Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders

About

"Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders" is a critically acclaimed game with a captivating story, featuring the first female emperor of China, Wu Zetian. As investigating magistrate Di Renjie, players must solve a series of gruesome murders while navigating political intrigue and opposition. With praise for its beautiful pixel graphics, well-written dialogue, and cerebral gameplay, this game is a must-play for fans of murder mysteries.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders screenshot

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 516 reviews

story206 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Engaging and well-written story set in a unique historical context of ancient China, featuring a compelling protagonist, Detective Di.
Beautiful pixel art graphics and a captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
Puzzles are generally well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating, and the deduction board mechanic adds an interesting layer to the gameplay.

The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and complexity in both the story and puzzles.
Some puzzles can be frustratingly obtuse or require pixel hunting, leading to moments of confusion and backtracking.
The gameplay can feel linear and lacks significant player agency, as many deductions and conclusions are made automatically by the character.

story
420 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
4%
The story of *Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders* is widely praised for its intriguing and well-written narrative, set against a unique historical backdrop in ancient China. Players appreciate the engaging plot filled with twists and character development, although some find the pacing uneven and the puzzles occasionally detracting from the overall experience. While the game is noted for its captivating storytelling, opinions vary on the depth and complexity of the plot, with some players suggesting it could benefit from more intricate development.
- “The way the clues and pieces came together to unveil the bigger picture of the plot has got to be one of the most fulfilling and satisfying stories I've personally experienced in a detective game.”
- “The story is clever, dark, mysterious, and even though you can see where it is leading, it remains captivating till the end.”
- “The story is ultimately what makes the game for me because it was a genuinely interesting mystery with a good amount of setup and payoff.”
- “This game has many things that I enjoy - setting in ancient China, pixel graphics, detective work, puzzles, point-and-click adventure, but ... I didn't like the story/plot; I think it was terrible.”
- “The story is boring; the game is 90% dialogue, 5% puzzles, and 5% not that good cut scenes.”
- “The story lacks complexity, and the way certain actions are conditioned by other things happening is not always logical.”
graphics
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
47%
2%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic pixel art style that effectively captures the charm of an ancient China setting, with clean and minimalist visuals that enhance the overall atmosphere. While many players appreciate the beautiful scenes and elegant simplicity, some critique the character sprites and inconsistencies in graphical quality. Overall, the visuals are well-received, particularly by fans of retro aesthetics, though opinions vary on their execution and detail.
- “I was literally just sitting there in awe, listening to the music for minutes... graphics are pretty, minimalist, and clean -- it doesn't bombard the screen with more assets than needed.”
- “The art style here definitely shines through with the charm of an ancient China setting that was nicely captured.”
- “Overall, the graphics are just beautiful, no matter the scale of the pixels, and occasionally I stopped playing just to step back and stare at the screen.”
- “The visuals are pixelated and simplistic.”
- “I read other complaints about the graphical inconsistencies, about the pixels not being the same size, or that there are blank areas in the backgrounds.”
- “They try to compensate this with graphics, visual effects and... first of all it rarely works.”
music
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its beauty and atmospheric quality, particularly in relation to the game's setting and story. While some players found the soundtrack to be engaging and well-suited to the visuals, others criticized it for being repetitive or not sufficiently diverse. Overall, the music is generally considered a highlight, enhancing the immersive experience, though some players expressed a desire for more variety and traditional elements.
- “The music and sound design fits the game exceptionally well.”
- “Detective Di is a simple pixel art point-and-click adventure game with a well-written story, beautiful visuals, a variety of charming and interesting characters, and absolutely gorgeous music!”
- “Sound and music were unexpected highlights, both in quality and use through the story to make every scene feel more immersive.”
- “The music is very repetitive and too annoying.”
- “Oh, and there's a music-based puzzle with no non-sound indicator of how to progress.”
- “The music is mostly just a backing track and nothing spectacular, though suitable for the setting and not something that either made or broke the game for me.”
gameplay
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
4%
The gameplay of "Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders" is characterized as a traditional point-and-click adventure, featuring nostalgic graphics and a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate the engaging story and clever puzzle mechanics, many criticize the gameplay for being simplistic, with issues like pixel hunting and a lack of depth in detective mechanics. Overall, the game offers a user-friendly experience but may leave players wanting more in terms of challenge and investigative depth.
- “Overall, a fantastic modern day point and click adventure with a compelling storyline and well balanced gameplay that will keep players glued until the end credits.”
- “The artwork was super fun, the gameplay itself was very user-friendly and logical, and the puzzles were fun without being overwhelmingly challenging.”
- “The crime scene re-enactment mechanic is an interesting and surprisingly satisfying way to review and reason through the evidence your investigation has revealed.”
- “This game falls into the same trap that so many other adventure games fall into: in an effort to expand the world (and pad gameplay time), you're forced to interact with a plethora of side characters and help them with their trivial day-to-day problems.”
- “The actual gameplay in Detective Di unfortunately leaves a bit to be desired.”
- “In terms of gameplay, some of the puzzle design was obtuse, and you will probably need to pixel hunt and hope you find that one item you need to progress to the next puzzle.”
atmosphere
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
22%
9%
The game is praised for its immersive atmosphere, characterized by beautiful pixel art, engaging music, and well-crafted writing that captures the essence of ancient Chinese culture and history. Reviewers highlight the effective use of visuals and sound to create a dense and captivating environment, although some note the absence of voice acting as a missed opportunity to enhance the experience further. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “I absolutely loved it, the graphics, the sound, the atmosphere.”
- “Engaging detective story, great art and music, on-point atmosphere.”
- “The expressive visuals and unique pixel art of the background and atmosphere of ancient Chinese culture and history are not only realistic but breathtaking.”
- “Voice acting is really missing from this one to set a better atmosphere.”
- “Well written dialogue, rarely used setting, and the developers really capture the atmosphere of the setting.”
- “You also get to know different milieus (the intricate diplomacy and politics, the competitive world of scholars, the worries and hardships of the common people, etc.), which creates a dense atmosphere.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game delivers a compelling emotional experience, likening it to an exhilarating roller coaster ride that is effectively crafted. The emotional highs and lows enhance the overall enjoyment, making players feel both engaged and intelligent throughout their journey.
- “And in the end, none of that really mattered, because this game overall had me on an emotional roller coaster and oh man ... those are fun if done in the right ways and this game sets it up perfectly.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious than in other titles, particularly due to the engaging pixel art. While newcomers may initially feel that scanning the screen is tiresome, the overall experience is enhanced by the game's visual appeal.
- “I get that, if you are new to the pixel-hunt game, you might feel like scanning your mouse over the screen is tedious or tiresome.”
- “The grinding aspect can become repetitive and dull after a while, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the game has its charm, the constant need to grind for resources can feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its bizarre storytelling and a satirical take on sexism, which some players find amusing despite its controversial nature.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is viewed unfavorably, with users suggesting that while it may be acceptable if obtained through advertisement, it is not worth the full price. They recommend exploring other options in the market for better value.
- “As I got this through an advertisement, it's kind of okay to me, but I'd never recommend buying it at full price. I would certainly advise looking for better adventures in the market, which admittedly is difficult nowadays.”
- “As I got this through an advertisement, it's kind of okay to me, but I'd never recommend buying it at full price. I would certainly advise looking for better adventures in the market, which admittedly is difficult nowadays.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users express a desire for more character development, indicating that the existing depth and growth of characters may be lacking.
- “I wish there were a bit more character development.”