The Innsmouth Case

About

The Innsmouth Case is a single player casual role playing game with horror and fantasy themes. It was developed by RobotPumpkin Games and was released on June 23, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

In The Innsmouth Case, you are a detective investigating strange happenings in the town of Innsmouth. Uncover hidden secrets, delve into a Lovecraftian world, and make choices that impact the story's outcome in this compelling first-person adventure game. Interrogate suspects, explore eerie locations, and solve puzzles to crack the case. Your sanity and survival are at stake as you face the horrors lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly quiet town.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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58%

Audience ScoreBased on 122 reviews

story24 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and humorous take on Lovecraftian lore, with a variety of dialogue choices and multiple endings that encourage replayability.
The art style and atmospheric sound design enhance the overall experience, making it visually appealing and engaging.
Players appreciate the quirky humor and absurd situations, which provide a light-hearted contrast to the horror elements.

The writing is often criticized for being poorly executed, with juvenile humor that detracts from the intended horror experience.
Many players find the game lacks a coherent narrative, leading to confusion and frustration as choices often feel meaningless or repetitive.
The game is seen as a superficial parody of Lovecraft's work, failing to deliver a serious or engaging horror experience, which may disappoint fans of the genre.

story
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
70%
3%
The story of "The Innsmouth Case" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its Lovecraftian lore and humor, while others criticize it for being convoluted and lacking depth. Many enjoy the multiple story arcs and choices that allow for varied outcomes, but some feel that the narrative often leads to repetitive scenarios and fails to deliver a cohesive experience. Overall, while the game offers an interesting premise and engaging writing, it struggles to fully satisfy fans of cosmic horror and narrative-driven gameplay.
- “The game follows the story of a private detective who visits the weird fishing town of Innsmouth and has to deal with increasingly weirder and eldritch occult ordeals.”
- “The innsmouth case is a fantastic and well-written choose your own Lovecraft-inspired adventure game with lots of different paths to take; honestly, there's a lot to explore here, and the unexpected twists and turns that the story takes make it so much more interesting.”
- “A Lovecraftian choose your own adventure that uses a good deal of comedy to create interesting and memorable story paths, as well as make the suspense and horror parts hit all the harder when they appear.”
- “The story is weird and often doesn't make sense.”
- “Ultimately, this is a game that promised a lot but fails to live up to either the story it adapts or the expectations of cosmic horror fans.”
- “It was extremely disappointing that the plot didn't make sense and it rather felt like random events were happening for the purpose of creating a weird and unique narrative; however, the execution makes it tough for me to recommend this game.”
humor
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in the game is highly polarizing, with some players appreciating its quirky, offbeat style and clever references to Lovecraftian lore, while others criticize it for relying heavily on juvenile and toilet humor that detracts from the horror elements. Many reviews highlight moments of genuine amusement, but also note that the humor can feel out of place or offensive, particularly in its treatment of certain themes. Overall, the game seems to appeal to those who enjoy a comedic twist on horror, but may disappoint players seeking a more serious narrative.
- “There's a lot of times where I burst out laughing from the sheer stupidity of some stuff you can commit to.”
- “The completely out-of-place and dry humor of the main character is simply unbeatable when it came to amusement in a lot of story moments.”
- “The innsmouth case is the perfect blend of lovecraftian horror, humor, and pop culture references.”
- “This is a steaming pile of garbage which feels like it was written by ChatGPT after being told to write a pulp Lovecraftian story that is full of unfunny humor and random events.”
- “Strange tone, not sure if it was supposed to be funny or just awkward.”
- “It falls between horror and comedy in such a way as to be neither, so it's got no real choices, no horror, and is not funny.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many praising the unique art style and its ability to enhance the storytelling experience. While some users expressed a desire for more diverse visuals and gameplay elements, the overall presentation is described as charming and fitting for the game's themes. However, there are mixed feelings regarding the appropriateness of the art style in relation to the game's narrative.
- “I especially enjoyed the art style, as it's reduced, but has a lot of little nods and easter eggs.”
- “A strong well-scripted storyline with fantastic visuals and artistry.”
- “The graphic style is amazing and fits the world perfectly.”
- “The graphics are 2D and cartoonish; it's mainly writings as far as the storytelling goes, and before going to sleep, this is a heartwarming nighttime story.”
- “Visuals: I would’ve appreciated the visuals more if there had been more unique artistry.”
- “I am told that a child has scaly skin and no nose, while from the picture of the child I wouldn't suspect either of these characteristics, as the child clearly has nostrils and the art style is vague enough that missing nose contour looks like it could have been a stylistic choice.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The game's music has received praise for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with a diverse soundtrack that includes soulful piano tunes and fitting sound effects that complement the narrative. While some players found the music slightly repetitive, many appreciated its role in setting the mood and matching the game's humorous and dark themes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.
- “The animated drawings, background music, and sound effects in individual scenarios lightened up the reading.”
- “Music: an impressive assortment of piano tunes made the game more atmospheric and soulful.”
- “The soundtrack contributes perfectly to the humorous horror tone.”
- “It's a secondary issue compared to the amateurish writing, but the music is also really annoying.”
- “Sometimes I found the music to be a tiny bit repetitive, but it is simple enough that after a while, it starts to blend in the background.”
- “The music is fitting and the humor is pretty on point.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The gameplay is primarily a visual/interactive novel experience, averaging around 30-45 minutes per playthrough, with multiple endings and a focus on narrative choices. While some players appreciate the art style and mechanics for skipping previously seen text, others criticize the simplistic and repetitive nature of the gameplay, highlighting poorly written dialogue and a lack of engaging mechanics beyond clicking through text. Overall, the game's success hinges on the quality of its writing, as the gameplay itself offers minimal interactivity.
- “The game is short, maybe 45 minutes or so on an average first run. It has multiple endings and a pretty deep narrative choice, along with a few mechanics to speed you through to see other choices after a couple of regular ones if you are curious.”
- “Skipping only seen text is a great mechanic for ensuring you don't miss anything, which, given the confusing nature of the game, is quite easy.”
- “I love the art style and the presentation of the gameplay.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “Given the nature of the gameplay and presentation, the game's success or failure entirely depends on how well written it is.”
- “Yes, it has a good look to it, but it provides no extra mechanics outside of clicking through text, and considering that the whole point is just to survive a day, a single playthrough can be as short as 30 minutes.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is perceived as tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the need to replay content to achieve all endings and complete achievements. The experience is likened to a drawn-out reading process, where players must click through text rather than enjoying a seamless narrative, leading to a sense of regret for engaging with the game.
- “But my god it was tedious by the end, and I regret ever picking it up.”
- “A bit tedious to find all endings to complete all achievements.”
- “Pretty sure grinding out every achievement is just choosing every possible dialog multiple times over.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is initially captivating, with a mysterious and visually appealing start, enhanced by an impressive selection of piano music that adds depth. However, the frequent jokes disrupt immersion and detract from the intended ominous tone, creating an ironic atmosphere that may not resonate with all players.
- “First look is nice and atmospheric, somewhat interesting start; it catches you with a glimpse of mystery.”
- “The music features an impressive assortment of piano tunes that make the game more atmospheric and soulful.”
- “The constant jokes break any sense of immersion and completely undermine the ominous, oppressive atmosphere that should define the experience.”
- “Some of them are exaggeratedly weird, but this creates the ironic atmosphere of this game.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Players find the game's replayability engaging due to its non-linear structure, allowing them to explore different paths without repetitive gameplay. Additionally, the presence of numerous obscure endings enhances the experience for those interested in achieving 100% completion. Overall, the game is praised for its significant replay value.
- “It makes replayability a bit more interesting; you don't need to constantly play the same part to get to a part you haven't explored yet. It's extremely helpful for getting all the achievements if that's something you care about.”
- “The game offers a ton of replay value, with many obscure and hard-to-get-to endings.”
- “The game offers a ton of replay value, with many obscure and hard-to-reach endings.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game evokes strong emotions, with players reporting moments of heartfelt connection and even tears, particularly resonating with Lovecraft enthusiasts. Its cartoonish 2D graphics and storytelling create a cozy, night-time narrative experience, complemented by soul-touching music that enhances the emotional depth.
- “As a Lovecraft enthusiast, this made me feel deeply!”
- “The graphics are 2D and cartoonish, but the storytelling is mainly through writing. Before going to sleep, this is a heartwarming nighttime story.”
- “It'll replace your life; I cried a bit.”
- “The emotional moments felt forced and didn't resonate with me.”
- “I expected a deeper connection, but the story fell flat emotionally.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game is praised for its flawless performance, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the rich story without technical issues. Overall, the optimization contributes positively to the gaming experience, enhancing both gameplay and narrative engagement.
- “Flawless game performance.”
- “The optimization is top-notch, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how well the game runs; the optimization really enhances the overall experience.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of "The Innsmouth Case" has been criticized as a cash grab, priced at $13 USD, which many feel is excessive given the availability of older AAA games for the same cost. Players find it difficult to engage with the game's Lovecraftian theme when in-app purchases are referenced in a way that disrupts immersion.
- “The Innsmouth Case has the cash grab price of $13 USD, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games.”
- “It is hard to become immersed in a Lovecraftian game when the investigator is like, 'Durr, the client won't let me claim back money for in-app purchases.'”

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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

The Innsmouth Case
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5h Median play time

5h Average play time

5-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Innsmouth Case is a casual role playing game with horror and fantasy themes.

The Innsmouth Case is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, PC and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing The Innsmouth Case.

The Innsmouth Case was released on June 23, 2020.

The Innsmouth Case was developed by RobotPumpkin Games.

The Innsmouth Case has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

The Innsmouth Case is a single player game.

Similar games include Omen Exitio: Plague, Disturbed, Call of Cthulhu, Return to Shironagasu Island, The Bottom of the Well and others.

The Innsmouth Case

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