TL;DR
Night Call puts you in the driver's seat of a Parisian taxi, but after a violent incident, you wake up with amnesia and a murder to solve. This text-heavy adventure game offers a captivating, Agatha Christie-style mystery with a diverse cast of characters, each holding clues. While the simple graphics and dialogue-driven gameplay might feel basic, the narrative is surprisingly deep and engaging. However, piecing together the clues can feel more like a lottery than pure deduction, and the repetitive text progression might test your patience. Despite its budget limitations and straightforward mechanics, Night Call delivers an affordable and hours-long mystery experience that’s perfect for fans of engrossing stories. Ready to uncover the truth behind the case? Read on for the full review!
In Night Call, you assume the role of a taxi driver in Paris. After picking up a fare, you awaken in a hospital with no recollection of recent events. You soon discover that you were a victim of the serial killer known as The Judge, and your passenger was murdered while you were in a coma. Compelled by the police, you return to your taxi and begin investigating the crime, embarking on a hunt that proves to be far from safe.
Night Call employs a text-based interface with relatively simple graphics. Players navigate a map of Paris, selecting customers for pick-up. Upon arrival, a conversation ensues. This is where Night Call distinguishes itself. Initial impressions may suggest a simplistic, low-budget title; however, the dialogue with the diverse cast of characters provides depth. The game’s reliance on text requires frequent button presses to advance, which can become somewhat tedious. While an auto mode is available, its pacing may not suit all players.
Passengers provide clues relevant to your murder investigation. Back at your apartment, you compile gathered information on a central board. Once sufficient data is collected, you are prompted to identify the murderer. Success allows progression, while failure results in a game over. However, the volume of information can be challenging to synthesize, leading to a conclusion that identifying the correct suspect relies more on chance than deduction.
Night Call’s straightforward game mechanics translate well to both portable and docked modes on the Nintendo Switch. The text size is sufficiently large, mitigating the typical issues of readability on smaller screens. This is crucial, as the gameplay is heavily reliant on reading.
In conclusion, Night Call presents a compelling Agatha Christie-esque narrative with a strong premise and believable characters, balancing humor, sorrow, and joy. However, its limited budget and rudimentary game mechanics are apparent. Had the game been executed with the production value of titles such as L.A. Noir, while retaining its original script, it could have been a standout title. Ultimately, the low budget and simple execution detract from the overall experience. Despite these limitations, Night Call earns a recommendation for providing many engaging hours of gameplay at an affordable price.
