Part 44: Episode 3, Day 1, Investigation: A Picture Better Be Worth a Lot

Part 44: Episode 3, Day 1, Investigation: A Picture Better Be Worth a Lot

Music: Silence



We've finally made it! Now to look for clues!



Buck up, Maya! This isn't your first crime scene, after all! And there's no dead body still on the scene, either!

What is it?

...

You're real quiet all of a sudden.

Doesn't it give you the shivers, Nick?



Well, the Evil Magistrate did die here.

And the Steel Samurai killed him.



Music: Investigation - Opening



Once again, we have no one to talk to, so let's look around at everything but that chalktape outline first.



First up, a simple ladder.

Look, a ladder!

That's a "step"-ladder.

So? What's the difference?



Is that supposed to be a "step-parents are real parents" pun?

R-right... sorry. (This girl is OUT there!)



Fancy camera... too bad it wasn't rolling during the murder.

Wow, look at that camera! That must cost a ton!

Yeah! So don't touch it!



Oh, Maya...

Music: Silence


<sup>Sound: Objection


Sound: Realization
Sound: Light Bulb</sup>

Finally, a fresh face to interrogate!


^{Sound: Whack}

Umm... who are you?

Who me? I'm an assistant here.



So is that thing around her neck one of the props? I can't tell if it's a stopwatch, a bottle of perfume, or a hand grenade.



Did Maya pass the bar exam some time in the last month, or does she just not know what "we" means?

Oh, you're WP's people.

"WP"...? Oh, Will Powers. W.P., I get it.

I don't envy you guys one bit!

But... do what you can for WP, okay?



I like Penny already. Way better than Oldbag.

Don't worry, leave it to us!

Music: Dick Gumshoe - Detective Gumshoe, Pal



No, I don't know why Gumshoe's theme starts playing here now, but I like it better anyway so I'm not going to complain.



Anyway, let's keep looking around.

Looks like a backdrop for a stage.

This must be used in the Steel Samurai show.



Doesn't the Steel Samurai take place in Olde Tokyo? Can you even see Mt. Fuji from there?



Right, big difference there I bet.

Oh. Right.



Classic director's chair.


^{Sound: Light Bulb}

I've always wanted to sit in one of these.

Hey Nick, take a look at that.



And look! A megaphone! A real live megaphone!

Where? I don't see that there.

...



(This girl is more troubled than I thought...)



Weird-looking panel here.

What's this?



The assistant holds it during filming.

Huh.





(I think she's being serious...!)

Everyone just wants to go straight to the top.



Okay, time to look at the odd outline here.

They outlined where Jack Hammer's body lay with tape.



I guess that's why the head part looks like a helmet.



Ooh, that's what I thought during the flashback we got!

I guess the costume must have absorbed most of it...



Well that's all there is to see, guess it's time to show this lady our badge to let her know we mean business.

Um, any thoughts about this?

Sorry...



No real reaction to our badge or anything else we're carrying.



Just two conversation topics, too. If we don't get something actionable here, we're at a dead end. It's a little weird that Penny won't even show up until you examine a random background object (the camera). Just making sure that the player is still using all the parts of the investigation game I guess.

Could you tell me anything about the day of the murder?

Yes. I was in the studio the whole day.

I was the only assistant on staff that day, you see.


^{Sound: Light Bulb}



Rare typo from what has been an excellent localization so far.

And yesterday was only rehearsal for our action sequences.

Oh, I see.

Music: Logic and Trick



Is that Oldbag back there watching the scene? Also this shot looks more like the Employee Area?

WP and Hammer were there, along with everyone else.

The employee area--that's where Powers's dressing room is, right?

Yes, that's the place.



I wonder, why did Hammer wander over to Studio One by himself, anyway?

Then I saw WP go into his dressing room.

Music: Silence



It would've been nice to get some confirmation of WP's alibi, but that would probably be too easy.

Music: Investigation - Opening



Did you know that Mr. Powers was sleeping in his room?



I mean, it's his private... What kind of a girl do you think I am!?

W-what kind...? No, no, I'm sure you're a fine girl. Um, sorry.



Seems like we're out of luck, but the game is here to save us with a bonus scene!



If WP was the only one who came to the studio...

I like how Maya has jumped right on board with calling our client "WP".



Hmm...

Umm...

Sorry... I know you're busy.

Music: Silence

Not really.


^{Sound: Realization}

Ah hah!
^{Sound: Objection}

That's what I'm talking about! A clue! A lead!

Music: Suspense



You "sensed"?
^{Sound: Realization}

The last case had the victim possessing her sister to write out a list of names for us to read in court to entice a confession. Seems like we should at least hear Penny out.

Yes, several times.

Some other studio employees, maybe?

No, I don't think so.



I was the only assistant here that day.



Was there a director or some other non-assistant staff around? Or are we really looking at a four-person locked-box studio murder with our client, the victim, Penny, and Oldbag? Wait, did someone sneak in through the open grate in the Employee Area? Then steal the samurai suit and run off to kill the Hammer? How did they get back out?

R-really!?
^{Sound: Light Bulb}

But wait, if someone had come in here...


^{Sound: Realization}

Yeah, you're right.

Maybe? The images earlier showed she was hanging out in the Employee Area, too. And she said she only checks the photos at the end of the day.



Music: Silence

No, thanks! That helps us a lot. Anything helps.



Uh, okay, I guess? Not like we have any other leads.

Music: Investigation - Opening



Let's see if we can get anything more specific out of Penny first, though.

So you sensed that someone other than the regular film crew was in the studio?

Yes... I think.

("I think" doesn't cut it in a witness testimony.)

No kidding, Edgeworth would have a field day with that. Though come to think of it, if the killer was someone outside of the studio, they're going to be a lot harder for us to track down. Can we go investigate the victim yet?


^{Sound: Light Bulb}

If someone else came into the studio, she must have seen them!



Our profile for the assistant. Game, if you're going to give us her full name anyway, why not put it up in the profile header? I wonder if she also has anything to do with costumes. Oh, look, another name pun - Penny-Nickels. Later we'll meet her cousin, Dime Quarters.



Well, nothing more to do here anyway. Let's blow past Gumshoe and confront the old bag again!

Music: Silence



Okay, deep breaths, you can do this Phoenix. Time to yell at an old lady!


^{Sound: Light Bulb}

Really! You look as though you've seen a ghost!

We have, at the end of the last episode.

Music: Investigation - Opening



Let's get straight to the point, shall we?


^{Sound: Realization}

I wanted to ask you again about yesterday...

You came here at 1:00 PM, correct?

And the estimated time of Hammer's death was 2:30.



Sure as can be!



Geez, Maya, be cool!

What!?
^{Sound: Realization}



...

Music: Silence

Ma'am?
^{Sound: Realization}

Who was it?


^{Sound: Super Shock}

Eek!
<sup>Sound: Stab


Sound: Whack
Sound: Damage 2</sup>

Someone's been complaining about the work I do, eh!?



Wow, Maya, way to rat her out.


^{Sound: Whack}

I smell a rant coming, I hope you're a fast reader:


^{Sound: Objection
Sound: Drama Pound
Sound: Zooma}

She left...

Well, Nick?



There is still no music, but the birds are chirping again.



Time to take a peek at that computer!

The computer that runs the studio security cameras.

Nick!



Yeah, maybe.



I mean, yeah, obviously.


^{Sound: Light Bulb}

You know how to work these things, Nick?

Looks like I just have to enter in a few numbers.


Let's see... first, I need the date of the murder.



That's when Jack Hammer went over from the Employee Area to Studio One.



Also true. Maybe she missed someone following right behind him?



Three options here, but I wrote it down a couple updates ago figuring I would need to remember it later.

There! Entered!


...


^{Sound: Light Bulb}

Music: Suspense

Let's see what we got...


^{Sound: Realization}

That sure looks just like a guy in the costume. Also it sure seems like the legs on that costume are way too long for whoever is wearing it; it's unlikely to actually be Will Powers in there, right?

...

Huh?
^{Sound: Realization}



Well, he is the one who always wears that suit...





Eh, we'll see. I'm not convinced he would have noticed.


^{Sound: Light Bulb}



Photo #2? So where is Photo #1?

What does that mean?

Maybe there's more photo data from that day?

Music: Silence



Would the first photo be Hammer going to Studio One? Why would that one be missing? Or is it someone else who also went there? Are there more photos after the second one that are also missing? How did the murderer leave the studio afterward?


^{Sound: Select Jingle}

Music: Investigation - Opening

Hey, hey, Nick!



I guess? Seems like we're going to need a lot more than that though. We barely know anything about what happened or why.

Yeah.



Right, we'll put her in her place...
^{Sound: Realization}

Hey, that's what I said!

Anyway...



Wait. Let's not.

Why not?
^{Sound: Light Bulb}



Nick! You're craftier than I gave you credit for.


^{Sound: Pong}

Hey! Why do I have to be the villain.



What? No, we have way more dirt we need to dig up here.



No no no we're nowhere near ready for trial yet. I had like eight pieces of evidence before trial last time. You want to go with just a photo? (And an autopsy report, map, and cardkey, I guess...)

Still, it'd be better if we had some idea who the real killer was!



Maybe it really is that security lady...?



Wow, that's really all for the initial investigation.

Music: Jingle - It Can't End Here



Well, I guess next time we're off to trial already!