Someone Killed the Butler

(warning: very minor spoilers, but nothing explicit. ^_^)

...and his scholarly theories about why detective stories appeal to us, but anyone who knows me knows that I dislike dissecting enjoyable works in this manner. Someone Killed The Butler was clearly designed to be enjoyed and played rather than analyzed, and it makes sense to take it in that spirit.

Gameplay (4 out of 5):
Right off the bat, this game is strongly reminiscent of a game that I consider an RPG Maker classic: Tears of Nightfall's Happy Birthday. Both have very similar gameplay, which is simple and yet enjoyable: as you interview suspects and witnesses and collect clues, you can "combine" them and update your information on a given person or situation. Unlike Happy Birthday, though, you are free to accuse anyone you like of being guilty, though you can easily get fired if you pick the wrong option. This is a neat variation on the linear "final puzzle" mechanic that gave Happy Birthday its tense climactic confrontation, and it works well.

Story (4 out of 5):
The plot, though necessarily kept to a minimum, is also a neat twist on the ancient detective story cliche that "the butler did it"; in this story, the butler is the victim (and, as we soon learn, his murder seems absolutely motiveless), and the members of the wealthy family which employs him are suspects. As is always the case with an Agatha Christie-esque setting of this sort, there are skeletons in the family cupboard to be uncovered, and they are the clues that the player needs to come up with the right solution. In a great design decision, there are two endings: a false end where you pick the most obvious suspect. and a true ending where you find the actual culprit. This is a very good way of implementing the usual "red herring" dynamic of a classical detective novel, and the developer deserves credit for implementing it.

Of course, due to its brevity and simplicity, Someone Killed the Butler does not have the character development, plot twists and psychological depth that make Happy Birthday a great game and not simply a good one. But for a fun diversion and a tribute to the days of Hercule Poirot, this is definitely worth playing. Kudos to the developer, and looking forward to a longer game of this sort!

Recommended.