With the main character’s role as a Peace Officer (futuristic Police Detective to you and I), the bulk of the game comes down to investigation, with some puzzles thrown into the mix. The world culture dictates that you can only ask a limited number of questions per person, and each person can only be visited once a day. This also means that the game has a clock, where moving between locations passes time and certain areas can only be explored at night. At first this system takes some getting used to, but it soon becomes a natural part of the world. Culpa Innata is indeed fairly non-linear, with the ability to go anywhere and talk to anyone whenever you want (with the exception of the night clubs in the evening), assuming Phoenix has the information or permission to do so. If you really desire, you can act like a complete slacker and watch holovision (futuristic TV), visit the gym and change your outfit after work hours—although this will obviously make your investigation take longer. The non-linear structure will not hinder your progress, however; regardless of what questions you ask, or how long you take, it is impossible to reach a dead end.

There are occasions when the dialogue drags on as a result of this system, and the inability to skip individual lines (whole sequences must be skipped instead) can make it more tedious than necessary. A lot of irrelevant lines of dialogue crop up as well, with many topics overlapping and focusing on the same points of conversation when it really isn't needed. There is also a somewhat bizarre obsession with sex throughout the game. While sex does play a role in some of the story and it's a welcome change to see the matter approached in an adult manner, it's slightly bemusing as to why this line of questioning has to crop up with pretty much every character you encounter. There is nothing graphic or untoward about the way the topic is discussed, it's just a little odd and over the top.

As a consequence of the mass amount of dialogue, there is far more discussion than there is puzzle solving, although what puzzles are included are very well designed. These vary among jigsaw type puzzles, using encoding computer technology to reveal images, finding items, picking locks, assembling video footage, as well as a number of circuit boards (for the more mechanically minded). They never feel illogical and despite some really tough ones near the end of a hidden side quest, there is a set way to complete them. None of the puzzles feel out of place, and they all integrate well into the investigation.

One of the most enjoyable puzzles is interviewing potential immigrants to become World Union citizens. Each interviewee is rigged up to the equivalent of a futuristic polygraph test, with several bars to monitor their reactions. One bar decreases from 100 when there is an emotional reaction to a question, while the other two monitor whether a lie (or fabrication) has been told. These are essentially dialogue puzzles, and depending on your choices the candidates will either pass or fail the examination. It is genuinely possible to admit a candidate who shouldn't be there because of their dubious past by asking the wrong questions, and this will affect your "HDI" ranking at the end of the game. Failure does not mean the end of the game, it just means that small events and your scoring will be affected.

At around 20 hours in length to complete in its entirety, Culpa Innata is a reasonably lengthy adventure and the non-linear structure means that replaying the game can trigger events or the appearance of characters in a different order. This can be shortened to around 15 hours if certain characters or events have not been triggered during the course of the adventure. Yet while there are new people and puzzles to discover the second time around (assuming the subquest isn’t stumbled upon from the outset) such content isn't detailed enough to really add to the story or the overall experience. The subquest doesn't have any direct correlation with the main storyline, and its lack of a resolution does make you question whether it should be in the game at all.

Near the end of the game, it feels like the depth of the storyline goes against Culpa Innata. It is so in-depth that by the time the conclusion nears, there is the sense that the smaller details have been rushed just to finish the game, and the ending is very disappointing, leaving many questions unresolved. The entire subquest is completely neglected, and Phoenix's doubts and unhappiness are never addressed. It's almost as if the developers bit off more than they could chew, and had to race to wrap up matters before the game was released. Either that or there was a sequel in mind right from the start to polish off those loose ends, resulting in a game that feels incomplete in its own right.

It must also be noted that the game is sadly blighted from technical difficulties in the form of game crashes. Although some of these have now been fixed with a series of patches, there are still occasions when the game will quit and cut back to the desktop, meaning that saving regularly is essential.

Despite the various flaws highlighted here, there is a lot to like about Culpa Innata. The storyline gradually draws you in, making you wonder what's around the corner, and the non-linear gameplay makes it feel like a real investigation. The ability to choose where and when to go means that it is possible to play the game in your own way, which is something that not many adventure games allow. This approach to decision-making genuinely gives the impression of freedom, even if the storyline doesn't actually alter as a result. The puzzles are entertaining throughout and the ability to replay different sections for slightly different results is appealing. There are plenty of rough edges, but those who have the patience for the mountains of dialogue and can see past the ropey visuals and gut-wrenching voice acting will find a reasonably engrossing world to explore. Here's hoping for a sequel.

Article editing provided by Evan Dickens.