Released to commemorate April Fool's Day, The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is a visual novel with platforming elements in which the player and Tails, well, solve the murder of Sonic the Hedgehog. In this murder mystery, the player is charged with assessing the alibis of the passengers on the train, tracking down clues, and interrogating suspects to get to the truth of the matter. The third train car players will need to overcome is the Library, and it is here that the game's puzzles begin asking for some critical reasoning.
Where to Find Clues
When the player arrives in the Library Car, a dialogue will begin between Tails, Amy, Vector, and Espio. The player's dialogue choices do not impact gameplay here, and this sequence exists mostly to establish where each character was on the train before the murder. This will be important later, so the player should pay attention.
Once free to click around, players will first need to gather clues throughout the room to catch suspects in potential lies later. Players can highlight nodes around the room, which prompt dialogue from the player and Tails when clicked. Most nodes in each room are red herrings, or else provide flavor text or additional context for characters' motives, and are not required to progress the story.
In order to move onto the interrogation stage of the Library Car investigation, players will need to select the following:
- Brochurerack, on the left-hand side of the room. This will provide players with a map of the Library Car.
- Bookshelf, at the far bottom-right of the room. This will highlight that the manual for the Mirage Express is out of place.
- Doorway, behind Vector on the left-hand side of the room. This will highlight Shadow locking and unlocking doors suspiciously.
After collecting all three clues, Tails will tell the player they know enough to interrogate Vector and Espio.
While not strictly required, players are encouraged to check the trash can in every room to provide context for a running gag which will be paid off later.
Think! Like a Detective
Interrogation sequences aren't just fancy dialogue trees. During interrogations, the player will be prompted to complete a "Think!" minigame whenever they present a piece of evidence or offer conjecture. These platforming sections are in the style of Sonic 2 and Sonic 3D Blast special stages, requiring the player to collect enough rings by the level's end to progress.
There is no penalty for failing a Think! section, besides needing to retry it. If the player is struggling to complete the Think! minigames, the difficulty may be adjusted through the options menu under the "assist mode" tab.
Each new area brings with it a new obstacle for its Think! sections, which for the Library Car is spinning blades. These blades are signaled by the columns they will cover, blinking red, and turning to a solid red just before the blades are fired. Blades may be avoided by moving to another column or jumping over them, but often lines of rings are placed in the same columns as blades. For this reason, confident players should try to time their jumps to avoid the blades and reap the reward of extra rings.
Step-by-Step Interrogation Guide
Once the clues in the above section are all collected, players may talk to either Vector or Espio to begin the interrogation. If players have not yet spoken to the selected character, a short dialogue will play before the option to interrogate appears. In this chapter, interrogation can be initiated with either suspect, leading to the same outcome. No decisions prior to the interrogation affect gameplay and are purely flavorful.
Tails will begin to press Vector and Espio on their alibis. Vector seems clean, but Espio raises some suspicion. To complete the interrogation:
- Select the Mirage Express Manual as a clue, then complete a Think! minigame.
- Select any three pages arbitrarily; Espio's dialogue will remain the same.
- Select either option, though picking "no" prompts a humorous poem.
- Select Shadow's lock as a clue, then complete a Think! minigame.
- Select either option.
- Select the library map as a clue, then complete a Think! minigame.
- Select the desk nestled between two bookshelves pictured above.
Tails will be satisfied with the Chaotix's alibis, and the interrogation will end. The player may explore the room for any remaining flavor text and, when ready, may proceed to the next car through the doorway behind Vector.
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog can be played on Windows and macOS.