Fighting crime is a staple of many video games. Players could be superheroes using powers to stop the destruction, or they could just be random individuals who find themselves in a peculiar situation needing to stop bad guys. Regardless, there’s no role more fun to take on than detective.
Detective games are narrative-driven, giving players the ability to immerse themselves in the mystery. Finding clues, hunting suspects, and solving crimes can be satisfying. It isn’t always done well, so it’s worth praising the games that have done a good job of giving the players the tools to crack the case. Here are the best detective games, according to Metacritic.
10 The Wolf Among Us (80)
The Big Bad Wolf is fighting back against crime. Based on the Fables comic book series by Bill Willingham, The Wolf Among Us is the story of Fabletown and its sheriff, Bigby Wolf. He and his associate Snow White begin an investigation into the death of Faith, a fellow Fable, when they discover her head on the doorstep to the Woodlands apartment complex. The game allows players to explore environments and find objects that may be related to the case they are solving. The game also relies heavily on the player’s choices as they have an impact later in the game.
9 Frog Detective 2: The Case Of The Invisible Wizard (81)
There are a few great lighthearted detective games out there. Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard is a perfect example of this. In the sequel to The Haunted Island, Frog Detective receives a call from their superior saying that there is a new resident in town and how residents are going to throw the new resident a parade. After parade decorations are destroyed, Frog Detective must find the culprit while also solving the mystery of the resident, who is an invisible wizard. The game focuses on character dialogue and collecting clues.
8 The Darkside Detective (81)
An 8-bit buddy cop “micro-adventure” game, The Darkside Detective combines humor with mystery. The star is Detective Francis McQueen, a member of the Darkside Division in Twin Lakes City. He and his partner, Officer Patrick Dooley, must work together to fight back against the paranormal evils of the city’s underbelly.
The game relies on navigating a 2D world while solving various puzzles that stand in the way. McQueen and Dooley also talk with local residents, who bring their own information and comedy to the story.
7 Condemned 2: Bloodshot (82)
A detective game that dips more into the horror genre, Condemned 2: Bloodshot is a sequel to Condemned: Criminal Origins. The 2008 game is the second chapter in the story of Ethan Thomas, an investigator for the FBI’s Serial Crime Unit. In this game, Thomas is recruited back to his job after resigning following the end of the original game. He is tasked with solving a murder while also discovering his true nemesis, Serial Killer X, is still alive. The first-person game features melee-oriented combat as well as adventure mechanics revolving around investigating crime scenes.
6 The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter (82)
Another horror and investigative game, The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter focuses more on puzzles and stealth gameplay to tell its story. Players are Paul Prospero, a paranormal investigator who receives a letter from a young fan and is inspired to meet him. Upon arriving at the fan’s hotel, Prospero learns that 12-year old kid, Ethan Carter, has gone missing. Prospero must deal with paranormal activity to find Carter and solve the mysteries of the small town. The game is open-world and leaves the player to discover much of the story and mechanics.
5 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (83)
A unique twist on a detective game, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective has players solving a crime from the grave. The ghost of Sissel wakes up to discover they don’t know who they used to be and who killed them. The game revolves around finding clues to get answers to those questions. Along the way, Sissel must use his paranormal powers to save lives by taking control of their corpses and rewinding time. Players can jump between the Land of the Living (with time moving) and the Ghost World (where time is stopped) to ultimately figure out the mysteries in front of him.
4 Her Story (86)
It’s rare to come across a live-action video game, but Her Story keeps the action to a minimum as the goal is to just watch and solve the mystery. The game takes place on an old computer monitor. When it turns on, it reveals several files that include interrogations that were filmed and transcribed.
Using the tools on the computer, the goal for the player is to piece together the suspect’s story to determine whether or not she is guilty in the murder investigation.
3 Heavy Rain (87)
One detective for a game is usually enough, but four is unheard of. The exception here is Heavy Rain. The four protagonists aren’t necessarily detectives by title, but they all are looking into the same thing: The Origami Killer. The main protagonist, Ethan Mars, is trying to get his son back after he was taken by the killer. Along the way, journalist Madison Paige, FBI profiler Norman Jayden, and private investigator Scott Shelby join in helping find out who the killer is and finding out if Ethan’s son alive. The action-adventure game has multiple endings and uses quick-time events.
2 L.A. Noire (89)
Film noirs can be cheesy for viewers, but playing a detective in a noir setting can be really fun. L.A. Noire perfectly encapsulates the concept while executing an intensely deep story. The game follows Detective Cole Phelps as he works up the ranks in the Los Angeles Police Department, working five different beats along the way. His big case comes when he needs to investigate a morphine distribution ring he has personal connections to. The action-adventure involves melee-combat as well as an interrogation mechanic that involves reading people’s reactions.
1 Disco Elysium (91)
This detective game falls under a different genre than the rest: RPG. Disco Elysium has players enter the game knowing nothing about the detective they are playing since he is struggling with amnesia. Regardless, he has been tasked with solving a murder mystery. The game has no combat and relies entirely on skill checks and dialogue. The game has 24 skills that players will use to get through the game. The player has full control of the character’s feelings and traits, allowing the player to find their own path towards solving the case ahead.
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