Still Life

So, I first played this game on the original Xbox back in the day, so when I saw this game up for grabs, I had to give it another try. This game still has decent graphics for its age, the controls are decent (pretty much a point and click adventure), and the story is still a very intriguing and suspenseful one. I would highly recommend it to anyone that would like to tap into their inner detective, who likes some puzzle solving, and adventuring around, all while trying to stop a deranged serial killer. This game worked flawlessly on my Windows 10 Gaming PC. If you end up getting stuck, there’s a good guide out there you can use, you can find it here http://www.gameboomers.com/wtcheats/pcSs/stilllife.htm I give it a 4/5 because of the ending… No spoilers here. Still a great game!

I tried a demo for Still life in 2000s and got captivated by the aesthetics of the game right away. It took almost 16 years for me to tryit and I would say - it's not what it seemed to be - for the worst and the best of it. The genre was quite popular back then and a mostly linear approach in terms of story and gameplay was a common thing. You get to play as an FBI agent Victoria Mcpherson, which starts her investigation in a rather dark and noire place. Not sure why, but it reminds me greatly of such films as End of Days (1999) with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Seven (1995) with Brad Pitt, which most likely served in part as an inspiration for the developers. I would add that this game has a bit of Heavy Rain to it, probably due to some secrets in the story or the manner of revealing the plot to us through Victoria's investigation, even though HR was released much later and is very different. The gameplay is quite simple, as you have to explore various places and find clues or talk to people. In certain areas you have to solve more or less familiar puzzles, which have become a common sight since then. The forensics process is perhaps the most interesting thing in this game, as well as change of areas around the city. I also like the design and the pace of your detective story in the so-called flashbacks. The developers did a good job of creating something in contrast. The whole thing developing around art and mystery was good. While the characters (which are quite a lot) are 3d models, the levels are a pre-rendered enviroment. It's not that easy to oriebtate yourself in certain cases and the dialogs and as well as decisions are usually aimed towards a very specific plotline. There are only a few things, which are optional in the game and some puzzles aren't that clear in solving. The game might prove difficult to try for the Players, keen on modern approach with freedom of choice and alternative solutions. But Still Life is nevetheless worth the time.

Still Life was a game I had heard of when I was younger, but literally had no idea what the game or series was about. I'm glad to have recently purchased the bundle as this series gave me everything I wanted from a point and click adventure game. The mysterious storyline, the history, the gameplay, and the nostalgic feeling make this CSI meets Jack the Ripper style mystery game very cool! To be fair, there were a few puzzles that were a little beyond me, so I had to glance briefly at a walkthrough, but upon seeing most answers, I just wasn't paying enough attention. There were 2 puzzles that I found very unfair.

Not a terrible game. Not a great one either. Enjoyed: - Creepy atmosphere - Fluid animation and cutscenes for a game out at that time - Amazing artwork and design. - Some puzzles were challenging. :) - The time switch-a-roo between grandpa Gus and granddaughter Victoria. Two different timeline, but kept the ambient atmosphere. Didn't enjoy: - Some of the puzzles. Thought the game, sometimes, just surprised you (not in a good way). - That cookie puzzle. Why? - Narrative seem to feel rushed at the end, for some reason. Ending is just ... there. - The story doesn't explain everything which leaves me with nagging questions than I would like. - Some of the characters were laughable to say the least. It's not that long of a game (the story isn't that long) but! some puzzles you might get stuck at. I love CSI, FBI, forensic science (although science do leave the realm as story progress here) type shows. So, if you love those elements and want a slow paced game then Still Life might be for you! :) Have fun.

Speaking of other reviews: there’s something I don’t understand about people – why to play adventure games if you dislike riddles so much? It seems like gamers are all grumpy about lock picking and such – but that’s not really a big problem, just a little bit of work for grey cells, this is what adventure game offers on the contrast to any action game (no offense for the action genre, truly). Just got yourself a shooter and don’t bother about location wandering searching for items and too much thinking… or just go “watch all the cutscenes” on youtube – then you’ll get a story without doing anything at all… This game is superb. In anything and everything about it. And not the least of things that plays here is that this is the second part in the series – Post Mortem gloriously started it, and all the hopes were for Still Life 2 but this game doesn’t have anything to do with previous installments, it should have been Vic going to LA and continuing her investigation, not what it turned out in the end. What to say about the story – it’s hard to put into words because you got so many feelings while living it through with Gus and Vic that you can’t just stop thinking about it even after the final “teaser”… So many unanswered questions, so many hypothesis. Without “spoilering” too much – judging by Vaklav’s face he recognized the man on the moment he was unmasked, this alone gives a lot to ponder. The style is perfect – no matter is it Prague or Chicago – you feel deep inside everything happening on the screen and your own soul-state jumps from being funny (like Miller, Mia and Vic share a scene together) to dreadful – and all of this in a row. This game has only one single fault – it has an end, another fault – fault of the series – that it didn’t continue in the right way, and that developers didn’t give us Gus’ “London case” that Vic described as “romantic and mysterious", then we could have 4 perfections instead of just two...