New Bretagne, the Lamplight City. It seemed like a routine burglary case for detectives Fordham and Ledger, but it was anything but. The strange case of a burglar, who stole only lilies from a flower shop, but also left money to pay for them turns sour when Ledger loses his life during a chase. Fordham. That's you. Fordham is let go by the police force, his superiors thinking he was the one at fault.
After some time of ruminating and listening to the voice of his dead partner, which Fordham has been trying to douse with the help of sleeping medicine, he is given a case by his friend Upton, who works as a desk clerk at the police station. And this is basically how the rest of the game folds up, Upton bringing you cases, some of which seem to be connected to the death of Ledger.
Lamplight City is a detective point-and-click game set in a steampunk past. It's a world, where steam technology is quickly taking over the world, causing social and economic shifts not only on the national level but in the lives of ordinary people as well. Not that this has much to do with the larger case at hand, this is just merely flavouring for the setting and as such, works reasonably well.
Most of the game is running around in crime scenes, trying to pick up clues and interrogating people connected to the cases. Usually, you get more than one suspect, making it possible for you to arrive at the wrong conclusion, but you really do have to go out on your way to choose the wrong solution, as the cases are relatively open and shut. This isn't a Frogwares Sherlock Holmes-series style of sleuthing game, but more of a narrative-driven experience, that offers you a possibility to be wrong.
Only on a couple of occasions a way to the correct culprit is hidden behind a puzzle that is reminiscent of a more traditional adventure game puzzling, but they are easy enough to solve. Generally speaking, it's easy enough to notice when you are missing something from making the right accusation in the end. so it's just a question of going through the handful of locations open during each case.
During cases, the clues and other important things are jotted down in your notebook, but you are not really required to look at them too often. Perusing it is really mandatory only during the last case. I guess in this case, the game is mostly deducing stuff for you, so you'll just have to move forward.
Lamplight City is decent enough of a mystery game. The final case comes up a bit abruptly as does the conclusion, thanks to the episodic nature of the cases you go through. The last case is really the least interesting of the 5 cases you get to witness, but all of them are fun enough to offer entertainment for the 8-10 hours it will take to play the game through.
If you are looking for some sleuthing games to play, Lamplight City might prove a decent enough distraction. The setting is fun, the voice acting is mostly good and it didn't feel like it stayed out of its welcome. You can get it from GOG and Steam.
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