Summary
- Detective games require players to solve mysteries with wit and tools.
- Underrated detective games like Scrutinized offer challenging experiences.
- Unique games like Overboard subvert traditional detective game genres.
Each game needs a protagonist for the player to control, and when there is a mystery at the heart of the story, there will be a detective ready and eager to solve the case. Armed with their wit and whatever tools they have on hand, the player must also have the smarts needed to connect the dots and get to the heart of the story.
Best Detective Games, Ranked
Solving crimes through detective work can be really fun in video games.
There are plenty of games that cast players into the shoes of fictional detectives, with games such as LA Noire and The Evil Within widely known and loved. However, some games might have been polarizing to gamers, flew under the radar at their time of release, or have simply been forgotten over time. This is the case that must be solved today—find these hidden and underrated detective games.
8 Scrutinized
Reflect Studio's Infamous Difficulty Might Be Off-Putting To Gamers
Scrutinized
- Released
- August 6, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
After their work on the web-surfing games Welcome to the Game and its sequel, Reflect moved on to Scrutinized, which presented much of the same gameplay, but with a different goal in mind. The main character is a CIA agent on the case of the Blueblood Killer, the culprit behind the murder of her beloved cousin. While chasing the case, Luna logs in every night to sift through reports, with false ones needing shredding, while legitimate reports should be sent off pending further investigation.
However, there is more to this game than reading over the criminal records and phone messages—players must also be on the lookout for the kidnapper and Tanner, both of whom enter the house if the player doesn't take precautions. As difficult as Welcome to the Game is, anyone familiar with that title might balk at putting themselves through such a grueling experience again, but Scrutinized is equal parts fun and terrifying for those who dare to play.
7 Murdered: Soul Suspect
Soul Suspect Did Not Receive Overly Positive Reviews Upon Release
Murdered: Soul Suspect
- Released
- June 3, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Sometimes, it feels like even death won't bring freedom from the shackles of work, and this is quite literally the truth for detective Ronan O'Connor, who meets his demise on the clock while on the tail of the Bell Killer in Murdered: Soul Suspect. The string of seemingly random victims, and his own death, do put a damper on things, but Ronan must successfully crack this case to ascend to the afterlife and reunite with his dead wife, Julia.
Games That Open With The Protagonist's Death
Not all video game protagonists survive to see the credits roll. As if that wasn't bad enough, some don't even survive the beginning of their story.
The story is quite interesting, as not many games start with the protagonist's death, but the plot for many was the game's only real highlight, as it was bogged down by some less-than-stellar gameplay. As such, Murdered: Soul Suspect is a title many might have skipped over in favor of less polarizing experiences, but the plot alone makes it worthwhile.
6 Killer Frequency
An Indie Game That Many Might Have Missed
Killer Frequency
- Released
- June 1, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Mild Blood, Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Team17
- Platform(s)
- Meta Quest 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Following a decline in his career, radio DJ Forrest Nash relocated from Chicago to the small town of Gallows Creek, thinking his new job would just be spinning records and reporting nothing more exciting than the weather and a missing cat. Unfortunately, he is in for one hell of a surprise when all emergency calls come through to the radio station rather than the police, forcing him to step up to the challenge.
A murderer known simply as The Whistling Man is on the loose and terrorizing residents. Now, Forrest must accept calls from victims trying to escape the killer, and make the right calls to guide them to safety, all while stepping closer to unmasking the killer. Tense, exciting, and challenging, Killer Frequency is a one-of-a-kind detective game that keeps players from touching that dial.
5 Overboard
A Hidden Gem That Cleverly Subverts The Detective Genre
Overboard!
- Released
- June 2, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due to Language, Use of Alcohol, Suggestive Themes, Simulated Gambling, Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- Very Positive
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Strategy
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS, iOS, Android
Most detective games task their players with solving the case, which normally involves either grand larceny or first-degree murder. Not many games stray away from this formula, as this is what makes a detective game a detective game. However, a little-known title called Overboard decided to shake things up a bit, resulting in a unique experience that unfortunately might have flown under the radar.
In Overboard, players are the ones trying to get away with murder after killing their husband by tossing him overboard. Now they must work to cover up any evidence of the crime before other cruisers grow suspicious. It's a clever subversion of the genre that works surprisingly well.
4 Nancy Drew: Midnight In Salem
Nancy Drew Games Have Always Been Underdogs
Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem
- Released
- December 3, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone: Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- HeR Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Point-and-click
HeR Interactive has been a loyal studio, creating Nancy Drew games for decades. These point-and-click mysteries star the titular teen detective from the book series of the same name, bringing players into stories from existing books, or creating their own secrets for her to uncover, even during times she is trying to catch some R&R. Midnight in Salem proved to be a turning point for the series, evert so slightly shaking up the formula.
The first in the series to utilize Unity, there were undoubtedly fans excited about the new change, though some believed 'if it's not broke, why fix it?' As such, Midnight in Salem was rather polarizing, despite delivering some scares and a solid mystery. The Nancy Drew series has always been less popular than many other franchises despite its longevity, which is a shame, as these games provide some of the best mystery-solving available on the market.
3 Contradiction: Spot The Liar!
Though Brilliant, Contradiction Never Received The Hinted-At Sequel
Contradiction: Spot the Liar!
- Released
- July 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
FMV games are a popular format for more grounded stories, as the presence of real-life people instead of 3D character models makes the situation all the more realistic, as seen with the whodunnit mystery, Contradiction. This passion project received most of its funding through Kickstarter, receiving a total of just over £4000. Compared to most crowdfunded games, it was a rather small number, showing that, already, most gamers did not know much about this game.
Best Games That Are Entirely FMV
These excellent Full Motion Video games offer a diverse array of interactivity, allowing players to take control of their fully FMV stories.
It revolves around a detective investigating the murder of university student Kate Vine by quizzing the locals in the small town. There is much more going on than it seems, leading players deep down the rabbit hole of a special program called ATLAS, all told through the lens of over-the-top cheesy acting. Even though the acting was part of the game's low-budget charm, it never quite pulled in the audience it needed for the sequel that was heavily implied by the game's ending.
2 Her Story
This Indie FMV May Have Gone Unnoticed by Many
Her Story
- Released
- June 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Sam Barlow
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Puzzle, Indie Games, Simulation, Casual
FMVs are a mixed bag, coming in all sorts of genres, and a few may not be as good as others. One of the more excellent ones is Her Story, an interactive FMV game that places players in front of a computer as they piece together short clips of Hannah Smith's interview after her husband turned up dead after being reported missing. Of course, the spouse is always the number one suspect, but isn't that a little too obvious?
Players definitely need to engage their thinking caps, watch the clips carefully, and discover the keywords needed to enter into the database to find more clips and uncover more truths. Their detective skills will be put to the test, and ultimately they must decide for themselves what the truth is, as three different and very plausible theories are posited throughout the story.
1 Gabriel Knight: Sins Of The Fathers
Sierra's Games Have Faded Into Obscurity
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
- Released
- December 17, 1993
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Sierra On-line
Sierra Entertainment might have been a major name in the field of mystery point-and-click adventures, having made games such as King's Quest and Gabriel Knight, though most of these titles predate the turn of the 21st Century. As such, modern gamers might give someone a mildly puzzled look and shrug if asked what Sierra games they have heard of, locking most of these titles behind a veil of obscurity.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers might be one of their best titles, following self-professed ladies man Gabriel as he investigates some strange goings-on in New Orleans, and uncovers a family secret. Though not an actual detective, Gabriel proves he is more than up to the challenge of solving the mystery threatening the city, as well as the mystery of his family legacy.
Best Detective Horror Games, Ranked
Games that combine mystery with horror often provide an interesting mix that players should check out for themselves.