Press release

Wellcome Trust offers chance to feature in 'Criminel', a noir detective game

The Wellcome Trust is offering members of the public the opportunity to have their face featured in 'Criminel', a noir detective mystery game due for release via the App Store in February 2015.

4-minute read
4-minute read

Developed by 4PM Games Ltd., and supported by the Wellcome Trust, 'Criminel' will be made available on iOS touch devices to coincide with the opening of Wellcome Collection’s upcoming exhibition 'Forensics: The anatomy of crime' (26 February to 21 June 2015). Players of ‘Criminel’ must solve a series of chilling murder cases set in the smoky streets, cafes and dark alleyways of Paris at the turn of the 20th century, using some of the earliest forensic techniques ever invented.

The Trust is running a competition for one person (aged 18+) to appear as a witness character in the game. They will have a series of photographs taken, which will be assembled using a technique known as photogrammetry, to create a realistic, three-dimensional likeness. Participants can enter by submitting an answer to the question "Who invented the ‘mug shot’?" via Twitter, with the winner chosen at random from all the correct entries. More information on early crime photography and the competition can be found on the Wellcome Collection blog.

Iain Dodgeon, Creative Partnerships Manager at the Wellcome Trust, said: "Games are able to bring a whole new perspective to a subject. The Wellcome Collection forensics exhibition brilliantly explores the gruesome history of a discipline we are most familiar with through television. Playing ‘Criminel’ lets you experience a key part of its evolution first hand.

"We are delighted to be able to offer someone the chance to take that even further by getting a behind-the-scenes look at the process, and appear in the game itself."

With AAA visuals and audio, players will enjoy a gripping thriller storyline on an adventure that is more authentic and cinematic than the average 21st-century shooting game.

"'Criminel' is something very different for the App Store," commented Bojan Brbora, founder of 4PM. "We like to think we’re going where other developers fear to tread with this title, we know we have a fantastic storyline and gameplay mechanics implemented and we can’t wait to find out what real gamers think of the experience."

For more information on the competition and the exhibition please visit the Wellcome Collection blog or visit @ScreenWellcome on Twitter.

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