Orten was the Case Review

Time loops and videogames are a combination that has been popular since the days of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time on the PlayStation 2. These games have fallen out of favour somewhat, much like the point-and-click genre. They occasionally come about, but the mainstream seemingly wants nothing to do with either time loops or point-and-click adventures. However, that doesn’t mean that indie games can’t bring about a hit of nostalgia, and one has recently been released for players to engage with.

Orten Was the Case is the recent brainchild of developer Woodhill Interactive and they seem to be attempting to merge both time loops and point-and-click and bring it to the masses. However, there is so much more here to look at, and it's all suitably odd and off-putting in equal measure. The real question is whether this is an adventure that you should have on loop, or is it better to just hit stop?

The story of Orten Was the Case is both very long and very short at the same time. You play as Ziggy, a Swedish man living in a Swedish suburb. You wake up with no memory and a strange mark on your hand. Ziggy has a million things to do this morning, but only 12 minutes to do them. It is impossible to do, of that there is no doubt. Well, it would be if it weren’t for Ziggy’s special little trick: he can turn back time to either the beginning of the day or to a certain checkpoint. He is going to need it because his town, if not the whole world, is under a direct threat that Ziggy is going to need to solve. That is the basic plot, but there is a fair bit more that needs to be experienced to be understood.

For the most part, the story is like its own puzzle, with the characters taking the place of the pieces; each character and their mission relay more of the plot. You will meet one character, follow their plot to find a clue to the next character, and then redo the loop to find them. That is the basic gameplay loop, and it is interesting…initially. The problems start to build as the game goes on, and the characters remain as zany as ever. This is good, as the main plot is kind of…meh. It isn’t that it’s bad exactly, but it felt lacklustre when compared to the characters and the world that is on offer. It serves as it needs to, but I wasn’t glued to my seat during my playthrough.

I said the gameplay loop was interesting, but only initially, and I meant it. The issue is that there is little on offer here other than finding a route, getting the clues, and then doing the exact same thing over again. If you enjoy that kind of game, then it's fine, but if you are looking for more variety, then this may be worth avoiding. I will say that Orten Was the Case is reasonable when it comes to the hints it is willing to offer you. The difficulty slider affects how many clues you want to see during your investigation and tracks each event as you progress throughout the plot. The puzzles can also be interesting, and there are a fair few head-scratchers, but there are others that feel more by the numbers.

Besides the main loop, the gameplay mostly focuses on jumping, inventory, and exploration. Ziggy will have to clamber over buildings and ruins to reach his friends and allies, and many of them want something. There are two inventory slots, and everything you find is important to someone. This minimal inventory space is linked to the time loop system; you need to know what you need on a run and the best route to reach it. It creates gameplay that almost feels rogue-like as you constantly start again and attempt to make the best run. The gameplay is also broken up by what would best be described as mini-games. These vary in quality, but at least they are on offer.

There is certainly a unique visual design on display with Orten Was the Case, and it helps the game stand out. The game makes use of a mix of 2D and 3D, with the characters all being 3D. The world can be visually distinct with some treats for the discerning player. The world that Ziggy inhabits is both architecturally fascinating and utterly depressing. The people of this world live in an environment that most would not want any part of, and something is clearly very wrong with this world. At one point, it seems normal, but then there are figures in a mirror that hint that something is not as it seems.

Orten Was the Case is an odd game and something of a callback to the point-and-click games of old. However, certain design aspects make the experience more frustrating than it should be and can take the focus away from the puzzles. The visuals and some of the puzzle design do keep the game interesting and mark it as one to watch for the time being. If you enjoy point-and-click games, then this one does it well, but I don’t know if it will convince new people of the genre.