Steampunk Paris, set against the background of the late 19th century, torn between tradition and modernity. Class differences and pervasive racism finally lead to a tragedy. A year later you find yourself on trial, accused of a brutal murder. How far will you go to exonerate yourself? Will you lie, seek evidence to prop your testimony or, perhaps, pretend to be insane? Your imagination is the limit.
OVERVIEW
Bohemian Killing is a narrative-driven courtroom drama, offering players almost unlimited possibilities of solving the lawsuit, thanks to the complete integration of gameplay and narrated story. It is also the first law-themed game made by a real-life lawyer!
STORYLINE
Welcome to Paris of the late 19th century. The aftermath of the Great Revolution offered a new start for each and every citizen, regardless of social class. Alfred Ethon, a young inventor of Gypsy origin, benefits from the change, becoming a symbol of success thanks to his hard work and innovative projects, well ahead of their time.
Soon, a young woman is brutally murdered - a maid working for an impoverished Lord, a relic of the old French regime. Is Alfred Ethon to be blamed for the murder? The evidence points towards him... But you can change that.
As you stand before the court, all you can count on is your own intellect and creativity. But how does that look in practice?
GAMEPLAY
Gameplay in Bohemian Killing is a combination of a courtroom drama, and a walking simulator. It can be classified as a first person experience, or a first person interactive story adventure game.
The story is set within two time frames. In the present, you find yourself locked up in the courtroom. You're getting acquainted with the evidence, witness testimony and questions posed by the Judge. Each question triggers a flashback - and begins your testimony. During the flashback you find yourself in a Parisian district, with each of your decisions, interactions and action affecting Alfred Ethons' testimony and the final verdict.
To help you in your testimony, you'll have access to all the evidence gathered on the case - expert opinions, reports and witness testimonies. Each of them can be (but doesn't have to be!) refuted in a number of different ways.
In the Evidence menu you can familiarize yourself with testimonies of witnesses, forensic expertises, physical evidences, etc. They are grouped into appropriate categories, making them easy to find.
Sample:
A neighbor testified that at approximately 10 p.m. he passed you in the entrance of the tenement house, noticing that your clothes were covered in blood? Try testifying that your neighbor lies and prove that he has a reason to do so. Or maybe you'll get into a bar fight just a few minutes before, so that you can testify that the blood the neighbor saw was yours, and not the victim's? Or maybe you will cut yourself while shaving, covering your clothes with blood that the neighbor sees later? But what if the court finds your time of shaving conspicuous and torments you with even more questions? How will you get out of this?
With a wide range of possibilities that can lead to several standard endings and one additional hidden one, the game doesn't consider any path "a bad one", ensuring that each playthrough will be different.
To adjust the game to the preferences of each player, two modes are available:
- In the Standard mode, the outcome depends entirely on your creativity and ability to solve logical problems. You will suffer the consequences of your own actions.
- In the Story mode, your attorney will advise you as you progress along, commenting on your decisions and choices, preventing you from acting in a way that might prove to be harmful in the eyes of the court.
VOICE ACTING
The main character of the game is played and dubbed by a world-class film and voice actor, Stephane Cornicard!
Stephane Cornicard studied in France, at the prestigious Colby College in the US, and at Goldsmith College in the UK. He played in numerous blockbusters such as "Spectre," the most recent Bond film, or Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan".
His career as a voice actor is no less impressive and includes Syphon Filter, Primal, Metal Gear Solid, and the Dragon Age and Total War series. He currently teaches drama at the Actor's Centre in London.
