"Contradiction is an interactive crime drama game that uses live-action video for the entirety of the game play. It’s a brand new take on the concept of an interactive movie and brings the genre to a whole new level of playability. Contradiction plays as smoothly as a 3D graphic game. You can wander freely around the game environment, collecting evidence and witnessing constantly changing events. However, the centrepiece of the game is interviewing the characters you meet, who can be questioned about all the evidence you’ve collected and things you’ve seen. The name of the game is then spotting contradictions in their answers, catching them out and moving the game along."
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Pep's Detective Deep Dive - Game 1
If I was to do THIS 🤟 would that mean anything to you?
A campy, delightfully British murder mystery, Contradiction is like an interactive episode of Midsomer Murders but starring the world's goofiest police inspector. Frederick Jenks walked so that Harry Du Bois could drunkenly stumble. Seriously, put those two in a room together, and they would just be asking questions to each other till the end of time.
The "gameplay" consists of clicking around the map, going from location to location and collecting evidence, that you then present and ask questions about to the game's cast of suspects. When you catch one of them in a lie, you select the two contradicting statements to push the story along. That's all there is to it, but as the statements build up it can be difficult to keep track of everything that's been said to see if a suspect is lying. You really have to pay attention by the game's late stages.
As a former film student the rinky-dink filming style and spotty acting made me very nostalgic. Rupert Booth is the standout actor here, with his performance as Jenks knowingly over-the-top and fitting perfectly with the FMV game theme. The late Paul Darrow also has a great turn as the sinister Paul Rand, though as the most experienced actor of the cast it shouldn't really come as a surprise. Every line of his absolutely drips with quiet menace. It was also nice to see Huld Martha giving an understated performance before their absolutely unhinged turn as Jimmy in the fantastic At Dead Of Night, Baggy Cat's only other game after Contradiction.
The ending is a bit rushed, and the killer reveal is a bit of a let-down (it doesn't take much pushing for them to admit it in the end!). There's also a very obvious tease for a sequel that will probably never come, sadly. But I still had a really fun time with this, overall. A nice way to kick off my deep dive into detective games.
P.S. If you're reading this and you haven't played At Dead of Night, go play it! It's fantastic!
If I was to do THIS 🤟 would that mean anything to you?
A campy, delightfully British murder mystery, Contradiction is like an interactive episode of Midsomer Murders but starring the world's goofiest police inspector. Frederick Jenks walked so that Harry Du Bois could drunkenly stumble. Seriously, put those two in a room together, and they would just be asking questions to each other till the end of time.
The "gameplay" consists of clicking around the map, going from location to location and collecting evidence, that you then present and ask questions about to the game's cast of suspects. When you catch one of them in a lie, you select the two contradicting statements to push the story along. That's all there is to it, but as the statements build up it can be difficult to keep track of everything that's been said to see if a suspect is lying. You really have to pay attention by the game's late stages.
As a former film student the rinky-dink filming style and spotty acting made me very nostalgic. Rupert Booth is the standout actor here, with his performance as Jenks knowingly over-the-top and fitting perfectly with the FMV game theme. The late Paul Darrow also has a great turn as the sinister Paul Rand, though as the most experienced actor of the cast it shouldn't really come as a surprise. Every line of his absolutely drips with quiet menace. It was also nice to see Huld Martha giving an understated performance before their absolutely unhinged turn as Jimmy in the fantastic At Dead Of Night, Baggy Cat's only other game after Contradiction.
The ending is a bit rushed, and the killer reveal is a bit of a let-down (it doesn't take much pushing for them to admit it in the end!). There's also a very obvious tease for a sequel that will probably never come, sadly. But I still had a really fun time with this, overall. A nice way to kick off my deep dive into detective games.
P.S. If you're reading this and you haven't played At Dead of Night, go play it! It's fantastic!
delightfully ridiculous game. feels like a typical british mystery show but if everyone (especially the main character) was really over-acting every line of dialogue. the filmed footage all looks good, but the pacing is a bit weird as you do the typical adventure game back and forth showing evidence to people and putting together contradictions.
as the game goes the plot gets wilder and wilder and it becomes clear the game is not even going to try wrapping anything up by the end, and it does just kind of randomly end and then gives you a sequel hook that will never be paid off. despite that though, a lot of fun in its way.
as the game goes the plot gets wilder and wilder and it becomes clear the game is not even going to try wrapping anything up by the end, and it does just kind of randomly end and then gives you a sequel hook that will never be paid off. despite that though, a lot of fun in its way.
Straight up my favorite FMV game ever made, wish they'd make a sequel <3
This review contains spoilers
I wish we could rate this game higher. I really do. What is here is mostly great, however it has problems in the ending. The actual solution to the mystery is underwhelming and leaves a lot of unanswered questions. The game promises you interesting concepts, but ultimately swerves away from them at the last second with the intention of tackling those in the sequel. Sadly, the sequel will never come seeing as one of the main actors passed away. This does leave the game really underwhelming, without a real ending.
God this does not actually deserve this high of stars but like - if you like FMV as a genre, if you like campy British comedy, this game will just be the best thing ever made.
The ending sucks, the UI is clunky, some of the contradictions are dubious but god it's so unbelievably charming. The game is fun and doesn't overstay it's welcome, it honestly has some truly innovative small touches that I really wish the FMV genre would utilise more. Also the performances!!! Every single actor gives it their all in such an iconic way - there are so many memorable moments and lines, it's just so good. In my heart I want to give it 4.5 stars or 5 stars but I've laid out to myself what my star rating system is and I can't just make exceptions cause I adore this game with my entire soul.
But yeah my real main complaint is the ending is very weak but it's such an experience that that really fails to bother me nowadays. Also I do recommend playing with friends it really enhances the experience.
The ending sucks, the UI is clunky, some of the contradictions are dubious but god it's so unbelievably charming. The game is fun and doesn't overstay it's welcome, it honestly has some truly innovative small touches that I really wish the FMV genre would utilise more. Also the performances!!! Every single actor gives it their all in such an iconic way - there are so many memorable moments and lines, it's just so good. In my heart I want to give it 4.5 stars or 5 stars but I've laid out to myself what my star rating system is and I can't just make exceptions cause I adore this game with my entire soul.
But yeah my real main complaint is the ending is very weak but it's such an experience that that really fails to bother me nowadays. Also I do recommend playing with friends it really enhances the experience.
God, it's really rough in a lot of places but I'm just so very fond of this game. The menus are awful, progression is often arbitrary, many story threads are left completely hanging with no satisfactory conclusion and the big reveal comes out of nowhere with almost no buildup at all, a careening left turn from what's been foreshadowed at the literal last second. I should hate this, I should think it's awful.
But I really don't. I love Contradiction. It's sloppy and not fully formed, but there's a real gem of something at its very core. When you finally click and find that contradiction, pull someone up on a lie it's just so perfect. The satisfaction when someone you're interviewing says something shifty and you immediately know how to call bullshit on them is fantastic. The grin on my face as I rushed to the evidence menu, ready to pull out the precise contradiction and really give it to some of the shiftiest characters ever put to film. I physically shouted and clapped at times.
I won't deny part of my affection is the knowledge that this was Paul Darrow's final performace, and what a performance it is. Darrow was a brilliant actor, the shining star in one of the most underappreciated sci-fi shows of all time, Blake's Seven. Here he is so deliciously evil, every syllable oozes menace and I cherished every second he was on screen. The rest of the cast is great too, with every actor giving it their all, often to the point of cheesiness but that only contributes to the budget Midsomer Murders vibe that makes Contradiction so charming.
Can I say Contradiction is a great game, or even a good one? I doubt it. Without the tip system and previous knowledge, I know I'd been a lot more frustrated with the awful menus and obscenely specific puzzle solutions, but I can't bring myself to dislike it on any levels. A real achievement and full of innovation I hope will be taken forward by detective games. Often the best ideas are found in the most flawed art, and so it is to games like Contradiction that we must look for ideas plunder, and we must not forget these artistic near-misses.
But I really don't. I love Contradiction. It's sloppy and not fully formed, but there's a real gem of something at its very core. When you finally click and find that contradiction, pull someone up on a lie it's just so perfect. The satisfaction when someone you're interviewing says something shifty and you immediately know how to call bullshit on them is fantastic. The grin on my face as I rushed to the evidence menu, ready to pull out the precise contradiction and really give it to some of the shiftiest characters ever put to film. I physically shouted and clapped at times.
I won't deny part of my affection is the knowledge that this was Paul Darrow's final performace, and what a performance it is. Darrow was a brilliant actor, the shining star in one of the most underappreciated sci-fi shows of all time, Blake's Seven. Here he is so deliciously evil, every syllable oozes menace and I cherished every second he was on screen. The rest of the cast is great too, with every actor giving it their all, often to the point of cheesiness but that only contributes to the budget Midsomer Murders vibe that makes Contradiction so charming.
Can I say Contradiction is a great game, or even a good one? I doubt it. Without the tip system and previous knowledge, I know I'd been a lot more frustrated with the awful menus and obscenely specific puzzle solutions, but I can't bring myself to dislike it on any levels. A real achievement and full of innovation I hope will be taken forward by detective games. Often the best ideas are found in the most flawed art, and so it is to games like Contradiction that we must look for ideas plunder, and we must not forget these artistic near-misses.