This indie game is a great alternative to Return Of The Obra Dinn. It features Amiga-style graphics.
Reviewing other indie games that were not available earlier in the calendar year, such as NorcoAnd the drainNames are vital and often ignored by independent developers. The Case Of The Golden Idol, however, is an exception. It’s a cool-sounding name that immediately gets you interested in learning more about it.
This is a detective game set in 18th century England. It’s a bit of con. Although there is a certain golden idol, some people might not feel the need to change. However, they will soon discover that this is one of the most enjoyable games of the year.
Knives Out, See How They Run and Knives Out have shown that nerds are suddenly in fashion. But, even though games cannot capitalize on the ongoing superhero craze it’s not surprising that they’re not able to. Nor has detective fiction seen a resurgence in interest. Although The Case Of The Golden Idol is almost certain to be a fluke, it’s a timely release that’s the second-best detective video game ever.
To be fair, police video games aren’t as popular and the only notable title of the modern era is Return of Dean Oprah. The games have some similarities, both in terms of gameplay, and intended retro graphics. But Case Of The Golden Idol, instead of looking like an older Mac game, more closely resembles an Amiga title from the early 1980s.
Golden Idol isn’t ugly at all, at least not at first glance. But, even though developer Color Gray Games did not have the budget for any other visuals, the old-fashioned visuals reflect the game’s history well. Adjust. Adjust.
The first case (of 12) starts with a seemingly simple crime in which a man appears as though he was pushed off a cliff, and then he is killed. The game is a point-and click adventure where you search for clues, and then piece together clues. Each time you find something intriguing, a word is added into your inventory. From there, you can start creating phrases and hypotheses.
So, for example, the simplest observation that person A “pushed” person B off a cliff is a statement you can make to yourself on a separate “reasoning” screen that allows you to examine all of your evidence and form a theory. You can also match names to faces to identify each person, as well as details about where they were at time of crime.
This aspect functions in the same way as Return Of The Obra Dinn. This explains why being an investigator isn’t something that you’re likely see in big budget action games. It’s possible to make it at least a small portion, as the interface is so easy and the act of creating and validating an explanation is extremely satisfying.
You can build your case and put together the pieces of each mystery until you have the perfect explanation.
The best thing about Golden Idol is the overarching storyline that runs through each instance. You learn more about the idol and its magical powers. The game spans several years. The idol’s impact upon its owners is cleverly illustrated in a compelling story. This would be a prime candidate to be adapted for TV – if studios were not more interested in such horrible ideas. Transform twisted metal into a width.
The Case Of The Golden Idol, a fantastic piece of interactive fiction, is getting more complex with each case (mostly because there are some odd downs sometimes). You don’t know when you should stop. You will have an inexhaustible number of details to fill in for each crime, and the motives and explanations can become more complex. This is especially true if you are already familiar with the mechanics.
It’s the equivalent to using every item with each other object in a graphic adventures, when you get stuck. While it works, it’s very unsatisfying. If you are able to think logically, you won’t have to give up. However, we’d be surprised if many people don’t try to find solutions at some point.
The Case Of The Golden Idol is a clever puzzle adventure that will challenge your patience no matter how hard you try. It proves that Return Of The Obra Dinn isn’t a one-off game and that that videogame could be the next big thing for indie games.
Summary of Golden Idol’s review
Briefly: Another excellent indie detective game that solves crimes with fun and interest, but also has some great stories to tie it all together.
Positives: The detective mechanics can be very simple and yet flexible. They are also very satisfying when used correctly. A great use of period settings and a compelling plot. Amusing and grotesque graphics.
cons: If you get stuck, the final clues are relatively simple to guess, which can ruin the illusion. This is a slightly different difficulty.
The result: 8/10
Formats for PC
Price: £16.99
Publisher PlayStack
Developer: Color Gray Games
Release date: October 13, 20,22
Age rating N/A
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