Still Life involves two timelines: modern day Chicago and late 1920s Prague. Do players jump back and forth between these dates? Or do you investigate both murder cases in the present time?

ML: When Victoria finds her grandfather's journal and starts reading it, we are transported to Prague of the late 20s. Then we start playing Gus. There are a number of chapters in the game, moving between the different time periods (2004 Chicago and 1929 Prague). Cinematic cut scenes create the bridge between the two time periods. The game is linear though. The player cannot switch from one period to the other whenever he or she wants to. The switches are predetermined.

How much research was done before or during the development of Still Life? Did you research homicides of the past and present to compare the differences in the way that murders are committed?

ML: An enormous amount of time was spent researching the subject (to almost costing my sanity). Actually it was the hardest thing in all the game's development for me personally, for obvious reasons. It's not exactly what I call a "fun read." However there are very interesting books to read about MO, anything that John Douglas wrote, but more specifically The Anatomy of Motive. His books are an absolute must if you ever create a murderer as a character.