The Case of the Golden Idol

Case of the Golden Idol is an innovative and truly engaging detective masterpiece.

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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

Reviews

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,621 reviews

story1,032 positive mentions

grinding47 negative mentions

Engaging and clever puzzles that make you feel like a true detective.
Intriguing overarching story that ties all the cases together.
Unique art style and atmospheric music that enhance the gameplay experience.

Some puzzles can feel overly simplistic or require brute forcing.
The game is relatively short, which may not justify the full price for some players.
Occasional ambiguity in clues can lead to frustration when trying to deduce answers.

story
2,151 mentions
48 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The story in "The Case of the Golden Idol" is intricately woven, presenting a captivating narrative that unfolds through a series of interconnected puzzles. Players engage in a unique deduction process, piecing together clues to reveal a complex plot filled with twists and turns, ultimately leading to a satisfying conclusion. While the game is relatively short, its clever storytelling and engaging mechanics make for a memorable experience that encourages players to think critically and revisit earlier chapters for deeper understanding.
- “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 found the story to be a bit difficult to follow, but the real heart of the game is piecing together the aspects of the puzzle to find the required solutions.”
- “The last four cases are a complete slog, with too many factoids and poorly connected logic wrapped in a dull story.”
- “I have to admit though, that near the end I did start to get a bit bored since I didn't really enjoy the story that much so there were a couple of puzzles which I felt lazy to figure out and I just solved them through either brute force or even English grammar basics sometimes.”
gameplay
646 mentions
37 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Case of the Golden Idol" is characterized by its innovative fill-in-the-blank mechanic, where players gather clues from static scenes to deduce the narrative of each case. This engaging point-and-click style encourages critical thinking and observation, reminiscent of "Return of the Obra Dinn," while offering a unique twist with its word-gathering approach. Although some players noted minor UI issues and a tendency for the gameplay to become repetitive, the overall experience is praised for its clever puzzles, satisfying deductions, and compelling storytelling.
- “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.”
- “The gameplay is very engaging as you really need to investigate and think about each scene to solve it.”
- “Though after 6 hours of gameplay, I'm still wondering who I am and why I'm investigating all these weird cases, since there is no introduction at all and you're just dropped into the first scene.”
- “But I gradually realized that the gameplay is boring and has no progress during completion.”
- “The gameplay suffers from it being quite messy to hunt through the clues because they are spread out through several scenes and sub-screens.”
graphics
608 mentions
41 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Case of the Golden Idol" feature a distinctive and quirky pixel art style that initially may seem off-putting to some players but tends to grow on them as they engage with the game. Many reviewers appreciate the nostalgic charm and unique aesthetic, which effectively complements the game's dark narrative and puzzle mechanics, despite some criticism regarding its roughness and simplicity. Overall, the visuals are described as both grotesque and charming, contributing to an immersive detective experience that resonates with fans of classic adventure games.
- “The game is mostly set in alt-history 18th Britain (in this world called Albion), and is presented in an interesting high-res pixel-art style that uses extensive dithering and a limited palette that reminds me of the graphical style of the old Sierra On-Line adventure games.”
- “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, despite being simple, are actually very well made and adequate to this type of puzzle-solving genre.”
- “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.”
- “The graphics are... shall we say, not the best.”
music
415 mentions
64 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and mood, with many players noting its catchy, immersive, and sometimes unsettling qualities. While some tracks may feel repetitive during extended gameplay, the overall soundtrack is praised for its fittingness to the game's themes and its ability to evoke a sense of mystery and tension. The combination of unique art style and evocative music creates a compelling experience that resonates with players, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “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 phenomenal, complementing quite well the scenes and with enough variety to keep immersion at the maximum.”
- “The music was grinding my gears....”
- “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.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
84 mentions
63 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its strong, immersive qualities, combining unique art styles, haunting music, and a captivating narrative that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia and intrigue, with settings that range from cozy to unsettling, all contributing to a memorable and engaging atmosphere. Overall, the cohesive blend of visuals, sound, and storytelling creates a distinctive ambiance that keeps players invested and eager for more.
- “Fantastic music and presentation sets that atmosphere of each scene perfectly.”
- “The art, music, and atmosphere really contributed to keep me invested in this game.”
- “The atmosphere, writing, and character design are all so unique.”
- “The game looks a bit ugly at first glance, but the visuals make sense both from a gameplay perspective and for the atmosphere, so it didn't end up bothering me.”
- “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
76 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
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 that keeps players both amused and challenged.
- “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.”
- “Cunning, funny, and occasionally maddening, this is a binge-worthy, whodunnit puzzler with style to spare.”
- “The story is gripping and compelling, the tone is equal parts dark and hilarious; it's just perfect.”
grinding
52 mentions
2 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with many describing it as occasionally tedious, particularly in tasks involving 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 lengthy text or repetitive mechanics, detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the game manages to maintain an engaging narrative and rewarding deduction process, making the tedious moments easier to overlook.
- “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
42 mentions
7 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that once completed, there is little incentive to play again due to the nature of its mystery and puzzle-solving elements. While some players found value in replaying after forgetting certain details, the consensus is that the game is short (averaging around 4-10 hours) and not worth the full price for its limited replay potential. Despite this, many still recommend the game for its quality experience, suggesting it may be better to purchase during a sale.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “It isn't super replayable but so good that I would talk friends into playing it.”
- “The currently asked $18 is a tough sell for a game with only 6ish hours of gameplay and no replay value.”
- “I know they're a small team but it's a shame that the game wasn't a bit longer, 6 hours for 100% completion felt a little short for the price, especially as there's zero replayability.”
- “Took me five hours which is probably about average, and there's honestly no replayability to this game.”
emotional
35 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players frequently express a strong emotional connection to the game, primarily feeling a sense of intelligence and accomplishment as they solve puzzles and unravel mysteries. Many compare the experience to that of being a detective, akin to the thrill of playing "Return of the Obra Dinn," while also noting moments of frustration that contribute to a rollercoaster of emotions, oscillating between feeling brilliant and occasionally overwhelmed. Overall, the game successfully evokes feelings of satisfaction and pride in players, making them feel smarter than they perceive themselves to be.
- “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.”
- “The unique puzzle-solving mechanics are unmatched and truly made me feel like I was solving mysteries instead of simply hitting on pre-determined story beats.”
- “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
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are praised for their uniqueness and contribute to the overall atmosphere and storytelling, many players feel that actual character growth is lacking, with some characters fading into the background. However, the intriguing plot twists and the emotional impact of the story keep players engaged and thinking about the characters even when not playing. Overall, the strong visual and narrative elements enhance the experience, despite the limited character development.
- “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
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with minimal glitches, others have encountered significant issues such as save corruption and crashes. Despite these problems, many users appreciate the engaging gameplay and intriguing puzzles.
- “The game runs smoothly with no glitches or slowdown, and even though I experienced one random crash, I didn't lose any progress.”
- “I appreciate the stability of the game; it consistently performs well without any major issues.”
- “Overall, the game has proven to be stable, providing a seamless experience throughout my playtime.”
- “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
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the sequel is characterized by a chapter-based structure complemented by a game-spanning puzzle, which has generated excitement among players. Additionally, the game's discovery through social media advertising highlights its effective promotional strategy.
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized, running smoothly with minimal issues, though players have reported a rare random crash that does not result in lost progress.
- “The game runs smoothly with no glitches or slowdown, and even though I experienced one random crash, I didn't lose any progress.”
- “Optimization is top-notch; the performance is consistent and reliable throughout my gameplay.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is, allowing for a seamless experience without any major issues.”