Aaron - MrIrelandish
8 April 2023
Process of Elimination
Process of Elimination is an Adventure Puzzle game developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by NIS America. This deduction game is gracing the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows on the 11th of April in the US, and the 14th of April 2023 for Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
A mysterious killer known as the "Quartering Duke" has taken the lives of over 100 people, causing chaos to spread throughout society. To combat this threat, the government enlists the help of the “Detective Alliance”, a group of elite investigators with heroic reputations only known by their detective aliases. Wato Hojo, an ordinary high school student who admires the Detective Alliance, is unexpectedly chosen to join the elite group by a man called "Senior Detective." However, after being knocked unconscious, Wato wakes up on a remote island with no knowledge of how he got there. Led by Senior Detective, Wato and his childhood heroes embark on a mission to solve the case, but soon stumble upon a shocking truth.
In Process of Elimination, the gameplay follows a structured 4-phase cycle. The first phase is the Main Scenario, where the player watches story cutscenes that set up the game's narrative.
The second phase is triggered when a new case is discovered, usually, after a dead body is found. The first two phases are visual novel-styled cutscenes with characters being voice-acted in Japanese with English subtitles.
In the third phase, the Investigation, the player must gather information and analyze clues to solve the case. This involves instructing the detectives to inspect or examine specific areas and selecting the correct answers to move the investigation forward. The game features Mystery Points (MP) and Evidence Squares (ES) that contain hidden clues.
Finally, in the Resolution phase, the player must select the correct answers and make deductions to crack the case. This is where paying attention to what is being said within the cutscenes can come in handy. Once the case is solved, you get a score on how well you solved the case and the game returns to phase 1 and the story continues.
The first investigation puts you in control of instructing the other detectives, acting as a tutorial on how to play. Each detective has different stats for Inference, Analyzation, Inspection, Assistance, and Movement. The player can intervene in their actions and assign them new tasks to work together more efficiently.
Assisting detectives can only happen when they are adjacent, and it adds the helper's Assist value to the inferring detective's Inference value. It's important to note that when the icon above a detective turns red, the player can no longer intervene with them, and they will decide on their own actions. This can lead to trouble, so the player must respond accordingly and adjust their strategies based on the actions of the detectives.
MPs have a set number of Resolution Points (RP) that must be reduced to zero to uncover the MP's secret. Some MPs are locked, and access to them can be gained by solving other MPs or analyzing evidence. Inspecting an ES uses the detective's inspection range, which varies with an individual's Inspection value. So a detective with an Inspection value of 5 can inspect up to 5 squares away.
Evidence obtained can be analyzed. Each piece of evidence has an assigned difficulty level. With higher levels needing a higher Analyzation value. An item obtained from an MP does not require additional analysis. Evidence from an ES must be analyzed by a detective with sufficient ability.
Process of Elimination features various accessibility options for players to customize their experience. These options include audio settings for voice, sound effects, and background music. Additionally, players can adjust the text speed to their preference and choose to have the voices play until the end of a sentence when skipping dialogue. Another helpful feature is the option to auto-play character dialogue, eliminating the need for the player to repeatedly press the 'A' button.
Process of Elimination features top-down isometric gameplay, giving the player a bird's-eye view of the game area. In addition to gameplay, the game also includes visual novel cutscenes to enhance the story and character development. The game's aesthetic is inspired by anime, featuring anime-style character designs with heavy line art. However, the game's backgrounds are designed to be more realistic and less cartoony to create a more immersive experience for the player.
Process of Elimination features voice acting that enhances the overall experience. The background music (BGM) adds ambiance to the cutscenes, with a happy jazzy ditty for lighthearted moments and a high-tempo track for more adrenaline-paced scenes. However, the music can also make the player feel unsettled during horror-based scenes. The BGM includes slow piano and violin pieces, upbeat piano and brass tracks, and combinations of both to suit the different moods in the game.
Overall, Process of Elimination is a well-designed and captivating adventure puzzle game that offers an engaging and unique experience. The game's intriguing storyline and focus on deduction require the player's full attention, making for an immersive and enjoyable gameplay experience. The inclusion of helpful accessibility options further adds to the game's appeal, while the anime-inspired aesthetic and realistic backgrounds create a visually appealing atmosphere. The voice acting and background music complement the game's overall mood, with different tracks to suit each scene. Although some music may be unsettling during darker scenes, this only adds to the game's overall atmosphere. Overall, Process of Elimination is a great game for puzzle lovers and those who enjoy a good mystery.
8
10
The Bad
- Great soundtrack
- Voice acting
- Character designs
- Required alertness
- Cutscenes felt long