The Case of the Golden Idol

About

In "The Case of the Golden Idol," players become an 18th-century detective, investigating twelve mysterious deaths over 50 years, all linked to a cursed aristocratic family and the elusive Golden Idol. By meticulously observing each death scene and utilizing deductive skills, players can unmask killers and expose their motives, unraveling a complex web of deceit and villainy. The game promises a sprawling narrative filled with dark conspiracies and hidden truths.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+12

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,255 reviews

story2.1k positive mentions

grinding94 negative mentions

The game features a captivating narrative with clever twists and satisfying 'aha' moments as players unravel a complex tale of ambition, greed, and betrayal.
Players appreciate the unique puzzle-solving mechanics and the sense of accomplishment they feel while engaging with the game's challenges, likening it to a detective experience.
The art style and music effectively enhance the atmosphere, creating a memorable and immersive experience that complements the quirky storytelling.

Some players found the story convoluted and difficult to follow, with a lack of character development and depth in certain areas.
The gameplay can become tedious due to repetitive mechanics and backtracking, leading to a less enjoyable experience towards the end.
The game has limited replayability, with many reviewers noting that once the mystery is solved, there is little incentive to play again.

story
4,304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
51%
1%
The story of "The Case of the Golden Idol" is intricately woven, featuring a captivating narrative that unfolds across multiple chapters, each revealing new layers of intrigue and character motivations. Players engage in a unique puzzle-solving experience that requires them to piece together clues and fill in narrative gaps, leading to satisfying "aha" moments as the overarching plot comes together. While some found the story occasionally convoluted, the overall consensus highlights its depth, clever twists, and the rewarding experience of unraveling a complex tale of ambition, greed, and betrayal.
- “The story is so well put together, and the order in which it is told including the extra stories really gives you those fun aha moments.”
- “Very good mystery game with a surprisingly in-depth overarching plot that does a great job getting the player to slowly unravel over time.”
- “The story builds from scattered and strange to something disturbing leading up to a surprisingly satisfying conclusion.”
- “I mean, it's a wonderful idea well executed but I finished the main story more out of obligation and not because I was really enjoying it.”
- “The last four cases are a complete slog, with too many factoids and poorly connected logic wrapped in a dull story.”
- “I found the overall story a bit tough to follow and the lack of being able to easily reference the characters from previous chapters.”
gameplay
1,296 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
62%
1%
The gameplay of "The Case of the Golden Idol" is characterized by its innovative fill-in-the-blank mechanics, where players investigate static scenes to gather clues and piece together narratives, reminiscent of "Return of the Obra Dinn." While the game offers a satisfying and engaging experience with a steady ramp in difficulty, some players noted issues with repetitive mechanics and a lack of depth in certain areas. Overall, it is praised for its clever puzzles, unique art style, and the ability to challenge players' deductive reasoning without excessive hand-holding.
- “Excellent little detective game that constructs incredibly open puzzles with the smart vocabulary-based gameplay loop.”
- “The gameplay consists of you entering an animated scene, taking in the death or murder, clicking on hot-spots to gain words, or closer inspect an item, and then when you have gotten all words, try to fill out a form explaining what exactly happened in the scene.”
- “The case of the golden idol probably has one of my most favorite mystery game mechanics I’ve ever encountered, where it directly ties in with actually figuring out the details of the individual cases making up the overarching plot to progress through the story along with barely any hand-holding which made it satisfyingly challenging in the best way.”
- “But I gradually realized that the gameplay is boring and has no progress during completion.”
- “The second problem is that the detective gameplay felt quite shallow; there was maybe only one scenario in the whole game where I felt like I was making a clever observation to figure something out.”
- “There's also a lot of redundancy in solving the scenarios with the word filling mechanic.”
graphics
1,216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The graphics of "The Case of the Golden Idol" feature a unique and often polarizing art style that blends nostalgic pixel art with a quirky, grotesque aesthetic. While some players initially find the visuals off-putting, many report that the art style grows on them as they engage with the game, enhancing the overall atmosphere and storytelling. The graphics, though simple and reminiscent of older adventure games, effectively complement the game's themes and mechanics, making it a memorable experience for fans of the genre.
- “The art style is so grotesque I love it.”
- “I absolutely love this game’s art style—it’s like a breath of fresh air and truly stands out with its creativity and charm.”
- “The art style is unique and quirky, and fits well with the theme and mood of the mystery.”
- “The graphics are...shall we say, not the best.”
- “I accepted that the visuals would be terrible, but I thought what I'd get instead would be an interesting puzzle game.”
- “The art style is quite possibly the ugliest I've ever seen, but it's done with such obvious intent that it sort of wraps back around to charming.”
music
830 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
33%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and mood, with many players noting its captivating and immersive qualities. While some tracks are described as repetitive, the overall soundtrack is praised for its uniqueness and ability to complement the game's quirky art style and engaging narrative. Many reviewers highlight the music as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.
- “Fantastic music and presentation sets that atmosphere of each scene perfectly.”
- “The music and atmosphere are wonderful, and the story is totally fascinating!”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing as it carries you around the mysteries with urgency and determination but without annoyance or repetitiveness.”
- “Sounds and music are mid.”
- “My only slight annoyance was that some of the music, while mostly well-crafted and interestingly arranged, can get very annoying when it's been on loop for an hour during a case that you just can't seem to solve.”
- “While this game could be compared to Obra Dinn, unlike that game, the music is truly bad here and I turned it off after the first two cases.”
atmosphere
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its strong cohesion, blending unique art styles, haunting music, and immersive storytelling to create a captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from cozy nostalgia to unsettling eeriness, making it a standout in the detective puzzle genre. Overall, the combination of visuals, sound, and narrative intricately weaves a memorable and engaging atmosphere that keeps players invested.
- “Fantastic music and presentation sets that atmosphere of each scene perfectly.”
- “From bustling city streets to dimly lit alleys, each location is meticulously crafted, oozing with atmosphere and ripe for exploration.”
- “The art, atmosphere, music, characters, story, and game mechanics merge to form a really spectacular game with clear vision and amazing execution.”
- “The story is less a mystery than just a macabre collection of events, but the atmosphere and oddity of it all keeps you hooked along with the puzzles which are simple, but satisfying to solve.”
- “It creates a subtly disturbing atmosphere that is really key to the game's identity.”
- “The creepy art and music add to the unsettling atmosphere.”
humor
152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and darkly comedic elements, blending absurdity with engaging storytelling. Players appreciate the quirky characters and the witty writing, which often leads to laugh-out-loud moments amidst the intricate puzzles. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with a compelling narrative, creating a unique and entertaining experience.
- “Lumpy British people keep killing each other over a funny little statue and you've got to figure out who the murderers are and how they did it.”
- “One of the rare games that are both side-splittingly funny and make you feel like a bona fide genius when you solve.”
- “The story is gripping and compelling, the tone is equal parts dark and hilarious; it's just perfect.”
grinding
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
8%
90%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with many describing it as occasionally tedious, particularly in tasks like dragging and dropping keywords or backtracking through clues. While some appreciate the challenge and complexity of the puzzles, others feel that certain elements, such as repetitive tasks and lengthy text, detract from the enjoyment. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the game still offers a rewarding experience, balancing challenge with engaging storytelling.
- “You're given juuust enough information to work it out so it feels challenging but not tedious.”
- “While the gameplay wasn't bad, it ends up getting pretty tedious by the end.”
- “Finding clues is fun at first, then it gets tedious when the clue is some unintuitive word in an ordinary statement.”
- “The constant backtracking to clues can still be sort of tedious, but not enough to make you put the game down.”
replayability
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
43%
50%
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that once the mystery is solved, there is little incentive to play again. While some players may find value in revisiting the game after forgetting certain details, the consensus is that it is a short experience (typically around 4-10 hours) that does not warrant a full price purchase due to its minimal replay value. Despite this, many still recommend the game for its quality and engaging gameplay.
- “It's not really a replayable game, but I found the whole experience to be pretty fresh and worthwhile!”
- “A brief but utterly spellbinding mystery game in the vein of Return of the Obra Dinn, not replayable once you know everything, but not every game needs to be.”
- “The currently asked $18 is a tough sell for a game with only 6ish hours of gameplay and no replay value.”
- “There's probably some replayability in there for me, since I've already forgotten most of its story and puzzles, but for anyone with a memory better than that of a goldfish, there might not be much value in a second go.”
- “My only frustration is that now I've finished it, I'm craving more and there isn't much in the way of replay value!”
emotional
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players frequently express a strong sense of accomplishment and intelligence while engaging with the game's puzzles, often likening their experience to that of a detective, reminiscent of titles like "Return of the Obra Dinn." The emotional highs of solving challenging scenarios lead to feelings of both brilliance and occasional frustration, creating a unique blend of satisfaction and self-doubt. However, some users note that the game's art style may hinder deeper emotional investment in the narrative.
- “This made me rely more on the overall story rather than specific clues in the final case, providing a fresh emotional experience and a perfect conclusion.”
- “In the end, it made me feel smart, maybe even because I was smart, and that's all I can ask of a mystery game, right.”
- “Solving the scenarios made me feel clever; they were never so obtuse to be illogical, nor were they too obvious to be a challenge.”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
44%
22%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the unique and disturbing character designs contribute significantly to the story's atmosphere and a mind-blowing post-game twist, many characters lack depth and fade away between scenes. Despite this, the game's storytelling and character motivations leave a lasting impression, prompting players to reflect on them even when not playing. Overall, the character design is praised as both fantastic and integral to the narrative experience.
- “I would think about the story and characters' motivations when not playing this game, which is a testament to the developers' amazing storytelling and character development.”
- “The atmosphere, writing, and character design are all so unique.”
- “The art and character designs are fantastic and the gameplay is very accessible.”
- “There is no real character development as most characters just fade away between scenes.”
- “The story is just the right amount of disturbing, like the character designs themselves.”
- “Because it turns out that the awful character design was silently priming you for a post-game twist that ties everything together and blows your mind, and it only works because of the character design.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
83%
The game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing bugs and save corruption, while others report smooth performance with minimal issues. Overall, while there are occasional crashes and design quirks, many users found the game enjoyable and stable enough to continue playing without significant disruptions.
- “Runs smoothly with no glitches or slowdown, only experienced one random crash, and thankfully no progress was lost.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any noticeable glitches or slowdown, and even with one random crash, I didn't lose any progress.”
- “Overall, the game operates very smoothly, with just one random crash that didn't affect my progress at all.”
- “That said, my save got corrupted halfway through (my game would launch and immediately force close), and I spent like an hour troubleshooting and downloading an external save to continue my playthrough.”
- “Sometimes buggy, but overall great puzzle quest.”
- “A little bit buggy, but interesting riddles and good detective genre.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game appears to be tied to its chapter-based structure, with players expressing excitement about a new game-spanning puzzle feature. Additionally, the game's visibility through advertisements, particularly on social media, has positively influenced player interest and engagement.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game is well-optimized, running smoothly without any significant glitches or slowdowns. Players have reported experiencing only one random crash, but it did not result in any loss of progress.
- “Runs smoothly with no glitches or slowdown, and even though there was one random crash, I didn't lose any progress.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any noticeable glitches or slowdowns, and despite a random crash, my progress remained intact.”