Unorthodox- A Murder Mystery

Unorthodox is a game created by spellmage

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS STORY SPOILERS, BE WARNED

Initially I was skeptical of the game, it didn't seem that interesting at first since I just ran through the streets until I got to the mansion and got shot.

But than it turned out I was playing the game completely wrong.

Unlike your typical, more orthodox games where you make your way through a linear level fighting enemies and solving puzzles Unorthodox has you as Sir Montague instead going around a city looking for clues and finding out disturbing secrets about the world around you. Initially the game doesn't seem like much; random strip joint joke, tookewl smoking pot, big ois...

However by level five you will end up intertwined in a gang war between the Crimson Blades and the Poison Fangs, and even a conspiracy involving the police. At some points I found myself confused running around the place for switches to access new areas and find out more.

Be warned, there is only one "gamey" sequence in this game, and that is with the Poison fangs who are three shotgun trolls. I personally killed them by corner hugging and singling them out in the narrow alleyways. This is not the kind of game for people who want to be challenged in terms of puzzle solving or combat tactics, but for people who just wanna explore this game should be very suiting.

The story itself I think is fine, and it's great by the standards of sploder for the sheer fact it isn't "good guys vs evil darkness of doom" like a lot of games are here, the morality is more gray here, it's a murder mystery that involves gang wars and crazy people. You as a character join a gang, secretly steal things regularly, and bust into people's homes left and right in the name of solving the mystery.

It is a great change from your typical story on sploder, even if at times I am left confused by it even after playing the game twice. But for people who like stories, especially detective-type ones, this game will be satisfying for you.

At the same time, it is easy to be confused a lot by the stuff that goes on in the game, especially the guy going on about innocence and despite recently playing the game I find it hard to remember a lot of stuff from it and I found myself left confused by a lot of it.

There is lots of random stuff in this game, like how there is dialogues for looking into storage shelves, crates and cabinets but it's motley superficial sans for the occasional one like the tube in the manor level. The point of this stuff even with its superficiality makes the game feel more alive and without it the game would've likely gotten stale fast.

Playing this game can make one wish for more NPC diversity, as everyone in this game regardless of gender or ethnic seems to be a gray staff wielding alien. [Gets especially disturbing in the strip joint] I personally find it somewhat immersion breaking, but it is the only NPC the 3D shooter has to offer. Without that, the game would feel like a ghost town with spirits form the grave whispering to you throughout the whole thing.

I personally recommend people play this game as case since as poly you'd look bleep and there's no point in being a strong, fast character due to lack of foes and your character being technically an old man.

The scenery in this game is good, and it makes the most out of the 3D creator with streets feeling like streets and the use of void tiles for atmosphere. The gardens were ugly though; but not like there's support for outdoor stuff in a creator meant to take place in an alien space station.

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Overall, this game is a 3.5/5 since while it's a great change in pace from your typical 3D game its story leaves more questions than answers and I feel like spellmage could've had some traps in there somewhere, to keep the player on their toes.

I recommend this game to anyone who wants a change from your typical "fight through the linear adventure land" type game.