Detective Kobayashi

About

Take on the role of Detective Kobayashi, the one and only genius detective who has a reputation for solving any case, however dark or difficult...if he isn't playing games at the office or awkwardly hitting on girls, that is.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

story18 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Engaging story with interesting and likable characters, providing a mix of humor and serious themes.
The gameplay combines investigation and puzzle-solving elements effectively, with a variety of cases that keep the experience fresh.
The visual and audio presentation is decent, with clear graphics and enjoyable character designs, enhancing the overall experience.

The bubble mechanic for organizing thoughts can be frustrating and confusing, making it difficult to keep track of clues and solutions.
The pacing issues, particularly with the escape room chapter and the unsatisfying ending, detract from the overall narrative flow.
Some puzzles are overly complex or illogical, often requiring external guides to solve, which can break immersion.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The story is generally regarded as interesting and engaging, featuring a detective protagonist, Kobayashi, who navigates through a mix of visual novel and point-and-click gameplay. However, some players found the inclusion of a lengthy escape room chapter disruptive, and the ending felt rushed with unresolved plot points, leaving them eager for a sequel. While the character depth and interactions are praised, the puzzles can be challenging due to multiple potential solutions, which may detract from the overall experience.
- “There is some depth to the characters, and the storyline is fun and captivating.”
- “The story is pretty good and has 4 chapters, with hopefully more to come in a sequel.”
- “Additionally, the game hints that there is going to be a second entry of this visual novel and I can’t wait to know how the story will turn out.”
- “Another part that lets the story down is the baffling choice to put in a lengthy escape room chapter in the middle of the game.”
- “The ending comes a bit fast and is a cliffhanger, leaving the plot that was brought up in the escape room chapter unsatisfying and unresolved.”
- “My issue with the battles is how I can find contradictions in someone’s story, but it doesn’t match with what the game actually wants.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
77%
14%
The gameplay is a blend of visual novel storytelling and point-and-click mechanics, allowing players to gather clues and solve puzzles as detective Kobayashi. While it offers engaging elements reminiscent of the Ace Attorney series, it is notably shorter and simpler, with a playtime of around five hours. However, some players criticize the restrictive nature of the detective mechanics, where only specific contradictions are accepted, leading to potential frustration in gameplay.
- “During the gameplay, you can hover on the light bulb and read Kobayashi's mind to collect some hints about the case, or sometimes you read his thoughts about the girls he is talking with.”
- “It has visual novel story parts, point-and-click type gameplay together with hidden objective-like features.”
- “Another issue with this game is the actual detective mechanic; you are gathering clues and then using them to prove contradictions in the statements. However, there are often many contradictions that can be proven, but the game will only accept that 'one' that the developers were thinking about. Other contradictions might be used later on or ignored altogether, so the game keeps failing you until you find that right one. Sorry, but this is really just bad game design.”
- “If you like Ace Attorney, you'll have a good time with this one, though don't come into it expecting an Ace Attorney quantity of gameplay; this is much shorter and simpler, and will take only five hours or so from start to finish.”
- “Getting past the main character's flaws may be a lot to ask of some players, but the detective gameplay syncs very well with a visual novel structure that more visual novel games should learn from.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The music in the game features nice soundtracks that complement the artwork and overall atmosphere, with full Chinese voiceover adding to the experience. However, some users note issues with inconsistent recording quality and awkward looping, which detracts from the enjoyment, leading to mixed feelings about the audio overall. While the soundtracks are generally appreciated, the execution leaves room for improvement, with some players opting to mute the voiceover entirely.
- “The artwork is pretty, the music goes along well, there is full (Chinese) voice over, the humor altogether is kind of cute, the cases remain serious and the CG gallery is Kobayashi's work desk.”
- “I play with the voice volume turned off, since I'm used to this type of game without voiceover, just with silly faces and upbeat music.”
- “+ nice soundtracks.”
- “The soundtrack doesn’t always have a smooth loop.”
- “When it comes to the audio, it’s too inconsistent with the recording quality, and the music needs a smoother loop.”
- “Some soundtracks are unpleasant to listen to when they finish because it takes you a bit of experience to hear the same song starting, ending, and then starting again. However, the songs are not bad, so 5/10.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's graphics are described as clear and serviceable, featuring a distinctive anime style that allows for memorable character designs without being overly eccentric. While the visuals may be considered run-of-the-mill by some, the artwork is appreciated for its simplicity and charm, complemented by good music and full voice-over. Overall, the graphics effectively support the game's narrative and humor, making it visually appealing despite a lack of extensive content.
- “The artwork is pretty, the music goes along well, there is full (Chinese) voice over, the humor altogether is kind of cute, the cases remain serious, and the CG gallery is Kobayashi's work desk.”
- “I liked the artwork of Detective Kobayashi with sprites even having different facial expressions, and although the style is quite simple, and there aren’t a lot of CGs available, I got used to it fast.”
- “Graphics: anime style, they are good and you can remember many characters for having such a unique style.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by witty and emotional conversations, often lightened by the protagonist's lazy yet flirtatious interactions with female characters, including his fiery assistant. The overall tone is described as cute, with funny dialogues enhancing the experience, particularly during investigation minigames reminiscent of the Phoenix Wright series. Players appreciate the balance of serious cases with comedic elements, making for an engaging and entertaining narrative.
- “The conversations are funny and some of them are emotional.”
- “The protagonist is rather sharp but lazy, and keeps trying to flirt with female characters (including his hot-tempered assistant Matsuda), often with funny results that lighten up the mood.”
- “You can enjoy some funny dialogues while playing the minigames, which are reminiscent of Phoenix Wright investigations.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The reviews indicate that while the game's graphics are clear and visually appealing, the character development itself is not particularly deep or exceptional. The character designs are distinctive and memorable, but they do not reach the eccentricity found in other titles, suggesting a more grounded approach to character portrayal. Overall, the visual presentation supports the characters but does not significantly enhance their development.
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers some replayability through the collection of "memories," which encourages exploration and scavenger-hunt elements. However, a bug affecting one of the collectibles in the final chapter may hinder the experience for some players.
- “There is a bit of scavenger-hunt replayability in that there are collectible 'memories' to find.”
- “There is a bit of scavenger-hunt replayability in that there are collectible 'memories' to find, though one of them (in the final chapter) is bugged and may not register properly.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the conversations in the game to be a blend of humor and emotional depth, effectively balancing lighthearted moments with more poignant interactions.
- “The conversations are funny and some of them are emotional.”

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Detective Kobayashi - A Visual Novel
$12.99
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10h Median play time

10h Average play time

10-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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