A Detective's Novel (2016)

Developer: Amaterasu Software
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Adventure, Indie
Rating: 3.4 of 5, 896 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.9 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Playing feels like piecing together clues in a gloomy, quiet manor through careful observation and conversation.

adventuremysteryinvestigativeatmosphericstory-drivendialogue-heavyslow-paced

What players say

Players describe a short, classic detective visual novel with a mystery and some unexpected twists, though opinions are split on the writing and art. Some praise the focused story and characters, while others find the writing dull, the deduction mechanics unsophisticated, and the visuals inconsistent enough to cause eye strain.

Screenshots

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More by Amaterasu Software

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.