đ The Beekeeper’s Picnic đ
Explore a seaside town in the 1920s and solve cosy mysteries as the (retired) Great Detective in this point and click adventure!
Wishlist on Steam | Itch.io Demo | Discord |
The game will be available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
đ¸ Features!
- Visit and explore a seaside town It’s the  day of the village fete, a suspicious new neighbour has taken a lease on  a long-abandoned cottage and something strange is happening down on the  beach…
- Interrogate and befriend a cast of eccentric characters
- Make deductions and decisions. Puzzles often have multiple solutions, some of which may please your neighbours more than others.  What path will you choose? Who will you enlist  to help you?
- Shape one of the most beloved literary partnerships of all time by choosing the form which the relationship between Holmes and Watson will take: are they dear friends, platonic partners, found family or a romantic couple?
- Phone for help of you get stuck! Your older brother Mycroft is always ready to act as your consultant, just give him a call at his club if you need a hint.Â
The lovely cover artwork is by @gooolabatooo
Music by @sandygarnelle
Tag: sherlock holmes
New Fiction 2020 – June
“The Adventure of the Speckled Bandâ by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)
Thatâs some good Sherlock. I forgot that the literary version is somewhat nicer and more amiable than the recent BBC depiction. Watson is also more of a goofball sidekick than I remember from the stories Iâd read.
"The Witness for the Prosecutionâ by Agatha Christie (1933)
Dang, Christie weaves a heck of a story. Or more a puzzle, a deft placement of pieces on a board. The distractions and red herrings are excellent. Itâs strange the way these crime stories based on murders are also fun reads, especially in these times. A nice bit of order I suppose. The pieces fall into place.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926)
I once rode a train through the English countryside, and walked through distinctly old timey neighborhoods around Edinburgh and Sheffield. Reading this story reminded me of those neighborhoods. Cottages, parks, and landscapes that arenât quite like what we have here in the States. I donât suppose the idyllic English village in this story is anything like the modern versions, though I recently read that all those Dukes and Nobles and such still own most of the land in England, so maybe, maybe. In any case, it makes for a good mystery setting. Christieâs Poirot seems to be an element of chaos in the order of the community, shedding light on secrets and mysteries. The tropes and conventions are all there and perhaps this is where those tropes originated. But Christie still managed to smack me on the forehead, snarkily, telling me, âThatâs right, you thought you knew whatâs up, but you donât know shit.â
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (1930)
Hereâs a contrast for ya. Hammett isnât so much interested in setting up an elaborate puzzle game as telling the reader that it doesnât matter, life sucks, everyoneâs out to get theirs and screw everybody else. Where Christieâs lighthearted English people, not to mention Poirot, keep the tone strangely cheerful during a murder investigation, Hammettâs Spade and co. delve into the cynical abyss. Itâs an interesting read, but not as fun as detective fiction from across the pond.
Ape Out dev. Gabe Cuzzillo (2019)
The bleak journey through Star Wars shooters from last month left me uncertain about what to play next. I dipped a toe into a few things, but the summer heat drives me out of the house on most days. I canât focus in the warmth. But Ape Out drew me in enough, largely the dynamic soundtrack. The last time I played it was in London as we lounged after the end of a long day working a game event booth. I came away thinking the game was a hell of a task. But playing this time, I realized that the challenge appropriately builds up if the player starts at the beginning. Itâs a hip game with jazz drums and sharp watercolor visuals, with instantly repeatable levels. Loads of fun and high energy killing of jerkass humans.
Labyrinth dir. Jim Henson (1986)
This was a strange journey. The puppet work is as superb as one would expect from Henson, and Bowie sticks out like kind of a sore thumb among the cast. But worth the watch. The eighties were a time for fantasy film making.
Dark City dir. Alex Proyas (1998)
This beat The Matrix to theaters by a year and Iâm surprised I missed it so completely. Itâs interesting neo noir, but ultimately dated and uncomfortable to watch despite the progression of the story.
The Legend of Korra (2012-2014)
I watched Avatar: The Last Airbender again before I dived into Korra for the first time… and these writers are kinda sadists, right?! Every season is âlet’s completely ruin Korra’s life and pull back in the last fifteen minutes.â It actually kinda reminds me of Buffy, with the big bad format and all the obstacles they throw in the protagonist’s path. I liked it overall but was a little disappointed with the overarching narrative, mostly that there was none. As soon as season 2 started, I realized they wouldn’t really connect the seasons. It allowed them to extend beyond a series-long arc, but missed the mark for fans of that aspect of the previous series.
The Magic School Bus – Seasons 1-2 (1994-1995)
I remembered some of these episodes from watching them in reruns many years ago, and even now learned a thing or two about the universe. If you watch one episode, watch the one about pickles. Itâll change your life.
New Fiction 2020 – June
“The Adventure of the Speckled Bandâ by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)
Thatâs some good Sherlock. I forgot that the literary version is somewhat nicer and more amiable than the recent BBC depiction. Watson is also more of a goofball sidekick than I remember from the stories Iâd read.
"The Witness for the Prosecutionâ by Agatha Christie (1933)
Dang, Christie weaves a heck of a story. Or more a puzzle, a deft placement of pieces on a board. The distractions and red herrings are excellent. Itâs strange the way these crime stories based on murders are also fun reads, especially in these times. A nice bit of order I suppose. The pieces fall into place.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926)
I once rode a train through the English countryside, and walked through distinctly old timey neighborhoods around Edinburgh and Sheffield. Reading this story reminded me of those neighborhoods. Cottages, parks, and landscapes that arenât quite like what we have here in the States. I donât suppose the idyllic English village in this story is anything like the modern versions, though I recently read that all those Dukes and Nobles and such still own most of the land in England, so maybe, maybe. In any case, it makes for a good mystery setting. Christieâs Poirot seems to be an element of chaos in the order of the community, shedding light on secrets and mysteries. The tropes and conventions are all there and perhaps this is where those tropes originated. But Christie still managed to smack me on the forehead, snarkily, telling me, âThatâs right, you thought you knew whatâs up, but you donât know shit.â
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (1930)
Hereâs a contrast for ya. Hammett isnât so much interested in setting up an elaborate puzzle game as telling the reader that it doesnât matter, life sucks, everyoneâs out to get theirs and screw everybody else. Where Christieâs lighthearted English people, not to mention Poirot, keep the tone strangely cheerful during a murder investigation, Hammettâs Spade and co. delve into the cynical abyss. Itâs an interesting read, but not as fun as detective fiction from across the pond.
Ape Out dev. Gabe Cuzzillo (2019)
The bleak journey through Star Wars shooters from last month left me uncertain about what to play next. I dipped a toe into a few things, but the summer heat drives me out of the house on most days. I canât focus in the warmth. But Ape Out drew me in enough, largely the dynamic soundtrack. The last time I played it was in London as we lounged after the end of a long day working a game event booth. I came away thinking the game was a hell of a task. But playing this time, I realized that the challenge appropriately builds up if the player starts at the beginning. Itâs a hip game with jazz drums and sharp watercolor visuals, with instantly repeatable levels. Loads of fun and high energy killing of jerkass humans.
Labyrinth dir. Jim Henson (1986)
This was a strange journey. The puppet work is as superb as one would expect from Henson, and Bowie sticks out like kind of a sore thumb among the cast. But worth the watch. The eighties were a time for fantasy film making.
Dark City dir. Alex Proyas (1998)
This beat The Matrix to theaters by a year and Iâm surprised I missed it so completely. Itâs interesting neo noir, but ultimately dated and uncomfortable to watch despite the progression of the story.
The Legend of Korra (2012-2014)
I watched Avatar: The Last Airbender again before I dived into Korra for the first time… and these writers are kinda sadists, right?! Every season is âlet’s completely ruin Korra’s life and pull back in the last fifteen minutes.â It actually kinda reminds me of Buffy, with the big bad format and all the obstacles they throw in the protagonist’s path. I liked it overall but was a little disappointed with the overarching narrative, mostly that there was none. As soon as season 2 started, I realized they wouldn’t really connect the seasons. It allowed them to extend beyond a series-long arc, but missed the mark for fans of that aspect of the previous series.
The Magic School Bus – Seasons 1-2 (1994-1995)
I remembered some of these episodes from watching them in reruns many years ago, and even now learned a thing or two about the universe. If you watch one episode, watch the one about pickles. Itâll change your life.