The Collection Chamber: CASE CLOSED

During the investigation, we take on the role of one of eight characters and conduct our own investigation. In order for the investigation to be successful, we must thoroughly investigate the crime scene, collect evidence, solve side puzzles and then point out the culprit, motive and weapon of the crime. We lose if the computer players come to the correct conclusions first, or if we make a mistake and accuse an innocent person.

The whole game takes place in an old mansion with details presented in 3D. We will meet there, among others, a gambler, a desperate journalist, an FBI agent, a scientist accused of corruption, an old aristocrat, a spoiled widow, and a computer genius. All are suspected of committing murder. Piotr Fronczewski played the role of the narrator.
The opportunity to conduct a fascinating investigation.
Possibility to play as one of eight characters, and depending on your choice each game is different.
Interiors realized in 3D technique.
Fascinating intrigues, a script several dozen pages long.
All dialogues in Polish.

~ badly translated from the Polish press release

(package is the English version)

There have been many digital interpretations of Cluedo (or simply Clue elsewhere), but few have altered the deductive formula of its gameplay to any great extent. Designed by a single person - David Sakadelis - with a second assisting with scripting duties, Case Closed aims to add a little more detective work to the traditional board game. Now, there are classic point-and-click adventure elements!

But first, let's discuss the core gameplay 'cos it works a little differently here. You have eight characters and twelve rooms - one of which is the murder scene and locked off - and up to 4 players must search for clues to find out who did it. Each character has a mini-bio detailing their appearance, background and hobbies. Mr. Byte, for example, wears glasses, has allergies and likes computers, the theatre and collecting rare art. When you enter a room, you must search for three clues that will relate to one of the individuals, such as a glasses repair kit, a floppy disk or theatre tickets. You will also find a weapon. These all point to a person who was in that room just prior to the murder, and each character was in one of them. When you've deduced who it was, question them with the murder weapon and they will give you a piece of evidence that incriminates the real murderer.

Find coloured keys to unlock secret passages. Your turn will end when you use an item,
but you can still cheekily have a go after finding two of your three clues.

So, you've figured out the culprit. Now you need the murder weapon. This is done by finding the room he or she was in and the finding the murder weapon hidden inside - much like how you would before. With eleven rooms to sift through, and movement between them limited to a roll of a single dice, it can take some time to find it. Perhaps you should focus on the motive first - the third peak of the murder mystery triumvirate.

So, you've gathered clues and evidence, but you also have some items on your person from the very beginning. These are unique depending on the scenario, which does make for limited replayability, but they add a certain detective flair that I find welcome. In the first scenario, you have a book and a gold key. Perhaps that key opens the padlock to the toolbox in the Storage Room? Maybe that book belongs in the library? When you have solved it, you will get a V.H.S. tape (so 1999) which, when played, will give you the motive. It could be money, jealousy, revenge or extortion though I'm afraid that video won't reveal anything more than a simple animated graphic. No villain monologue here.

Question a character by selecting a character and a murder weapon. If they match
the clues found in the room, you will get some evidence that point the real murderer.

Uncovering each of these inventory puzzles is a blast for adventure fan, but it's dulled by the turn-based system. If you get that "aha" moment at the end of your turn, you will have to wait another round to put it into action. On your turn you have the choice to roll the dice and move or accuse a suspect which will end the game whether you're right or not. If you are in a room, you can also search or question a suspect by deducing who was in that room. Searching will take up most of your time and becomes quite tedious for other players in multiplayer mode, though it is the most impressive element of the game. You will zone in to your character's viewpoint and look around the pre-rendered environments in the first person.

Graphically, it is inviting though several years behind the curve technically speaking - the 7th Guest six years earlier uses a similar technique but is far better. Still, you have a multitude of hotspots to interact with. If your cursor turns into an eyeball, this means a clue may be hidden here. By my count, there are about five or six that are active in each room, while different playthroughs switch it up. You only get to find three on your turn so it will take at least two round to fully exhaust a room's clues. If you're lucky enough, the three on your first try may be enough to question a suspect but it's rare.

Your evidence is full; we can now figure out who did it! (left).
Mrs. Snewty! I knew she could wield a lead pipe like a pro (right).

Some rooms don't have any clues meaning they were empty just before the murder. In such instances, most of the clues will bounce back with nothing. Sometimes, however, you might be rewarded with a coloured key. These go into your Item collection meaning they can be used with the environment when searching. When you're on the ground, you might see hotspots that make your cursor turn into a magnifying glass. Clicking on them will let you examine the item in closer detail an allow you to use an item on them. This is done by "equipping" them into your hand from the Item menu. It will then appear in the box on the bottom right of the HUD from where you can drag them onto any object. For example, behind a grandfather clock in the dining room is a random red keyhole. If you have it, drag the red key onto it to open up quick travel to another side of the house. All of the keys do this, though you have to hunt for their holes.

Taking the Cluedo concept and expanding it with adventure elements is a good idea on paper, but in practice it makes the game rather tedious. Playing in single player against the computer is more palatable as they take an instant no matter what they're doing, but they tend to be more clued in to the process than I was making them a challenge to beat. With a multitude of scenarios (with the option to load up some lost-to-time addons) that cannot be unlocked unless you've competed against the computer with the character you're playing as, the formula will bore you before you see the animated ending. Still, with charming graphics, capable voice acting and a level of polish rarely seen for a one-man team, Case Closed is still worth it if your a curious amateur sleuth.

To download the game, follow the link below. This custom installer exclusive to The Collection Chamber uses PCem running Windows '95. Press Ctrl-Alt-PgDown to toggle fullscreen. Press Ctrl-End or middle mouse button to release the mouse. Read the ChamberNotes.txt for more detailed information. Tested on Windows 10.

IMPORTANT - Remember to shut down the emulated version of Windows before exiting PCem. This could potentially result in errors, lost saves and corrupt data. Shut down the emulated Windows '95 environment by running the "Close Windows" icon from the Windows '95 desktop. Close the program only when it is safe to do so.

File Size: 557 Mb. Install Size: 850 Mb. Need help? Consult the Collection Chamber FAQ

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