Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse - A Thrilling Fourth Instalment (2025)

“Once get it firmly established that a series of deaths are supernatural, and you might almost stab a man in broad daylight, and it would still be put down to the curse, so strongly is the instinct of the supernatural implanted in the human race.” –Agatha Christie

Overview

Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse is the fourth game in the series by HitherYon Games. Following Murder is Game Over, Murder is Game Over: Streaming Death, and Murder is Game Over: Deal Killer this game sees the familiar Detective Guy and his dog Cleo solve another thrilling crime mystery!

Narrative

Murder is Game over: The Blackinton Curse takes place in the Berkshires at the Blackinton family home following the death of Meredith Blackinton, mother to Cade and Trevor. At her funeral, a sinister masked figure claiming to be the ghost of a long-dead ancestor warns of a family curse and declares that Trevor and Cade will be the next to die! When a second death occurs, Detective Guy and Cleo are called in to figure out ‘whodunnit’.

There are a good number of different characters, all with distinct personalities, characteristics, and roles to play within the game. The clever narrative is delivered primarily through the well-written dialogue but also through the gameplay itself, as well as the clues and scenery. The story is engaging and very intriguing, taking the player on a host of twists and turns and presenting a variety of red herrings along the way.

Gameplay

As a classic, stand-alone murder mystery RPG, the key objective in Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse is completing the investigation and deducing who the murderer is. The primary mechanic, that is present throughout the series, is the ability to switch between playing as Guy or Cleo depending on the task at hand. Cleo can sniff out clues that a human would be unable to detect and Guy can talk to each of the suspects and interrogate them about events and evidence that has been found. Once all the clues have been found Detective Guy can assemble all the relevant parties and the player must go through events answering questions and making correct deductions in order to reveal the culprit.

An extra mechanic that is added to this instalment of the Murder is Game Over series is the ghost chases. Upon entering different areas of the map, there is a chance for the ‘ghost’ to appear and try to catch the player. This will happen more frequently as the game progresses. There are three difficulty options available for the ghost chases, cosy, normal, and scary mode. The first two are quite forgiving but getting caught on scary mode will result in a game over.

There is quite an extensive area to explore, bigger than some of the previous games. However, there is a detailed map available as well as hints to help players along the way. There is a lot of information to keep track of, luckily a list of clues and suspects can be found in the case file. The game uses straightforward, intuitive controls, it does have full controller support but all the instructions list keyboard and mouse buttons. Extra elements include 40 doggy bag collectables and a number of achievements (depending on the platform) which add another layer of fun to the experience.

Styling

Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse features the series’ retro styling with moderately detailed pixel art that uses cool, muted colour palettes with subtle pops of colour and warm, atmospheric lighting. The game is set in the Blackinton’s Victorian mansion in the Berkshires as well as the surrounding town and landscapes. The character art, both in-game and in dialogue boxes is a particular highlight, with the latter having more detail and adding to the level of characterisation.

The soundtrack includes a nice range of music consisting of electronic and chiptune retro tracks that range from eerie, to mysterious, and even quite dramatic in places. The soundtrack fits well with the visuals and the style of the gameplay This, along with the vast array of sound effects including rain, clocks ticking, and animal noises, help create an immersive environment and believable game setting.

Summary

Murder is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse is another great murder mystery game from HitherYon Games. It is enjoyable as a standalone title but also makes a great addition to the expanding series. It will take around three hours to play and offers a lot of value for the price. The story is intriguing, well-constructed and delivered at a good pace, allowing the player to explore and gather information building suspense throughout the investigation. The mix of its traditional detective story with light supernatural elements is a gripping combination with plenty of misdirection to keep players interested. The retro styling is in keeping with the previous games and is well-suited to the narrative and style of gameplay.

Detective Guy and Cleo are a charming and captivating pair, and becoming a well-established murder-mystery-solving team. Each of the games in the Murder is Game Over series seem to offer something new and be made with a little more finesse with the narrative design becoming more intricate and enthralling. This new instalment is no exception. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Blackinton Curse and I would happily recommend it (and its prequels) to fans of casual interactive murder mysteries.

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Tangle Tower – A Thrilling Murder Mystery in an Unusual Mansion – Playing Sci-fi Detective in 2000:1: A Space Felony – Karisvale – Free Top-Down Detective Game with a Dark Twist!