So I Tried… Serial Cleaner

Each edition of So I Tried… I will try a game that I have never tried before. Will I find something new to love? Will I find something new to despise? I'll take a full half hour, no matter how bad it gets or how badly I do, to see if this is the game for me. This time I went for the Early Access title Serial Cleaner.

What I thought it was

I’ve been aware of this for several months, not least due to the interest in it shown by our news editor. It’s a game that sees you cleaning up crime scenes, without the police catching you. Pretty simple in premise, really, and that’s not a bad thing.

What it actually is

A slanted top-down viewed 70s-inspired game that sees you cleaning up crime scenes without getting caught by the police. The music is suitably funky and everyone has an afro and flares, really selling the theme. You’re equipped with a vacuum cleaner and your wits, and have to pick up weapons, bag up bodies and clean up blood all while the police scour the scene in predictable patterns. Not that their predictability makes it any easier. You can hide in things like cupboards and barrels, and certain objects can be moved around the area to help you and hinder the cops.

Will I keep playing

Unfortunately, I don’t think so. It’s not an easy game, and since getting caught resets the level -- with the objects being randomly placed each time -- it can quickly get frustrating. I made it through seven levels, but since the game is still in Early Access there may be more than the current 15 by the time it gets a full release. They do intend on implementing a story mode, so I will likely return to it once that’s in, rather than having to do each level without explanation.