Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon

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Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon is a single player casual puzzle game with mystery and comedy themes. It was developed by Nerd Monkeys and was released on July 17, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A strange murder has occurred in the Hotel Lisbon. A man committed suicide with 14 stabs to the back, while at the same time peacefully drinking his coffee. This case, with contradictory facts, could only be solved by the amazing Detective Case and his sidekick Clown Bot.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon screenshot

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews

humor108 positive mentions

character development2 negative mentions

The game features a charming retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click adventures.
The banter between Detective Case and Clown Bot is filled with absurd humor, making the dialogue entertaining and engaging.
The unique interrogation mechanic, where players match questions with evidence, adds a fun twist to the gameplay.

The humor often relies on outdated and offensive stereotypes, including misogyny and homophobia, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game suffers from numerous bugs and translation issues, leading to frustrating gameplay and unclear dialogue options.
The pacing can feel slow due to excessive backtracking and repetitive dialogue, making it tedious at times.

humor
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in the game is highly polarizing, with many reviewers noting that it often relies on juvenile, offensive, or culturally specific jokes that may not resonate with all players. While some appreciate the absurdity and charm of the dialogue, others criticize it for being flat, repetitive, or rooted in casual misogyny and homophobia. Overall, the humor is described as a mix of hits and misses, with a significant portion of the audience finding it either entertaining or deeply unfunny, particularly in translation.
- “The pairing is the game’s greatest asset: case embodies weary cynicism, while clown bot is a constant stream of absurd, deadpan humor.”
- “The story goes with some funny dialogue, like the initial belief that the victim committed suicide by stabbing himself in the back 14 times or falling on a knife 14 times; you gotta be creative to make those conversations.”
- “This is probably the only game I have ever played that promises to be funny and actually achieves it.”
- “The story is supposed to be funny but to be honest it just felt annoying to me, like a really long cut of Napoleon Dynamite or something like that.”
- “It repeatedly fumbled 4th wall breaks, had flatly unfunny recurring gags (like characters laughing raucously at literally any mention of money), and...and had a knock-knock joke where the punchline was just the word 'cancer'.”
- “The writing is not funny at all.”
story
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The game's story is a humorous and engaging detective narrative set in Portugal, featuring quirky characters and unexpected plot twists. While some players appreciate the comedic dialogue and lighthearted tone, others find the humor hit-or-miss and the overall plot somewhat generic. The inclusion of side quests and post-game content adds depth, but technical issues and cultural references may limit its appeal to a broader audience.
- “The story is a great detective quest with stylish old-school graphics.”
- “The story is full of wacky and, most importantly, memorable characters - not all of them get a lot of character development but they all have a certain charm to them.”
- “The story takes action in Portugal, in a fictional place totally inspired by Lisbon and Porto, so if you never went there, here's a perfect way to visit it... in a cartoonish and pixelated way!”
- “However, the story, the comedy, and the bugs leave this game much to be desired.”
- “The story was completely unoriginal - someone murdered, let's investigate with an annoying sidekick.”
- “Even this 'humor' aside, the rest of the plot is entirely composed of the most generic low effort tropes.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic retro aesthetic, featuring chunky pixel art, vibrant colors, and a consistent cartoon style that appeals to fans of late-80s and early-90s visuals. While some players appreciate the unique art style and humor, others criticize the graphics as being poorly executed or difficult to read, leading to mixed opinions on their overall quality. Despite the varied reception, the pixelated design and attention to detail in environments and characters are often highlighted as strengths.
- “The retro aesthetic is intentionally coarse: chunky sprites, garish colors, and stilted animations that evoke late-80s PC adventures.”
- “The pixelated art style is really interesting, and what the developers did with it is incredible.”
- “Hotel Lisbon is dripping with style: the color choices, retro style, and music all come together to deliver a very pleasing aesthetic.”
- “I usually like pixel graphics, but the text is really hard to read in this game.”
- “For some reason, the developer chose to use really terrible, lazy pixel graphics which just makes the whole game look ugly.”
- “Graphically, this game is a throwback type of game; it kind of feels like it could easily be on a handheld device, but as I'm reviewing it for the PC, you can see the pixels and the datedness of the game.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
29%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its variety and fittingness, enhancing the overall atmosphere with styles ranging from jazzy tunes to traditional Portuguese fado. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the quirky art style and humor, although some noted that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The soundtrack is amazing, the jazzy sound had me hooked, and there's even a fado song, one of our own genres of music!”
- “The dynamic between the two heroes is certainly a good foundation that I would like to see more of in the future, most of the pixel art is lovely, and the soundtrack is phenomenal.”
- “Hotel Lisbon is dripping with style: the color choices, retro style, and music all come together to deliver a very pleasing aesthetic.”
- “The music is annoying after a while.”
- “I give the creators points for the attempt and points for the music; however, the game is stale.”
- “The music is good, but just not very good at being video game music.”
gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
65%
9%
The gameplay is primarily point-and-click, featuring a unique interrogation mechanic that resembles a boxing mini-game, where players must select the right evidence and responses. While the humor and dialogue keep the experience engaging, the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with some players noting bugs and a lack of polish. Overall, it offers a casual and straightforward experience, appealing to newcomers but potentially disappointing for those seeking more complexity.
- “The game plays with the usual point-and-click mechanics you find typically in that genre, with one unique idea that was worked on enough: 'the interview rounds' where you interview the suspect in the form of a three-round boxing style mini-segment, but it's really just selecting the right evidence and response much like in Ace Attorney.”
- “Gameplay is simple and intuitive, and there is no omnipresent UI to distract from the beautifully drawn scenarios, which makes it a good fit for newcomers to the genre.”
- “The interviews are really the core of this game’s gameplay; you ask each suspect three questions, linking a speech option to an item in your inventory until they crack and spill the beans.”
- “The questioning system, which is the main mechanic of the game, gets a little boring after a while, but the dialogues are funny enough to keep you going.”
- “The interrogation mechanics, while initially clever, are just annoying over time.”
- “In short, the game has a linear, predictable plot, uninteresting characters, forced humor, tiresome gameplay, and a world too small to explore.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Character development in the game features a diverse cast of memorable and charming characters, though not all receive significant depth or growth. While the character designs are noted for their uniqueness, opinions on their aesthetic appeal vary widely. Overall, the effort put into character creation is evident, contributing to the game's quirky narrative.
- “Remarkable character design.”
- “A lot of work clearly went into it, but that doesn't make the character designs any less hideous.”
- “The story is full of wacky and, most importantly, memorable characters - not all of them get a lot of character development, but they all have a certain charm to them.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, citing repetitive questioning and excessive backtracking to the same locations as major drawbacks. This leads to a feeling of padding that detracts from the overall experience, making interviews feel tiresome rather than engaging.
- “Though there are only 3 questions, it was tedious, and the questioning happens too often—much too many even for a detective game. Those steps with collecting evidence or thinking about the relationships are weakened.”
- “Spelling errors and even in its short length, it was slightly too long. The tedious back and forth to the same locations felt like padding.”
- “All of these issues can lead to interviews becoming tedious and tiring.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a few heartfelt moments and demonstrates potential through its storytelling, but it ultimately lacks the depth of emotional impact typically found in point-and-click games, falling short of delivering a truly heart-wrenching experience.
- “There are even a couple of heartfelt moments.”
- “On paper, this game sounds like it has potential. While point-and-click games are generally lacking in compelling gameplay or stellar graphics, they often make up for it with good storytelling, witty humor, or even sometimes heart-wrenching tragedy or drama.”
- “This is not a heart-wrenching, emotional trip that makes you sick to your stomach.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere is characterized by a playful kitsch, enhanced by a soundtrack that includes elements like the Portuguese fado genre, contributing to a lighthearted and parodic experience. Users appreciate the cheesy puns, which add to the overall charm and humor of the game.
- “I didn't think it was a bad version; I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the Portuguese atmosphere (recognized the fado genre from there); the puns were cheesy, but they did get a chuckle out of me.”
- “The soundtrack leans into kitsch as well, completing the atmosphere of parody.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs and errors that hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration, stating that these problems prevent them from fully enjoying the experience.
- “It's quite buggy and is full of errors.”
- “I would have loved to play this game to the finish, but it's horribly buggy.”

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Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon is a casual puzzle game with mystery and comedy themes.

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Phone and others.

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon was released on July 17, 2014.

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon was developed by Nerd Monkeys.

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its humor but disliked it for its character development.

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon is a single player game.

Similar games include Deponia: The Complete Journey, Tales of the Neon Sea, Deponia, Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure, A New Beginning: Final Cut and others.

Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon

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