BLUES AND BULLES. Review of the game from the company A CROWD OF MONSTSERS. Opinion about Blues and Bullets Game Review Blues and Bullets

Detective stories and episodic adventures seemed to be created for each other. This time, instead of a large evil wolf because of the investigation, Eliot Ness, the former head of the detachment of "untouchables", those most agents who planted behind the bastard of the legendary Al Capone were taken.

Blues and bullets.

Genre Adventure
Platform Windows
Developer A CROWD OF MONSTSERS
Publisher A CROWD OF MONSTSERS
Website bluesandbullets.com.

Evaluation

Noir-stylistics, investigation methods, soundtrack

Style is clearly hiding flaws graphics, intrigue reveals at the very beginning

Episodic detective adventure in noire-style with excellent saundtrack

Eliot moved away from affairs and manages a small eatery in the town of Sant Esperanza. But there are no cops former, especially when the old enemy suddenly makes itself felt. However, this time the detective will have to fight at all with the mafia.

Perhaps the main problem of BLUES AND BULLETS is what you will learn who is an opponent Eliot Ness, already in the first stage of the first episode of the game. You can, of course, hope that the authors will be able to somehow sophisticated and send the story to another bed, but so far there is no intrigue in the investigation. The enemy is indicated, you need to get to it.

The authors of Blues and Bullets, and this is a Spanish studio A Crowd of Monsters, chosen a classic monochrome range with splashes in red for their launching detective. A simple technique, perfectly proven itself in, The Spirit, and other films and games. Only sometimes this technique, except for its undoubted artistic advantages, is designed to cover the flaws of graphics and, it seems, Blues and Bullets is just the same. The game, of course, looks stylish, but simplicity of models and animation is still striking, as well as the presence of invisible walls around the corridor, according to which you are moving, and excessive love of authors to the effects of flowing water. In the end, this is noir, and broken, but the unlucky hero should go on the night under the rain drops, and his floodplaes will be waving on the go. It seems that in A Crowd of Monsters understood everything too literally.

But that in the game is definitely good - this is the soundtrack, the name necessarily obliges. Capital and final themes performed by IZÄ is simply chic. Traditionally, the soundtrack can be purchased separately. I did not pumped up the voice acting of the main characters, the actors clearly try.

In terms of gameplay BLUES AND BULLETS - a traditional episodic adventure of recent years. Points of interest are marked with large icons, in conversations instead of concrete words we are asked to choose the mood of the answer, the Action episodes are accompanied by a constant QTE. However, there is here and a little almost real, at least according to the current standards, Action - with the ranks between shelters and shooting overhead opponents. Especially good fragment with titers. What I liked, so this is the collection of evidence and filling out the boards traditional for American emerging plates with a crime scheme. Everything is simple enough, but pretty.

The world of BLUES AND BULLETS at the same time and is similar, and does not look like our. Here Ness is not put forward to the post of mayor of Cleveland, and Al Capone is not immersed in madness from neurosimifilis. Here is a gorgeous hotel located on the clouds huge airship, and the submarine sails the submarine with a nuclear rocket miner. Together with the Stylistry of Art Deco, it creates a certain connection with the Bioshock series, and especially. Whether the authors will operate this idea in the next episodes, while it is unclear.

Gloomy urban streets, criminal disassembly and sad hero, investigating terrible crimes under blues tunes in the background. Yes, this is the same noir. Moreover, in concentrated form, with black and white visual near and blood-red elements of the entourage.

The episodic game of Blues and Bullets builds his fictional story around real characters. Eliot Ness, who put his hand to the conclusion of an unsvestigative Gangster Al Capone (as described in the film "Non-accompanied"), prohibits free time on pensions as the owner of a small diner. Under the BLUES and Bullets sign, it experiments with cakes and feeds local cops. At some point, the past recalls itself, making an unexpected turn to his monotonous life. The old enemy comes out of prison and turns to the enemy for help.

Characters by the worried old passions and hatred. However, they will have to find a compromise to deal with even greater evil. The image of the latter is still foggy and unclear. And the sudden cruel murder, with which Eliot will face, only heats up the gloomy feeling of a hoping beast. But the investigation has begun, turn back not. The hero accepts the challenge and is ready to follow the selected path to the end, whatever it is.

The world of BLUES AND BULLETS is a society with powerful criminal structures. And the narrative is invested in various situations associated with criminal activities. On the other hand, a hint of a secret conspiracy, a cult or even some kind of mysticism is clearly visible. Because only the first part of this episodic game has been released, the overall picture remains behind the scenes. But the intrigue twists quite skillfully.

Along the way, relationships between characters are beginning to line up. The player has a choice, how to behave with one or another interlocutor. This variability is not shown. Some key actions have a direct impact on the development of the plot or relationship between the characters in the next time. Estimate the overall level of variability is difficult. But some full chains (from the act to consequences) are viewed within the framework of the first episode.

The gameplay is varied. Dialogues are diluted with shooting and a detective part with the collection of evidence. The main problem is the axis animation. Virtual actors lacking liveliness and intelligible facial expressions. The movements of the hero during the inspection of locations lack of naturalness. The camera is also not happy - the same thing, as well as the protagonist, there is no free review. Management in episodes with shooting is limited. The hero himself changes the situation and shelter, we can only shoot enemies on time. Pure tire. And in general, overall optimization for the gamepad is felt.

The detective part is based on the collection of evidence. At the crime scene, all important objects are indicated. You need to find them and correctly structure by filling out the niche of the analytical tree. At the same time, everything is logically interconnected, all evidence is correctly commented. So no problems arise, the main thing is to make an accurate inspection, listen to replicas and make the right choice when analyzing the facts.

It is impossible to make a mistake. Unsuitable evidence cannot be used for incorrect interpretation. So the lazy player can solve the problem and by banal selection.

The combination of black and white with red decor elements allows you to skillfully emphasize the desired emotional mood. General graphic performance on a very good for indie game level. But optimization is lame on both legs. Curious consumption of video memory leads to the fact that you will not be able to play normally on video cards from 2 GB. And even on top configurations, you can encounter periodic drawdown FPS.

An unusual visual style is complemented by interspersed surrealism. Certain scenes act as a visual interpretation of some thoughts and emotions. It is impossible to say that they are successfully inscribed in the general action, but are well driven up in the discharge of a common emotional atmosphere.

Blues and Bullets can be compared in TellTale Games games. That's just a player requires greater participation in the gameplay, let it even with a chrome control. An intriguing detective story in noir-stylistics with variability and moral dilemmas is lined up. Already one episode is visible a powerful potential for the development of the plot. Therefore, all disadvantages are still moving into the background. Was enough sunk for the whole season? We'll see.

Eliot Ness(ELIOT NESS) - National Hero of America. Honest, fundamental treasurer, which in 1929 he headed the US Department of Special Institutes of the US Department of Finance, nicked by journalists "untouchables". They hunted on the main mafiosa of America - actually Ness And his people put in the cataadium for 11 years Al Capone(Al Capone) and cleaned with Corruption Cleveland. And as a reward got a small nabavkka to pensions and premium hours. Pro Nessa And his team rolled books, filmed the series, and in 1987, the picture was released "untouchables" Brian de Palma(Brian de Palma) with Kevin Kostter(Kevin Costner) in the main role. So, in the new episodic adventure Blues and bullets. From a young studio A CROWD OF MONSTSERS Eliot Ness works ... on Al Kapone.

The atmosphere of Blues and Bullets periodically reminds Max Payne.
Non-plated eclips
No, screenwriter games Hosue Montcheng(Josue Monchan; actually he is in Pendulo Studios. Catchy history for Runaway. and Yesterday) I did not come up with intellect and did not resolve the memory of the National Hero of America. Just he invented an alternative story for him and an image.
IN Blues and bullets. He enormously looks like a typical detective from noar films - in a long raincoat and with a bottle of whiskey in thessands. He once drank, beat, almost sent Al Capon to that light (as a result, the main mafiosi "just" popped up for 20 years), and now leads a quiet lifestyle in the fictional city of Santa Esperanz, where cickure pies and spills coffee In your own diner.
After 20 years, Al Capone, which recently came out of Catalage, depicting his main enemy ... Find his missing granddaughter, Alice. Ness, exhausted by detective work, re-change the curtain for a long raincoat and takes on Deval. In the process, he will have to face such pieces that corruption and mafia disassemblies are blinking on them. The abduction of the children, ritual shutoffs, Prachi with the eliminated races and teeth - reasons to appeal to the bottle will be pretty.
Naturally, such a gloomy noarist is made in black and white stylistics with the nuances of the bloody-red - salvo remember the "City of Sin". Permanent rain, preoccupative dialogues with the need of the cynicism or irony, the husky voice of Eliot and the Red Babi vocal, performing a minor jazz composition, - everything perfectly cries on the gloomy noar-atmosphere.
Choosing Eliota
However, returning to the bottle, we will say that you yourself decide: will drink Eliot Ness juice or whiskey? After all, by its basic structure Blues and bullets. - it is pretty typical TellTale- Fashion Adventure. The hero explores the location, it is forbidden, it takes periodically with the workout (and we help him, running on the keys shown in time) and takes more or less magnificent solutions. We do not report that such a character remembered, as if you were enrolled, but the times to choose from carefully as timely limited.

Some decisions, we will guess, after all, they will find their reflection in the arising episodes.
True, in the first episode, we read did not wonder the Takovsky magnificent dilemies that affect the events as if in The Walking Dead. and The Wolf Among USwhere it was possible to decide who to resist who to get into and where to rush to the wanted street. Only one-one choices made at the very beginning, when we fulfill the abducted girl, there will be real consequences in the episode finale. And one of the same single, rather, it will affect the pre-door.
And yet decisions about drinking or drinking, sharing Al Kapone's hand or first to give him a face, and subsequently already shake, mad and poured into the piano on a bunker, or a salvo attribute a gun to Palestine, too important, as if formed Psychological portrait of your hero.
Scandals, Palf, Investigation
But A CROWD OF MONSTSERS It is unlikely that the first decided to expand the format of such adventures. First, in Blues and bullets., in addition to dialogues and finding active points, still eat action with shelters. Shooting we are brought to a droplet, and two times for the episode, and the mechanics of Takovsky shootout is extremely simple. And yet, in such a format, it looks pretty fresh and entertaining.
Secondly, from the ADVENCHUR series about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes from the Franco-Ukrainian Studio Frogwares. Borrowed deductive mechanics. Once at the site of the ruthless ritual skewering, we need to look carefully, study the body, concentrate all the evidence, notice all the magnificent details and in a special menu, picking up open facts, respond to demands: What happened, as if the shredded flew to the house, was at that moment Someone else here? True, compared to the "frogwar" quests, everything is easier here - to sneak, it's not a logical chain, in principle, because you will not be allowed to do it.

Five episodes are planned in BLUES and Bullets.
***
However, a single serious prolongation is not excessive simplification (compared to the same bloody-narrow The Wolf Among US It's here that one at least a droplet is needed to rush), and easy optimization. Looks like Blues and bullets. It hurts stylishly, but not so chic, in order to periodically "slow down". In another, the game wakes up non-fancy exalted emotions. Action and Advenchur, Film Noir, Mafia and Ritual Shortwinkle Waste Manyak, Al Kapone, which lives in a huge airship hanging over the city, and the Russian gangster of Ivankov, who lives on his own underwater dear, - Hosue Montcheng And his colleagues invented painfully unusual vinaigrette.
Pros: fascinating plot; moral selection cash; charismatic hero; Naurry atmosphere; Stylish picture; stunning work with sound; Pretty all kinds of gameplay for such format.
Minuses: Easy optimization.

Do you know who is such an elite Ness? Or what attitude does he have to Alfonso "al" cappone? NOT. Well, then let's arrange a small excursion in history. In 1929, in order to resist the criminal empire of the legendary mafiosi, a special detachment was formed by the United States Ministry of Finance, which journalists dubbed "untouchables".
It is thanks to Ness and his team, Cleveland, though not for a long time, was cleared of corruption, and the Krestan Father of the Chicago Mafia was sent to prison for a long 11 years. In a reward for this, all members of the detachment received a small premium to the pension and the golden clock, and in 1987, Brian de Palma took about them a film with the same name, with Kevin Costner and Sean Connery in high roles. Now, by the efforts of an independent studio A CROWD OF MONSTSERS The "real American hero" received and his own game.
Do not expect from Blues and bullets. Full confidence. In your project, developers, so let's say more inspired by real events than retelling the already familiar story.
"Never forget about it"


The main character, all the same Eliot Ness, like any classic zerony detective - in a long rainter, with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a gun in another, breaks into the estate of mafia, in the hope of revengent for his killed comrades, independently understands all the protection, And at the same time he sends the godfather behind the bars for a long 20 years.
However, the time, like a prostitute, is looking for new customers, does not stand still. Ness has long moved away from affairs and found his place in the small town of Santa Esperanz, where in his own cafe with a very original title Blues and bullets. Spills coffee and treats visitors with fresh cakes and burgers. While a friend is not a very rainbow day one of Murtadov al Kapone invites the game
in
this is on the audience to his boss. Mafiosi, who at that time had already managed to honestly serve his term, instead of bullets in the forehead or bowls with cement asks for the "old friend" to help in one business - to find his missing granddaughter, Alice. Brave detective for a long time not thinking to dress his old cloak, takes a revolver in his hands and goes away, perhaps on a dangerous thing in his life.

Abduction of children, ritual killings and dismissed corpses with frivolous eyes. The game immediately warns that ahead of the hero, as a player actually, does not expect anything good. Well, the endless rain per pair with astute jazz compositions is further injected on the player atmosphere of complete despair. Plus, all this is a black and white style with bright red blood and stingy and cynical replicas of the hero - perfectly work on a cloudy nuene atmosphere.
"I am too old for all this"


As in many modern serial projects, the further development of the plot depends on the player. To hit or shake his hands to your wins enemy, drink whiskey or juice, pass a poor boy to the police to throw a few extra dollar. All this we have already seen in dozens of projects from TallTale and other studios. The hero also studies location, finds hooks and talks to other characters.
But what exactly allocates Blues and bullets. So this is an action-mind, which in addition to the classic QTE with keystrokes at the right moment, are diluted with full-fledged fireflowers with shelters. It is usually quite simple enough, the player only leads the sight and sometimes proceeds from one shelter to another. And yet, against the background of their colleagues, it looks quite interesting, although in the first episode of such moments only a few.
And not only for shootouts and fights will be held the main character, he is still a detective, so that the brain will also have to strain from time to time. Once at the murder's place, an experienced detective turns into a real Sherlock Holmes, and all thanks to a familiar deductive system, which the authors occupied from the last projects Frogwares. . First you need to carefully inspect the crime scene, study the body of the deceased, collect all the hooks, and then in a special section you need to analyze the finds and reproduce the last minutes of the victim's life. True, unlike the same Holts, to start a deadlock, and even more so wound the investigation you will not succeed.

Sure, Blues and bullets. You can find a bunch of flaws, like a bad optimization or a rather weak picture. However, literally in every second of the game there is a huge love of authors both to their project and to the classics of a launch genre. Just like rocky beautiful, from the first seconds Blues and bullets. falls in love, intrigues and makes it look forward to continuing.