Sinking Island
A police officer investigates a millionaire's death on a remote island.
MarcoZed · CC0
Sinking Island is a third-person perspective point-and-click adventure game developed by White Birds Productions, the company founded and led by Benoît Sokal. The game casts the player as police officer Jack Norm, who investigates the death of millionaire Walter Jones on a fictional island featuring an Art Deco-style tower. The plot unfolds over three days in a classic murder mystery scheme.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Sinking Island
- Developer
- White Birds Productions
- Publisher
- NA · Microids/Encore · EU · Micro Application
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
- Released
- FRA · October 4, 2007 · NA · August 12, 2008
- Genre
- Adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
- Designer
- Benoît Sokal
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The genesis of Sinking Island came from Olivier Fontenay, who suggested that Benoît Sokal create police games. Sokal wrote a ten-page draft in 2005. He chose a male playable character to offer a change from his Syberia series. The team developed a new interface called the PPA (Personal Police Assistant). The game received support from the Centre National de la Cinématographie. A sequel was originally planned, offering a second Jack Norm adventure set in New York.
Reader's Guide
Sinking Island received 'average' reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. 4Players reviewer Bodo Naser felt that while the game promised a murder mystery akin to those of Agatha Christie, it did not deliver. IGN offered a mixed review, describing the game as having 'weary, stranded-island sleuthing at its soggiest'. GameSpot's hands-on preview thought the game would appeal to adventure fans. Gamekult derided the game's difficult puzzles, sleep-inducing dialogue, and lack of plot momentum. The game's legacy is that of a moderately received adventure title from a notable developer, with a planned sequel that never materialized.
Did You Know?
- Benoît Sokal wrote a ten-page draft for the game in 2005.
- A sequel was originally planned, set in New York.
- The game was supported by the Centre National de la Cinématographie.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sinking Island and who developed it?
Sinking Island is a third-person point-and-click adventure game produced by White Birds Productions, an independent studio founded and led by Benoît Sokal. It follows a classic murder-mystery structure set on a fictional island.
Who do you play as in Sinking Island?
The player assumes the role of Jack Norm, a police officer sent to investigate the death of millionaire Walter Jones. He is the only playable character across the entire game.
What is the setting and basic plot of Sinking Island?
The story unfolds on a remote island dominated by an Art Deco-style tower, where Jack Norm must determine who killed Walter Jones. The investigation is structured across three days in a traditional whodunit format.
When was Sinking Island released?
The title first hit shelves in France on October 4, 2007, and arrived in the United States on August 12, 2008. It was available as a point-and-click adventure for PC.
Why is Sinking Island considered notable among 2000s adventure games?
It is a handcrafted, small-studio point-and-click experience rather than a product of a major publisher, giving it a distinctive independent feel. Its Art Deco island aesthetic and tightly paced three-day mystery set it apart from many contemporaries in the genre.
More in Adventure Games of the 2000s, Part 2 1-22
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