A great classic whodunnit style game!
Sleuth is a great murder-mystery detective game by Norland Software, written in 1984. Each time you start, a new, random murder is committed, and you arrive at the scene to investigate. Unlike games of the time, for example, Suspect, there is a graphics element to this game. You move around in the house using the arrow keys, and interaction is accomplished using commands like EXAMINE, QUESTION, GET and ACCUSE. By investigating the rooms and questioning guests of their alibis, you can figure out who murdered the victim, where in the house, and with what weapon. But be careful! You only have so long until the murderer feels threatened by your presence and disposes of you. Possibly the best part of this game is that you can personalize it, and add custom names into the story. On its own, this would be a game that one may play only until they solved one or two murders in each mansion, but this added entertainment really increases its replay-ablilty. Players could sit down with their friends and personalize it to their own names, adding extra fun at parties or gatherings. The game also features some hidden 'easter egg' features, including some humourous room specific commands that are not documented. Between the random mysteries, personalization element, and easter eggs, Sleuth is a solid, challenging yet rewarding, and overall a very entertaining game.
