Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny

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Art of Murder: Cards of Destiny is the third episode in the Art of Murder series. With her new partner Dick Parry, FBI agent Nicole Bonnet is confronted with a serial killer whose crimes take place all over the USA. The killer leaves playing cards at the crime scenes and uses sophisticated equipment - such as lasers - to trap his victims, and sends parcels with clues to Bonnet.

The game starts in Nicole’s flat in New Jersey, where she receives the first parcel from the killer, which will bring her to Queens, NY. In an old movie theater she will discover more clues, but she can't prevent a new killing nearby. Of course the local FBI office in the Bronx will be visited often to consult her boss, the database or to use the lab equipment. During the hunt she will travel to New Jersey (and visit a chamber of horrors in an Amusement Park), to Detalion, Louisiana (where she will explore a swamp with alligators) and to Norwitch, Maine (where she will end up in a lighthouse in which the killer is waiting for her).

Gameplay and interface are similar to the previous games. Nicole has a cellphone that is often used in cutscenes, but the player doesn't need it to make progress in the game. It also includes options to read dialogues and a diary and to consult documents. Bonnet has to interrogate people, collect evidence in bags and analyze it with various instruments, decode messages, and dismantle traps.The interface includes a hint system (a question mark) that shows hot spots and exits. The game is captioned and dialogues can be skipped.