Maquisard

The Grand Budapest Hotel was an excellent movie from all points of view and the hotel itself, was maybe the best of characters. It was indeed grand and gorgeous, and the framing of every shot in the movie made sure that we all got to see its splendor.

Now, Maquisard comes to life and revives the memories left behind by the film. It’s a lightweight investigation game that draws inspiration from the movie and takes you into a similar world where you have to uncover a government agent who's in hiding.

Maquisard starts off with roughly the same way the movie begins. You are a lobby boy who goes through basic training at the beginning of his new job. After a quick walkthrough of the gameplay mechanics and environment, your workday is over, and as you go to bed, like in the movie, the plot twists start making appearances.

From beneath your floor, an unnamed rebel drills inside your room and informs you of the presence of a government agent who is staying at the hotel. He then leaves you five clues about the target, and you must use your investigation skills to identify him or her from the guests. It’s a simple plot, but its delivery is good.

The gameplay mechanics are easy to pick up and very well designed and implemented. It’s possible to hide behind potted plants to listen in on conversations, and you can even look through a keyhole to see what’s going on in a room. Moreover, you can use various objects to trigger responses from the guests in the hopes of uncovering the agent.

Maquisard isn’t a tough game, but you do need to pay attention and take notes. It’s also a race against time because you have just three days to figure out who the culprit is. Whether you choose one or two guests and follow them around everywhere or spread out to get info on everyone, Maquisard is enjoyable.

On a closing note, Maquisard is something you should play regardless if you’ve seen The Grand Budapest Hotel or not. It’s a lovely little game.