Corby's Murder Mystery

This game does exactly what its name promises — and you probably shouldn't expect much more. Corby's Murder Mystery is a straightforward, no-frills adventure in classic text adventure style with graphics, revolving around solving a murder. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's enough for an evening of logical thinking.

What's the content like? You set yourself a task — find the killer and interrogate witnesses, gather evidence, combine the information you've discovered. You typically move between rooms, collect items, and try to connect the dots. The atmosphere is quintessentially nineties — simple graphics that leave plenty of room for imagination, and in its own way, it's compelling.

Logic and observation play an important role in the gameplay. Mistakes are often punished — either you get stuck in a dead end or you draw the wrong conclusion. The game stubbornly insists on the correct sequence of actions. It has its charm, but it can also frustrate when it's not entirely clear what's expected of you. Without a guide, it's sometimes hard to figure out.

Corby's Murder Mystery belongs in the category of games you'd play at a friend's house in high school, when the cabinet was crammed with titles like Space Quest or Police Quest. It wasn't hugely well-known, but that didn't hurt the fun. Today it's probably largely forgotten — simply because it was just a small fish in a pond.

If you want to try a classic detective text adventure without unnecessary bells and whistles, this is a choice. The science is simple, the story diligent, but not particularly original. It's not a masterpiece, but it's not a flop either — just part of hundreds of similar games from the time when text adventures and graphic adventures were fighting for your attention. If you find it, give it a try.