Murder by Numbers (video game)

Murder by Numbers is a video game developed by Mediatonic and published by The Irregular Corporation. It was released on March 5, 2020 for Nintendo Switch and Windows, and on March 23, 2021 for Stadia. The game is a hybrid of visual novels with nonogram-style logic puzzles to progress the story.

Murder by Numbers
Key art featuring Honor and the robot SCOUT
Developer(s)Mediatonic
Publisher(s)The Irregular Corporation
Designer(s)Ed Fear
Artist(s)Hato Moa
Writer(s)
  • Ed Fear
  • Murray Lewis
Composer(s)Masakazu Sugimori
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
Release
  • Nintendo Switch
  • 5 March 2020
  • Windows
  • 6 March 2020
  • Stadia
  • 23 March 2021
Genre(s)Visual novel, puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

The game follows TV actress-turned-detective Honor Mizrahi and her robot companion SCOUT as they find themselves involved in several murder cases. Presented in a visual novel style, similar to the Ace Attorney series, players are tasked with questioning witnesses and suspects and investigating areas for clues. Investigating brings up nonogram puzzles, which the player must solve to uncover a piece of evidence, which can then be presented to witnesses to advance the story. These nonogram puzzles are solved similar to many other computer-based nonogram puzzles, giving the player the ability to mark spaces that should be filled and those that should be empty as a method to track their work and make deductions towards solving the puzzle. A player can make any number of mistakes as they progress without penalty in most puzzles, but may ask for hints towards a solution. Some sections will require the player to complete a series of smaller nonogram puzzles within a time limit and without using "empty space" markers or hints.

The story is split into four cases, each with a Detective Rank that starts at F and increases as the player solves puzzles. Scoring enough points raises the rank and unlocks bonus puzzles outside of the main story, with more points awarded for not using hints. Earning an S rank in a case and clearing all of the unlocked bonus puzzles unlocks optional story sequences detailing SCOUT's backstory.[1]

Story

Set in Los Angeles in 1996, Murder by Numbers follows Honor Mizrahi, the co-star of the TV detective show Murder Miss Terri. After she is fired from her job, she comes across SCOUT, a robot who was thrown away in a trash heap and has lost most of his memories. Honor discovers that the show's showrunner has been murdered. With SCOUT's help, Honor manages to solve the mystery behind the murder, but the murderer seemingly commits suicide. Honor soon finds herself involved in more murder mysteries, working alongside SCOUT to solve them as he tries to regain his lost memories.

Development

Murder by Numbers was developed by Mediatonic, an independent United Kingdom-based studio. Among those that have contributed include designer and writer Ed Fear (The Swords of Ditto), character designer Hato Moa (Hatoful Boyfriend) and composer Masakazu Sugimori (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Viewtiful Joe, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective).[2][3]

The game was released on the Nintendo Switch on 5 March 2020, on Windows on 6 March 2020 and on Stadia on 23 March 2021.[4][5]

Reception

Murder by Numbers was generally well received by critics on both platforms, according to review aggregator Metacritic,[6][7] and Polygon included it in their feature on the best video games of 2020.[15]

References
  1. Skrebels, Joe (7 February 2020). "Murder By Numbers Is Ace Attorney, Picross and Thirsty Anime All in One". IGN. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  2. Wales, Matt (11 October 2019). "Murder by Numbers blends campy 90s TV detective sleuthing with Picross". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  3. Clayton, Natalie (10 October 2019). "Murder By Numbers is Phoenix Wright in leg-warmers from the designer of Hatoful Boyfriend". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  4. Romano, Sal (6 February 2020). "Murder by Numbers launches March 5 for Switch, March 6 for PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  5. Chalk, Andy (6 March 2020). "Solve mysteries as a 1990s cartoon character in Murder By Numbers". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  6. "Murder by Numbers for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  7. "Murder by Numbers for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  8. "Murder by Numbers review: "Single-handedly converted me to the picross puzzle genre"". 6 March 2020.
  9. "Review: Murder by Numbers - Hardcore Gamer". 5 March 2020.
  10. "Murder by Numbers Review - IGN". 11 March 2020.
  11. "Murder by Numbers Review - Review".
  12. "Murder by Numbers review". PC Gamer. 13 March 2020.
  13. "Murder by Numbers review: Sleuthing it out". 6 March 2020.
  14. "Murder by Numbers Review: The Wright Stuff". 6 March 2020.
  15. "The 50 best games of 2020". Polygon. Vox Media. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
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