The Butler Did It for Windows

Witty writing and an interesting system of questioning suspects makes The Butler Did It appealing. You play the mustachioed detective Jacques-Louis Barajean, who encounters a possible murder while on vacation. You have to choose the appropriate attitude to display while questioning each suspect. We like the way the program lets you view the introduction and tutorial separately from the game. Watch the clock: the police will come at noon in the trial version, and you must identify your suspect. You can go back through the game as often as you want, but the clues and perpetrator change each time.

On top of an amusing aside when the police arrive, three nag screens stand between you and the game's exit. Navigating the hotel can be difficult; we found ourselves walking back and forth between hallways until we finally located the exit to the greenhouse. Occasional lapses in English grammar might distract some gamers. We really wish the program's automatic notepad recorded suspects' answers and where evidence was found, not just the physical description of each person. While the demo version doesn't allow much time to actually solve the case, The Butler Did It shows promise.