Tex Murphy: Mean Streets

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Tex Murphy: Mean Streets is a single player action adventure game with mystery, comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Access Software and was released on June 12, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In "Tex Murphy: Mean Streets," you are a hard-boiled detective in a post-apocalyptic 2033 San Francisco, navigating a 3D game world to solve a complex murder mystery using puzzles, interviews, and evidence collection. The game features full-motion video cutscenes, a unique film noir atmosphere, and a challenging, non-linear investigation. Your choices and observations will impact the outcome of the case, leading to multiple endings.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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74%

Audience ScoreBased on 78 reviews

story18 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features an interesting and engaging story that combines elements of detective noir and sci-fi, making it a unique experience.
Despite its age, the game has a nostalgic charm and offers a sense of immersion through its detective work, requiring players to take notes and think critically.
The character interactions and dialogue are rich and humorous, adding depth to the gameplay and enhancing the overall experience.

The flight simulator mechanics are tedious and time-consuming, often detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
The controls and interface are clunky and outdated, making navigation and gameplay frustrating for modern players.
Many aspects of the game, such as the combat sequences and the reliance on manual instructions, feel poorly designed and can lead to confusion and annoyance.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The game's story is generally praised for its intriguing and nostalgic elements, blending cyberpunk and noir themes that resonate with players. While some find the gameplay lacking, the narrative remains compelling enough to encourage players to engage with it, often requiring additional reading from the manual for full comprehension. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight, with many recommending it for its unique storytelling and detective work, despite the game's dated mechanics.
- “The story is incredible, as is the writing.”
- “Beneath its rough edges lies the DNA of a series that would eventually become one of the most distinctive voices in interactive storytelling.”
- “This is a great interactive detective story with a bit of a clunky interface.”
- “I'd honestly recommend to just skip this one and play the sequels; 75% of this game is just flying slowly from one place to another with no payoff and barely anything to be called a story.”
- “The only reason to play this game is for the investigative aspects and grasping the overall story (which you can just look at a summary and move on to the other games).”
- “Reading the manual is necessary; it contains details of the story, and if you don't read it, you won't get past the beginning of the game.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The gameplay of "Tex Murphy: Mean Streets" is a mixed bag; while it features simple mechanics and a unique blend of genres, many players find it initially frustrating and uneven. The game requires players to adapt to its unconventional exploration and clue-gathering methods, which can be cumbersome due to reliance on a manual for understanding. However, once players acclimate to its quirks, they often find enjoyment in the investigative aspects and the nostalgic charm of its old-school design.
- “Not so much puzzles and quite simple mechanics, but it somehow manages to be really fun.”
- “Tex Murphy: Mean Streets is where it all began: a wild, ambitious hybrid of detective noir, sci-fi dystopia, and experimental gameplay that only the late '80s could have produced.”
- “After getting used to the gaming mechanics, you will enjoy this game and can't wait to make progress in your investigation.”
- “The story itself is pretty good, but the gameplay is just...not great for the most part.”
- “Mean Streets was a groundbreaking release back in 1989, but the mechanics have not aged well.”
- “There were two other elements of gameplay that I found rather annoying, regardless of when the game was made.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
58%
16%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, featuring chunky VGA visuals and stiff character portraits typical of the late 80s and early 90s. While many reviewers acknowledge the graphics as a product of their time, they emphasize that the gameplay compensates for the visual shortcomings, making it enjoyable for those willing to overlook the outdated aesthetics. Overall, the graphics may not hold up to modern standards, but they were considered top-notch during their release.
- “The game has support for all video cards at the time, with the best option being the MCGA/VGA graphics.”
- “Back then the graphics and the sound were top class.”
- “Still cool graphics (the game is over 25 years old!)”
- “The visuals and sound are very much products of their time: chunky VGA graphics, stiff character portraits, and a soundtrack that alternates between moody and unintentionally comic.”
- “I won't give a score for graphics or sound because they are terribly outdated by now; back in their time, they were somewhere among the best possible, and the later reference (Blade Runner) still was eight years to come.”
- “Very little directions and bad graphics doom this game.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is cleverly woven into its narrative, with unexpected twists and witty dialogue that prevent it from becoming overly serious. Players appreciate the inclusion of unique actions like "taste," which lead to hilarious interactions, enhancing the overall entertainment value. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the plot and gameplay.
- “Every new suspect adds another layer, and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the game tosses in a few smart twists and a wink of humor that keeps it from getting too self-serious.”
- “Beyond that, the mystery unfolds organically, and for entertainment value, when investigating, you have the typical options for an early point-and-click game: 'look, move, take, use, on/off,' but you also have 'taste' as an option too, leading to some hilarious dialogue that either makes Tex seem crazy or the computer just starts calling you stupid.”
- “The fighting sequences are inspirational, the text funny, and the plot gripping.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game is characterized by a limited and repetitive soundtrack, featuring only one looping tune that plays in certain areas, resulting in long stretches of silence. While the sound design reflects the era's style, it often comes off as either moody or unintentionally humorous, with minimal voice acting and sound effects. Overall, the audio experience is underwhelming and lacks variety.
- “Bears mean streets soundtrack.”
- “The visuals and sound are very much products of their time: chunky VGA graphics, stiff character portraits, and a soundtrack that alternates between moody and unintentionally comic.”
- “There is also no soundtrack to speak of, just the same tune which sometimes pops up when you move to a new area -- leaving you in silence for most of the game.”
- “Minimal voices, sound effects, and only one looping short soundtrack for certain scenes.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its creativity and effectiveness, with players appreciating the engaging and immersive environment it creates. Many find it particularly appealing, especially those new to the genre.
- “The atmosphere works exceptionally well.”
- “I never played a text Murphy adventure before, and I really like the atmosphere of this game.”
- “Good atmospheres and lots of ideas for its day.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to lengthy travel times and repetitive tasks like flight simulations and interrogations. While the nostalgia factor is appreciated, many feel that improvements could enhance the overall experience by reducing the monotony.
- “But the traveling is so tedious you rip your hair out.”
- “Waiting for a fax or for the autopilot to take you to your destination is very tedious and boring.”
- “I like that this game is available again for nostalgia, but it could have used some touch-ups to make it less tedious, like being able to skip the flight sim half and quicker interrogations.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers express frustration with the prevalence of microtransactions in modern games, preferring classic titles like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D that offer a more straightforward gaming experience without the added monetization pressures.
- “I'd rather play the original Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Unreal, or Half-Life as opposed to the infinite number of Battlefields, Call of Duties, and Counter-Strikes available today with spiffy graphics and microtransactions. Team Fortress 2 is a rare exception.”
- “The monetization in this game feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”

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10h Median play time

10h Average play time

1-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Tex Murphy: Mean Streets is a action adventure game with mystery, comedy and science fiction themes.

Tex Murphy: Mean Streets is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and others.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Tex Murphy: Mean Streets.

Tex Murphy: Mean Streets was released on June 12, 2014.

Tex Murphy: Mean Streets was developed by Access Software.

Tex Murphy: Mean Streets has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Tex Murphy: Mean Streets is a single player game.

Similar games include Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure, Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum, VirtuaVerse, Sherlock Holmes: The Silver Earring, Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards and others.

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