PC REVIEW | Best Served Cold

Books, cocktails, and murder are all on the menu in this mystery game by developers Rogueside. And let me tell you, the drinks are as chilled as the hearts of some of the clientele, but at least the jazz is smoking. You are the bartender, an ex-criminal turned host of the last speakeasy in town, and it’s up to you to mix the cocktails and get the juicy nuggets of info from your less than-sober-customers to help solve a wee murder or two. But who can you really trust in this dog-eat-dog world of deceit and betrayal? Not everyone is as they seem to be, so get those drinks made and get talking… or you might just find yourself out of a job… or worse.

I do love a good mystery game with a few twists and turns along the way, and Best Served Cold turned out to be far more involved than I initially expected. There is a lot of information to take in, and learning facts about each customer is a lot of fun. Don’t expect to be a master sleuth from the start, though, this one rewards patience. The drinks you serve gradually unlock the details you’ll need to solve each of the five cases in due course. Now, on to the review.

Things I liked!

• The Story/Stories | The various cases available to you in Best Served Cold are filled to the brim with tales of murder, deceit, betrayal, love and so much more. There is a lot going on with all of the characters you meet, and none of them feel two-dimensional (even though technically they are). You’ll will get to know the ins and outs of their lives and histories, and you might even fall for a few lies here and there if you aren’t careful. Like every good mystery, you will be led to conclusions that might be on the right track, or you might just be getting led down the garden path, but predicting who you think committed the crimes isn’t going to be as simple as you might think. Each of the characters has a story to tell, and each story is as engrossing as the last. Some excellent writing by the developers of the game, in my opinion. Their attention to detail not only enhances the gameplay but also immerses you in a web of intrigue that keeps you guessing until the very end of each mystery. As you delve deeper into the narratives, you will find that every clue and red herring is meticulously placed, drawing you further into the captivating world they’ve created.

• Graphics | The artwork of Best Served Cold looks awesome; the hand-drawn aesthetic just adds to the feel of the game. The characters are well realised, they don’t easily give away their intentions and have been drawn to be almost neutral in a way so that you are left guessing as to what is going on with them. The drinks look incredible too. I don’t drink myself, but some of them looked quite tempting… especially the Poison Drop. It actually makes me wonder if the developers had ever worked in a cocktail bar. If you’re after photorealism, though, look elsewhere, but if you enjoy great art and smooth jazz… well, stop on by the Nightcap.
  
  
• Music | The music in Best Served Cold is just wonderfully apt; it suits the time period perfectly, and each scene is elevated by the soundscape it provides. You might not be a fan of jazz, but as you play, you won’t be able to imagine a cocktail bar without that style of music playing in the background for a good long while. The slow, easy tones of the music just give it not only a bar setting feel but also make you feel as though you are taking part in an old-school film noir detective story. The point is that music should help you set the scene, and in Best Served Cold, it does it in spades.

Mixed & disliked!

• Mini Games | I really wish more thought had been put into the cocktail mixing mini-games. As it stands, it’s simply a get from point A to B as quickly as possible, and that’s it. I would have preferred something where we had to pick out the ingredients, mix the drinks, and serve the customers with a bit of flair, it feels like a missed opportunity, in my opinion, as it could have extended the playtime and added to the overall enjoyment.

• Bugs | There are still a few bugs in the game which detract from the flow of the narrative. I believe a fair few have been patched, but there are still one or two lingering issues that need attention. It wouldn’t be too much of an issue, but the game auto-saves, so if a bug occurs and you haven’t saved manually, you might find yourself having to start from scratch. That’s far from ideal when you are deeply immersed in the story.

CONCLUSION

Score: 80 /100

Best Served Cold is a decent game for fans of mystery and intrigue. The setting is perfect for the style, and the stories are so well done that it felt like reading an old-school choose-your-own-adventure if it had been written by Susanna Calkins or Nancy Bilyeau. If you enjoy a good mystery game with plenty of booze and murder, then this just might be the game for you. The only reason it’s not getting a higher score is because of the minigame issue and the rare couple of bugs, which I am sure will be patched soon. So as the developers themselves put it: “It’s time to flip that sign to open, turn up the jazz, and welcome your first customers of the night.”