A truly amazing game. Do not be fooled into thinking this game will only be novel for a few minutes; it will subvert your expectations from beginning to end. I can go on and on about the graphical style, about the music, but the gameplay itself is just extremely solid. It is amazing how interconnected everything is! The world is huge and characters have their own intricate schedules that interact with each other and the environment in novel ways. A lot of reviewers are saying the game is "Clue" meets something-other, but the only way it's like "Clue" is that people are being murdered in a mansion. A more apt comparison I have heard of is not even to a game, but to the short story, "The Masque of the Red Death". Most of the characters go about their business blissfully unaware of their impending doom, as the music within the ostentatious mansion builds to an ominous crescendo. The game is dark, witty, and funny as hell. Even the murderous staff have some of the best lines, to be discovered by spying on them in an unguarded moment. The Sexy Brutale reminds me most of Playstation 2-era Castlevania games, where players can rightly sense that a secret passage could hold the answers to mysteries with profound implications on the story. Flaws are few. There are the occasional pauses when entering new rooms and the protagonist's weird glitch when he randomly can't seem to get in front of and open a door--also rare. A cataloging system for playing card collectibles feels like an overlooked necessity. Other than those, it's just too bad that there isn't more of the game to play once you're done. The length is very satisfying, though, and there are many little secrets to discover (and at least one big secret). This game is worth every penny. Buy it now! Don't wait!
