Playing with Reed: Crime O'Clock

 

Official Launch Trailer for Crime O'Clock

Ever wanted to solve crimes across the timeline with the help of a friendly AI? Well, have I got a game for you! Crime O'Clock is a search-and-find puzzle game that reminds me of Where's Waldo and Richard Scary's books for kids, with some other puzzles that help with investigating crimes that are causing disruptions to time. Each case takes about fifteen to twenty minutes, including the mini-puzzles that happen during each. 

Throughout each puzzle, you learn a little bit more about the world in which you live, while discovering the identities of those who are disturbing the timeline and defeating them. But nothing is as it seems on the timeline. Who can you trust? 

This game was an equal mix of relaxing and frustrating. I enjoyed exploring the different Eras in the timeline, including the bonus Story Archives that let you discover additional characters in each world with a tiny bit of story to go with them. The story, too, was pretty great, even if it was a little bit on the predictable side (mostly because I read so much science fiction!). I loved the little easter eggs scattered throughout and the nods to pop culture. I would definitely consider this a cozy game. 

I would suggest playing this game on a bigger screen, as playing it in handheld mode can make it difficult to find some of the items that you are looking for. The game is predominantly in black and white, which means that sometimes the visual information given can be a little bit too much. Some of the stories got a little bit repetitive, and not really a part of the overarching story plot, but it was definitely a lot of fun to play. There were some issues with some of the mini-puzzles, as I didn't see a whole lot of instructions for them. It took just a little bit for me to figure out, but in some cases I got frustrated with the time limits, especially with trying to use the controller to make selections. In handheld mode, you can use the touch screen for a lot of things, but again - it's not easy to see some of the details in that way. 

This game is available on Switch and on PC, and honestly, it might be easier for a lot of people to play it on the PC. It was still a really good, relaxing game to play. 

This game was created by Bad Seed, who can be found here. They are a small Italian game studio, and their other games are definitely worth checking out! 

Remember, folx, support your Indie game devs!

********* 

In other news, I'm eagerly preparing for my first live show on September 9th. The tickets have officially sold out, but I'm really looking forward to sharing video with you all!

Reed Faster, in the Office, with a Pipe Wrench