Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

L’Affaire… delivers a classic first-person adventure experience that strikes a careful balance between investigation, puzzle solving, and tense stealth moments. You step into the worn shoes of Raymond Pardon and must decide whether to approach each encounter with the cold calculation of a gangster or the inquisitive persistence of a journalist. This duality injects each scene with replay value, as dialogue choices and the way you brandish your inventory can open—or slam shut—crucial leads.

(HEY YOU!! We hope you enjoy! We try not to run ads. So basically, this is a very expensive hobby running this site. Please consider joining us for updates, forums, and more. Network w/ us to make some cash or friends while retro gaming, and you can win some free retro games for posting. Okay, carry on 👍)

Navigation is intuitive: you point and click to examine richly detailed environments in seven European cities, from Barcelona’s sunlit alleys to London’s foggy docks. Hover your cursor over objects to reveal interactive hotspots that may yield clues or tools. Everything you pick up can be stored in a handy inventory, where later you’ll combine evidence, bribe informants, or fashion makeshift weapons to fend off hired assassins.

Combat is minimal but effective. Instead of button-mashing, L’Affaire… favors quick decisions—draw your gun or talk your way out, hide or bluff. When tensions peak, the screen darkens slightly and a prompt appears, forcing split-second actions that can save your life or send you back to the last checkpoint. The overall pacing keeps you engaged: every city brings fresh environments, fresh suspects, and fresh puzzles without overstaying its welcome.

Graphics

Although L’Affaire… hails from an era before hyper-realistic 3D, its pre-rendered backdrops and character portraits are brimming with atmosphere. Each of the seven cities is lovingly recreated: pastel balconies in Cannes, gothic storefronts in Hamburg, rain-slicked cobblestones in Amsterdam. The art style evokes classic film noir, with moody lighting and carefully placed shadows that heighten intrigue.

Character designs are distinctive, from the haughty aristocrat in Rome to the streetwise informant in Paris. Facial animations are subtle but effective—you’ll catch a twitch of the eye or a clenched jaw that betrays hidden motives. Cutscenes are presented in comic-book panels with voice-over narration, lending a pulpy charm to major plot beats.

Multi-language support (French, German, English, Italian, Dutch, Spanish) extends to both subtitles and fully dubbed voice tracks, ensuring localized authenticity. Text is crisp and legible against the detailed backdrops, and menu screens have a stylish, vintage typewriter font that complements the period setting.

Story

At the heart of L’Affaire… is Raymond Pardon’s painstaking quest to clear his name after six unjust years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. The prologue—his gentle nature twisted into a prison sentence and the tragic loss of his beloved wife Mylène—sets up a powerful emotional undercurrent. You’re not just chasing clues; you’re driven by love, betrayal, and the need for retribution.

The narrative unfolds across Barcelona, Paris, Cannes, Rome, Amsterdam, Hamburg, and London, each city offering new characters and conspiracies. You’ll interrogate suspects in smoky cafes, tail shady figures through crowded marketplaces, and break into guarded mansions under cover of night. Along the way, you discover that nothing is black and white: allies can turn on you, and enemies might hold the key to the truth.

Branching dialogue and multi-stage investigations give the story a layer of depth seldom seen in similar adventure titles. A single overlooked clue can shift the trajectory of the affair, leading to multiple endings. The central mystery—who framed Raymond and why—unwinds in satisfying twists, culminating in a tense showdown where your choices determine who lives, who dies, and who finally pays for the injustice.

Overall Experience

L’Affaire… is a triumph of classic adventure design, offering a gripping noir tale wrapped in polished presentation. Its strength lies in the interplay between narrative and gameplay: every puzzle solved and every conversation steered brings you a step closer to redemption. The multi-city structure keeps the adventure fresh, while language options broaden its appeal to an international audience.

Some may find the pacing deliberate, especially during extensive dialogue sequences or lengthy cutscenes. Occasional inventory-combining puzzles lean on trial-and-error rather than pure logic. However, these moments are outweighed by the sheer satisfaction of watching disparate clues coalesce into a coherent—and shocking—revelation.

Fans of investigative adventures and film-noir aesthetics will find L’Affaire… an engrossing journey through Europe’s underbelly. It challenges you to think like a reporter and a gangster in equal measure, tests your moral compass, and rewards persistence with a story that lingers long after the final credits roll. For anyone seeking a stylish, story-driven experience, L’Affaire… remains a must-play classic.

Retro Replay Score

null/10