Jack Hayes: The Lazarus Sign
Please note: This game centers around storytelling, dialogue and choices, so please don’t expect other gameplay mechanics to be in the focus of this game! The game is free now! Enjoy the special gaming experience that was so melodramatic, it gave one of the reviewers nausea! (Okay, this game is obviously not for everyone …
There is a lot that Jack Hayes has to deal with. His past is like a ghost, following him everywhere he goes – even in his dreams. His agency is kept together by hope, tape and the hard work of his reliable partner, Gabriela ‘Gab’ Carter. Then, both private investigators seem to get the solution to their struggle presented on a silver platter, as a former friend of Gab hires them to investigate an ongoing series of crimes against an influential and ruthless industrial tycoon. But as Jack and Gabriela arrive on the island of Thirza, they slowly realize how far away they really are from the civilization they know.
In a world where the fate of everyday people is decided by rich men behind closed doors, in a world without a place to settle in safety – how far could humanism and fairness ever get you here? Jack Hayes has no idea of the dangerous secrets he would stumble upon as he starts his investigation on the island of Thirza, a place, pretty much in private possession of Rudolph Fortis, billionaire, most important employer, seemingly a patron saint of the society he lives in. But Jack, haunted by nightmares of his past, soon discovers the truth that lurked in the shadows. Things spirale out of control fast …
Not every enemy points a gun at you. Some will smile instead.
Dialogue is important in The Lazarus Sign! You have to manage your relationships to people around you. Act too harsh and you won’t get their support, be too nice and you get played. But even here, Jack might find a bit of solace, spending some special time with a special someone … if he can win her over.
To understand what’s going on …
A complex and mature story awaits you. See through the net of lies, conspiracies and unimaginable dark secrets around you to solve the case – and make sure everyone survives!
Emotional impact and atmosphere:
The beautiful artwork and the superb soundtrack add to the emotional storytelling and bring characters and environment to life!
Steam User 6
Gameplay: Narrative-driven game with choices and consequences
Story: Private investigators Jack and Gabriela take on a mysterious case involving corruption, a terrorist plot, and illegal tech, all of which threaten the population of the whole island where the events take place.
Presentation: Top down view with character sprites, highly detailed artwork, and nice atmospheric music.
Verdict: A well-designed crime plot mixed in with good character development and choices that add up and affect the outcome.
Review details:
We take on the role of a private investigator Jack Hayes, who together with his work partner Gabriela is invited on a highly peculiar case on an island that is full of crime and corruption. At the same time, Jack is constantly haunted by memories and nightmares of his long lost love, making it hard for him to move forward in his life.
The game is mainly story-driven and all gameplay elements involve making choices, not only dialogue choices, but also choices during action scenes, such as deciding if it's necessary to open gunfire, to flee, or to talk your way out of a situation. The island where events take place is not a safe place and so danger could be around any corner. Aside from these instances, there is no combat system in the game. All conflict is handled through decisions.
In addition to this, the game puts importance to building rep with all the major characters, as this affects whether you'll be able to convince them with your words and influence their actions later on in the story during tense moments. There is also some romance present too.
I found that the plot was nicely written and kept me trying to predict what exactly was going on. It had some interesting twists and turns too. It doesn't try to blow itself out of proportion and instead focuses on a handful of key characters and how they all have a part to play in the plot.
The presentation is akin to standard top-down view 2D RPGs with character sprites. It might seem quite basic to some people, but it does the job well for the purpose of the game. The portraits of characters are all nicely drawn and lifelike, and the music is also good at setting the mood. There are a few spelling and grammatical errors in places and also some odd instances of not being able to walk behind or close to some objects on the maps, but other than those there are no major issues and the game is well-polished.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes narrative-driven games with plots about crime, terrorism, and personal demons.
Steam User 2
it's a very interesting game in which you influence the storyline through your conversations. sometimes it is not that easy to correctly assess the characters in the game and to choose the sentences which leads to the desired outcome. In the game itself there are unpredictable twists and turns and you get an interesting insight into the thoughts of the characters (especially the protagonist and his past) which I really enjoyed. In my opinion, people talk a little too much, which means that you spend a lot of time reading. Overall, it took me about 3-4 hours to play through, so this game is a nice fast paced game for your spare time.
Steam User 1
Before I played Jack Hayes: The Lazarus Sign, I had a small pp, no friends, no gf, depression, and no life. These things havent changed, but the game is pretty good
Steam User 1
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