Inspector Waffles

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"Inspector Waffles" is a point-and-click adventure game featuring a witty cat detective solving the murder of a CEO in a town populated by anthropomorphic cats and dogs. Interact with your environment, gather clues, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles to uncover the criminal mastermind. Enjoy dry humor, puns, and a jazzy soundtrack in this cute pixel art game. Visit the website, Twitter, Discord, or sign up for the newsletter to stay connected.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 184 reviews

story54 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Charming and humorous writing with clever puns and engaging characters.
Fun and intuitive gameplay with logical puzzles that are not overly difficult.
Beautiful pixel art and hand-drawn cutscenes that enhance the overall experience.

The game is relatively short, taking around 4-6 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
Repetitive dialogue when showing items to characters can become tedious.
Some players may find the pixel art style makes it difficult to identify certain objects or clues.

story
127 mentions
43 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "Inspector Waffles" is a charming and engaging detective narrative that cleverly incorporates 80's movie tropes and a plethora of cat-themed puns, making it both fun and lighthearted. While the plot may not be groundbreaking, it features well-developed characters and intriguing twists that keep players invested throughout the approximately 5-6 hour gameplay. The writing is praised for its humor and creativity, contributing to a wholesome experience that balances mystery with emotional depth.
- “The plot unravels in an echo of 80's detective movies and well-loved tropes without ridiculing them; the conversations are honest and not only serve to uplift the world but also to add layers to Waffles, my dear, dear spotty, the villains, and the rest of the cast.”
- “The story is fun and complex; basically, it's a mystery that kind of starts in medias res.”
- “Inspector Waffles is a charming story with well-written characters!”
- “The story isn't particularly deep but it moves the action of the game along.”
- “This game has a pretty generic story; it uses all the tropes of the detective genre.”
- “Inspector Waffles is a console ported 2D retro pixel point-and-click adventure game with long-winded and extremely tedious visual novel text components that once more show how important it is for developers to learn how to tell a story through the narrative of the video game media rather than endless cutscenes and poorly written text.”
humor
53 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, charming characters, and lighthearted tone, making it accessible for players of all ages. Many reviews highlight the abundance of puns, witty dialogue, and amusing references, particularly those related to pets and classic noir tropes. While some found the humor to be forced or overly reliant on references, the overall consensus is that the game successfully balances comedy with engaging gameplay, resulting in a delightful point-and-click adventure.
- “The writing is funny and lighthearted, yet also includes some heartfelt moments.”
- “The puzzles are entertaining, and the story and dialogues are truly excellent and filled with funny puns about pets.”
- “The puns and other humor are genuinely funny and made me literally laugh out loud at times.”
graphics
44 mentions
39 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click adventures, featuring bright colors and cute character designs. While some players appreciate the simplistic and endearing visuals, others criticize the outdated graphics and occasional difficulty in identifying clues due to the pixelated nature. Overall, the art style is generally well-received, with many enjoying the combination of humor and vibrant illustrations, particularly in the cutscenes.
- “The pixel graphics fit the mood perfectly as does the soundtrack.”
- “Inspector Waffles is a humorous detective adventure game with bright, endearing pixel art graphics and an affinity for puns.”
- “I love the pixel-art style, which is very detailed and makes the world feel nice and vibrant, but also provides enough clarity to not clutter the screen in busy locations, like the antique store.”
- “The graphics are basic, pixel art static screens with minimal animation.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “Without any other substantial graphics tweaks, it's not possible for gamers to improve the lackluster 2D visuals.”
gameplay
31 mentions
10 % positive mentions
81 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a point-and-click adventure that combines classic inventory mechanics with an interview system, allowing players to gather clues and solve mysteries. While some reviewers noted a lack of polish and simplistic mechanics, others appreciated the clever puzzles and engaging storyline, highlighting the game's dedication to the genre. Overall, the gameplay offers a casual experience with a streamlined interface, though it could benefit from more character animation and refined mechanics.
- “Choosing the right conversation topics does add to the deduction-lite gameplay that lots of detective-themed games forget to sprinkle over their mysteries.”
- “The 'investigative' gameplay was well realized and was a refreshing departure from the normal 'fetch quest' style of adventure games.”
- “The whole introduction to the game and its gameplay mechanics feels so well crafted; the puzzles are clever, the writing is funny, nice colorful visuals, and the investigation/detective system is shaping up to be one of the best I've seen in an adventure game.”
- “Mechanically, the game lacks polish.”
- “The gameplay is about what is expected, but clicking on static images while reading text that's way too far from the 'action' is not exactly what people look for in these games.”
- “As for controls and gameplay, there is nothing surprising here.”
music
28 mentions
61 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, atmospheric jazz soundtrack that complements the overall aesthetic and narrative. Reviewers note its memorable and enjoyable qualities, describing it as fitting for the game's tone and enhancing the experience without being overwhelming. The soundtrack's retro vibe and simplicity contribute to a charming ambiance, making it a highlight for many players.
- “The music is low key yet strangely memorable.”
- “What's most impressive is how the game creates what feels like a fully-formed and believable world using almost static screens over four or five hours - helped by an atmospheric jazzy soundtrack.”
- “The whole game is accompanied by a suitably detective-ish soundtrack that I thought was quite good.”
- “The music is loose, simple film noir jazz.”
- “The soundtrack is frequently jaunty and chipper, sometimes even in scenes where that doesn’t fit the mood, but not enough so as to affect the gameplay experience.”
- “The main music is a relaxing 'detective jazz' track.”
emotional
11 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of lighthearted humor and heartfelt moments, creating a charming and wholesome experience. While the writing includes clever puns and quirky characters, it also delivers surprisingly touching emotional depth, particularly through character development and a positive narrative. Overall, the game strikes a balance between fun and sentiment, making it an enjoyable adventure for players.
- “The writing is funny and lighthearted, yet also includes some heartfelt moments.”
- “The story is so wholesome and wonderful!”
- “This emotional character development surprised us, especially in moments when the plot took another twist and turn and presented us a bond-like conspiracy at the end.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has low replayability due to its fixed puzzle solutions and short playtime of 4-5 hours. While it may entertain players during the initial run, the lack of varied experiences or significant incentives for replay makes it less appealing for multiple playthroughs. Despite its charm for retro detective fans, the limited replay value is a notable drawback.
- “At $12.99 at the time of review, 4-5 hours of initial playthrough time, and achievements for replay value, 'Inspector Waffles' is a clear buy for retro detective point-and-click fans.”
- “Outside of these two runs, I wouldn't say that the game has replayability.”
- “Given the short length, this isn't a big deal, though like most adventure games, there isn't much in the way of replay value -- the solution to every puzzle is exactly the same the second time as it is the first time.”
- “I was entertained playing this, but I feel the replay value is pretty low.”
- “It is pricey for the time it takes to complete and doesn't have much replay value.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive world-building, enhanced by a jazzy soundtrack and vibrant pixel art graphics. Despite the use of mostly static screens, the combination of engaging storytelling and memorable characters creates a believable environment that captivates players. While some reviewers noted a desire for more character animation, the overall quality and consistency of the atmosphere remain strong.
- “What's most impressive is how the game creates what feels like a fully-formed and believable world using almost static screens over four or five hours - helped by an atmospheric jazzy soundtrack.”
- “Tl;dr if you're looking for a story with a good hook, great atmosphere, and memorable characters, Inspector Waffles should be right up your alley.”
- “Personally, I love the colorful pixel art graphics as well as the hand-drawn cutscenes, and the quality is consistently good throughout the game, also helped by the atmospheric music and good sound effects.”
- “I would've liked to see more character animation, but one person made this game and it offers plenty of gameplay, story, and atmosphere as it is, so this is a minor complaint.”
- “Final point I'll make here in the game's favor: atmosphere and world building.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of "Inspector Waffles" to be tedious, with repetitive dialogue and lengthy visual novel segments detracting from the experience. The need for backtracking to solve puzzles further contributes to the sense of monotony, highlighting a desire for more engaging storytelling and streamlined gameplay.
- “This is so damn tedious and it happens a lot.”
- “Inspector Waffles is a console ported 2D retro pixel point and click adventure game with long-winded and extremely tedious visual novel text components that once more show how important it is for developers to learn how to tell a story through the narrative of the video game media rather than endless cutscenes and poorly written text.”
- “A minor quip is that the puzzles require some tedious back and forth.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game received mixed reviews; while some found it weaker than expected, others were pleasantly surprised by its emotional depth, particularly during plot twists. The character designs and overall artistic presentation were praised, contributing positively to the game's narrative experience.
- “The character designs, soundtrack, and story were all delightful; not to mention the cutscenes, I always got really excited whenever one played.”
- “The character designs are lovely, and the art, both pixel and drawn, is fantastic.”
- “I found character development to be weaker than I would have liked, but for the size of the development team and the scope of the game as a whole, I cannot fault them.”
- “This emotional character development surprised us, especially in moments when the plot took another twist and turn and presented us with a bond-like conspiracy at the end.”