Accustomed to the investigation genre with titles like Murder Mystery Machine or the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot series The London Case and The First Case, the Scottish studio Blazing Griffin offers us, still in the register of investigation games, their new title published by Microid : Arsène Lupine – Thief One Day. This invites us to follow different stories that marked the life of the famous burglar, born under the pen of Maurice Leblanc.
In the shoes of an apprentice burglar
The adventure begins in the Château du Malaquis. Two guards are responsible for watching over a priceless object, the Fabergé egg which is of unparalleled refinement and beauty. That's when the famous gentleman burglar appears, launching the first phase of the tutorial to teach us step by step how to commit the perfect crime. A small reconstruction is necessary in order to organize the actions in the right order and to set the thief's plan in motion without pitfalls. Indeed, what is impossible for ordinary mortals is only child's play for Arsène Lupin.
The implementation of the infallible plan having knocked out the people standing between Arsène and the Fabergé egg, our protagonist can explore the places as he wishes, always in the form of a tutorial in which we can interact with certain elements of the decor at the same time. using the A button. Note that the game is in isometric view and that certain objects are only visible from a specific angle. You must then use LB and RB to rotate the camera. These manipulations, which can sometimes give a rigid and jerky side to movements, are not always pleasant with the controller in hand and cause some slowdowns in the game.
Examining certain objects allows you to solve puzzles or obtain more information for the proper conduct of the investigation. It is crucial to scrupulously inspect each scene in order to be able to continue the adventure or respond wisely to logical questions asked by other characters at key moments in the story. It would, in fact, be a shame to arouse suspicion or suffer a failure. In the event of repeated failure, the title is absolutely not punitive and shows the way to continue calmly.
Moment of nostalgia by the fire
Having completed our training as the perfect burglar and finally being ready to perfectly embody the gentleman, we find Arsène Lupine sitting peacefully in front of a warm and crackling fireplace, in the company of the famous Maurice Leblanc, author of the works of our famous gentleman. of shape. Both recall memories of the significant and determining events in Arsène's life.
These exchanges between the protagonist and his author are moments of complicity, tinged with humor and winks. These moments bring rhythm to the narration of the title and sometimes surprising revelations to the unfolding of the story. We thus discover new facets of our hero who, behind his arrogance, can have a very touching side. The game being dubbed entirely in French, following these discussions between the two men is pleasant and friendly, and we take pleasure in following these moments of pause in time.
Double game
If it is possible to play the great Arsène Lupine by planning burglaries, using disguises and mischief to fool his little world, the game gives us the possibility of also embodying his perfect opposite, such as Inspector Ganimard for example . It's fun to play who commits the crime and who tries to solve it. This original mechanic allows you to explore the story from all angles and follow the story from different points of view. In the role of the inspector, the game takes on a whole new dimension, since you must then investigate to foil and prove the thief's crimes.
We inspect crime scenes in the same way as playing Arsène, in order to collect clues and evidence. We unlock chests, not to loot them this time, but rather to collect valuable data. Witnesses and suspects are questioned, the reconstructions helping to understand the sequence of actions committed by the criminal.
Finally, a mental map (in the style of the Frogware Sherlock Holmes games) serves as a common thread to connect the elements and make essential deductions for both sides of the case. Arsène Lupine uses it to plan his thefts and Ganimard to understand and resolve his investigation. By connecting evidence together, we discover new evidence. Making the deductions then allows you to progress in the adventure.
Experiencing both sides of a case through the different characters is a truly original and ingenious game mechanic. It is interesting to see how the stories intertwine and how certain points of view can give rise to twists and turns. Once again, the narrative side is carefully constructed and makes the player want to go further and further to get to the end of the story.
An almost perfect plan
Graphically, Arsène Lupine – Voleur Un Jour is similar to Agatha Christie's The First Case, for example, with its isometric view. It's pretty, very colorful with an artistic direction specific to the studio and very pleasant for the retina. The music that accompanies the title is perfectly chosen to feel in tune with this era. In addition to being immersive, they are calm, relaxing and bring a real plus to the narration and certain gameplay phases.
We also did not encounter any significant bugs during our gaming sessions, even if some slowdowns during camera movements can sometimes hamper the experience, but nothing is really blocking. It should be noted that, sometimes, we have to solve puzzles, all very logical, to progress in the adventure. You just need to be observant to solve them and, if you make mistakes in the deductions, the game is in no way punitive. Rather general public and very accessible, the title could disappoint players looking for slightly more demanding challenges, since it does not have a choice of difficulty. It takes around ten hours to complete it, taking your time, which is reasonable for this type of adventure. Arsène Lupine – Thief One Day is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, PC and Nintendo Switch.
Tested on Xbox Series S, code provided by the publisher.
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