Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The X-Files: The Deserter embraces classic point-and-click mechanics, putting you in the shoes of Fox Mulder as he navigates the neon-lit streets of Las Vegas and the dusty expanses of the Nevada desert. The interface uses a row of verb icons—Examine, Use, Pick Up, Talk—to interact with richly detailed environments. This traditional scheme is intuitive for fans of adventure titles, allowing you to quickly switch commands as you hunt for clues, collect evidence, and piece together the elements of the murder mystery.

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In addition to controlling Mulder in the field, the game periodically switches to Dana Scully at FBI headquarters. These shorter chapters break up the exploration with scientific mini-objectives: analyzing fingerprint dustings, running chemical tests in the lab, and cross-referencing X-rays and autopsy reports. These sections feel like clever counterparts to the Nevada chapters, giving a sense of collaboration between the agents and underscoring Scully’s critical role in validating—or debunking—paranormal leads.

Puzzles in The Deserter follow a largely inventory-driven pattern, demanding that you combine items or apply tools in just the right order. While some challenges can feel obtuse—requiring pixel-level precision or an unexpectedly cryptic item description—the overall difficulty sits comfortably in the medium range. Strategic hint systems and optional dialogue prompts help prevent dead-ends, ensuring that you’re rarely stuck for more than a few minutes before you have a fresh insight.

Graphics

Though released in the late ’90s, The Deserter’s visuals hold up surprisingly well, thanks to pre-rendered backgrounds and carefully framed first-person perspectives. The neon glow of the Vegas skyline, flickering motel signs, and dusty desert roads convey a strong sense of place, while moody lighting and shadow effects heighten the air of conspiracy that pervades the X-Files universe. Character portraits during conversations feature real actors placed against these still backdrops, injecting a touch of live-action drama.

Close-up interaction scenes—examining a bloody footprint or inspecting a cryptic diary entry—are presented in higher resolution, allowing you to spot subtle clues with satisfaction. Animations are limited but serviceable: doors swing open, papers shuffle, and weathered desert shrubs sway with the breeze. While modern gamers may find the static camera angles and lack of full 3D traversal dated, these design choices keep the focus firmly on investigation rather than traversal.

Cutscenes blend brief FMV clips with atmospheric pans of the setting sun over Area 51-adjacent military checkpoints. The quality can fluctuate between beautifully grainy and slightly pixelated, but it never breaks immersion. Complementing the visuals, a restrained color palette—earthy browns, acid blues, and neon pinks—reinforces both the grit and the surreal undercurrent of the X-Files mythos.

Story

The narrative centers around Mulder’s assignment to Las Vegas following a brutal murder tied to an off-the-books militia group known as “The Deserters.” As you uncover leads, interviews with locals and shadowy informants reveal deeper layers of government cover-ups, experimental weaponry, and the possible involvement of otherworldly forces. The mystery evolves organically: what begins as a straightforward homicide investigation soon spirals into a question of who—or what—is pulling the strings.

Dana Scully’s supporting chapters at the FBI labs add a scientific counterbalance, emphasizing her skepticism and methodical approach. Reviewing X-rays, running DNA analyses, and checking gunshot residue tests all feed back into Mulder’s on-site progress. This parallel storytelling underlines the trust—and occasional tension—between the two agents, and it successfully captures the dynamic that made the TV series so compelling.

Pacing remains tight throughout the estimated 8- to 10-hour runtime. Early scenes acquaint you with secondary characters—bartenders, casino security officers, and reclusive locals—each of whom could be a friend, foe, or potential witness. As threads converge, a series of shocking revelations and red herrings propel you toward a finale that blends forensic deduction with the supernatural, culminating in a cliffhanger that will leave X-Files fans hungry for a sequel.

Overall Experience

The X-Files: The Deserter succeeds as both a homage to the beloved TV franchise and a standalone detective adventure. Its marriage of classic point-and-click gameplay with authentic series elements—voice acting by the original cast, references to Cigarette Smoking Man, and hints at alien involvement—creates a satisfying experience for longtime fans. The combination of on-site sleuthing and lab-based analysis offers variety, ensuring that the investigation never feels one-dimensional.

While the interface and graphics show their age, patience and a love of methodical puzzle-solving are handsomely rewarded. The game’s careful attention to investigative detail—dusting for prints on a discarded bottle, cross-checking military records, or reconstructing a crime scene in 3D—makes each discovery feel earned. Occasional pixel hunts and cryptic inventory uses may frustrate newcomers, but veteran adventure gamers will relish the mental workout.

Ultimately, The Deserter offers a compelling, atmospheric journey into the darker corners of the X-Files universe. Whether you’re drawn by the paranormal intrigue, the iconic duo of Mulder and Scully, or the gratifying puzzle design, this title delivers a memorable case file that’s well worth examining for anyone who enjoys detective mysteries and classic adventure gameplay.

Retro Replay Score

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