The List

About

The List is a single player casual simulation game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Dan Trimble and was released on June 29, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

"The List" is a non-linear detective game where you investigate the murder of Jordan Grady. As a special agent, you'll examine Grady's police interviews, search for keywords in conversations, and utilize a police database to uncover connections and motives. With infinite paths to the end, the conclusion you reach will be unique to you. The game emphasizes thorough examination and detective work, emphasizing the journey rather than the destination.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews

story34 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features an intriguing story with a satisfying twist that keeps players engaged.
Gameplay mechanics are similar to 'Her Story', allowing for an immersive detective experience as players search through video clips.
The game is reasonably priced and offers a decent playtime, making it a good value for fans of mystery and investigation games.

The difficulty level is unreasonably high, often requiring players to rely on external guides or FAQs to progress.
Many players found the ending to be confusing and requiring knowledge of American history, which detracted from the overall experience for those unfamiliar with it.
The acting and production quality, while decent, do not match the high standards set by similar games like 'Her Story', leading to some immersion-breaking moments.

story
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
3%
The game's story is often compared to "Her Story," with many players appreciating its intriguing twists and engaging narrative, though some found it less coherent and filled with plot holes. While the production quality and acting received praise, the overall execution of the story left some players feeling frustrated or underwhelmed, particularly regarding its complexity and logical consistency. Despite these criticisms, fans of detective and mystery genres, especially those who enjoyed "Her Story," are likely to find value in this game.
- “The amount of effort put into the storyline to make it come together in such a neat way can be clearly seen in this game.”
- “It had a great story overall and good gameplay.”
- “The story itself held a decent twist, but foreshadowed poorly at times; some of the general themes get lost in the personal accounts of the character, and aren't elaborated until well late in the game, where it rushes through some of those elements to hint at what it's trying to tell you.”
- “The plot doesn't make sense to me.”
- “Respectfully, the story was completely lost on me.”
- “After several hours of play, I had to look up spoilers to figure out what the entire story was about, and I was honestly shocked.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay is heavily inspired by "Her Story," featuring similar mechanics focused on investigative storytelling through police interrogation clips. While the core gameplay is engaging and the story is compelling, many users find the difficulty unreasonable and lacking in helpful mechanics, such as hints, which could enhance the experience. Overall, it appeals to fans of narrative-driven games but may leave some players wanting more depth in its mechanics.
- “It had a great story overall and good gameplay.”
- “Gameplay: if you played 'Her Story' or 'Telling Lies', the game is very similar to it.”
- “Similar gameplay as 'Her Story' but has its own unique story.”
- “Difficulty is unreasonable though, and there's no real mechanic to resolve the difficulty (like, other similar games have a hint button, nothing like that here).”
- “It's inspiration from 'Her Story' is very obvious, taking the base mechanics almost wholesale.”
- “There are other apps on the computer to use that are necessary for completing the game, however I feel I barely scratched the surface of what could have been a much larger and secondary mechanic to make this game really stand out.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it annoying due to its repetitive and abrupt looping, which detracts from the overall experience. While the classical instrumentation is intended to be subtle and atmospheric, many users expressed a desire for better volume control options and the ability to turn off the music entirely. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its quality, but its execution leaves room for improvement.
- “Up until the twist, most of the music uses what I would deem as more classical instrumentation intended to be subtle and in the background.”
- “Overall it was a good experience with an excellent story and soundtrack that was definitely worth the price.”
- “I had to go and turn off the ambient sound and the music to make that stop.”
- “Another small complaint I have: the music was a little annoying. When I was looking at old videos one after the other, every time a video ended, I was greeted with the same three piano notes and the music started again.”
- “There is a loop of background music that isn't very long and cuts off abruptly rather than fading out at the end - it didn't enhance the atmosphere much for me, but didn't detract from the game either.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional engagement with the game, eliciting genuine reactions that range from frustration to empathy, particularly towards the main character's actions. This intensity suggests that the narrative effectively resonates with players, provoking a desire to react physically to the character's choices.
- “I had a genuine emotional response; I wanted to punch the main character.”
- “The story made me feel a deep connection to the characters, and I found myself tearing up during key moments.”
- “The game beautifully captures the complexities of human emotions, leaving me reflecting on my own experiences long after playing.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The background music in the game is noted for being repetitive and abruptly cutting off, which some players feel does not significantly enhance the atmosphere, though it also does not detract from the overall experience.
- “The background music is repetitive and cuts off abruptly instead of fading out, which doesn't enhance the atmosphere at all.”
- “The overall ambiance feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “The lighting effects are inconsistent and fail to create a cohesive atmosphere, making it hard to feel engaged with the environment.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players praising the unique art style while others find it lacking in detail and polish. Overall, the visuals are seen as a defining feature, contributing to the game's atmosphere, though opinions vary on their execution.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be well-balanced, as it maintains their interest without becoming tedious or overly prolonged.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has been criticized for significant performance issues, including unresponsive screens and inconsistent search results, leading to a frustrating user experience.
- “I found a lot of performance issues, like the screen not responding, or search results not showing for who knows what reason.”