Crack the Case
Become a detective and solve gruesome murder cases in Scriptic Netflix Edition. An intriguing addition to the found phone genre, the title includes two deadly murder mysteries for players to solve. And much like a real investigation, finding the killer isn’t easy and puts your sleuthing skills to the test.
Upon opening Scriptic Netflix Edition, players can access two separate crime cases. The Redman case covers the murder of a teen boy, while Unmasked centers around the death of an influencer. Each case is broken up into episodes, and you’ll need to progress to a certain point to unlock later episodes. The cases are in-depth and full of intriguing potential suspects. Unfortunately, due to the game’s glitches, I could not move past episode one in the Redman case. However, I had better luck with Unmasked.
Unlike most found phone games the player is essentially searching through the actual phone of a missing individual, in Scriptic, players use the London Yard Operating System to view a digital copy of the victim’s phone. Here you can view text chats the victim was a part of as well as photos and other private content saved to the victim’s phone, which may help you crack the case. The victim of each case has different applications on their respective phones, making the game feel that much more realistic.
Get a Clue
After entering your chosen detective name, you’ll have access to three chats in Yard OS—Intelligence, Forensics and On The Ground. Intelligence gathers the intel you request while Forensics sweeps the victim and clues for DNA. On The Ground is where you’ll gain knowledge on the crime scene itself and once you have enough evidence, you can order the police to bring in a suspect for interrogation from here.
Clues can be found in chats and are highlighted in gold. Said clues are automatically added to your list under the clues tab on the Yard OS screen and help advance the narrative. You can use this list to refresh your memory and it can guide your decisions in interrogations.
Good Cop Bad Cop
Once the police bring in a suspect for questioning, tap the interrogation button on the Yard OS screen, then tap to enter the correct interrogation room. Interrogations are very fun. Another detective will join you and guide the interrogation. However, you’ll be able to ask questions and make comments that determine how the suspect reacts throughout the interrogation. It’s up to you whether you play good cop, bad cop, or something in between as you attempt to gather information and catch a killer.
Game Breaking Glitch
While primarily the game is engaging, a few significant glitches make for a frustrating experience. For one, the clues which appear in gold in text chats aren’t always added to the clues section. This means the message with the clue stays highlighted; unfortunately, this can impact the game’s progression. My playthrough came to a standstill when I was unable to collect the clues necessary to progress.
Secondly, the game often asks which save game I want to use, even though I haven’t closed the app. Sometimes after choosing either the local or cloud saves, the game repeatedly asks me to select a save until my only option to continue is to delete the app or restart my iPad. Scriptic Netflix Edition would easily earn a 4-star rating if not for these glitches. However, the glitches impact gameplay to the point that it’s easier just to set the game aside and play something else.
When not glitching, Scriptic Netflix Edition is a fantastic detective simulator that no fan of true crime or mysteries should pass up. However, the issue with collecting clues, which prevents story progression, brings the score down a notch. In a spot of luck, however, the glitch only seems to affect the Redman case—at least, that was my experience. Once the developers fix the clue glitch, the game will be a must-play. However, with engaging plots and intriguing characters, Scriptic Netflix Edition is still worth downloading, even with the frustrating glitches.
