News
If anyone told us back in the nineties that FMV games would be making a comeback more than 20 years later we would have been shocked. However, here we are and not only has the FMV genre resurfaced, but it actually boasts a couple of really good releases. The latest title to join their ranks is the upcoming Jessika by publisher Assemble Entertainment and developer TriTrieGames
Ten Questions With
We’ve been big fans of D’Avekki Studios ever since they drew us into The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker. Since then they have continued to bring some class to the FMV game genre with titles like The Shapeshifting Detective, and more recently, Dark Nights With Poe and Munro. We were fortunate enough to catch up with the husband and wife team these hits to find out more!
News
D’Avekki Studios have already proven that they know a thing or two about creating compelling FMV games with titles like The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker and The Shapeshifting Detective. Both these games had us hooked, so needless to say that we’ve been looking forward to their next release. Thankfully, the wait isn’t that long anymore as their new supernatural thriller, Dark Nights with Poe and Munro, is just around the corner
PC Game Reviews
Solving a murder mystery should be easy when you have the ability to shapeshift into any person you meet, but all is not as it seems in the quiet town of August. Step into the shapeshifting shoes of Sam and figure out whodunit in this latest FMV release by D’Avekki Studios. A girl has been murdered under mysterious circumstances and the clock is ticking as you put your unusual skills to the test. The Shapeshifting Detective is a solid title that will appeal to everyone who enjoys an unusual murder mystery and the story also provides plenty of replay value, so don’t miss out.
Gameplay: As this is an FMV game the interaction with the gameworld is obviously limited, but interrogating people is a blast and the shapeshifting mechanic makes for a novel experience.
Graphics: Not as much FMV footage as Doctor Dekker, but everything looks great in high definition.
Sound: The audio is superb and definitely contributes a lot to the atmosphere of the game
PC Game Reviews
Morph Girl combines nineties style FMV and Japanese horror in an interesting visual novel. The game deals with a woman who is mourning the death of her wife, so the story might be a bit too somber for anyone looking for a lighthearted visual novel. It is also rather short and the acting could have been better, but even with all its flaws Morph Girl still offers a unique and compelling experience.
Gameplay: Passive for the most part, but there are some choices to be made.
Graphics: Morph Girl makes use of FMV to convey its storyline.
Sound: No voice acting and a haunting soundtrack keeps things interesting
PC Game Reviews
Press X To Not Die is a quick-time-laden FMV game with B-movie levels of acting and effects. While this sounds pretty terrible in theory, it is actually quite entertaining when you sit down and play it. Unfortunately, the game isn’t very long, but it is a lot of fun while it lasts, and there is some replay value thanks to the branching storyline and the multitude of ways you can die. The game also sells for pocket change, so if you are in the mood for thirty minutes of goofball entertainment, you can’t go wrong with Press X To Not Die.
Gameplay: Press “X” (and a few other keys depending on the difficulty setting) to not die (and perform a few other actions.)
Graphics: The visuals consist purely of HD GoPro footage.
Sound: The acting is as cringe-worthy as one would expect from an interactive movie, but this just adds to the entertainment
PC Game Reviews
The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker is an FMV game where you get to play as a psychiatrist questioning a host of patients about their problems and the murder of your predecessor. This is all done via a keyword based text input, but the high definition, full screen video responses will quickly draw you into the mystery. Add in some superb acting along with a genuinely fascinating story and you are looking at a surprisingly good title. It’s not perfect and the genre obviously has a lot of limitations, but overall this is one not to be missed.
Gameplay: The keyword based questioning obviously has some limitations, but makes for an engrossing experience.
Graphics: The quality of the full motion video responses are very good.
Sound: Features an atmospheric soundtrack and the quality of the acting is also of a very high standard
Early Access Previews
Combining quick time events with nothing more than full motion videos sound like a recipe for disaster and yet Press X Not To Die is way more fun than it has any right to be. Designed to be a throwback to the “interactive movie” titles of the early 90s, the game throws you headfirst into what seems to be a zombie apocalypse. The whole town is in chaos, people are viciously attacking each other and the only advice you got from a friend before he is murdered is to “press X not to die.”
