Relentless Software released its authentic endeavor to recreate the labyrinthine world inside the realm of investigation and murder. What hailed from the multiple-award winning studio was the unparalleled, premium title: The Trace [$4.99]. With over 10 years of experience and 21 awards earned, Relentless Software put its brilliant team on developing one of the best games of the Mystery genre and the result was a huge success. With a fascinating storyline written by the celebrated David Varela, we simply could not let this game pass by without our review.
You are Sam Pearce, a detective in the Baltimore Police Department, who is on the hunt for a mad killer that has left no clues other than his lifeless victims. On many occasions, when the plot seems predictable you end up being surprised to find that there is a whole twist to the story. In its design, the game can be very much compared to The Room in terms of its gaming style and mystery solving approach. The true dedication behind The Trace is apparent in its incredible storyline which was written by David Varela, a very experienced writer, director and producer. The breadth and depth of the plot immerses you deep into the game and awakens the Sherlock Holmes in you. Moreover, the game progress can be saved through the cloud which we find to be greatly needed, especially with the recent release of grandiose titles that will surely occupy the device storage.
Your journey towards solving the murder will require you to collect clues that are hidden in the environment – such as inside lockers or safes. All the items that you will find are interconnected to each other and the connection becomes clearer as you uncover more evidence. The genius behind the gameplay is that you get to test your hypotheses on what happened by connecting your clues through a web-like diagram. When you insert the correct clues into the diagram the game reconstructs the event that occurred in relation to the relevant clues. This feature not only captivates you deeper into the story, but differentiates the game from the conventional and boring methodology that many other developers incorporate in their mystery games.
Graphics are always a major policy changer when it comes to mystery games and in that department, Relentless Software profoundly delivered. The game is designed in exceptionally comprehensive 3D environments that resemble realistic crime scenes. In addition, the game is designed for metal-supported devices to offer a more captivating atmosphere. Fortunately, the developers have supported this game constantly through updates and improved a lot of its graphical composition.
The control system and the way you interact with the environment is perhaps what makes it most comparable with The Room. We found the game to be very responsive and designed from scratch for touch screen devices. While there were rare times when the game did not respond well when trying to open a locker, we can assure you that the developers have reacted swiftly through continuous updates and such bugs are in the remnants of history.
What truly builds the investigative, criminal atmosphere is the background music which contains sufficient variety to keep you interested in pursuing the villain’s trail. There is no doubt that the music is a large suspense builder throughout the game and is well synchronized with the thrilling events and puzzling findings.
Ultimately, The Trace assimilates several genres into its fabric in order to unravel the eerie feeling that any murder case would stimulate in a person. We found this premium title to be an excellent addition to our hall of fame due to its thought provoking approach, unpredictable plot twists, genuine investigative simulation, and its unrivaled position as a murder-mystery genre. Indeed, there is nothing that this game lacks other than a sequel. The developers have done a brilliant job on this title and its debut was desperately needed so that the mobile platform may evolve. This game is available on IOS and is due for release on the 11th of June for Android. If you are a thinker, a problem-solver, an investigator, or a mobile-gaming fanatic; then this title is a necessity among your distinguished collection. You can watch the game’s trailer below.
DN Reviews 