One of the several nuances of the stealth detective game ‘Shadows of Doubt’ is its resemblance to the real world criminology. Statistics in the game indicate that most crimes, specifically murders, are committed by individuals known to the victim.
Leveraging this information, players can adopt a methodical, exhaustive procedure where you investigate every possible option until you find the solution. Which simply means investigating every individual the victim had connections with.
You would begin by compiling a comprehensive list of people the victim had relationships with. Once you have this list, you would then systematically investigate each person on it. You’ll look for clues, gather and compare evidence, and gradually narrow down your list of suspects.
It is essentially a process of elimination and while it can be time consuming, it mostly doesn’t fail. So if you’ve been unsuccessful in solving even a single case so far, feel free to try this technique.
Here are six tips to help you go about this process.
TIPS:
- Gather Clues: Begin your investigation by collecting potential pieces of evidence. Fingerprints are gold in this process. Don’t overlook anything – check door knobs, personal documents, computers, and even hidden spots such as crumbled pieces of paper tucked away in unnoticed corners. This can reveal important attributes of the offender, such as height or hair color.
- Pinpoint the Victim’s Workplace and Residence: The crime scene is typically the victim’s domicile or place of employment. Once you’ve identified the victim, use the city directory to find their residence. From there, you can determine where they worked using the file box.
- Compile a List of Possible Culprits: Make a list of all the coworkers mentioned in the employee file cabinet and all the contacts in the address book found in the victim’s house. Organize these potential culprits on your investigation board. If you’ve managed to obtain fingerprint evidence, cross-reference it with the employee records at the victim’s workplace.
- Examine Each Potential Culprit Individually: Visit the residences of each suspect and search for anything that contradicts the information you have about the offender. For instance, if you have fingerprints, compare them with those found on the suspect’s front door. If you find proof that exonerates a suspect, remove them from your list. Be cautious, though – some evidence may be linked to other NPCs, so focus on identifying proof that contradicts your current theory.
- Refine Your Suspect List: Keep refining your list of potential culprits until you have identified the murderer. If you’re feeling unsure, you can save your progress before submitting the case. If all suspects have been cleared, you may have overlooked something, or it’s possible the killer did not personally know the victim.
- Revisit and Connect the Dots: Be sure to re-examine crime scenes before they’re completely cleaned up to confirm no evidence has been overlooked. If the murderer strikes again, identify similarities or connections between the victims. Trust your instincts in these situations – intuition often proves to be a valuable asset in the ‘Shadows of Doubt’ game.
Related: How to correctly use the Briefcase in Shadows of Doubt
