Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?

60%
Game Brain Score Based on 526 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? Game Cover
Your family is bat-shit crazy, you’re guilted into spending time with them, and the only relative you like is your uncle Marcus. And now one of them has gone and poisoned him. Shit.
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"Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?" is a thrilling murder mystery game set around a family quiz. When Uncle Marcus reveals he's been poisoned, Abby becomes the prime suspect's target. Featuring a star-studded cast and shot in lockdown, the game challenges you to expose the killer before it's too late. From the creators of "The Complex," "Five Dates," "Night Book," and "Bloodshore." 'WISHLIST THE ISLE TIDE HOTEL' on Steam.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 526 reviews
story78 positive mentions
grinding28 negative mentions
  • The game features solid voice acting and a compelling story that keeps players engaged.
  • The humor and quirky characters add a fun and entertaining element to the gameplay.
  • The ability to replay the game and uncover different endings enhances its replay value.
  • The gameplay can feel tedious due to the need for multiple playthroughs to gather enough evidence.
  • The skip function for previously seen scenes is inconsistent, leading to repetitive viewing of the same dialogues.
  • The choices often feel random and lack logical reasoning, making it frustrating to progress in the investigation.
  • story217 mentions

    The story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its engaging and humorous elements, particularly in the context of a dysfunctional family murder mystery. However, many found the narrative confusing and repetitive, often requiring multiple playthroughs to uncover all the details, which detracted from immersion. While the writing and acting received praise, the overall execution was criticized for being shallow and at times nonsensical, leading to a frustrating experience for some players.

    • “The pacing and acting are marvelous, and the story is genuinely interesting.”
    • “The story is fun, engaging, the characters are hilarious and just interesting to watch.”
    • “Working through the different paths to eventually get the whole story felt satisfying, and I feel like I got a good amount of playtime from the game.”
    • “The gameplay is cool, but the story itself sucks really hard.”
    • “This is the worst of the Wales Interactive FMV titles - bad acting, shallow story, annoying characters, pointless choices; thankfully it was short.”
    • “Drab, tediously repetitive gameplay interspersed with hit-or-miss dialogue options that may or may not nudge the plot forwards with an obtuse crumb of information to keep you marginally nursed until your next, undoubtedly even more tedious and obtuse run, as your patience grows thinner by the minute with each replay rife with repetition.”
  • gameplay92 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being overly simplistic and lacking depth, often feeling like it plays itself with minimal player agency. While some appreciate the unique style and humor, others find the mechanics tedious and repetitive, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant weakness, overshadowing the otherwise engaging story and characters.

    • “Unique style of gameplay, very fun.”
    • “The gameplay is quite nice, you get to question the family members in each round, and each one has a different outcome and evidence.”
    • “I really liked this game, unusual genre and cool gameplay.”
    • “There is no skill to the gameplay, or the deduction since the game basically plays itself.”
    • “Drab, tediously repetitive gameplay interspersed with hit-or-miss dialogue options that may or may not nudge the plot forwards with an obtuse crumb of information to keep you marginally nursed until your next, undoubtedly even more tedious and obtuse run, as your patience grows thinner by the minute with each replay rife with repetition.”
    • “However, the gameplay is like playing a slot machine: it’s all luck, no thought… just pull the arm and hope for the best.”
  • humor80 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, engaging character interactions, and dark comedic elements, making it a highlight for many players. While some found the humor to be a bit hit-or-miss, with certain characters being frustrating, the overall tone is described as entertaining and filled with sharp, satirical wit. The blend of absurd family dynamics and pop culture references contributes to a uniquely funny experience that resonates well with those who appreciate cynical humor.

    • “The writing was hilarious and the actors are superb.”
    • “The acting and the writing make this hilariously toxic family enjoyable to watch and explore.”
    • “Right off the bat: if you have a cynical sense of humor, and/or find familial dysfunction funny, then you will find this game hilarious.”
    • “I guess the game is supposed to be funny, but I mostly found it annoying.”
  • grinding28 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the need to repeatedly replay sections to uncover all evidence and navigate convoluted dialogue paths. While some find enjoyment in the murder mystery elements, the overall experience is marred by a sense of drudgery and randomness in the choices, leading to a slog rather than an engaging sleuthing experience.

    • “Unfortunately once you cover your bases and try to go back through to cover all the evidence dialogues, it becomes very tedious to try to run back through, especially if you make one small mistake in the dialogue paths.”
    • “What should be a game of sleuthing and deducing becomes a slog of grinding and guessing.”
    • “Drab, tediously repetitive gameplay interspersed with hit-or-miss dialogue options that may or may not nudge the plot forwards with an obtuse crumb of information to keep you marginally nursed until your next, undoubtedly even more tedious and obtuse run, as your patience grows thinner by the minute with each replay rife with repetition.”
  • optimization25 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, featuring high production values despite its indoor webcam setup. While the performances are solid and engaging, the writing and puzzle design are noted as mediocre, which can detract from the overall experience. Nonetheless, the intriguing story and enjoyable twists make it worth playing.

    • “Secondly, the game is well optimized.”
    • “There are some good performances, enjoyable twists, and a fun level of camp.”
    • “The interesting mystery, the relatively high production values (for a strictly indoors 'we all look into webcams' setup), and the competent performances make this game worth playing, even though the writing is at best mediocre.”
    • “The writing and performances felt slightly heightened for comedy and dramatic effect but never felt overdone.”
    • “Their performances are exaggerated, but not to the point of being over the top.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players find it highly engaging due to multiple endings that encourage repeated playthroughs, others feel that once the game is fully understood, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly. Some genres, like FMV games, benefit from their short length and varied outcomes, enhancing replay value, whereas certain whodunit elements may lack sufficient replayability.

    • “These endings add a level of replayability and make players feel more invested in the game.”
    • “These FMV games function pretty well in their short length with multiple endings; it does add to the replay value quite a bit because you won't be satisfied with just one ending.”
    • “+high replay value.”
    • “The replayability aspect of the whodunit just is not there.”
    • “You're very likely to fail on your first run, which leads into the second issue, the 'replayability'.”
    • “But on the other hand, once you do figure it out the replay value is pretty well gone.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some praise the slick 2D visuals and overall aesthetic, others find them simple and lacking depth. The acting and audio are highlighted as top-notch, but the visuals are criticized for not enhancing the storytelling experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as adequate but not a standout feature of the game.

    • “Acting is brilliant, and the 2D graphics are really slick, which simulate the situation well without being too tacky.”
    • “I love the acting and overall aesthetic of the game.”
    • “Great acting, audio, visuals -- all top notch.”
    • “Graphically this isn't anything to write home about at all, but that's so far away from the point of the game that its UI may as well have been in Courier font with white boxes or dots where it existed at all and I wouldn't throw shade at the game for it.”
    • “It's a little pity the developer didn't combine the plot with the music and graphic effects, so the story didn't have its ups and downs.”
    • “Since the writing is not that great and the visuals are very simple, I do not care for the good ending only by doing repeated work and not by playing a game, what it should be.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is described as subtle and sparingly used, effectively setting the tone and enhancing immersion alongside the visual design. While it contributes positively to the atmosphere, some reviewers noted that a stronger integration with the plot could have added more emotional depth to the story. Overall, the music is appreciated for its quality, even if its frequency is limited.

    • “The music and visual design worked for me too, and I liked the way the premise of the video call facilitated the information-gathering and secret conversations which could then be pieced together.”
    • “Music is used very subtly and sparingly, but to good effect.”
    • “Music and atmosphere created the immersion.”
    • “It's a little pity the developer didn't combine the plot with the music and graphic effects, so the story didn't have its ups and downs.”
    • “Music is used very subtly and sparingly, but to a good effect.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The game delivers a powerful emotional experience, particularly during the first playthrough, where moments of humor quickly shift to intense seriousness, evoking genuine reactions such as laughter, tears, and shock. However, the repetitive nature of conversations can make the emotional impact feel like a slog in subsequent playthroughs. Overall, while the emotional moments are portrayed convincingly, the gameplay may detract from their lasting effect.

    • “Emotional moments like surprised laughter, tears, or shock are all depicted believably.”
    • “The beginning of the story shows Uncle Marcus and Abby joking about the poisoning, but suddenly it becomes very serious, intense, and emotional.”
    • “You have to keep having the same or similar conversations to uncover more information, and really only the first playthrough hits you with the emotional shock.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor glitches reported, such as occasional video frame skipping and issues with the skip button not functioning properly on previously viewed scenes. However, the presence of a semi-buggy skip function provides some relief for players navigating conversation choices.

    • “Luckily, they have a semi-buggy skip function that helps, but it was really hard to know what conversation choice I had already picked.”
    • “Only had a few very minor glitches, like video sometimes skipping a few frames, and sometimes the skip button wouldn't work on scenes that I've seen before.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    Reviewers consistently highlight that the music and overall atmosphere significantly enhance immersion in the game, creating a captivating experience for players.

    • “The music and atmosphere created a deep sense of immersion.”
    • “The combination of music and atmosphere truly enhances the overall experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is captivating, drawing you into the game's world.”
  • character development2 mentions

    While the game's narrative structure is praised, the writing and character design are criticized for lacking depth, resulting in underwhelming character development.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

68% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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