Previous Next

Whodunnits seem to be all the rage at the moment. Recently we've had Witness, Deadline, Suspect, Murder On The Zinderneuf and Sherlock. The latest in this growing range of detective mysteries is Murder By The Dozen.

Games of detection are not quite adventures in the ordinary sense, but require similar powers of logic and deduction to solve. Their formats fall into two distinct categories: the orthodox adventure-type approach with conversational text-in/text-out and the menu-driven game, where a selection is made from a fixed list of options.

One of the appeals of an adventure is its conversational approach, because this means that the player's potential game actions are limited only by his imagination. The game will accept and act upon a rather more limited range of commands, but the player sets out feeling that the possibilities are limitless. Nevertheless, quite a competent game can result from using the fixed option technique, as in Zinderneuf.

Murder By The Dozen is a collection of twelve crimes, all committed in the town of Micropolis and each providing a separate mystery to solve. Up to four people can play simultaneously, racing to be the first to solve the crime. A player making a false accusation is set out of the game.

After selecting the number of the case to be attempted, the would-be detective sets out with a note sheet from a pad provided in the package. On this is printed a map of the town, together with space to scribble notes under general headings such as Interviews, Suspects and Motives.

The action commences in a pre-determined location, after a brief introduction to the facts surrounding the murder. I was investigating the death of Otto Telcher, an industrialist found run down in a parking lot, and found myself in his house. I had a choice of interviewing his widow, son, or housekeeper; searching his study, garage of kitchen; or moving to another location. To choose which, the appropriate option number is selected.

The computer's response to any of the first six options is to display a list of clue numebrs which are then looked up in a book containing 700 two-line clues. After a set amount of time lapses based on the number of clues offered, there is the additional option of making an accusation. If this is selected, in a multi-player game, you announce who you think "dunnit" and explain why. You then look up the answer in a book of solutions, by placing a transparent sheet of red plastic over the appropriate page to render the text legible. If you are wrong, you're out and play continues without you. Otherwise, the case is dead.

Personally, I see no good reason why this should be a computer game. It would be far more relaxing played away from a keyboard, sitting in the comfort of an armchair.

Murder By The Dozen is from CBS Software for Apple II/IIe, IBM PC and Commodore 64.