Welcome to Emerald City
Emerald City Confidential is a unique and wonderful game. It's a noir-esque detective mystery set in Emerald City - yes, the same Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz. And that isn't the only connection to the classic story. The land is ruled by Princess Ozma and your first case is given to you by Dorothy Gale herself. Dorothy asks Petra, your investigator character, to find her missing fiance Anzel. In order to do so, you'll have to explore every nook and cranny of the magical land that is Oz.
The antagonist in this product is Lion, who is an actual lion that constantly wears a business suit and works as a lawyer. It seems that he may be the same cowardly lion we all know and love, but I can't be sure. If he is the same lion, though, he sure isn't cowardly anymore! These are just a few characters in a great cast that also includes a robotic guard and a talking bull! Nothing is too strange for the land of Oz.
You're a True Gumshoe
I mentioned above that this product has a noir style to it. It feels like the old detective films of yore, complete with Petra's cool-as-a-cucumber voice overs. The voice acting is great and all the dialogue is intelligent and well-written, with a lot of sly humor. Her narration moves the story along as well as gives information about various objects and locales in her world; each description is a joy to read. Even the trivial things, like the portrait of Queen Ozma in her office, offer up funny and entertaining reactions. Plus, admiring all the little details adds a lot of longevity to a game that's already fairly lengthy.
That's Some Fancy Detective Work
While the hidden objects genre would be the most accurate home for this product, it's much more than just searching for items. You'll be searching for clues, information, and even people. You're a private detective, and with that occupation comes detective work. Sure, you will at times search for actual objects, but that's more a small part of your ongoing investigation than it is the driving force behind the game. You'll be using your brain here just as much as your eyes.
A Heck of a Case
There isn't anything out there (that I can think of) that offers what Emerald City Confidential has to offer. Sure, there are plenty of detective games, but the fantastical world that the game takes place in makes it a very unique adventure. Plus, fans of The Wizard of Oz (and really, who isn't one?) will find a lot of nostalgic delight scattered all around the land.
I highly recommend this product to those who enjoy good detective fiction and don't mind a twist of the bizarre. It combines fun gameplay with great characters, funny dialogue, and an entertaining story. It even has a flower shop run by a living, breathing patchwork quilt person! Really, what more could you ask for?
