Clue (iOS game)

Clue

Developer(s) EA Montreal
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Platform(s) iOS
Release date(s) May 29, 2009
Genre(s) Puzzle game
Mode(s) Single-player
Distribution Digital distribution

Clue (full title: CLUE: Unravel the Clues and Crack the Case) is a logic puzzle game developed by EA Montreal and published by Electronic Arts on the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch on the Apple iTunes Music Store in May 29, 2009. This version is an entirely new game, based on the most recent spin-off game of Cluedo: Discover the Secrets.

Development

Game designer Elijah Renard explained:[1]

When working at EA Mobile, my second project was Clue Mobile. Since Hasbro was also re-branding Clue/Cluedo, we were given lots of freedom regarding gameplay. The core essence of the game obviously had to be Clue/Cluedo, but we could make new rules and new ways to solve the mystery. At this point, we knew we liked the concept and core game mechanic, but how would this paper prototype translate into a mobile game? It was time to prototype with my good old friend Adobe Flash. Within about a week of Movieclips and ActionScript we could navigate in the mansion, talk to suspects, search objects and use the core annotation tools. We were very satisfied and confident this would work so I went back to my desk and started to write the famous Game Design Document. We created a level design tool so I could integrate all the scenarios and puzzles, while supporting our external writer.

Plot and gameplay

Rather than being a board game, Clue plays out more like a simple point-and-click game where the player travels around the rooms from the mansion to collect clues from the 6 suspects to decipher whodunnit. Each case is time limited, and every action one takes uses up a set amount of time. Successfully making a correct suggestion within the allotted time gives the player the maximum 4-star score for the level.

The player plays a reporter who has to get the top story to solve a case, and get a promotion.

Critical reception

148apps game the game 4 out of 5 stars, writing "Albeit quite different from the traditional Clue board game experience, this app is an excellent mystery solving puzzler. For any fan of murder mysteries, even lovers of the original Clue board game, Clue for the iPhone is a great addition to the app inventory."[2] AppSafari rated the game 2.5 out of 5, saying "You know the saying “As the official CLUE app, I was expecting a standard board game app in the style of Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly, but this goes a completely different direction, following in the footsteps of a point and click adventure game, only really, really badly", though noted "the art and sound look great, and the interface is smooth and intuitive".[3] AppSpy gave the game the highest rating of 5, praising the "great visual style and artwork", the ease of "controls and screen navigation", and the "challenging puzzle game" elements, while criticising it for being single player only, and that "this reinvention of Clue is a definite change from the original and may take some time to get used to".[4] AppVee described Clue as a "Flash game", and noted it was reminiscent of the old Carmen Sandiego games where characters told the player clues to advance along the level. It noted the game gets quite hard toward the later levels and takes some problem solving skills to complete. It praised the "beautiful" art direction, though criticised its "frustrating" gameplay.[5]

AppAdvice wrote "Clue for the iPhone is a fun game that is almost infinitely replayable, very pleasing to the eye and ear with stylized graphics and a catchy background soundtrack, and it has redefined how we think of the game of Clue, and, for that matter, how we think of adapted board games to devices like the iPhone."[6] Slidetoplay gave the game its highest score of 4 (Must Have), concluding "Besides being more difficult than the original, which might turn off a few people, this new version improves on the original in every way. It takes a timeless game concept and makes it fresh without sacrificing any of the fun...Clue fans looking for straight port may be disappointed, but this reinvention is brilliantly clever and provides hours of sleuthing".[7] GatdgetReview gave the game 9/10, writing that Clue "takes a classic board game and seamlessly translates it to a portable medium with virtually no glitches at all."[8] PocketGamer wrote "Clearly a game that's had some thought put into it, Cluedo's bucketfuls of style only add to an already great game."[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Behance". Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Clue » 148Apps » iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch App Reviews and News". 148Apps. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "CLUE iPhone game app review - AppSafari". Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "CLUE Review - iPhone & iPad Game Reviews - AppSpy.com". appspy.com. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Clue iPhone App Review (VIDEO) - Huffington Post". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Adam Blair. "Review: Clue -- AppAdvice". AppAdvice. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "Clue Review - Slide To Play". Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  8. ↑ "Clue iPhone Game Review » Gadget Review". Gadget Review. 14 July 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  9. ↑ http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Mobile/Cluedo/review.asp?c=11042

External links