The Witness

About

The Witness is a text-based adventure game where you play a detective hired to protect a wealthy man who’s killed in front of you. Set in 1938 Los Angeles, the story unfolds through typed commands as you investigate a stormy night’s murder. With 12 hours to solve the case, you interrogate suspects, piece together clues, and navigate a tangled web of motives. The game relies on sharp observation and logical deduction, all delivered through sparse but atmospheric prose. What sets The Witness apart is its tight mystery structure and the urgency of its time limit. As part of Infocom’s early catalog, it showcases the company’s knack for blending tense narratives with functional parser systems. While its age shows in the occasionally clunky interface, the core puzzle remains satisfyingly brisk and layered. Community ratings often highlight its classic detective flair and the satisfaction of figuring out a well-constructed whodunit.

Storyline

FEBRUARY 1938, LOS ANGELES FDR's New Deal is finally rolling. Hitler's rolling, too; this time through Austria. But as Chief Detective for a quiet burgh on the outskirts of L.A., you've got other fish to fry. One gilt-edged society dame is dead. And now it looks like some two-bit grifter is putting the screws to her multi-millionaire old man. Then, unexpected, on this stormy February night, a wealthy but frightened man has asked you for protection. In spite of your best efforts, a death will occur, and you will have twelve hours to solve the mystery and try to arrest the killer - the shakedown turns ugly. You're left with a stiff and a race against the clock to nail your suspect... unless you get nailed first! Nobody said a sordid family affair like this was going to be a cinch. Everyone from the knockout heiress to the poker-faced butler may end up in the slammer before it's over. Ahead of you is a Gordian knot of motives and alibis. And the only testimony you can trust is that of your own eyes--because you are The WITNESS.