Though i'm playing Mean Streets right now, I was wondering - MS has this Philip Marlowe + Blade Runner noir feeling of murder, mystery, conspiracy, corruption, dark alleys filled with crime... but i keep hearing about the "humor" of the later installments... i don't have anything against humor, but does it sacrifice the elements mentioned above or just adds to them? I hope it's the second....

As I recall, starting with the 3rd game when it goes FMV, it starts adding humor into the series. It still has the same noir feel, but Murphey is much more of a butt monkey. For instance, try grabbing the gun in the third game. The mystery is still the same classic formula, though.

The later games have noir like elements, but also a campy comedy feeling as well with the FMV sequences. This is part of the charm in the later games, they didn't have big name actors to portray the characters - so they used folks who where available... programmers, developers, etc. This is part of the charm of UAKM, Pandora Directive is a lite bit darker as one of the story paths (it has multiple paths and endings) has more of a 'hard boiled' edge. I never did finish overseer, but is is also a darker game than UAKM.

They are some of my favorite games that I've ever played, I'd for sure give them a shot the next time they go on sale.

yeah the fmv games have a silly "b-movie" feel to them. But theyr still noir and have dark elements (especially pandora directive)

good. Actually, having finished the first one and in progress in the second, i see the humor shows there already: especially if you try to "taste" the garbage in the trash can. The french-accent photographer with a thing for underage erotica killed me.

I disagree with the big names though. There are many good less-known / unknown actors in theater, TV or independent movie area that I don't have any idea why some FMV games have to have so bad acting. Unless the actors are the developers themselves of course. Though the presence of (at least some) gameplay stretches our tolerance for cheesiness in games (check the cheesiness in great FMV game that is Gabriel Knight 2), you sometimes wonder, why the devs insisted on stretching it thaaat far. Actually the acting in the small filmed dialogs in the 2nd Tex Murphy is quite good so far.

I believe that fmv games can be good if the actual movie-makers cooperate with game producers. I hope the "interactive movie" genre will someday be born again, even if in independent niché.

As you may already know, the actor who plays tex is in fact one of the developers, and he does an amazing job.

I didn't know that! But that only means he is a good actor (at least suited for this kind of role).

yeah wouldnt expect that to work so well in 99% of games, but its a fun fact that tex is actually one of the creators.

Just abit of history Chris Jones did some acting with a friend group nothing professional but 1 is partly on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xbrt5DhV-o

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*