Murders on the Yangtze River
- January 30, 2024
- OMEGAMES STUDIO
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Murders on the Yangtze River" is a detective game with a horizontal axis layout, similar to "Ace Attorney." Players solve intriguing cases in early 20th century China, with a focus on logical reasoning and exploration of the stunning brush painting art style. The game strives to resonate with players of diverse backgrounds through its thrilling plot and heartfelt emotions.
Reviews
- The puzzles are brilliantly crafted, keeping players engaged from start to finish.
- The character development is outstanding, making the story immersive and relatable.
- The historical setting is rich with details, providing an educational layer about Chinese history.
- Some animations are too long, which can disrupt the pacing of the game.
- The English dialogue sometimes feels awkward and inconsistent, detracting from immersion.
- There are occasional logical leaps in the story that may confuse players.
- story178 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging narrative, well-developed characters, and intricate plot twists that keep players invested throughout. Set against a rich historical backdrop, the storytelling effectively weaves in cultural references and mysteries, creating a captivating experience that balances humor and seriousness. While some minor translation issues and pacing concerns were noted, the overall consensus highlights the story as a standout feature, making it a compelling addition to the detective genre.
“The character development is outstanding—each character feels real and vibrant, making the story even more immersive.”
“The characters are well-written and very likable, the story is consistent and engaging, and the mysteries are creative, generally staying away from clichés.”
“The story is expertly crafted and everything really comes together.”
“The pacing of the story and gameplay are rough and abrupt.”
“Some plot points and timelines are nonsensical, with characters acting inconsistently with their backgrounds or abilities.”
“Character names change from basic English names to their best translated Chinese names randomly throughout the story, making it often difficult to keep track of which characters are being referred to.”
- gameplay67 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is heavily inspired by the Ace Attorney series, featuring a mix of mystery-solving mechanics, unique case-specific challenges, and a variety of interactive elements that keep the experience engaging. While the core mechanics are straightforward, the game introduces unique gameplay gimmicks in each chapter, enhancing the overall experience and preventing repetition. Players appreciate the balance of challenge and accessibility, with a focus on deduction and logical reasoning, making it a standout title in the detective genre.
“The gameplay is a lot like Ace Attorney, and the puzzles are sometimes challenging but not impossible.”
“With each case, there were unique mechanics for just that case, so while the main gameplay remained mostly the same, each case had its own spice to it that makes it stand out.”
“The gameplay was the right level of engaging for me - not many timed events, so I had plenty of time to think, but enough interaction that I felt I was playing a game and not just consuming a story.”
“The pacing of the story and gameplay are rough and abrupt.”
“Some of the mini games and deductions can be kind of clunky, but overall the gameplay was still good.”
“The game mechanics are almost the same, there are probably 2-3 mechanics in logic scenes that are new but they all appeared for only once.”
- music57 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely praised for its beautiful integration of traditional Chinese instruments, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the gameplay. While many reviewers noted the soundtrack's ability to complement the story and character moments effectively, some mentioned that certain tracks could become repetitive during extended gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersive experience.
“The music and art style are both gorgeous; I especially love the character's sprites for walking around and investigating.”
“The soundtrack is a brilliant accompaniment to the tension when you're frantically searching for contradictions and refutations.”
“The music is absolutely beautiful, with the right mood at the right moment.”
“The music interrupts the mood often and transitions go up and down like a jackhammer.”
“The music is a little repetitive; I found myself turning it down when analyzing the inventory or reading facts.”
“Music is fine, but for this type of game, you can oftentimes get stuck in a scene trying to solve a hard mystery, which can make a music loop super repetitive.”
- graphics47 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and vibrancy, featuring a unique art style that blends chibi aesthetics with traditional Chinese influences. Players appreciate the charming character designs and the immersive visual storytelling that complements the engaging narrative. Overall, the visuals are described as stunning and well-executed, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
“The graphics are beautiful and vibrant.”
“A lot of murder mystery games really lean into the dreary noir aesthetic, which I'm definitely in the mood for sometimes, but the beauty of this game helps it deal with dark subject matter without being incredibly depressing.”
“The characters are well-written and endearing, the art style is absolutely gorgeous and the music suits the atmosphere perfectly.”
“Sure, graphics here may not be for everyone's liking, but they definitely serve their purpose.”
“Generally, the game is done in this chibi art style and the characters all look like paper dolls that act out murders, which is cute but did take me out of it a little bit.”
“My salute - no 3D, no amazing graphics... engaging story and simple mechanics are all that it takes for such a great detective adventure game.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of witty British dialogue, amusing character depictions, and moments of levity that enhance the overall experience. While it may not reach the silliness of titles like Ace Attorney, players appreciate the cleverness and occasional laugh-out-loud moments woven into the serious narrative. Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the well-crafted story and gameplay, though it may not always resonate with everyone.
“There's a single f-bomb dropped by a Brit in this game, and it was hilarious.”
“The extremely British voice lines later on in the game were also absolutely hilarious.”
“This game is the best game I have played in a long time that made me laugh, cry, and kept me so invested in the wonderfully written storyline and well-programmed gameplay.”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to engage players through heartfelt storytelling and meaningful connections to historical events, particularly the struggles faced during the opium crisis in China. Players feel a strong sense of passion and appreciation for the narrative, with many moments resonating deeply, especially in the final case. While the game successfully evokes strong emotions, some reviewers suggest that further character development could enhance the overall emotional impact.
“I could tell this was an important part of the game the developers wanted to share, and it was very heartfelt with how connected the cases were regarding drugs.”
“Every part of this game is a masterpiece; the gameplay is challenging and fun, the cases are intriguing, the characters are charming with so much depth, the music is great, the art is gorgeous in both the sprite work and in cutscenes, and the emotional impact of the final case had me thinking about it for days on end.”
“There are some amazing ideas and emotional moments hidden here.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, featuring well-written characters, stunning art style, and a soundtrack inspired by traditional Chinese music that enhances the experience. Reviewers note that the combination of scenery, voice acting, and attention to detail effectively transports players to the game's time period, creating a captivating environment that complements its detective elements. Overall, the atmosphere is described as engaging and reminiscent of classic adventure games, leaving players eager for more.
“The characters are well-written and endearing, the art style is absolutely gorgeous and the music suits the atmosphere perfectly.”
“The scenery, characters, facts tab (which is super cool), the very well-made voice over with the switching languages and accents, and the overall atmosphere all work together to immerse you into the game's time period.”
“Very atmospheric while still fitting the detective side of the game.”
“The scenery, characters, facts tab (which is super cool), the very well-made voiceover with the switching languages and accents, and the overall atmosphere all work together to immerse you in the game's time period.”
“Highly reminiscent of the great Ace Attorney in terms of mechanics, atmosphere, and OST.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, with users noting that each character feels authentic and engaging, contributing to an immersive storytelling experience. The high-quality character designs, animations, and expressive traits enhance the overall appeal, making players eager to encounter new characters throughout the game.
“The character development is outstanding—each character feels real and vibrant, making the story even more immersive.”
“Character designs, animation, and art are of high quality; I love how expressive some of the characters are.”
“This might be a personal preference, but I found the character designs lovely and was looking forward to meeting new characters in each case.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the voice acting in the game is commendable, with solid performances that exceed expectations, though some inconsistencies in quality were noted. Despite these minor issues, the effort put into the voice acting contributes positively to the overall experience.
“Also, I really want to shout out the effort put into the voice acting - I didn't expect it to be heavily voice acted, and I was really happy with the performances!”
“The performances are all great, so it doesn't detract from the game too much.”
