Pocket Gamer - Here in the UK there used to be a weekly programme called Crime Watch aimed at those community-minded individuals who enjoy helping the police out by tracking down murderers and con artists.
The members of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club are a step up from this ‘call in worried about next-door’ kind of crime-stopper. Instead, they take investigations into their own hands, helping out the police at every stage of the investigation.
This week’s ‘Deal of the Week’ promotion on Windows Phone 7 sees the surprisingly under-populated Hidden Object genre receive some of the attention. James Patterson Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet, a spine-tingling murder mystery, is available at a reduced price now, and for one week only.
Resolution writes: "It's not for the jaded lifelong gamer, and hardcore puzzle fans will be disappointed by the lack of challenge on offer here. The only thing that takes any real time and concentration is searching for the hidden objects. It could possibly be a good introduction to videogames for the older generation, though, which can't be a bad thing. Your mum will love it."
The main storyline is delivered through comic book styled panels with fantastic artwork, drawing parallels to some of the top tier hand-drawn works intended for an adult audience. However, the gloss doesn't last too long and minor plot developments are handled with almost characterless by comparison profiles. Playing as three female characters with their own professional interest in the unravelling murder mystery is a superficial adjustment and has little bearing on the gameplay, though does allow for areas to be utilised in multiple ways for varying objectives.
