Summary
- Emio - The Smiling Man demo releases in 3 parts on Nintendo Switch starting August 19th.
- The game revives the Famicom Detective Club series with dark and mature themes, marking a rare M-rated game from Nintendo.
- Players can unravel a tragic murder mystery with creepy clues, urban legends, and chilling stories in this interactive drama.
The Nintendo Switch exclusive Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club will be releasing a three-part demo this August. Players will be able to jump into the world of Emio - The Smiling Man and begin solving the mysterious case behind the tragic death of a student.
Emio - The Smiling Man is the next part of the Famicom Detective Club series, a collection of two old school adventure games released by Nintendo back in 1988 and 1989. The games are notable for their intricate mysteries, well-written characters, and more mature themes. The Famicom Detective Club games are visual novel style investigation games, and Emio - The Smiling Man will be following the same trend in terms of aesthetic, genre, and content.
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Nintendo announced Emio - The Smiling Man on July 10th 2024, reviving the Famicom Detective Club series and is set to be one of Nintendo's few M-rated games. Emio - The Smiling Man is set to be released on August 29th, but players will get the chance to try out a three-part demo in the days leading up to the official release. The demo will be free to play, with the first part releasing on August 19th at 6pm PT. More chapters will be released for players on August 22nd and 27th, also at 6pm PT. Emio - The Smiling Man is currently available for pre-order on Nintendo Switch, and progress completed in the demo will transfer over to the full game for players that purchase the full release.
Emio - The Smiling Man Demo Release Dates
- Chapter 1 - August 19th at 6pm PT
- Chapter 2 - August 22nd at 6pm PT
- Chapter 3 - August 27th at 6pm PT
- Full Release - August 29th
Emio - The Smiling Man will give players the opportunity to investigate and solve a mysterious murder with creepy clues connecting it to a string of cold cases and an urban legend from the past. Working with a crew of seasoned and new detectives, players must use all the tools at their disposal to solve the tragic death of student Eisuke Sasaki. As players begin to unravel the chilling story around them, it is up to them to determine whether this is a case of Emio the Smiling Man himself or a new culprit simply continuing the legend.
The unusual dive into dark and mature themes is not a common occurrence for Nintendo. The dip back into the horror genre could be good for Nintendo as it possibly opens the door for more titles like Emio - The Smiling Man. Until then, players will be able to get a taste of this kind of content in the upcoming demo for Emio - The Smiling Man.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 64%
- Released
- August 29, 2024
- ESRB
- M (Mature) for Blood, Language, and Violence
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- game engine
- Franchise
- Famicom Detective Club
WHERE TO PLAY
Who is Emio – The Smiling Man?
Solve the tragic death of a student, where a creepy clue recalls cold cases from the past and an urban legend about a killer with a disturbing modus operandi.
“I can give you a smile that will last forever”
Student Eisuke Sasaki has been found dead in a chilling fashion, with a smiley-faced paper bag over his head. This unsettling visage bears a striking resemblance to a recurring clue in a string of unsolved murders from 18 years ago—as well as the urban legend Emio, a.k.a. The Smiling Man, a serial killer said to grant his victims “a permanent smile.”
Does the Smiling Man really exist…or is a new culprit continuing his legacy?
As a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency, you’ve been tasked with investigating the events that led to Eisuke Sasaki’s death. Along the way, scrutinize the clues and testimonies you gather for potential connections to the gruesome events of the past.
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Simulation
