The Shapeshifting Detective is an Interactive Movie in which you play a detective who can change into other people at will. Released by D'Avekki Studios in November 2018, it was created by Tim and Lynda Cowles who also made The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker. The game is something of a Spiritual Successor to Dekker in that it is also a murder mystery with a variety of different outcomes.
In 2020, the game was given a spin-off in the form of Dark Nights with Poe & Munro.
This game provides examples of:
- The Ace: Dorota Shaw was such a good cellist that she received a scholarship to Juilliard.
- Actor Allusion: Several:
- Rupert Booth (Chief Dupont) also played a law enforcement official in Contradiction. In that game, he was the detective who had to report to an unseen superior. In this game, you are an unseen detective who has to report to him. At one point, he says something is a "contradiction" as well as his signature line, "Does this mean anything to you?". If you change into him, Violet says, "Don't try to get me to contradict myself".
- Speaking of Violet, her actress Aislinn De'ath played Marianna in Dekker. Both characters initially claim to have gaps in their memory but later reveal that something far more sinister is going on. They are also both described as "beautiful" or "gorgeous" by other characters.
- Rachel Cowles (Sophia) is the daughter of game developers Tim and Lynda Cowles. In Dekker, she played Molly who also comes across as a Creepy Child.
- Largely averted with Anarosa De Eizaguirre Butler (Bronwyn) who was also in Contradiction but plays a very different character here. The only thing they have in common is lying to the detective.
- The Alibi: One of the main objectives in the game is to determine if the characters' alibis check out. Oscar was playing football in front of several witnesses, Poe and Munro were on the air, and Dupont was at the station (as confirmed by security cameras). The other characters' alibis are flimsy at best: Rayne was in his room (no witnesses), Zak was in his studio (ditto), and Violet doesn't remember. Bronwyn was logged into a tarot-reading service but she lies in order to protect Lexie, who doesn't have an alibi.
- Ambiguously Human:
- It's left uncertain as to whether Sam is a human with shapeshifting powers or some kind of otherworldly entity; reverting to your true form will result in horrified reactions and Agent X makes several comments indicating that you might not be human, but it's never made clear. If you get killed in the finale, police will have trouble determining your species, much less your identity.
- Agent X is similarly ambiguous; he doesn't seem to possess shapeshifting powers, but he somehow has the power to rewind you back to the start of the game if you piss him off in the intro, appears to issue context-sensitive advice to you when you're in your room, and you somehow end up meeting up with him regardless of whether you choose to stay in August or leave with the Tarot readers.
- Anti-Climax: If you manage to successfully guess who killed Dorota, Dupont locks them up. This means they can't kidnap and confront you, resulting in a somewhat anticlimactic ending.
- Artifact Alias: Rayne is revealed to be Lawrence Petrovsky. He's not a Russian spy but he is a suspect in a previous murder case. Despite this, he's still referred to as "Rayne" for the rest of the game.
- Artistic License: The tarot cards used in the game are accurate, but Mercury - the tarot set that gives you the question as well as the answer - is fictional.
- Bad Liar: Lexie doesn't have a dishonest bone in her body, and her attempts to lie are really spectacular in their ineptitude. Among other things, her alibi changes depending on who's asking, and her attempt to claim that she and Bronwyn were playing Solitaire on the night of the murder collapses in on itself the moment you point out that Solitaire is supposed to be played alone. When she lets slip that she and the other Tarot readers came to August to do a job, she backtracks and claims that she didn't say job, but "chob"... and when asked what the hell this means, she spins an elaborate and utterly ridiculous yarn about how the group performs a divination ritual using a cheese obelisk - a chob.Sam: I know you're lying.Lexie: [smiling desperately] No you don't.
- Bond One-Liner: Two non-lethal variants occur in the finale, but only if you get captured by the killer.
- In the event that the killer is Violet and you manage to bamboozle her into thinking you were Zak all along, she unties you of her own free will, babbling frantically that the two of you can finally be together... whereupon you knock her out and remark "Sorry, Violet..."
- On the other hand, if the killer is Rayne and you transform into Bronwyn, one possible outcome is for him to untie you while trying to explain himself, admitting that he didn't have enough time to make sense of what was happening on the night Dorota was murdered. You then sneak up behind him and knock him out, remarking, "You'll have plenty of time."
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Ellis. Questioning reveals she is having affairs with both Dorota and Poe, both of which are in relationships and the latter of which has a wife and kids. Whilst initially displaying a sweet and lonely demeanor, she is later shown to be playing coy and becomes very flirtatious, explaining her actions by saying she wants "to taste all the sweet things" and keep her options open. She comes onto Sam, even after Poe has declared he will leave his wife for her and implies she is now more interested in Sam. Sam can call her out on the act.
- Calling Card: Dorota was found with a gold coin in her mouth, which is something only the killer would know; depending on the playthrough, Bronwyn can suggest this is part of a rite being used by the Travelers, or it could just be a sick joke used by a mundane serial killer.
- Casanova Wannabe: Zak fancies himself quite the ladies' man but doesn't have as much luck with them as he'd like. He's divorced and the police are investigating him over a suspected sexual assault. In the event that you accept a drink from him (while disguised as Lexie), it turns out to have been spiked.
- Chick Magnet: "Sam" proves to be quite popular with the ladies. Both Lexie and Ellis say they've fallen for you.
- Collector of Forms: The titular detective can only transform into people they've already encountered, so if you want to impersonate a character, you have to go out of your way to meet them first.
- Covert Group: Whatever organization employs Sam and Agent X; the group is decidedly nebulous, and you never learn who they are, what their overarching goal is, or how Sam ended up with them - though it's implied by Agent X that you're either their prisoner or employed under extremely punitive conditions.
- Creator Cameo: Tim Cowles has a non-speaking role as the cab driver.
- Creepy Child: Played with. A little girl named Sophia pops up at one point, seemingly out of nowhere, but we later learn she is Violet's goddaughter and is perfectly normal.
- Dirty Cop: Downplayed in the case of Chief Dupont. He's offering to bury evidence that could incriminate you in exchange for your help in solving the case, he's also agreed to forgive Oscar's parking tickets in return for him obtaining evidence of Bronwyn's guilt (namely by seducing her), and he's going to great lengths to protect Violet from being suspected of Dorota's murder; however, there's no evidence of real corruption apart from this, and he generally prefers to bend the law rather than outright break it.
- The Ditz: Lexie can come across as this at times. She's a bit naive, a very bad liar, and practically worships Bronwyn but does genuinely want to help the investigation.
- Driven to Suicide: In the ending where Violet is the killer, you can change into her. This will cause her to go mad and shoot herself.
- Easter Egg: In addition to Poe and Munro, the radio plays various short stories (read by Let's Players). They don't advance the plot in any way but they do contribute to the game's spooky atmosphere.
- Everyone Is a Suspect: Chief Dupont suspects the tarot readers at first but your job is to treat every character as if they're a suspect. You can even ask Dupont if he has an alibi (which he does).
- Extremely Short Timespan: The game begins at 5 PM and ends the morning after.
- Faint in Shock:
- In the event that you get caught impersonating Bronwyn by Bronwyn herself, she'll believe that she has a doppelganger and pass out.
- During the optional finale, if the killer turns out to be Zak Weston, the easiest way of turning the tables is to shapeshift into Zak himself. The man's so stunned by the sight that he faints on the spot, giving you the perfect opportunity to escape and tie him up.
- Featureless Protagonist: Although you can change into almost every character in the game, most of the time you play as the gender-neutral "Sam" (which can be short for either Samuel or Samantha). And even that isn't your real form (which Agent X says "nobody wants to see"). If you get drugged, you revert to your natural state and frighten the onlookers in the process. If you manage to get yourself killed in the finale, the police have trouble determining what species you are.
- Fiery Redhead:
- Violet has no problem telling it as she sees it, even referring to the late Dorota Shaw as "slutty". She also has a temper, which manifests itself if you ask too many questions about her alleged abduction by aliens. It's partly justified since she's had a hard life. Her parents beat her with a belt for the slightest indiscretion note and she was in a satanic cult at one point.
- Ellis is also a redhead but only gets angry if you leave her with Danny - or pretend to be Oscar and suggest having sex.
- First-Name Basis: If you change into Dupont, it's revealed that he and Violet are on a first-name basis with each other.
- Friends with Benefits: Zak and Violet. Violet denies it but if you change into Zak, the way she talks to you speaks volumes.
- Full Motion Video: The game is entirely live action but also makes good use of radio voiceovers.
- Gambit Pileup: Your investigation is tangled up in the Tarot readers' attempt to stop the Traveler, in the killer's efforts to escape justice, in Chief Dupont's misguided efforts to pin the blame on Bronwyn, and several other petty rivalries and relationships throughout the town. For good measure, your ability to shapeshift allows you to muddy the waters even further.
- The Handler: Agent X walks a fine line between this trope and Mysterious Employer, given how little is actually known about the organization he works for. However, he seems to be overseeing the mission directly, given that he can somehow provide you with long-distance advice and is well aware of everything you do over the course of your time in August.
- Hotter and Sexier: Dekker had some sexual innuendo but it was only conveyed through dialogue. In this game, you can view boudoir photos and video of Dorota. If you change into Bronwyn, you can attempt to seduce Oscar and say things like, "I want you inside me". If you change into Lexie, you can have Zak take topless photos of you.
- Idyllic English Village: The story begins with the eponymous detective being packed off to the small English town of August in order to investigate a murder. Of course, the game takes place almost entirely at night, so the rural setting is played for suspense, especially once you start sneaking around in the forms of the residents and uncovering the weirder things they've been up to. Along with an abysmal nightlife, a mentioned-but-unseen vicar, and homeless people sleeping under hedges, the most typical small-town trope on display is the Guest House, an old-fashioned stately home converted into a B&B (retaining the priceless carpets).
- In-Joke: The radio in the guesthouse is manufactured by a company called Dekker.
- Insane Equals Violent: Subverted. Violet is taking clozapine for a suspected case of schizophrenia, cannot remember what she was doing on the night of Dorota's murder, and was apparently abducted by aliens - an incident that may or may not be a delusion. In the event that she is the killer, however, it turns out that the murder(s) have nothing to do with schizophrenic delusions and everything to do with jealousy... assuming it wasn't the Traveler at work.
- Inspector Lestrade: Chief Inspector Dupont is very much the Lestrade to your Holmes, especially given that he suspects Bronwyn of being behind the murder and he's pretty much dependent on your advice in order to put the pieces of the puzzle together. That said, he's competent enough to keep tabs on the suspects while you've been tasked with defending Ellis.
- Intoxicated Superpower Snag: If you decide to become Lexie and try to get answers out of Zak Weston, he immediately gets very sleazy, offering you a glass of vodka as he tries to rope you into a naked photoshoot. If you actually go through with it, you quickly discover that your drink has been spiked, causing you to lose control of your powers and revert to your true form - not the "Sam" persona, but your real true form. You recover quickly, but Zak is so horrified by the sight that he refuses to speak to you again.
- It's All My Fault: Oscar blames himself for Dorota's death because he wasn't there to save her.
- Jump Scare: A few here and there, whether it's Sophia suddenly appearing in the hallway, Ellis returning your phone or Rayne saying "Boo!".
- Karma Houdini: The tarot readers believe that Travelers jump dimensions after committing murder and are thus impossible to bring to justice.
- Large Ham: Poe the radio host has a flair for the theatrical when speaking.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: The game gives you the option of deleting questions. If you ask Agent X "Who are you?", he rewinds the game to the beginning until you get the hint and delete the question.
- Masquerade: Agent X sternly warns to keep your powers and true nature a secret; failing to abide by these rules will result in you being "deprecated". Also, you're instructed not to let anyone outside the Tarot readers know about the Travellers, Agent X claiming that they aren't ready yet.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Unlike Dekker, the game is unambiguously supernatural since there is no question about the player character's ability to shapeshift. However, some story elements are not so straightforward:
- Is Violet really being abducted by aliens or is it all in her head?
- Is the killer really possessed by an interdimensional traveller or are they just insane? Agent X confirms that Travellers are real in a voice-over, but depending on the playthrough, Bronwyn may admit to being sceptical about whether the killer they're chasing is actually one of them.
- Mean Boss: Agent X is a cold, harsh, unsympathetic handler who makes it abundantly clear that he won't tolerate failure, even telling you that the only reason you're alive is because his organization wants you to be. In fact, the only reason why he isn't a Bad Boss is because he doesn't engage in outright abuse and at least takes the trouble to warn you of problems in advance. More to the point, he'll reward you if you succeed in your mission.
- The Men in Black: Agent X and the organization he represents certainly comes across as this, with his natty black suit and hat. It seems that their role is to stop otherworldly threats like the Travellers while preventing anyone from learning too much about the paranormal, but the rest of the organization remains a mystery even if you manage to impress Agent X enough to earn "augmentation" as a reward for performing well.
- Multiple Endings: The killer is chosen at random with each new game. You also either save Ellis or fail to save her, depending on the choices you make. If you survive, you can leave with the tarot readers or stay in August. In most endings, Agent X "augments" you as a reward for doing well. But if you are too carefree with your shapeshifting, he "deprecates" you instead.
- Next Tier Power-Up: If you were able to solve the mystery without blowing your cover, Agent X rewards you with "augmentation," implying that you're simultaneously being promoted and being given a boost to your powers.
- No Name Given:
- Agent X, your mysterious boss.
- Also, the player character, since "Sam" is just an alias. In a post-credits scene, Agent X refers to you as Agent 3.13 before "augmenting" you to 3.14.
- Noodle Incident: Chief Dupont promises to "bury" something you did if you catch Dorota's killer. At the end, he tells you the coroner's report will say the woman was dead when you arrived, not after.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- Bronwyn is normally the strong, supportive leader of the tarot readers, always doing her best to put a brave face on things for the sake of Lexie and Rayne. However, it's possible to find her crying alone in her room, having been driven to a Heroic BSoD by their failure to save Dorota or any of the Traveller's previous victims, a sign that things are looking dire in August.
- Zak's smug, oily demeanor almost never lets up, and he doesn't spook easily. If he ever seems genuinely frightened, it's a good indication that things are serious for him: most notably, in playthroughs where he turns out to be the killer, shapeshifting into him cuts right through his smug performance and leaves him so overwhelmed with fear and terror that he faints.
- Poe usually comes across as a jovial, rather theatrical character who insists on regaling his audience with morbid tales and bizarre jokes regardless of the circumstances. However, if you manage to get yourself killed in the final confrontation with the killer, Poe sounds genuinely dispirited for the first time in the entire story, to the point that he can't even bring himself to tell a joke. It's because Ellis - who Poe was in love with - ended up as one of the killer's victims as well in this ending.
- Plot-Triggering Death: The murder of 21-year-old cellist Dorota Shaw is what sets the plot in motion.
- Police Are Useless: Ellis says that the only thing she's seen Dupont chase after is an ice cream truck and compares his assistant Danny to Dewey from Scream. Dupont is almost entirely reliant on you and only gives you a few pieces of useful information.
- Post-Adventure Adventure: The game begins in the aftermath of the eponymous character's previous assignment, with Agent X raking you over the coals for getting caught. What actually happened isn't specified, but it results in you being sent to the village of August in order to redeem yourself in the eyes of whatever mysterious agency hires shapeshifting detectives... with a strict warning that screwing up this time will result in you being "deprecated." For good measure, it soon becomes clear that your contact in August, Police Chief Dupont, is the only man who can make what happened in your previous assignment disappear. If you catch the killer, Dupont agrees to have the report rewritten so that you arrived on the scene after the girl died instead of before, but that's about all you learn about the incident.
- Posthumous Character: Dorota, who was murdered prior to your arrival and seen only in archived footage.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Though his abilities as a policemen may be questionable, Chief Dupont is at least willing to accept your evidence and recommendations.
- Red Herring: Lexie doesn't have a real alibi, and Bronwyn lies to you to protect her. However, despite the culprit being randomized each time you play, the culprit isn't either of them.
- A Rotten Time to Revert: You can remain disguised as another character indefinitely despite Agent X's occasional warnings about your ability running out. However, if you try to question Zak Weston while disguised as Lexxie and accept his offer of a modeling session, he'll give you a drink... and unknown to you, it's been spiked. A few sips in, the drug causes you to lose control of your powers and revert to your true form - not "Sam", but your real form. The sight is apparently so horrific that Zak doesn't want to speak to you again.
- Rule of Three: According to the Tarot readers, the Traveler always kills three victims at a time (all of them united by a common attribute) before departing and leaving their host to face the music; Rayne remarks that the one they were tracking in Birmingham murdered three South African women. In turn, the killer loose in August can kill two other victims after Dorota Shaw, all of them united by their distinctive red hair... and will extend their quota to include you if they get the chance.
- Sanity Slippage: This arguably happens to the killer once they reveal themselves to you (depending on whether they're actually possessed or not).
- Secret-Keeper: It's possible for Lexie to discover your secret. You tell her not to tell anyone and she agrees.
- Sequel Hook: The games ends with the words, "The End. Maybe."
- Serial Killer: Your apparent nemesis is a serial killer targeting redheads across August; along with Dorota, they will target Ellis and Violet - and if you're not careful, they can kill both before trying to eliminate you for good measure.
- Shapeshifter Default Form: "Sam" is not your true identity, but it's the one you default to when you're not impersonating anyone else. Your true form can't be accessed, apparently due to Agent X's intervention; you only revert to it in the event that you've been drugged; judging by observer reactions, it's quite disturbing.
- Shapeshifter Showoff Session: You're advised against doing this for the sake of keeping your true nature a secret. However, if you end up captured by the killer in the finale, you have the option of transforming in order to shock them into submission, with the most common option being to turn into the killer themselves. Zak faints in shock, while Violet becomes convinced that she's gone insane and blows her head off; it doesn't work on Reyne, though.
- Shapeshifting Failure:
- In the event that you decide to impersonate Poe, Sam initially has trouble replicating Poe's voice, resulting in their first words in the new disguise coming out in the Voice of the Legion.
- Late in the game, you attempt to get answers out of Zak by approaching him as Lexie, he'll offer you a drink as he tries to rope you into a late night photography session. Unfortunately, the drink is spiked, and the drugs result in you quickly losing control of your powers and reverting - not to the Sam persona, but to your true form, much to Zak's horror.
- Shapeshifting Seducer: It's possible for you to take on certain attractive forms in order to get more information out of suspects, to the point that you can lure Oscar into a romantic encounter while impersonating Bronwyn and get a marriage proposition out of Poe while impersonating Ellis. You can even participate in Zak's nude photoshoot... but unfortunately, this results in Zak giving you a spiked drink, causing you to unintentionally revert to your true form.
- Shapeshifting Trickster: You very commonly put the shapeshifting power to use in getting information from suspects and witnesses that they wouldn't otherwise share with you in your default form. If you feel like playing more unscrupulously, however, you can also use your powers to incriminate other characters, seduce them, or just annoy the living crap out of them; however, pushing this approach too far will result in a bad performance review from Agent X.
- Shapeshifting Sound: Sam always transforms with a faint shaking of the camera and a staticky buzzing sound effect; since the game is shot entirely from a first-person POV, this is the only way that players will recognize that they've shapeshifted.
- Shoulders-Up Nudity: Dorota was found naked in her bed and we see a shot of her dead body that is mostly covered by a bedsheet.
- Sleazy Photoshoot:
- It's indicated that Zak's boudoir photography session with Dorota turned a little bit on the creepy side, as in the final shots, she can be seen backing away from the camera with a look of open fear on her face. Zak's only excuse is that she was just putting on a good performance.
- If you pose as Lexie and pay Zak's a visit, it's possible to agree to participate in one of his photoshoots, during which Zak unexpectedly orders you to go strip naked on camera. Also, the drink he gives you is spiked.
- The Stinger: During the credits, we get to see some of Dorota's radio interview. She says she wants to build a time machine in order to go back and make better choices. After the credits, you can enter a "secret debriefing" where Agent X asks you a series of questions to determine if you're ready for your next assignment. If he doesn't like what he hears, he says you're "stuck in compliance mode".
- Stupidity Is the Only Option: The climax of the game occurs when the killer has you tied up and at their mercy. The only way out is to shapeshift right in front of them, even though Agent X said your one job is to not get caught. However, there is a way to avoid this: if you correctly guess the culprit on your first try, the culprit will be arrested right away and thus won't be able to kidnap you, so you won't have to shapeshift in front of them.
- That Came Out Wrong: Lexie, given that she's a little bit on the ditzy and easily-flustered side, is not above making the odd bit of Innocent Innuendo, much to her embarrassment - especially if you try to flirt with her.There's a murder to solve. Maybe you should do that first, then me. No, no, no - not like that...
- This Was His True Form: If you're killed in the finale, it's indicated that you reverted to your true, non-Sam form after death, as Poe's final radio report indicates that the police are struggling to identify the species of the final body they encountered.
- Trailers Always Spoil: The trailer features shots from some of the endings and reveals the identity of at least one possible killer.
- Transformation Discretion Shot: Because the game is based entirely around POV shots, the player never sees their character actually shapeshift; the only indication that a transformation has taken place is a distinctive buzzing sound, a slight trembling of the screen, and Sam testing out their new voice. It's also possible to get reaction shots from onlookers - though only if you disobey orders and reveal your powers.
- The Unreveal: Exactly who or what you are is never made entirely clear.
- Vampires Are Sex Gods: Bronwyn finds a trashy romance novel about sexy vampires and speculates that it belongs to Violet.
- Video Game Caring Potential: You can show empathy for the characters, resulting in them opening up to you.
- Video Game Cruelty Potential: Or you can be mean and standoffish, causing them to distrust you. Among other things, you can try to seduce Oscar without his consent and kick Zak in the groin.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: You basically have the power to transform into anyone you've met (except for Agent X). As such, this is apparently limited to Humanshifting, though it's also indicated that you might be able to play around with Shapeshifter Baggage given that you can switch from Oscar's skinny build to Zak's burly frame at the drop of a hat. Plus, your attempt to reassure Ellis indicates that you might be able to use your power for offensive purposes - and in the finale, you prove capable of knocking out the killer and escaping from being tied up even if the killer doesn't release you before fainting or comitting suicide. However, Agent X warns you that your ability to maintain a form can run out, though this never comes up in the game; you're also warned specifically not to transform into a child, though it's not known if this is an ethical issue or due to the limitations of your powers. It's implied that your reward for unmasking the killer while keeping your true nature a secret is a power upgrade.
