The Ratline

About

The Ratline is a single player puzzle game with mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Owlskip Games and was released on March 17, 2026. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Quotes"I loved every minute of the demo" Lucas Pope, Return of the Obra Dinn "Delivers layers of clever puzzles and satisfying reveals all the way through to the end" Jeremy Johnston, The Roottrees are Dead “Roottrees fans will really enjoy sleuthing in The Ratline” EvilTrout, The Roottrees are Dead. “If you love the Golden Idol games, you'll love the Ratline” Will Acker…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

Engaging and challenging deduction puzzles with satisfying 'aha' moments, praised for well-crafted case design and layering.
Innovative gameplay features like cross-referencing past cases, phone mechanic, library search, and a robust hint system that balances difficulty accessible to a broad audience.
Strong atmospheric presentation with cozy music, stylized art, and a compelling thematic focus on hunting Nazis using archival research across multiple locations.

User interface has clunky aspects, lacks features like note-taking or highlighting, and some resolution and control support issues hinder accessibility on various devices.
Story and writing sometimes feel stiff, indirect, or underdeveloped with characters and scenarios lacking emotional depth or meaningful narrative consequences.
Cases tend to be straightforward with limited red herrings or alternative solutions, reducing complexity and replay value for players seeking deeper world-building or richer investigation.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
The gameplay offers a solid detective experience featuring innovative mechanics like a phone system and text scanning, drawing inspiration from genre predecessors while adding unique elements. However, some players find it somewhat shallow and would appreciate additional tools such as a notepad or highlighting system to better track key information. Overall, the game balances challenge and engagement, especially as new investigative tools unlock and cases deepen in complexity.
- “Absolutely love the phone mechanic (turn auto call off, makes it feel realistic).”
- “The developer has really paid attention to what's worked and hasn't worked in other games like Obra Dinn, Golden Idol, Roottrees, Barlow games, etc., and seamlessly brought together some of the best mechanics from all of them.”
- “As the game progresses you unlock more tools for obtaining information on your targets, which helps to spice up the gameplay.”
- “After beating the first three cases and exploring all of the mechanics that the game has to offer, this is too shallow to be enjoyable.”
- “This is a playable game that may be enjoyable to some, but it needs a lot more mechanics and filler and room to explore to make it a proper detective game.”
- “The gameplay would benefit from some sort of notepad or highlighting system (similar to the one in Roottrees) to make it easy to remember key names or info.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The story offers an intriguing premise centered on tracking escaped Nazis and corporate politics, with an overarching plot that gradually unfolds and ties cases together well. However, the narrative pacing is inconsistent, with a notably brief and straightforward final chapter that lessens the impact of the climax. While the story is appreciated for its detective elements, it lacks the full immersion and depth some players might expect.
- “I had a lot of fun though, especially once the overarching plot starts to fall into place ('there he is again who the hell is that??').”
- “Its story of tracking down Nazis who escaped with the help of Operation Paperclip is much appreciated, and I found it to be the kind of investigation game I really enjoy.”
- “Really fun detective game - there's good puzzle diversity and challenge, and the way past cases loop into the current case brings the whole story together in exciting ways.”
- “The range of difficulty between the chapters varied greatly; the final chapter especially being very short and straightforward which was disappointing because you're led to believe it'll be the big climax of the story.”
- “The historical ratline is mentioned in the frame story, and returned to in the final case, but ultimately this is a game that's more about powerful families and corporate politics than it is about the characters as Nazis or the operation of the actual ratline.”
- “Story: surprisingly poor.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The game's music is consistently praised for being excellent, cozy, and well-themed, enhancing the overall atmosphere with a variety of enjoyable tracks that complement the stylized art and immersive gameplay.
- “The artwork is gorgeously stylized, the music excellent and the way you interact with the game is wonderfully visceral.”
- “As expected for an Owlskip game, there is a lovely array of on-theme music to choose on the radio.”
- “The artstyle and soundtrack are quite cozy.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is widely praised for being engaging, cozy, and relaxing, complemented by clever puzzles that enhance the overall experience.
- “Amazing atmosphere and very clever puzzles.”
- “The game also has a cozy atmosphere, definitely one to relax to and pick away at.”
- “I thought that atmosphere and format was really engaging!”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is subtle, primarily driven by the satisfying feeling of piecing together evidence like a clever detective, though the writing's emotional depth remains limited.
- “Combine that with looking through past cases' evidence to connect the dots, and it really made me feel like a clever detective on the case.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics feature a gorgeously stylized art style that creates a cozy atmosphere, complemented by excellent music. The visual and auditory elements combine to provide a richly immersive and visceral experience.
- “The artwork is gorgeously stylized, the music excellent and the way you interact with the game is wonderfully visceral.”
- “The artstyle and soundtrack are quite cozy.”