Chinatown Detective Agency

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 160 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Chinatown Detective Agency Game Cover
The hand that wields the flaming sword is burned by a fire that knows no master
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In "Chinatown Detective Agency," you are a freelance detective in a futuristic, cybernoir Singapore, solving cases using street sleuthing, gadgets, and your wits. Interrogate suspects, gather evidence, and connect the dots to crack each case, while managing your detective agency's finances and reputation. With strategic global travel, diverse cultural references, and rich atmospheric detail, this game offers a uniquely immersive and challenging detective experience.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 160 reviews
story32 positive mentions
stability12 negative mentions
  • The pixel art and overall aesthetic of the game are visually stunning, effectively capturing a cyberpunk atmosphere.
  • The unique mechanic of requiring players to conduct real-world research to solve puzzles adds an engaging layer of immersion and challenge.
  • The voice acting, particularly with authentic Singaporean accents, enhances the storytelling and character development.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with saving progress and inconsistent voice acting.
  • Many puzzles are overly reliant on external searches, which can break immersion and detract from the detective experience.
  • The gameplay can feel tedious due to unnecessary mechanics, such as the time management system and the lack of manual save options.
  • story113 mentions

    The game's story is set in a futuristic Singapore, offering an intriguing narrative filled with mysteries and beautifully presented pixel art. While many players find the initial storyline engaging and immersive, criticisms arise regarding its brevity, lack of depth, and repetitive nature upon replaying different paths. Additionally, the game suffers from inconsistent dialogue delivery and a cumbersome save system, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The story grips you with the desire to explore a near future of the island of Singapore while solving multiple mysteries, beautifully presented in pixel art.”
    • “The game has an intriguing story and beautiful aesthetic.”
    • “The art, the storytelling, the characters; all of them amazing in their own way!”
    • “I think the game is too short for its price - yes, you will play more and spend more time in the game if you do different paths and reach the end with a different partner and get different endings, but the paths are short and the main storyline starts to feel boring after the nth replay with a different character.”
    • “The nice artwork and the authentic Singaporean accent got me at first, but... the flow is very boring, puzzles are not interesting, and the story is progressing too slowly.”
    • “The game isn't truly worth its price point considering how short the whole story is.”
  • gameplay43 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by unique mechanics, such as using real-world internet searches to solve puzzles, which some players find engaging and intellectually stimulating. However, many reviewers express frustration with poorly implemented systems, like tedious travel mechanics and a lack of save options, which detract from the overall experience. Additionally, bugs and a finicky user interface further hinder immersion and enjoyment, leading to a mixed reception of the gameplay.

    • “I'm huge into mystery and crime, and the overall vibe and game mechanics are really up my alley, although the UI can be a little finicky sometimes.”
    • “It was an interesting mechanic to also allow players to use the web to find answers rather than just create a fake in-game site.”
    • “It's a mechanic that, for me at least, really makes you feel smart for finally finding the answers you're looking for after spending so much time searching for it.”
    • “The gameplay is what I have gripes with though.”
    • “A lot of elements felt thrown in haphazardly, not fully developed, and just a handful of wasted game mechanics that served more as an inconvenient barrier than anything.”
    • “No save mechanic even after the prologue is making this game unenjoyable for me.”
  • graphics37 mentions

    The game's graphics have received mixed feedback, with many praising the beautiful pixel art style and intricate artwork that captures a futuristic twist on real-world locations. However, some players noted issues with character fidelity and graphics errors that detracted from the experience. Overall, while the visuals and sound design are often described as stunning and immersive, the lack of interaction and engaging dialogue has left some players feeling unfulfilled.

    • “And we loooooove the pixel art style!”
    • “The visuals and the sound design are amazing.”
    • “The pixelized cyberpunk futuretown artwork alone is a real delight.”
    • “Came here for the visuals, left feeling unfulfilled.”
    • “-played open beta version in 2024 to have the save anytime feature (essential to overcome annoyances caused by point above) but it constantly throws up messages about graphics errors that obscure the screen and you have to clear away.”
    • “Graphically, I think that the characters could have had slightly higher fidelity.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that significantly detract from the overall experience, including issues with mission timing and dialogue playback. While it generally runs without crashing, the presence of these bugs compromises immersion and enjoyment, indicating a need for substantial post-launch fixes. Players have also noted the frustrating inability to save mid-mission, further impacting gameplay stability.

    • “The art is outstanding, the music is good, and the game generally works (by this I mean it didn't crash and wasn't buggy).”
    • “Overall, the game is buggy which ruins the immersion and experience.”
    • “Unfortunately, multiple bugs and glitches that should have been caught before launch ruined a lot of my experience, along with a truly annoying inability to save mid-mission.”
    • “I also encountered a few glitches over my time, such as time sensitive missions failing you early, and lines of dialogue that play at the wrong time, though these can probably be patched.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its gripping nature and compatibility with the visuals. However, some criticism arises regarding the volume levels, as the music can sometimes overpower dialogue. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's experience.

    • “I love the pixel style and the background music.”
    • “The art, music, and animations are phenomenal.”
    • “It's visuals are absolutely gorgeous, the music and atmosphere are so gripping, and the voice acting is sincerely next level.”
    • “The music is louder than the person talking.”
    • “The music is overwhelming and distracts from the gameplay.”
    • “The music lacks variety and quickly becomes repetitive.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by gorgeous visuals, gripping music, and immersive ambient synths that enhance the experience. Reviewers note that the overall atmosphere is well-crafted and complements the gameplay effectively, with standout voice acting adding to the depth.

    • “The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, the music and atmosphere are so gripping, and the voice acting is sincerely next level.”
    • “Great atmosphere and well made.”
    • “The puzzles are fine, and the atmosphere is nice.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding elements, such as waiting for flights and conducting research, to be tedious and unnecessary, detracting from the overall experience. While some appreciate the unique mechanics in the context of a mystery game, many feel that certain puzzles lack engagement and intuitiveness.

    • “I found buying plane tickets, clicking wait until 3 hours before the flight, and then watching the plane go across the map unnecessary and tedious.”
    • “Doing the research is a tedious task.”
    • “Some puzzles were a little less engaging, tedious, or not very intuitive.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its blend of witty dialogue and amusing character interactions, including moments of physical comedy, such as characters walking the wrong way in cutscenes. Overall, players appreciate the mix of humor with engaging storytelling and character development.

    • “The dialogue could be funny at times, adding a nice touch to the overall story.”
    • “Sometimes, a character would walk the wrong way in a cutscene, which was sort of funny.”
    • “There was a mixture of good humor, interesting characters, and engaging decisions.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Reviewers express that while puzzle-solving can be satisfying, it may detract from the overall emotional impact of the game, suggesting a disconnect between gameplay mechanics and emotional engagement.

  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for inconsistencies in character design, with sprites not matching the characters as they appear in-game, leading to confusion about their identities. However, the overall art and character designs are praised for their quality.

    • “It has great art and character designs.”
    • “Character design does not match; the sprite looks completely different from the character in the game, making it hard to identify who everyone is supposed to be on the title screen.”
    • “The character design is inconsistent, leading to confusion about the identities of the characters, especially on the title screen.”
    • “It's difficult to connect with the characters when their designs don't align, leaving players unsure of who they are looking at in the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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