At Least Passable Detective Games

The best genre with the worst games.

Blade Runner
Blade Runner
actually good!
The Case of the Golden Idol
The Case of the Golden Idol
A bit too transparently just a matching puzzle game to REALLY hit as hard as Obra Dinn, but the detecting is still great and organic without much hand holding.
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium
The detecting is ok but the game is great
Gone Home
Gone Home
largely single path, but has a decent bit of player agency. Would be a good foundation for a great detective game.
Hitman 3
Hitman 3
The fact that a one off optional path in a single level of an assassination game is a better detective game than most is a perfect exemplification of the pain that is the existence of a detective genre fan. Play without full mission story guidance and hints.
KGB
KGB
non hand-holdy to a fault, and absurdly difficult.
The Last Express
The Last Express
messy as hell but very very cool!
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn
Great!
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments
overly hand holdy clue collection, but the accusation system is cool
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
decent balance of player deduction and some hand holding for the commoners.

Comments




Last updated: