Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express

About

"Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express" is a modernized retelling of the classic mystery novel, set in 2023. Players step into the shoes of Hercule Poirot, tasked with solving a murder on board the luxurious train. Interrogate suspects, gather evidence, and use your deductive skills to uncover the truth in this immersive and suspenseful adventure. The game features new elements that add an exciting twist to the original story, providing a fresh take on a beloved classic.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express screenshot

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 301 reviews

story75 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

The game features a modernized take on the classic story, introducing new characters and twists that keep the narrative engaging.
Graphics and voice acting are generally well-received, contributing to an immersive atmosphere that fans of Agatha Christie will appreciate.
The hint system and mind map feature help players navigate the story and puzzles, making it accessible for both new and experienced players.

Gameplay can feel tedious due to slow movement and excessive backtracking, which detracts from the overall experience.
Puzzles are often too easy and lack challenge, leading to a sense of hand-holding that may frustrate players looking for a more engaging mystery-solving experience.
Voice acting, particularly for non-English characters, has been criticized for poor accents and unnatural dialogue, which can break immersion.

story
285 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
72%
1%
The game offers a modernized retelling of Agatha Christie's classic "Murder on the Orient Express," maintaining the essence of the original story while introducing new characters and twists that enhance the narrative. While the linear gameplay and lack of challenging puzzles may detract from the experience for some, the engaging storytelling and character development keep players invested in the unfolding mystery. Overall, it successfully captures the intrigue of the original while providing a fresh perspective, making it appealing even to those familiar with the source material.
- “An amazing and beautiful retelling of the original story with a fun twist at the end.”
- “The story starts a bit slow, but builds into a very intriguing tale of a murdered man, a kidnapped child, and the previously branched (and now intertwining) story lines of an American detective in Boston (presented in flashbacks) and present time Europe, as Poirot.”
- “Murder on the Orient Express is impressive in its ability to breathe new life into a well-trodden story.”
- “The plot being a carbon copy of the original book's story (until the shoehorned additional part at the end), that wouldn't be so bad if the game had some redeeming gameplay mechanics.”
- “I felt like I was just going through the motions to move the story along, rather than using any of my own skills to solve a mystery.”
- “Considering that the gameplay is already not engaging at all, and that it is composed mostly in cutscenes, and that there are no side quests or similar to do, it has a pretty low duration for a 40€ game.”
gameplay
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The gameplay in "Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express" is generally considered basic and unchallenging, primarily consisting of simple puzzles and extensive cutscenes that detract from engagement. While the mechanics are straightforward and the story is compelling, many players find the lack of depth and variety in gameplay disappointing, with some noting that the experience feels more like a passive narrative than an interactive game. Overall, it offers a relaxing experience but falls short of expectations for a detective game in terms of gameplay complexity and replayability.
- “The game mechanics are easy to understand and straightforward.”
- “The investigation gameplay is a lot of fun.”
- “The puzzles break up the investigation gameplay quite nicely and I loved every minute of them.”
- “Considering that the gameplay is already not engaging at all, and that it is composed mostly of cutscenes, and that there are no side quests or similar to do, it has a pretty low duration for a 40€ game.”
- “I can't imagine going back to complete any missing achievements because you have to sit through 200 cutscenes rather than any gameplay, and you can't skip or fast forward any of the dialogue.”
- “Really tried to like it as the graphics, voiceover, and music are really decent, but the gameplay is just so dumbed down that it's no fun at all.”
graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
39%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the aesthetic beauty and stylized visuals that enhance the ambiance, while others criticize them as outdated and mediocre for a 2024 title. Many players appreciate the improvements over previous Agatha Christie games, noting that the visuals are pleasant and contribute positively to the overall experience, despite some animations and character models needing updates. Overall, the graphics are described as decent but not groundbreaking, fitting for a low-budget puzzle game.
- “The setting of the game is visually pleasing, the graphics are fantastic, and the voice acting is very well performed.”
- “The game aesthetically is beautiful, from the luscious train landscapes to the interior of a bustling hotel, to a regal mansion and even a spooky cabin in the woods; the game is beautiful.”
- “Not every game needs to be a cinematic masterpiece, and with Agatha Christie, the game does a fine job at bridging the balance between aesthetically beautiful and stylistic.”
- “It's an okay-ish, low budget puzzle game with mediocre graphics and voice acting, and puzzles so mundane that you could solve them in your sleep.”
- “Graphics are very outdated, even for a point and click game, and animations/physics are close to nonexistent/very bulky.”
- “Character graphics and animations could do with an update from the 2003 look that they currently have.”
music
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
37%
9%
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the soothing and relaxing nature of the mindmap soundtrack. The original score is described as incredible and beautifully fitting for the game's themes, making it a standout feature that players want to experience outside of the game. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the enjoyment of the game, complementing its graphics and voice acting.
- “The soundtrack in this game is incredible.”
- “The mindmap music is amazing.”
- “Really tried to like it as graphics, voice over and music are really decent, but the gameplay is just so dumbed down that it's no fun at all.”
- “Thank you so much to the musicians in charge because the OST of this game is wonderful.”
- “I want this soundtrack badly.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
29%
53%
Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort without rewarding gameplay. Many reviews highlight that this grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion, making the experience feel more like a chore than an engaging adventure.
- “Time for grinding will be required.”
- “You'll be grinding a lot.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I'm not terribly far into the game at the time of this review but even now, it feels incredibly tedious.”
- “It doesn't evoke any of the wonder and discovery and excitement of Christie's works; it just feels tedious.”
- “Often dull and tedious, it’s hard to recommend.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
31%
15%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating modern take on the classic Orient Express, enhanced by impressive character designs, engaging puzzles, and a fitting musical score. Drawing inspiration from beloved point-and-click games and detective series, it successfully blends tension with moments of comic relief, creating a relaxed yet immersive experience. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be a standout feature that leaves them eagerly anticipating a sequel.
- “The atmosphere of the game, its character designs, and all the puzzles it contains are so impressive that I will be waiting for the sequel in the same way.”
- “That said, I really recommend this take on the Orient Express, since the modernized version with its extra storyline and good atmosphere is very captivating, and chances are you really, really do want to catch the culprit and find out what's going on.”
- “Music is really good and perfectly fits the atmosphere of the Orient Express.”
- “A modern atmosphere is the setting instead of the 1930s setting.”
- “The devs clearly have a lot of very good inspirations that they summoned in their game: the good old point-and-click games, the Sherlock Holmes series from Frogwares, the adventures of Professor Layton, and even a bit of Hotel Dusk for the atmosphere and some mechanics.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
13%
50%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with smooth performance and no significant glitches reported, particularly on the Steam Deck. However, some users have noted minor issues with character movement, specifically a buggy sprint feature.
- “The game played smoothly with no glitches.”
- “This game runs great on Steam Deck!”
- “The game played smoothly with no glitches.”
- “A simple yet effective detective game; so far I'm only frustrated by the movement of the character (sprint is buggy) - but it is much better than the other Agatha Christie game that I played this year.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game is well-optimized, running smoothly with excellent performance and no reported technical issues. Character animations are also praised, contributing to a positive gameplay experience.
- “On the plus side, the game runs smoothly, the character animations are good, and I had no trouble running or playing the game.”
- “No technical problems so far and performance is - as expected - excellent.”
- “Performance was fine.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers praise the character development in the game, highlighting the impressive character designs, particularly that of Princess Dragomiroff. The overall atmosphere and engaging puzzles further enhance the experience, leaving players eager for a sequel.
- “The character design was top notch, especially Princess Dragomiroff.”
- “The atmosphere of the game, its character designs, and all the puzzles it contains are so impressive that I will be waiting for the sequel in the same way.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through quirky elements like the collection of golden moustaches, which adds a lighthearted touch, although it seems to go unnoticed by many players.
- “The collecting of the golden moustaches is hilarious, yet it's funny that nobody ever mentions them.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's replayability is limited, as players can easily obtain all achievements in a single playthrough, which diminishes the incentive to replay.
- “The achievements were also rather easy to get; you could probably get all in one playthrough, which takes away some of the replay value.”