The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker

About

"The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker" is a highly engaging FMV murder mystery game. You, a psychiatrist, must solve the murder of your predecessor by examining patient interviews and using your professional skills to uncover the truth. With branching storylines and multiple endings, each playthrough is a unique experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker screenshot

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 834 reviews

story242 positive mentions

grinding28 negative mentions

Engaging and immersive story with interesting characters.
Great acting that enhances the overall experience.
Multiple endings and randomized murderer add replayability.

Frustrating text input system that requires exact phrasing for questions.
Some plot points and character arcs feel unresolved or underdeveloped.
Gameplay can become tedious with repetitive questioning and reliance on hints.

story
638 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The story of "The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker" is a complex and engaging narrative that intertwines murder mystery with Lovecraftian horror elements, featuring a cast of unique characters, each with their own intriguing backstories. While many players appreciate the depth and multiple endings, some criticize the disjointed nature of the plot and the gameplay mechanics that can hinder the storytelling experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy immersive, story-driven experiences, despite its occasional narrative inconsistencies.
- “The story itself, and its cast of misfits, is wonderful.”
- “Whoever wrote the story designed a captivating narrative that you have to discover on your own.”
- “The story is incredibly well-written and if you enjoy Lovecraftian horror, you're going to want to play this game for that alone.”
- “The story went nowhere.”
- “The overall meta plot can be a bit hard to piece together given the random nature of who the culprit is.”
- “Lastly, this story got so convoluted by the end that my wife and I just felt relieved that it was over.”
gameplay
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
73%
8%
The gameplay of "Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the free text input mechanic frustrating and clunky, often requiring exact phrasing to elicit responses. While the concept of typing questions to engage with characters is intriguing and the acting is praised, the execution is seen as lacking, leading to a repetitive experience that detracts from the overall narrative. Despite its potential, the gameplay mechanics are viewed as a significant barrier to enjoyment, with many players preferring to simply watch the story unfold rather than actively participate.
- “The gameplay consists of free typing questions and keywords to engage each patient in therapeutic conversation.”
- “While the question mechanic could be frustrating at times, the hints of entirely unexpected things you could stumble upon with the right questions were tantalizing.”
- “I love that there are multiple endings and that the murderer is a different person on repeat gameplays so it is worth playing through more than once to hear the different responses, see how your different decisions affect the patients, etc.”
- “However, the game mechanics are extremely frustrating because the game does not interpret questions well at all.”
- “The actual gameplay here is not just bad, it actively gets in the way of the experience, which is unfortunate since the experience is so good, especially once the horror kicks in (about 2 hours after you start the game).”
- “The gameplay is out of this world garbage; the story seems super interesting.”
replayability
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
68%
6%
The game offers high replayability due to the random selection of the murderer each time, resulting in varied evidence and multiple possible endings. Players appreciate the impact of their choices, which further enhances replay value, although some feel that the core gameplay may not differ significantly on subsequent runs. Overall, the combination of randomized elements and branching storylines keeps players engaged and encourages exploration of different outcomes.
- “The forking story and many possible endings also brings some replay value.”
- “Choices really do matter, and because of this, the game has great replay value.”
- “This comes out to 384 possible outcomes, making the game highly replayable, especially if you want to explore different approaches to helping your patients and see if you can identify the killer correctly each time.”
- “However, it has little replayability although the murderer is randomized at the start of each game.”
- “Every time you start a game, the killer is chosen randomly and that's something I really like, despite the fact that this game is not really replayable - the answers don't differentiate enough to make second gameplay interesting, and I didn't really feel like it mattered who the killer was.”
- “Multiple endings are possible and the killer is randomized each playthrough, but there probably isn't much replayability unless you're obsessed with seeing every variation or getting every achievement.”
atmosphere
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
35%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, effectively capturing Lovecraftian themes through vivid visuals and unique camera angles. Reviewers highlight the superb acting and engaging storytelling, which enhance the overall experience, creating a dark and intriguing ambiance that keeps players invested. Despite some mixed opinions on the acting quality, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature, contributing to its appeal among fans of horror and mystery.
- “By far the best acting I have ever seen in an FMV, with a very atmospheric Lovecraftian story.”
- “In terms of atmosphere, it captures the essence of what makes something 'Lovecraftian' more than most games trying to do that these days.”
- “The way that Tim Cowles, the director, shot the videos with such vivid colors and slightly askew angles in high definition adds to the discomforting atmosphere.”
- “It doesn't have the atmosphere of contradiction or the action of Late Shift, but it does have really interesting characters that you get to know well, including their dark sides.”
- “In terms of atmosphere, it captures the essence of what makes something 'lovecraftian' more than most games trying to do that these days.”
grinding
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and time-consuming, particularly due to the repetitive nature of questioning patients and the poor user interface. Many reviewers express frustration with the linear storytelling and the overwhelming number of questions, leading to a lack of engagement and enjoyment. Overall, the grinding experience detracts significantly from the game's potential.
- “Stretch this out over thousands of questions, and it makes the game really tedious.”
- “You're supposed to type in questions zork-style, but that quickly becomes tedious as hell because the parser is so bad.”
- “The story is absolutely boring and, apart from the character's issues (which I point as the only positive thing here), it is completely tedious, linear, and repetitive.”
optimization
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
33%
11%
Overall, the optimization of the game is praised for its solid performance, with no significant bugs or crashes reported. While the actor performances are generally good, some players noted minor flaws in the game mechanics that can disrupt the flow. The intriguing premise and engaging story contribute to a positive experience, despite some criticisms of the script and character delivery.
- “Seriously, the performance is worthy of applause.”
- “It continues the strong run of FMV titles, with an interesting premise, great performances, and a game system which, although not perfect, can work really well.”
- “After a bit of experience with the system, things begin to flow better, and then the stories and performances can really come through.”
- “But after hours of watching overwrought performances from people delivering lines from a mediocre script, I began to dread getting back to most of the characters.”
- “Solid performance from the actors, only a few small flaws in the game (when you trigger a future answer too early with a certain word, or having trouble phrasing a sentence correctly that would give you the answer).”
- “Real actors can give off more subtle clues in their performances.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
12%
18%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and evolving quality, effectively enhancing the storytelling and creating tension through its creepiness. Reviewers noted that the intense soundtrack contributes to jump scares and overall immersion, making it a standout feature despite some criticisms regarding the game's visuals and location. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, adding depth to the gaming experience.
- “Awesome storytelling, very intense music and incredible acting.”
- “The music is nice and creepy.”
- “The two ominous notes of the soundtrack (only a mild exaggeration) are left to supply tension, and with the bunker and late shift showing how the genre can be relevant and entertaining in 2018, it’s hard to recommend this over the alternatives.”
- “There are some jump scares because you get so lost in the music and figuring out what's going on, you don't expect it.”
- “Only one soundtrack that 'evolves' throughout the game by getting creepier and creepier; it works very well.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker" is characterized by its dark and twisted elements, with players finding the writing of absurd questions particularly hilarious. The character Jaya stands out for her entertaining and humorous portrayal, adding to the game's comedic appeal. However, some players wished for a more campy tone to enhance the overall experience, suggesting that the humor could have made certain challenges more enjoyable.
- “If you enjoy solving mysteries and have a twisted sense of humor, 'The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker' is your prescription for a wild ride.”
- “But don't worry, there's plenty of dark humor to keep things interesting.”
- “Especially the character of Jaya was played so entertainingly and with a humorous note that it was simply fun to interview her.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The graphics of the game are generally considered mediocre, with some reviewers noting a lack of polish and creativity in the visuals. However, the quality of the camera work is praised, and the game's immersive experience is highlighted despite its limited graphical scope. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they do not detract significantly from the engaging plot.
- “This is a rare time a game really immersed me without a huge world, tons of activities, and graphics - because, you know, it's FMV.”
- “[b]Graphics: awesome[/b] other than some 'lights/reflections' under the texts sometimes, the quality of the cameras is superb.”
- “Visuals are just lazy.”
- “How's the art style?”
- “The graphics won't blow your mind, but the mind-bending plot will.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a deep emotional investment in the game's charismatic and intriguing characters, likening the experience to being a psychiatrist engaging with them. This level of connection is reminiscent of the emotional impact felt in acclaimed titles like "The Last of Us."
- “I felt genuinely emotionally invested in the charismatic, bizarre, and intriguing characters.”
- “It made me feel like I was truly a psychiatrist with them sitting in front of me.”
- “The last time I was so emotionally invested in the characters of a game was The Last of Us.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is characterized by minor glitches and occasional awkwardness, with users experiencing frustrating moments due to the system's handling of keyword input. While these issues can lead to repetitive and unhelpful responses, they are generally not severe enough to detract significantly from the overall experience.
- “For example, it's awkward and buggy, leading to multiple responses of 'I don't know anything about that' and 'no!'”
- “Still, other than a few minor glitches and the rare frustrating moment when your question has either too many keywords or not enough, I haven't found anything else wrong with the game.”