Bestselling crime writer James Patterson is working on a series of casual games based on his Women's Murder Club books. As well as singing the praises of the titles he is developing with I-Play, Patterson was careful to stick a stiletto blade in the back of his competitors.
"I wanted the story to have some dramatic power, something to hold you. I wanted the little side missions - which are a staple of casual games - to be a little more organic. In some casual games they can get a little sloppy. At least in WMC the little things - such as the parts where you have to mix the chemicals in the lab - have some relevance to the main story."
Well, you have to give him this much - nothing says 'dramatic power' like a chemical mixing minigame. Casual game design 'can get sloppy' says author James Patterson [CasualGaming.biz]