I played this game up late one night and beat it (with my friend who had already beaten it, or else I would never have figured out what to do). Let me give you some advice. Don't do what I did.
This game is fantastic as point-and-clicks go, but it's not something to be taken lightly. Anyone familiar with the "Quest" series will know what I mean. The games are rich in plot as well as strategy involved. Also, if you have played the Quest series before, be prepared for a game that has much more mature subject matter. The first scene in the game involves John Carey (the player) investigating a rather gritty crime scene in an alley in South Central L.A. What follows is a long road of incredible homicide detective-related gameplay, basically. You go through lots of clues, suspects, etc. which eventually lead you to the killer. I won't give anything away, but let's just say the grittiest and most disturbing scenes are near the end of the game, at the climax. This game was an incredible experience. I played it a while back but won't really ever forget it. The images involved slightly shocked and disturbed me (as I wasn't used to it in a video game) and the game as a whole was a heart-pumping, incredibly difficult piece.
That said, I would recommend this game to anyone who is even mildly interested in the genre of police/detective games, as well as anyone who has the brains for the point-and-click genre. The graphics are pretty good for the time, the plot is fantastic, the voice acting is great, and the game was created by an ex-police chief. That's right. The realism here is incredible. Ex-LAPD chief Daryl F. Gates worked with Sierra on the game, and the attention to detail is staggering as a result. The city, the grittiness, the very real but scary situations, everything is amazing in detail. In conclusion, the game is an absolute delight if you can stomach the mature subject matter (it is rated T but has some mature elements in my opinion) and if you can figure out everything on your own.
The genre of police/crime can get frustrating, as can the point-and-click. But if you have the patience, and an open mind to deal with a great story with blood-curdling, heart-pumping scenes, Police Quest 4: Open Season is definitely for you.
Written by:
~pattyboy7474
