Murderous Muses is an intriguing FMV game that stands out from the competition by pairing its content with first-person puzzles and exploration. The central mystery is compelling and it’s worth exploring the weirdness of the island where everything takes place. The culprit, clues, and layout of the art gallery are randomized with each playthrough, so no game is going to be exactly the same.
The game puts you in the role of a night security guard tasked with keeping watch over a gloomy old art gallery that currently houses an exhibition of the paintings of Mordechai Grey, an artist who has been murdered. By day, the gallery is normal, and you can browse Grey’s various paintings to learn a bit about the rich and extremely strange history of the fictional island of Mirlhaven. By night, the gallery transforms into a strange, mazelike building that invites you to uncover the mystery of the painter’s murder.
Over three nights, your goal is to determine which of Mordechai’s six latest subjects was his devious killer-at-large. Each night, a mysterious television program reveals one randomized clue about the circumstances of Mordechai’s death. As you progress through the game, you unlock each suspect’s taped police interview, which will reveal gaps in their alibi.
Despite its strengths, Murderous Muses does have its faults. The overall gameplay can be repetitive with multiple playthroughs and the story can be confusing to follow. It’s possible that the game’s expanding narrative depends on you playing the game multiple times.
However, even with its faults, Murderous Muses is a bite-sized mystery with an entertaining gimmick and a lush background of lore. It’s a taste of what might be the next frontier for FMV; puzzle exploration.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for an entertaining and intriguing FMV game with a compelling central mystery and interesting gameplay mechanics, Murderous Muses is definitely worth checking out.
