It wasn’t until I was the guy reluctantly in a dress, ready to break a barstool over another guy who had made a racist slur about a third guy, that I truly had a sense of all the narrative threads converging in The Slaughter: Act One. It’s a Jack the Ripper story, but one told in a way that is completely unexpected. I came to care immensely about everyone and their imperfect contexts. The humiliation I felt as my character vomited, publicly, was real.
The story opens with you; Sydney Emerson, private investigator, having your “organs reshuffled” by a goon and being rescued by, in her words, “a strumpet.” As the first of many gratuitously lengthy cinematic sequences, your hero takes you, by horse and carriage, to her apartment. Buildings roll by and there is time to relax after the violence that preceded the ride. Over four chapters, the pacing considers the player at every moment.
Another thing you’ll notice is that the music is handcrafted for scenes in ways that are often subversive and clever. In the exclusive basement of a pub, the band is playing highly appropriate folk music, which then subtly changes within the same piece to feel much more sinister, illustrating the dark nature of this place and its clientele. The musicians are a local group of diegetic performers, and then they’re playing the soundtrack to the game.
It’s a retro-styled, historically set, point and click adventure which is not incredibly challenging, but it does defy some expectations for solving puzzles. Often, what you imagined when you used this on that is actually an opportunity for the sole designer, Alexander Francois, to lead you to a more creative solution. Other times, you observe your surroundings and arrive at logical conclusions. Occasionally, you are hallucinating or dreaming, and have to act accordingly.
But, I haven’t said anything about Jack the Ripper. Certainly, he is murdering people in his characteristically horrific way. You are investigating on behalf of victims’ family and their questionable motives, as well as having a personal stake in finding him yourself. His targets are largely sex workers and you’ll meet several. Some are strong willed, others will become friends. One is addicted to opium and another is transgender.
Although elements of this story could lend themselves to insensitivity, the content is handled surprisingly well. Sydney can ask inappropriate questions and be put in this place. He is also caring in a way that makes sense for this time period, by sharing knowledge of local authorities and wishing people luck in evading legal issues. He does have quite the temper, however, and I have to admit to enjoying his throwing drinks at the women’s disrespectful clients.
The Slaughter: Act One is a thoughtful, detailed surprise of an indie adventure. So, come to this past place, open your map and watch raindrops dampen it, possibly in some darkly prophetic pattern. Have a drink and gaze at the perfect, bright pixels of dust floating down from the rafters. Stumble home knowing that the killer you are pursuing has had one more night to take the lives of people who are uniquely valued. Perhaps, in future acts, prevail.