Condemned
A first-person crime thriller game with forensic investigation gadgets.
Where Condemned comes up1 episode or test
- 1Gather informationCondemned: fingerprint and bloodstain gadgets
- 2Expose liesNeeds its own mechanic
- 3Follow leadsNeeds its own mechanic
- 4Find connectionsNeeds its own mechanic
- 5Deduce and accuseWhere games struggle
From Mark Brown, using Mystic River
What was said about Condemned
1Condemned's forensic gadgets and evidence gathering
Condemned makes evidence gathering fun with fingerprint and bloodstain gadgets. The game gives players gadgets that reveal fingerprints and bloodstains. It is cited as an example of the evidence-gathering step, which games already handle well.
Mark Brown pairs it with LA Noire's spinnable 3D evidence and dialogue trees as easy ways to gather information. He says the harder design work comes after collection: "It's the next bit that's really tricky."
Design a mechanic for each step of the detective process. Using the film Mystic River, detective work splits into gathering information, exposing lies, following leads, finding connections, making deductions and making an accusation. Condemned covers the first step well, while deduction is where games struggle.
The lesson for builders is to map the steps first, then give each one its own mechanic rather than stopping at evidence collection.
What Makes a Good Detective Game?
Gives you gadgets that reveal fingerprints and bloodstains, an example of evidence gathering that games already handle well.
Condemned makes evidence gathering fun with fingerprint and bloodstain gadgets. The game gives players gadgets that reveal fingerprints and bloodstains. It is cited as an example of the evidence-gathering step, which games already handle well.
Mark Brown pairs it with LA Noire's spinnable 3D evidence and dialogue trees as easy ways to gather information. He says the harder design work comes after collection: "It's the next bit that's really tricky."
Design a mechanic for each step of the detective process. Using the film Mystic River, detective work splits into gathering information, exposing lies, following leads, finding connections, making deductions and making an accusation. Condemned covers the first step well, while deduction is where games struggle.
The lesson for builders is to map the steps first, then give each one its own mechanic rather than stopping at evidence collection.
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