Developer: The Wild Gentlemen
Steam Deck Compatibility?: Verified
Rrp: £17.49 (Gog and Steam), £17.99 (Humble and Epic)
Film Noir is not a theme that I often see used within the video game space. Chicken Police really leans into the genre, using all the trappings that you would expect, such as the femme fatale and the cynical detective. Of course, one of the major things that makes this game stand out is that all the people in this game are some sort of animal, or rather an animal’s head attached to a human body. This isn’t just some random change made to make the game quirky, the fact that each person is a different animal plays into the very narrative and world building. Think Zootopia except they decide to make it for an adult audience. Yes, that’s right there are sexual themes (no actual sex just risque imagery) and murder.
The game is a visual novel, and you take on the role of Sonny Featherland, one half of the famed (or possibly infamous) Chicken Police. I know many of you reading this will have rolled your eyes upon learning this is a visual novel, but this ones a little different, and it makes sense that this game would be a visual novel. You see, since you’re a detective that means you end up having to ask a lot of questions and in this game the act of speaking is broken down into three parts; speaking, asking and questioning.
Speaking is just the initial opener, where you get some basic information, learn about the character and the situation surrounding them. With some characters this will open up the ability to ask them something, this focuses on a specific subject which, as you can imagine, can yield more detailed information. Questioning happens only with characters that are important to the plot, with this the game opens up a mini game where you have to take into account their personality. Some characters will want you to circle around the point, others may need you to stroke their ego etc. Questioning always ends up giving some kind of lead or vital information that in turn becomes a lead. That is unless you fail the mini game, but the game’s nice enough to let you keep retrying.
I have to say this game is excellently written and voice acted, it really felt like the voice actors really gave it their all, not a single line of dialogue felt phoned in or even forced. Even the background characters who had only a few lines felt fleshed out and ‘alive’.
This is a great game, I really recommend playing it. It’s dark, very funny and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
