#IndieStudioMonday – HitherYon Games Turns Murder Mysteries into Pixel‑Perfect Comedy

What happens when you cross Agatha Christie intrigue with Scooby‑Doo slapstick and sprinkle in a clue‑sniffing dog who can (almost) be sued for malpractice? You get HitherYon Games, the one‑dev studio of Boston‑based writer‑designer Matthew Myers, and his award‑winning whodunit series

Murder Is Game Over. The latest entry, The Blackinton Curse, is his most ambitious yet: a free‑roaming manor mystery where you can interrogate aristocrats, chase cats as a dog, and still bungle the ending if you miss the vital clues.

“I wanted a normal detective,” Myers told DMG Loot, “so I gave him an abnormal partner—Cleo the dog. She lightens the mood, lets players chase cats, and occasionally gets threatened with lawsuits.”

Comedy by Canine, Suspense by Design

• Dual‑Protagonist Twist – Switch between Guy (your straight‑laced sleuth) and Cleo (your four‑legged clue magnet) to gather evidence—and laughs.
• Award‑Winning Narrative – The Blackinton Curse snagged Best Narrative at Boston FIG thanks to branching dialog, progress‑aware NPCs, and a “bad ending” for sloppy sleuths.
• Open‑World Sleuthing – Explore rooms in any order; clues shuffle each run, keeping repeat playthroughs fresh.

🧩 Puzzles That Respect Your Time

Myers knows a great mystery can’t be too baffling. “If Hercule Poirot confused me on page 300, I’d shrug,” he says. “If a game confuses players, they quit.” His design mantra:

1. Fair Clues – Every deduction stems from evidence you can find.
2. No Punishing Roadblocks – Puzzles challenge without halting story momentum.
3. Narrative First – The solution must feel earned and cinematic.

🏆 Lessons from a Solo Sleuth

• Niche Wins – “Mystery fans forgive small budgets if the story sings.”
• Humor in Moderation – Spooky Scooby‑Doo vibes keep things eerie and entertaining.
• Iterate on Feedback – Player critiques further push each sequel’s puzzles and open‑world elements.

Why You Should Wishlist The Blackinton Curse

• Procedural Clue Placement means every run is a new puzzle.
• Voice‑Acted Sass and tongue‑in‑cheek jabs at greedy game publishers keep the giggles flowing.
• Dog‑Cam lets you sniff secrets humans miss... yes, really.

“The biggest surprise?” Myers laughs. “People love a dog detective. Who knew chasing cats was the killer feature?”

 Ready to Crack the Case?

Jump into Murder Is Game Over: The Blackinton Curse on Steam, pet the goodest girl Cleo, and see if you can outwit a manor full of suspects without barking up the wrong tree.

Steam: ▶ https://store.steampowered.com/app/3046150/Murder_Is_Game_Over_The_Blackinton_Curse/

Official site ▶ https://www.murderisgameover.com

Twitter ▶ @HitherYonGames

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