Detective Games
Ongoing coverage on Detective Games.
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Grab a 97%-rated samurai roguelike and a surreal detective game for nothing with this week's Epic Games Store free games
The Epic Games Store is offering Shogun Showdown, a turn-based strategic roguelike with deckbuilding elements, and Mindcop, a surreal noir detective game, for free. Both titles are highly rated and can be claimed from September 17 to September 24.
After 43 years, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii is making a surprise sequel to his NES murder mystery game
A sequel to Yuji Horii's 1983 murder mystery game, The Portopia Serial Murder Case, has been announced with Horii supervising as executive director. The text-based detective game, set in 1980s Kobe, will feature new characters and a new string of murders. It is slated for a 2027 release on Nintendo Switch and PC, though English language support is not yet confirmed.
Future Games Show at Gamescom 2026: Every Announcement and Game Revealed | Invision Game Community
The Future Games Show at Gamescom 2026 featured over 40 game announcements, including world premieres and new gameplay. The showcase highlighted a diverse range of titles across genres like RPGs, shooters, and strategy games, with many set for 2026 and 2027 releases on PC and consoles. Notable reveals included new entries in established franchises and unique indie projects.
The Sinking City 2 coming to Nintendo Switch 2
Frogwares has announced that The Sinking City 2 will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027. This third-person survival horror game, set in 1920s Arkham, features Lovecraftian themes, resource management, and investigation elements. The game focuses on a desperate rescue mission amidst a supernatural flood.
The Golden Idol Saga Nintendo Switch physical release announced
Super Rare Games, in partnership with Color Gray Games and Playstack, has announced a physical release for The Golden Idol Saga on Nintendo Switch. This release will include the base game, its expansions, and all four DLCs on a single cartridge. Pre-orders for both standard and Deluxe Editions open on August 27.
The Sinking City 2 ditches the thinky stuff for classic survival horror, but I'm yet to decide if it's truly better for it
The Sinking City 2 is transitioning from its predecessor's investigative focus to a more traditional survival horror experience, shifting from detective gameplay to increased combat and resource management. While the change is a gamble for developer Frogwares, the article suggests the new direction is proving successful, with impressive visuals and an atmospheric setting complementing the retooled gameplay. The game retains its 1920s Lovecraftian setting but introduces a new protagonist and location, Arkham.
Recension – The Sinking City 2
The Sinking City 2, developed by Frogwares, shifts from its detective roots to an action-horror formula heavily inspired by Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space. While the game features a Lovecraftian story and atmosphere, its core gameplay mechanics, including a simplified deduction system, are considered unoriginal and less effective than its inspirations. Despite competent execution, the game ultimately falls into mediocrity due to its lack of innovation.
Case Solved: The London Files Review | TheXboxHub
Case Solved: The London Files offers a 1960s noir detective experience with three main cases and additional secret puzzles. While the game presents a stylish visual atmosphere and accessible logic puzzles, it suffers from a brief campaign, uninteresting stories, awkward writing, and clues that sometimes require guesswork. The secret cases may also be bugged, making it difficult to recommend.
'I am a big roguelike guy, but also a fan of minimalism and elegance': Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story, guides us through the games in his Steam Library
Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story and Immortality, discusses the games in his Steam library, highlighting his appreciation for roguelikes, minimalism, and elegant game design. He shares his current playthroughs of 868-BACK and D: The Game, his enduring love for classics like The New Zealand Story and Dragon Wars, and his extensive hours in Shiren the Wanderer and Riven.
Kill The Shadow Released
The detective game Kill The Shadow, developed by Shadowlight and Phoenix Game, is now available on PC via Steam. The game features a pixel-art aesthetic, as showcased in its launch trailer.
No Console Needed: Amazon Hands Out a Free Batman Detective Game
Amazon is offering a free Batman detective game, Batman: Caped Crusader Chronicles, playable on smartphones via its cloud streaming platform, Amazon Luna. The game features 11 episodic cases and detective-themed minigames for up to three friends, requiring only an Amazon Prime membership. This release coincides with the second season of Amazon's animated Batman series and is part of Amazon's effort to increase discoverability of its Luna GameNight lineup.
Cosy Noir Detective Game Case Solved: The London Files Launches on Android
The detective game Case Solved: The London Files has launched on Android and PC, developed by Minimol Games. Set in a cosy 1960s London, players investigate three murder cases using logic and evidence analysis. The game features a hand-drawn 2D art style and jazz-inspired music, and is available for $3.99 on the Google Play Store with a launch discount.
"The Case of the Golden Idol-style deduction meets The X-Files": Former BioWare devs unveil supernatural detective game The Eventide
Studio Reset, an indie developer formed by former BioWare staff, has fully revealed its supernatural detective game, The Eventide. The game features a "Parallax Deduction" system where players select two agents with different investigative styles to solve cases. Inspired by The Case of the Golden Idol, it blends supernatural mystery with a neon-noir aesthetic and is available on Steam.
Shift at Midnight Review | TheXboxHub
Shift at Midnight is a co-op horror detective game where players manage a gas station while fending off paranormal doppelgängers. The game blends investigation, management, and survival elements, with a focus on identifying disguised creatures and defending against a powerful entity, especially during blood moon events. While the core gameplay loop is engaging, especially with friends, some performance issues and a lack of complexity in entity encounters are noted.
One of last year's best detective games just got a stellar glow-up from the team behind another top mystery, so that's two reasons not to ignore it this time
The Incident at Galley House is a remake of the 2023 mystery adventure game Type Help, developed by Evil Trout. This new version enhances the original's text-based deduction with visual and audio elements, including a unique 'seance machine' mechanic, while retaining its compelling narrative and challenging puzzles.
Rehaunted, a First-Person Psychological Horror Detective Game, Announced for PC
Rehaunted, a new first-person psychological detective horror game, has been announced for PC. Players will investigate a strange house where clues appear to be misleading, uncovering a deeper mystery.
The follow-up to one of last year's best detective games is off to an 'overwhelmingly positive' start on…
The Incident at Galley House, a new detective puzzle game from developer Evil Trout, has achieved an 'overwhelmingly positive' reception on Steam with 97% of over 600 reviews giving it a thumbs up. This title, along with The Roottrees are Dead, originated as browser games on Itch.io and showcases a trend of detective games inspired by Return of the Obra Dinn.
How Evil Trout aims to turn a cult free game into a Steam hit - again
Indie studio Evil Trout Inc is releasing its second game, The Incident At Galley House, a remake of the free detective game Type Help. This follows their previous success with The Roottrees Are Dead, also a remake of a free Itch.io title. Studio founder Robin Ward aims to turn cult free games into successful Steam releases, with the latest project featuring voice acting and a new interface designed for Steam Deck and consoles.
LA Noire Could Have Featured A Different, Very Famous, And More Expensive Lead Actor
A writer for the 2011 game LA Noire has revealed that actor Jon Hamm was considered for the lead role of Cole Phelps, though Aaron Staton was ultimately chosen. While Hamm was a more expensive option, the writer felt Staton better captured the character's specific nuances. The article also touches on the game's development by Team Bondi, its various platform releases, and the ongoing discussion about a potential sequel.
Best new mobile games on iOS and Android – July 2026 round-up
This July 2026 round-up highlights new mobile games available on iOS and Android, featuring titles like the Advance Wars-inspired Crownlings: Heroes & Conquests, the puzzle game Sky Lobby, and Netflix's Tomb Of The Mask. The article also reviews Mini Murder Mysteries, Rift Wars: Merge Arena, Quack Quack Attack, and Zomline Survival, offering scores and brief descriptions for each.
