Little Locked Rooms

About

Little Locked Rooms is a single player action game. It was developed by riolucci and was released on June 5, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Little Locked Rooms is a short mystery game where players investigate tiny crime scene models to solve impossible disappearances and murders. With carefully crafted puzzles of varying difficulty, players must use their deductive skills to uncover the truth behind the criminals' clever tricks. The game offers about 2-3 hours of gameplay, complete with animated sequences and a hint system to assist when needed.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 79 reviews

music8 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

The game features charming characters and delightful dialogue, creating a warm family atmosphere that enhances the experience.
The puzzles are well-constructed and satisfying to solve, with a unique approach that encourages observation and deduction rather than simply collecting clues.
The diorama presentation is visually appealing, and the intuitive UI makes it easy to navigate through the game.

The game is quite short, with only a few cases to solve, leaving players wanting more content and depth.
Some players found the gameplay too linear, as the questions often led to predetermined answers, limiting the sense of true investigation.
There are concerns about the reliance on well-known mystery tropes and stories, which may detract from the originality of the game.

story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The game's story revolves around a father creating diorama mysteries for his children, but it heavily relies on recycled plots from classic mystery writers like John Dickson Carr and Agatha Christie, leading to concerns about originality and proper crediting. While the meta-narrative and character interactions are engaging, the overall storytelling suffers due to the lack of depth and reliance on familiar tropes, resulting in a mix of entertaining puzzles but a disappointing narrative experience. Despite its brevity, the game offers a charming setup, though it leaves players questioning the authenticity of its story elements.
- “The frame story is that the dioramas are made by a dad for his son and daughter to test their mettle with.”
- “Nice little short mysteries to solve, solid writing, and an entertaining meta story for the whole mystery-solving setup, with some fun dialogue too.”
- “While it's not too long, for the price there's a ton of content here, as well as a charmingly delivered story about two detective kids, set in these mysteries by their dad.”
- “I stopped after the ballet mystery because of the massive number of plot holes.”
- “Any story the locked rooms have either get explained after solving or are just set dressing for the room to exist at all.”
- “While the gameplay does a good job adapting mystery novel investigations into a puzzle game-like format, it also comes at the expense of the storytelling, as every case is expressed through narration with faceless and nameless characters.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to create a relaxing, cozy atmosphere that complements the engaging puzzles and character interactions. Reviewers appreciate the lighthearted and upbeat soundtrack, although some express a desire for more variety to match different settings. Overall, the music enhances the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for players.
- “The music was very relaxing and the writing was pretty well done.”
- “I will say that the music is stellar for a cozy mystery.”
- “The music is lighthearted and comfy, although I would have liked more relevant variety (castle feels dark/moody, the snow cabin feels empty/outdoorsy).”
- “The soundtrack makes it relaxing and not stressful like other games in the genre.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The gameplay is characterized by a quick loop that combines clue-finding in dioramas with dialogue-driven explanations, effectively condensing complex mysteries into engaging, bite-sized experiences. While the mechanics are praised for their charm and innovation, some players desire greater interactivity with the dioramas and a more traditional puzzle-solving approach. Overall, the game successfully balances simple mechanics and likable characters, though it occasionally sacrifices deeper storytelling for its streamlined format.
- “I like the 'partial answer' mechanic, too - it gives you some wiggle room when you're 'right, but in the wrong way,' which so many other mystery-focused games struggle with.”
- “Simple mechanics, likable characters, and interesting puzzles.”
- “I think the biggest lacking bit gameplay-wise is that the dioramas should have some more interactivity, or the ability to see all the additional smaller dioramas with the main set at the same time.”
- “The two phases of gameplay involve looking for clues in the dioramas and then going through dialogue options to explain what happened.”
- “It's a very quick gameplay loop; the game distills a full-sized mystery into only the twistiest parts, so the cases are short but sweet.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are widely praised for their charming characters and great art style, contributing to an overall adorable visual and auditory experience. Users appreciate the aesthetic appeal, which enhances the enjoyment of the game, even as they tackle challenging puzzles.
- “Very charming characters, the art style is great and the music is lovely.”
- “Visuals and music are adorable, but the puzzles are real challenges.”
- “First and foremost, I love the art style.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express disappointment with the monetization aspect, feeling that the game does not deliver on the investigative experience promised in advertisements, particularly regarding the engaging diorama features.
- “The monetization in this game feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra money.”
- “I was really disappointed by the paywall; it feels like you can't progress without shelling out cash.”
- “The in-game purchases are so tempting that it distracts from the actual gameplay experience.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by a compelling soundtrack that fosters a thought-provoking environment, although the overall experience can feel brief if players rush through the puzzles.
- “The soundtrack was excellent, creating a thought-provoking atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack was good enough for creating a thought-provoking atmosphere, but the overall experience felt lacking.”
- “The atmosphere was underwhelming and didn't immerse me in the game world as I had hoped.”
- “While the visuals were decent, the atmosphere failed to evoke any real emotion or engagement.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is perceived as lacking depth, with players expressing a desire for more meaningful interactions, such as one-on-one conversations that could enhance character relationships. While the visual elements are well-crafted, they feel disjointed and do not contribute to a cohesive narrative experience.
- “I wanted the dad character to sit them down and have one-on-one talks with them for the sake of character development, but it never happened.”
- “The 3D environments, the character designs, the UI, and the cover image - although all well made and nice to look at - do not really fit together, and I assume were made separately by different people.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is considered to have low replayability due to its short length and limited content, with players noting that the primary incentive for replaying is to experience different dialogue options. However, there is potential for future expansions that could enhance replay value.
- “I can't recommend the game if you're short on money, since it's got basically no replayability outside of getting to see all the ways the dad can tell you you're wrong.”
- “It may be too short of a game and not really replayable, but the format makes it easy to add more levels and story in the future.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers feel that the emotional impact of the game is diminished by the repetitive bickering between siblings, suggesting that a more immersive experience through character involvement would enhance emotional engagement.