There have been puzzle adventure games before. However the recent success of Professor Layton has seen many wanting to follow suit. James Noir's Hollywood Crimes 3D is the latest to cash in.
Set in 1961 Hollywood, players take on the role of an individual that is trying to get a spot on a fictional TV Game show that is focussed around solving puzzles. However a series of murders sees the FBI needing your help to catch the killer and stop his murderous rampage. That isn't all there is to it though, as there a numerous twists along the way. It is a story full of cliché, yet bizarrely it is enjoyable enough, as long as you don't take it too seriously.
It uses motion captured actors, which remind you of the old days of Wing Commander and the various CDi and 3DO classics. The acting is as hammy as they were too, especially the guy who plays the lead FBI agent. It does a great job of actually setting the scene and in all fairness, it is only there to stop this being a collection of simple standalone puzzles. It is far from the levels of Professor Layton, but it isn't terrible.
Puzzles themselves have a wider range, there are basic ones, such as one that sees you having to trace along a line without going over an area you have already been. Or one where you rotate the object on screen to find a hidden message. Then the are more difficult variations of those puzzles, alongside some that are a bit more complex. Again one such example sees you needing to match up a series of number on a grid, making sure you cover every square on said grid with the lines between them. Those familiar to the Japanese logic puzzles will spot some similarities right away.
There are two types of puzzle depending on where in the story the player is. During the game show segments the puzzles are often of the more traditional type and gain the player points against their opponent in the show. The more difficult the puzzle, the more points on offer. Solve them without using hints and get extra bonus points.
The puzzles that the FBI need your help with are often tied into the story and focus around clues the killer has left. Whether that be opening a box to find a clue, or working out what that clue actually means by finding hidden numbers or messages.
None of the puzzles are overly taxing and even if you are stuck it is easy enough to build up enough hint credits that you can pretty much get given the answer with little risk. There are a good selection of puzzles on offer and they tend not to repeat too often, however once again they feel second rate compared to Professor Layton.
Being on the 3DS means that the game does make use of the 3D abilities. However this adds nothing extra to the gameplay, so makes little difference whether it is on of off. It is worth maybe having the 3D on during cut scenes if you like that sort of thing, but for completing puzzles it made little difference and actually hindered in some places. Especially in one puzzle involving swapping gears around.
A few of the puzzles on offer also make use of the systems in built accelerometer. These puzzles are done with varying degrees of success. Most work really well with it and add to the experience however at times it becomes overly sensitive and frustrates more than anything. It isn't anything game breaking, but having to restart a puzzle due to the how sensitive the accelerometer is annoying.
James Noir's Hollywood Crimes 3D isn't a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. It is however a game that has been done before and done better. It offers nothing new to the genre. It can however be grabbed for less than £30 in most places and is fun while it lasts. It is almost worth it for the hammy acting alone.
