The Innsmouth Case

+ great overall visual presentation + substantial lore and verticality with almost 30 possible endings + not too text-heavy in between chapters and choices - linear story feels rather short - screen real estate does not feel properly utilized (Reviewed on Nintendo Switch. Also available on Mac, Windows, IOS, Android)

59%Game Brain Score

story, humor

music, replayability

64% User Score Based on 67 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

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About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

story11 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a fun and well-written story with a humorous twist on Lovecraftian themes, making it accessible to both fans and newcomers to the genre.
There are numerous choices and multiple endings, providing high replayability and encouraging players to explore different paths.
The art style and presentation are charming, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the quirky world of Innsmouth.

The humor can be hit or miss, with some jokes falling flat or being considered cringeworthy, which may not appeal to all players.
Many players found the game misleading, as it does not deliver on the horror elements typically associated with Lovecraft's works, instead leaning heavily into comedy.
The game can feel tedious due to repetitive scenes and the need to replay sections to explore all choices, which may frustrate some players.

story
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
The game's story is a well-crafted, humorous take on Lovecraftian themes, featuring a mix of horror, sarcasm, and engaging narrative twists. Players appreciate the multiple branching paths and endings, although some find the design choices can lead to repetitive experiences. Overall, the art and writing enhance the enjoyment, making it a fun and replayable choose-your-own-adventure experience, despite some controversial content.
- “The story is well-written.”
- “The art and the storytelling are phenomenal.”
- “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.”
- “For a choose your own adventure type story, there are some baffling design decisions, and some of the endings are different forks from key decisions (3 of the 27 endings are from one decision, 2 from another, etc.). A lot of the paths feed back into the same sequences, which can make you feel like you're wasting time replaying chapters, changing one option and getting the same result.”
- “The horror aspect is also very downplayed, and the story can get sidetracked quickly.”
- “The linear story feels rather short.”
humor
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in the game is a mix of bizarre, offbeat, and sometimes cringeworthy elements, with many players appreciating its quirky and tongue-in-cheek style, especially in the context of Lovecraftian themes. However, some found the humor inconsistent, with instances of toilet humor and excessive sexual content detracting from the overall experience. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy a comedic twist on horror, but may not resonate with everyone due to its subjective nature.
- “With a lot of funny, spooky, spicy moments!”
- “A humorous, allusion-heavy, very branchy choose-your-own-adventure complete with animated illustrations, music, and ambient sound.”
- “The innsmouth case is the perfect blend of lovecraftian horror, humor, and pop culture references.”
- “It's a parody full of cringey humor, typos, and content seemingly written by a Tumblr user.”
- “It falls between horror and comedy in such a way as to be neither; it has no real choices, no horror, and is not funny.”
- “It is not funny or interesting.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
9%
27%
The graphics are generally praised for their nice, cartoonish art style that complements the game's storytelling and thematic elements. While some reviewers express discomfort with the sexualization in a story-driven game aimed at a younger audience, many appreciate the vibrant visuals and cultural references, noting that the art style enhances the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, contributing to the game's charm and immersive world.
- “I loved the artwork and cultural references.”
- “I love the art style and the presentation of the gameplay.”
- “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.”
- “The art style seems to be tailored to a younger audience, which doesn't sit well with me.”
- “The overall graphics feel lacking and do not meet the expectations for a modern game.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and suitability, enhancing the overall experience with well-composed tracks and effective sound effects that complement the narrative and visuals. Reviewers appreciate how the music contributes to the game's humorous and dark atmosphere, making it a significant aspect of the immersive storytelling.
- “It is very well written, and the music and sound effects are perfect for the pages you are on.”
- “A humorous, allusion-heavy, very branchy choose-your-own-adventure complete with animated illustrations, music, and ambient sound.”
- “The music is fitting and the humor is pretty on point.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the sound effects are decent, the overall music feels uninspired and forgettable.”
- “The soundtrack doesn't match the game's tone, often feeling out of place and distracting.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game boasts high replayability due to its diverse endings and engaging pacing, allowing players to explore different paths without repetitive gameplay. It is particularly appealing for achievement hunters, as it encourages multiple playthroughs to uncover all the obscure endings.
- “For a game that all you do is read, this has some great pacing and a very high replay value, with plenty of different endings to discover.”
- “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), and 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.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay is visually appealing with a cool art style, but some players feel it leans too heavily on reading and lacks sufficient interactive elements. While it offers a choose-your-own-adventure experience, there are concerns about repetitive gameplay and limited impactful choices.
- “I love the art style and the presentation of the gameplay.”
- “The art style is very cool, and while I do wish there was a bit less reading and more actual gameplay, it's still a good game.”
- “Often, choose-your-own-adventure and text adventure style games feel like they only have a few big choices, and the rest of your gameplay is repetitive.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, as it often involves repeatedly selecting different dialogue options to unlock all endings and achievements. This process can feel monotonous and may detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “A bit tedious to find all endings to complete all achievements.”
- “Pretty sure grinding out every achievement is just choosing every possible dialogue multiple times over.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong emotional responses, particularly for Lovecraft enthusiasts, blending heartwarming storytelling with a unique, cartoonish 2D aesthetic. Its narrative style, primarily through writing, creates an engaging experience that resonates with players, making it feel like a comforting bedtime story with a gothic twist.
- “As a Lovecraft enthusiast, this game truly resonated with me emotionally!”
- “The graphics are 2D and cartoonish, but the storytelling is rich and heartfelt. It's like a heartwarming bedtime story before sleep.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by an exaggeratedly weird aesthetic that contributes to its ironic tone, enhancing the overall experience for players.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into a world that feels both familiar and bizarre.”
- “The game's unique blend of surreal elements creates an ironic atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- “Every detail contributes to a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after you put the game down.”
- “Some of them are exaggeratedly weird, but this creates the ironic atmosphere of this game.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing performance issues that may affect their gameplay experience, while others find the rich story and varied endings engaging despite these challenges.