difficult to follow, especially for newcomers to the series. Overall, the game is praised for its entertaining characters, multiple story paths, and the charm of its full-motion video sequences, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “The story is engaging, and the UI is my favorite as far as adventure games go.”
- “The story is fantastic and gripping, the visuals are stunning and very creepy!”
- “The story is largely very entertaining, but weak.”
- “The story is completely full of cheese and played up like crazy.”
- “The story is all over the place; after a while, it just assumes you know your Tex Murphy games and suddenly introduces many characters and concepts that feel out of place.”
- “The story was convoluted to the point where Kafka might have ghost-written it.”
graphics
226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
65%
14%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated, reminiscent of early 2000s titles, despite the game being released in 2014. While the full-motion video (FMV) sequences are praised for their quality, the in-game graphics are often described as primitive and lacking detail, which detracts from the overall experience for some players. However, fans of the series appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and argue that the engaging story and gameplay compensate for the graphical shortcomings.
- “The graphics are as good as they need to be for this adventure and hit a perfectly acceptable balance of gritty, futuristic, and ridiculous.”
- “The graphics, while a massive improvement on the previous games, are a little dated.”
- “The graphics are amazing, and the cutscenes are phenomenal.”
- “It looks like crap considering it came out in 2014; the graphics are on par with a game that would have come out in 2008.”
- “The graphics show their age and don't show it well.”
- “The graphics are very dated and look like they could be from a game in the early 2000s; however, the comedy is, in my opinion, hilarious and the story is 'batshit crazy' and I love it.”
humor
192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is a mix of cheesy, self-referential, and tongue-in-cheek elements that resonate well with fans of the genre, often drawing comparisons to classic noir and sci-fi tropes. While some players find the humor charming and nostalgic, others criticize it as forced or cringy, leading to a divide in enjoyment. Overall, the game successfully delivers a blend of funny dialogue, memorable characters, and light-hearted moments, though its effectiveness may vary depending on individual taste.
- “The game's humor is cheesy but charming, and the game's tone is dark but hopeful.”
- “The actors who played the original characters reprise their roles here, and immediately become the stars of the show through some genuinely funny writing and a massive amount of charm.”
- “Chris Jones is great as Tex Murphy and has an innate knack for delivering groan-inducingly bad dialogue in a way that's actually funny and charming.”
- “The game tries to include some comedy which is simply not funny whatsoever; the package as a whole is just poor.”
- “I think these were supposed to be funny parts from the originals, but without their context, I didn't find them funny at all—just strange and confusing.”
gameplay
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
9%
The gameplay of "Tesla Effect" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its reliance on traditional point-and-click mechanics and inventory puzzles that can feel tedious and outdated. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and humor reminiscent of the original Tex Murphy games, others criticize the gameplay for being frustrating, with issues like awkward controls, environmental jank, and a lack of engaging mechanics. Overall, the game offers a blend of full-motion video storytelling and adventure gameplay, but its execution leaves much to be desired for both new players and long-time fans.
- “I absolutely loved all of the Tex Murphy games; but Tesla Effect brings all of the controls into the 21st century, so the gameplay was outstanding.”
- “Tesla Effect manages to maintain the charm and style of the original Tex Murphy games while also updating gameplay to suit the modern era.”
- “The gameplay is mostly about discovering pieces of the mystery through dialogues with real actors in full motion video, and walking around and finding hidden objects in full 3D.”
- “God damn does this game get completely tedious and annoying after this point, you'll run into numerous 'insta-deaths' through the next hour or so that completely ruin the flow of gameplay and get into maps with annoying backtracking and events that lead me to actually looking up a guide for the game due to how tedious things had become.”
- “The gameplay eventually becomes burdensome, and I just wanted to get to the next part of the story.”
- “Just like previous games, there are a lot of rather frustrating and tedious logic puzzles that break the mood of the story by not really feeling like they are connected to anything in the game's story, apart from being an excuse to throw in slider puzzles to lengthen the gameplay.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
29%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy, immersive quality that complements the neo-noir atmosphere and enhances the storytelling. The orchestral score and jazzy tunes are highlighted as standout features, although some players noted issues with volume balance in certain areas. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement over previous installments, contributing to the game's engaging experience.
- “As for Tex Murphy in general, it's great detective adventuring with fantastic neo-noir ambience; every piece of music and the pleasant, sarcastic voice of Tex are as good as it gets.”
- “The game is amazing in many ways... the soundtrack that easily immerses you in this unique world.”
- “From jazzy noir styled tunes to an epic orchestral ending, this game's soundtrack is really good.”
- “The only semi-good thing I can say about the game is the soundtrack.”
- “In one area, there's really loud music playing and none of the sliders except master volume could change that.”
- “Well, the same can't be said for the music.”
atmosphere
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
31%
8%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique charm, blending elements of noir and cyberpunk, which immerses players in a captivating world filled with memorable characters and engaging storytelling. While some reviews note dated graphics and gameplay mechanics, the overall mood and sound design effectively enhance the experience, making it a standout feature that resonates with players. Despite a few criticisms regarding certain locations and dialogue, the atmospheric depth remains a highlight, contributing to the game's lasting appeal.
- “The atmosphere with the world and the protagonist's voice/cheesiness is just so full of charm.”
- “This game has a unique character and atmosphere, and is quite unforgettable.”
- “The game is amazing in many ways; the atmospheric cyberpunk future it provides combined with the 70s-80s elements works perfectly. The soundtrack easily immerses you in this unique world.”
- “Atmosphere is absent.”
- “Poorly designed sets that are lacking atmosphere; unbalanced interaction areas; incomprehensible, impossible to follow dialogue mechanic; pointless p.i.”
- “The graphics are dated, the puzzles are tired and old, the atmosphere is dull and extremely basic, the story isn’t anything special, and the controls could be better.”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's replayability is mixed, with some players noting multiple paths and endings that enhance replay value, while others feel it diminishes after experiencing all options. While there are several ways to play and a variety of outcomes, many reviewers suggest that the overall replay value is limited, especially at full price.
- “The game has multiple paths and outcomes, giving you a lot of replay value.”
- “There are a few ways to play this game and whatever ending you get depends on the choices you made, which definitely makes it replayable.”
- “The story is a satisfying conclusion to the cliffhanger of overseer and with multiple story paths and endings provides some good replayability.”
- “Replay value is close to zero.”
- “I would certainly not pay 20 dollars for it, as it has little to no replay value, but if you like detective stories, or you want to relive the era of FMV cutscene storytelling, pick this up when it goes on sale.”
- “Despite the multiple endings, not really replayable.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and frustrating, with many players noting that certain puzzles and mechanics lead to excessive backtracking and "insta-deaths" that disrupt the flow of gameplay. While some enjoy the charm and story, the overall experience is marred by pixel-hunting and illogical puzzles that feel disconnected from the narrative, often requiring players to rely on walkthroughs to navigate the more tedious sections.
- “God damn does this game get completely tedious and annoying after this point, you'll run into numerous 'insta-deaths' through the next hour or so that completely ruin the flow of gameplay and get into maps with annoying backtracking and events that lead me to actually looking up a guide for the game due to how tedious things had become.”
- “I don’t know if the budget for the actors ran out, or if the ending was rushed, or what could have happened, but the last third of the game becomes a tedious slog, culminating in a finale that doesn’t really wrap much up and has some truly perplexing elements.”
- “Just like previous games, there are a lot of rather frustrating and tedious logic puzzles that break the mood of the story by not really feeling like they are connected to anything in the game's story, apart from being an excuse to throw in slider puzzles to lengthen the gameplay.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the performance lacking given the simple and dated graphics. While the FMV sequences are praised for their quality and resolution, overall performance issues detract from the experience, leading to a sense of embarrassment regarding optimization. Despite these shortcomings, the engaging story and solid voice acting contribute to an enjoyable adventure.
- “The FMV in Tesla Effect is done very nicely in a stunning 2K resolution and features some great acting performances from both the old cast and the new.”
- “The graphics may not be the greatest and the storyline gets a little distorted under its own weight and hard to follow about halfway through, but it's still a very enjoyable few hours with some good laughs and solid performances throughout the FMV sequences.”
- “Audio and the various performances were also excellent.”
- “And the game's performance, considering the aged and simple graphics, is embarrassing.”
- “Tl;dr: decent adventure game, under 12 hours to beat, mixed quality of graphics, questionable optimization.”
- “Some of the actors are either not professionals or just mailing in their performances (similar to what we saw in UAKM).”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
11%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of heartwarming nostalgia and quirky charm, with live actors enhancing the experience through their likability and enthusiasm. While some players appreciate the humor and retro homage, others criticize the vague dialogue and clichéd characterization, leading to a polarized emotional response. Overall, the game evokes strong feelings of joy and nostalgia for fans of the genre, despite its narrative shortcomings.
- “Absolutely awesome homage to the retro classic with lots of heart-warming retrospections.”
- “Live actors, especially likable ones with a good script to work with, add so much emotional depth to a game that just can't be delivered via 3D models.”
- “I was emotional as this game started up and I felt like I was 16 again playing UKM... it's been a long time since something like this has made me this happy!”
- “But this game was a tragic pig-piling of incredibly vague dialogue choices, badly cliched characterization, lame sexist jokes, and an all-around boring story with no mystery.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs smoothly with minimal performance issues, players report various graphical glitches, awkward movement mechanics, and a notably sluggish user interface, particularly on Mac. Despite these flaws, many users found that the stability did not significantly detract from their overall enjoyment.
- “Sure, the environments look like they came from the early 2000s, but it runs great and honestly, it didn't hinder my enjoyment.”
- “It runs great with few bugs - uses the Unity engine.”
- “Other than ladders seeming a bit awkward to climb, all other motion controls work fine with no glitches or getting stuck.”
- “Some graphical glitches here and there (which didn't affect my liking) and a few green screen errors (artifacts were definitely noticeable) and there was an exchange with one of the characters where the background behind them shifted all around.”
- “The 3D environments are ugly as sin and traveling around them is slow, with movement often being buggy.”
- “The only really bad part of the game is the horribly buggy and sluggish UI (on the Mac, at least).”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization aspect of the game is mixed; while some users appreciate the advertising efforts, others feel that it fails to adequately highlight critical dangers within the game.
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating how much the game pushes in-game purchases at every turn.”
- “The constant ads and paywalls make it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, character development is generally well-received, with most users praising the character design and wardrobe choices, though a few exceptions exist.
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character's unique story.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices that truly impact their growth and relationships.”
- “The depth of character backstories and their emotional arcs really enhance the overall experience, making every decision feel significant.”