Voodoo Detective

About

In "Voodoo Detective," you play as a small-time private investigator who becomes embroiled in a strange case involving vanished locals, powerful voodoo magic, and dark secrets in a 1920s bayou town. Solve puzzles, interrogate suspects, and explore eerie settings in this stylish, point-and-click adventure game. Uncover the truth behind the voodoo curse before it's too late.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 251 reviews

story60 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Voodoo Detective offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures, featuring charming characters, clever puzzles, and a well-crafted narrative.
The game boasts beautiful hand-drawn art, excellent voice acting, and a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
With multiple endings and a humorous script, the game keeps players engaged and entertained throughout its runtime.

The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 4-6 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some puzzles can feel overly simplistic or illogical, leading to moments of frustration for players seeking a greater challenge.
The final boss battle and some tonal shifts in the narrative may feel out of place compared to the rest of the game's lighthearted tone.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
44%
4%
The story of "Voodoo Detective" is praised for its intriguing blend of voodoo themes, humor, and engaging puzzles, set against beautiful hand-drawn visuals. While many players found the narrative captivating and well-written, some noted pacing issues and a desire for deeper character development. Overall, the game offers a fun and entertaining experience, though its short length and occasional lack of coherence in storytelling were mentioned as drawbacks.
- “The plot pulls you into an intriguing world of voodoo, mystery, and intrigue, and I found myself genuinely invested in solving the mysteries as the story unfolded.”
- “Despite being the studio's first game, Voodoo Detective shows none of the rough edges that you might expect - a smooth and engaging experience with clever puzzles intricately woven into the lore and storytelling, set against a backdrop of beautiful hand-drawn artwork and elevated by a funny script and clever writing.”
- “The storyline is engrossing and well-written, and the voice acting is top-notch.”
- “However, it fails to leave a lasting impression due to its lackluster storytelling and forgettable cast.”
- “The story and its progression are utterly daft, which doesn't work when simultaneously unfunny.”
- “Very expensive for what it was though, if I hadn't gotten this while it was on sale I would have been very angry with the short content and short storyline.”
graphics
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
21%
4%
The graphics of "Voodoo Detective" are widely praised for their beautiful hand-drawn art style, vibrant colors, and detailed animations, reminiscent of classic adventure games. Reviewers highlight the high-quality voice acting and charming humor that enhance the overall visual experience, creating an engaging and nostalgic atmosphere. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal as a point-and-click adventure.
- “Despite being the studio's first game, Voodoo Detective shows none of the rough edges that you might expect - a smooth and engaging experience with clever puzzles intricately woven into the lore and storytelling, set against a backdrop of beautiful hand-drawn artwork and elevated by a funny script and clever writing.”
- “The art style is gorgeous, the animation is great, and it's very nostalgic, reminding me of the 90s and some classic games, cartoons, and an era now long gone.”
- “The production values are pretty high: very detailed high-resolution graphics with their own distinctive style, lots of background animations, and detailed animations for the actions of the characters, great voice acting.”
- “The graphics are high resolution 2D bliss, the acting is spot on for every character in the game, the humor hits far more than it misses and the puzzles are fun and intuitive.”
- “But aside from a few open backgrounds, I didn't mind the visuals and there is enough attention to detail when you are in the smaller locations.”
- “Voodoo Detective is a remarkable adventure with a unique aesthetic, which could have scored even higher if it had a little more difficult puzzles and a longer duration.”
music
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
25%
4%
The music in "Voodoo Detective" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its captivating soundtrack composed by Peter McConnell, which blends jazz and blues elements. The soundtrack is noted for enhancing the game's atmosphere and complementing the visuals and voice acting, contributing to an overall charming and immersive experience. Players appreciate the high production value and the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures.
- “Beautiful presentation with nice graphics and animation with great voice over and music by legendary Peter McConnell!”
- “The music, by Grim Fandango composer Peter McConnell, is a captivating soundtrack of jazz & blues.”
- “Wonderful monkey island-inspired point and click adventure with gorgeous art and music, as well as fantastic writing and characters.”
- “And I'm not including the music, which is all over the place.”
- “1 hour played... I need the music!!!!!”
- “The music and style is a welcome throwback to the point & click games of days gone by.”
humor
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, witty dialogue, and charming voice acting, reminiscent of classic adventure games. Players appreciate the blend of absurdity and cleverness, with many noting specific funny moments and puzzles that enhance the overall experience. While some critiques mention occasional illogical elements, the general consensus is that the humor significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a delightful and engaging point-and-click adventure.
- “The art style and humor are reminiscent of the golden age of adventure games, and the voice acting adds an extra layer of charm.”
- “Despite being the studio's first game, Voodoo Detective shows none of the rough edges that you might expect - a smooth and engaging experience with clever puzzles intricately woven into the lore and storytelling, set against a backdrop of beautiful hand-drawn artwork and elevated by a funny script and clever writing.”
- “It's a game that is really good to play just for fun and the characters are super likable with so much smart/meta humor in the dialogue and story.”
- “The story and its progression are utterly daft, which doesn't work when simultaneously unfunny.”
- “A completely unfunny but still charming game ruined by a few utterly illogical puzzles and the infuriating decision to change the entire nature of the game at the end.”
- “Frustrating and unfunny opening scene, dialogue lines didn't change smoothly, no achievements, overpriced for the content.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by a charming yet simplistic design, featuring a small scope with around six hours of playtime and basic puzzles that may lack challenge. While the mechanics, such as crafting voodoo spells and engaging in investigative tasks, are praised for their integration into the narrative, many players find the overall experience to be more relaxing than stimulating. The game successfully combines intuitive mechanics with a captivating story, though it may not offer groundbreaking gameplay or complexity.
- “Prepare for a gaming experience that's as captivating as it is enigmatic – Voodoo Detective is a thrilling ride that seamlessly blends innovative mechanics with a narrative so compelling, you won't be able to put your controller down.”
- “The investigative gameplay is a perfect marriage of logic and intuition, challenging you to unravel mysteries using a combination of keen observation and clever puzzle-solving.”
- “The attention to detail in the mechanics is truly commendable – from the intricacies of the crime scene investigations to the mind-bending puzzles that keep you on your toes.”
- “The game's scope is relatively small, featuring only about a dozen locations and offering approximately six or so hours of gameplay.”
- “It's a 'cute' 2D cartoon-styled pixel-hunting adventure with extremely basic, if not dumb, gameplay and puzzles, uninspiring writing, and cliché characters.”
- “Nothing groundbreaking in terms of story or gameplay, and it might be a bit too easy on the puzzles.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and distinctive qualities, featuring a blend of mysterious and comical elements enhanced by gorgeous hand-drawn visuals and a fitting soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the retro style, noir influences, and the overall immersive experience that keeps players captivated throughout. The combination of intriguing storytelling, humor, and well-crafted environments contributes to a memorable and atmospheric gameplay experience.
- “Great 'retro' style to the graphics, very atmospheric, with plenty of puzzles that weren't that difficult, but did require some lateral thinking.”
- “[b]"Voodoo Detective" is an old style point n' click adventure with gorgeous hand-drawn visuals, a mysterious atmosphere, awesome animations, great music, a cool sense of humor, good voice acting, and an interesting story full of crazy events.”
- “Voodoo Detective manages to get everything right: the setting and atmosphere are distinctive and interesting.”
- “Its world has a strong mysterious and comical atmosphere.”
- “Fitting music and atmosphere.”
- “I love the style and atmosphere; it's exactly what you think you are going to get with this kind of private detective story.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its smooth performance and excellent voice acting, reminiscent of late 90s titles but without the typical technical flaws. Overall, the optimization contributes significantly to an enjoyable and memorable gaming experience.
- “It's funny, well written, runs smoothly, has great voice acting and music... like a piece from the late 90s (without the beloved jank haha) with that special magic these games bring.”
- “Nice voice acting performances that fit the characters.”
- “Absolutely phenomenal performance by this cast makes this a memorable journey and is the most distinguished part of the game.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow, repetitive, and occasionally tedious, particularly due to the need for backtracking. However, the ability to speed up movement helps alleviate some of the frustration, and many still appreciate the game's overall quality and nostalgic value.
- “The biggest drawback for me was all the backtracking I had to do - luckily, you're able to speed up walking; otherwise, it would've become extremely tedious.”
- “Yes, it can be a bit slow and repetitive, a tad light on puzzles, and slightly tedious.”
- “It can be a little slow and repetitive, a little light with the puzzles, and a little tedious, but it's a high-quality game regardless and a tribute to a fantastic era and history of gaming too, especially on PC, of course.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the character development for its stunning design and animation, highlighting the beautiful backgrounds and unique character aesthetics as standout features.
- “Character design and animation are fantastic, as are the backgrounds.”
- “Beautiful animation and character design.”
- “A highlight for me was definitely the backgrounds and unique character design.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a short playtime of about 4 to 5 hours with minimal variations in endings, resulting in low replayability. However, some players appreciate this brevity due to limited free time, viewing the lack of replay value as a non-issue.
- “It took me about 4 and a half hours to complete, and there's no replay value once it's finished. I don't see that as a con at all, since my free time is very limited.”
- “The game is somewhere around 4 to 5 hours if you don't take any of the abrupt endings. There are a few small variations in the end, but you can get both of them from the same save point, so it does not add any significant replay value.”