Criminal Case

About

Criminal Case is a single-player point-and-click game on Facebook with a captivating plot and enjoyable gameplay. The game boasts stunning visuals and a wholesome story, but can unfortunately be marred by bugs, lots of grinding, and excessive advertisements. Overall, Criminal Case is an engaging crime-solving hidden object game for fans of the genre.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,380 reviews

story64 positive mentions

monetization517 negative mentions

Engaging storyline and interesting characters that keep players invested.
Challenging puzzles and crime scenes that enhance critical thinking skills.
The game is fun and addictive, providing a good way to pass the time.

Excessive ads that interrupt gameplay and frustrate players.
Energy system is too restrictive, requiring long wait times or payment to continue playing.
Mandatory Facebook connections to progress in the game, limiting accessibility for some players.

monetization
557 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
3%
93%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the overwhelming number of ads that interrupt gameplay. Many players express frustration over mandatory ads appearing after nearly every action, often lasting longer than the actual gameplay itself, leading to a perception of the game as a "cash grab." While some users are willing to watch ads for energy boosts, the frequency and intrusiveness of ads have led to a decline in enjoyment, with many considering uninstalling the game or feeling compelled to pay for an ad-free experience.
- “The game is a great way to pass time; it's easy to understand and there's no ads that pop up in the middle of the game while you are playing. That's why I gave it five stars.”
- “I love the graphics and it has no ads.”
- “Still, you can definitely enjoy this game without in-app purchases.”
- “I used to play this game about 2 years ago. I absolutely enjoyed it, but now I cannot believe all the ads. I mean, like every other minute it's ridiculous. Then you want me to pay $8 to have the ads removed only for a short period of time. Unbelievable.”
- “The game is great and I expect ads, but they have gotten way excessive. For every 10 seconds of gameplay, I have to watch 30 seconds of ads.”
- “The amount of ads in this game is overwhelming. I spend more time watching ads than I do actually playing the game.”
story
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
2%
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging plotlines, character development, and the integration of hidden object gameplay with crime-solving elements. However, some users express frustration over repetitive tasks required to progress the story and the impact of ads and energy limitations on their experience. Overall, while the narrative is compelling and often features unexpected twists, the pacing and mechanics can detract from the enjoyment for some players.
- “I loved it that there is a plot and that some of the characters appear in multiple games and develop from one game to the next.”
- “The storyline is so good and well written, it almost feels like you are actually in a real-life investigation.”
- “The characters were fun to interact with and the challenges and storylines keep you on your toes!”
- “The gameplay loop is overwhelmingly repetitive compared to other games in the genre, forcing you to return to the same place with the same pool of 30 objects over and over to move the story forward the tiniest bit, and the story itself is underwhelming and awkward.”
- “I finished mission 14 or 15 and that was as far as I could go sanity-wise.”
- “It's a fun game really but it's hard to do things when there's a lot of ads or you need to get stars to complete your mission. I hate that I have to repeat the same mission over and over again and look for some things.”
graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
27%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their quality, creativity, and vibrant design, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the gameplay and storyline. Many users appreciate the realistic visuals and special effects, although some note that certain elements can appear cartoonish or outdated. Overall, the graphics enhance the gaming experience, making it visually appealing and engaging for players.
- “Very realistic game and storyline, graphics are awesome and special effects are great too!”
- “I love criminal case right from the first day I started playing it, I love the theme song, the graphics, the colorful animation and moreover I love the background settings.”
- “The graphics are amazing and it's enjoyable.”
- “The graphics are getting a bit outdated.”
- “Graphics have seriously deteriorated.”
- “I really like playing this game, but graphics could be better and controls could be looked at.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
39%
11%
The gameplay is generally well-received for its engaging mechanics and graphics, but many players express frustration with the frequent interruptions from ads and the slow progression system that requires excessive repetition of tasks. While some enjoy the concept and find the gameplay enjoyable, others criticize the reliance on in-game currency and the need to invite friends or make purchases to advance, leading to a perception that the game prioritizes monetization over player experience. Overall, the gameplay offers potential but is marred by issues related to pacing and ad frequency.
- “The gameplay is excellent and the story is engaging.”
- “Everything from the gameplay to the overall theme was fantastic.”
- “This game is great with the graphics looking amazing, the gameplay being easy, there being a lot to do in this game, and it being an awesome experience if you're planning to play this game to the end.”
- “The gameplay is so cynical - you need a 'star' to do absolutely everything, but in order to get a star, you have to solve 5 or 6 really basic 'find the objects' puzzles, each of which take maybe 15 seconds, and both before and after, you must watch an ad.”
- “The gameplay loop is overwhelmingly repetitive compared to other games in the genre, forcing you to return to the same place with the same pool of 30 objects over and over to move the story forward the tiniest bit, and the story itself is underwhelming and awkward.”
- “Ads pop up randomly and gameplay gets interrupted by this; it's really disgusting and causes a loss of interest in the game. It's like they are forcefully making us watch their odious ads if we want to play the game.”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent freezing and crashing reported by users, particularly during ad transitions and gameplay. Many players experience glitches that hinder progress, such as unresponsive buttons and lost in-game resources, leading to frustration and a decline in enjoyment. Despite attempts to reinstall the app, these problems persist across multiple devices.
- “Every time the game stops to show an ad, whether you select to watch for items or just periodically, the game freezes and stays black.”
- “I have attempted multiple re-installations of the app and it all works up until hitting the play button, then it freezes.”
- “I once loved this game, but the further I've gone, the more it glitches.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its relaxing quality and nostalgic feel, others find it repetitive and intrusive, especially due to frequent interruptions from ads. Users have also reported difficulties in adjusting the volume or turning off the music entirely, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the soundtrack is generally considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “I also love its music.”
- “Nice, relaxing music, beautiful art/graphics.”
- “Gameplay 8/10 presentation 9/10 music, sound 8/10 quite user friendly too.”
- “Awful! I loaded the game and this blaring music starts. I looked everywhere for the option to shut off the volume. After swiping the whole screen for several minutes, my husband found it, but it would not respond at all. I could not get any response.”
- “I could not find a way to turn off the music or sound.”
- “It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't stop your music every time and you could just let it play, but this is over the top with begging for clicks. The game is alright, but the begging for money by forcing so many ads down your throat is a bit ridiculous.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have expressed that the game delivers a deeply emotional experience, particularly highlighted by a powerful ending that resonates with them long after completion. The narrative, especially the surprising suicide of a key character, evokes strong feelings, making players feel personally connected to the story and its characters. Overall, the emotional depth of the game, particularly in the Grimsborough segment, is a standout feature that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
- “It's an amazing ending that made me genuinely emotional.”
- “The ending of the game really made me emotional and it's hard to say goodbye to the characters, especially Jones 🥺.”
- “I'm in love with this game; believe me, I've never experienced such an ending to a game. It feels totally realistic, as if I myself am the cop in the game. The suicide of Chief King is the most emotional and surprising part of the game.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-received, with players finding the character Jones and the flattened crime scenes amusing. The gameplay and story are described as both engaging and funny, though some users express frustration with energy depletion and ads, suggesting these issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as a fun way to enjoy humor while also offering language improvement.
- “The gameplay and the story are really great and sometimes funny too.”
- “The story was very realistic and funny.”
- “Funny way to improve another language.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while most content is accessible for free, the game does involve some grinding, particularly in obtaining stars for evidence and managing energy for crime scene searches. Those who prefer immediate rewards may find the grinding aspect tedious.
- “If you don't enjoy grinding and want instantaneous gratification, this is not for you.”
- “The only tedious thing is getting the stars for each piece of evidence and gathering the energy to search the crime scenes for the evidence.”
- “Though it sometimes requires a little grinding, almost all (99.9%) of the content is available for free.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, citing the diverse range of items to discover in each stage as a key factor that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “The variety of things to find in each stage makes the game very replayable.”
- “Each playthrough offers new challenges and surprises, keeping the experience fresh.”
- “The different character choices and paths ensure that no two runs are ever the same.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express frustration with the game's optimization, particularly regarding the transition between different game modes. Progress in one mode does not carry over, leading to a significant reset in experience points, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- “It feels a bit annoying because after completing both Grimsborough and Pacific Bay City, I thought I would be able to continue my level in World Case. However, in order to play in Save the World mode, it restarts all your previous performances. After having 180 XP in Criminal Case, it now gets restarted to 1 XP in World Cases.”
- “The optimization is frustrating; I expected to carry over my progress, but instead, I have to start from scratch every time I switch modes.”
- “I find the optimization lacking, as it forces players to lose their hard-earned experience when transitioning between different game modes.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The character development in the game is highly praised, with players highlighting its strong storytelling elements that enhance the overall experience.
- “I love the character development and storytelling aspects of it the most.”
- “The depth of each character's backstory adds so much to the overall experience.”
- “Watching the characters evolve throughout the game is truly rewarding.”