Golden Gate Killer
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''Golden Gate Killer'' (marketed under ''SFPD Case File: The Body in the Bay'' in the UK and ''SFPD Homicide'' in the US) is an interactive
police detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...
simulation developed by American studio Interworks and released in 1995,Company Profile. InterWorks. 2010-05-23. URL:http://www.interw.com/. Accessed: 2010-05-23. (Archived by WebCite at) and published by Grolier Electronic Publishing Inc and 3 Prong Plus. The game is based on the real life murder case of Colvin McCright. The game was released on Macintosh, Windows, and Windows 3.x.


Development

The game was developed by Julie Marsh and Paul Drexler, who consulted with Detective Falzon to receive fictionalised details on a real crime. Interworks began in 1991 out of Marsh and Drexler's cottage home and in March 1995 they relocated to an artists' warehouse. They filmed the game at 20 locations throughout San Francisco. The game design incorporated both full motion video and photo graphics, while a narrative was crafted that saw the player takes up the role of a San Francisco Police Department detective tasked with clearing up a series of murders. Interworks states in their online company profile that the software is used to train detectives and insurance investigators. ''The Body in the Bay'' was intended to the first title in a series called ''SFPD Homicide''.


Gameplay and plot

Marketed as a first-person true-crime murder mystery video game, the player takes the role of San Francisco's newest homicide detective who has teamed up with a real investigator for a partner and guide. A 50-something white male is found floating in the bay near Pier 91, bound and gagged. Using evidence, clues and procedures from the actual case, the player must explore the victim's life, vices and secret passions. Along the way, the player can interact with more than 40 characters from the victim's life as the case takes the detective from the city's posh nightclubs to its deserted piers. The player's tasks encompass examining crime scenes and securing evidence as well as interrogating witnesses and suspects to uncover the identity of the serial killer. It is notable that, like many other FMV games of the era, ''Golden Gate Killer'' uses
Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
's QuickTime technology for its integration of movies and sound, and also comes on a hybrid Windows/Macintosh CD-ROM (i.e. a single disc containing both the Mac and Windows versions of the game). ''SFPD Homicide'' is equipped with an interface which enables the player to cross-reference clues, statements, and rest results. The game requires interviewing, research, inductive and deductive reasoning, thoroughness, and following a set of steps with defined parameters.


Critical reception

'' Next Generation'' reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "Finding a suspect, building a case, and then collaborating with the D.A. to make the case is a hearty request in the time allotted and is likely to have you reworking the case a few times before justice is served." ''PC Joker'' gave the game a rating of 60% while ''PC Player'' offered 4 stars and ''Generation 4'' gave it 3 stars. ''Coming Soon Magazine'' said it was exciting, well done and mind-challenging. ''PC Me'' recommended the game for the "intellectually inclined". The game won the popular vote award Prize of the Professionals at the Intermedia World 96 award ceremony.


See also

*
Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. (born November 8, 1945) is an American serial killer, sex offender, burglar, and former police officer who committed at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and 120 burglaries across California between 1974 a ...
, a serial killer and rapist


References


External links

* {{moby game, id=/sfpd-homicide-case-file-the-body-in-the-bay 1995 video games Adventure games Classic Mac OS games Crime investigation simulators Video games about law Detective video games Grolier Interactive games Simulation video games Single-player video games Video games about police officers Video games developed in the United States Video games set in San Francisco Windows games