16. Detective Grimoire

Let’s Look At - Detective Grimoire!

Detective Grimoire is a murder mystery set in a swamp with some strange and unique residents. The owner of a tourist attraction within the swamp has been murdered, and everyone believes his death was the direct cause of a creature that hasn’t been spotted for sixty years. As Detective Grimoire, you’ll walk around the swamp searching for clues and interacting with the residents of the swamp in order to catch the culprit. If children in horror movies often unnerve you, then you may not want to play this game. Throughout the game, there is a little girl who follows Detective Grimoire around, but she doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the plot of the story. While a bit cheesy at times, Detective Grimoire has an award-winning soundtrack, and its popularity survives because of its goofy charm.

I didn't know beards were capable of murder.

I kind of want to know what happened last night.

15. D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die

D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die gameplay

If you love cliches, then this is the game for you. D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die centers around yet another detective whose wife was murdered. What is worse than the cliche is that his wife’s last words were “Look for D.” It’s terrifying to think of how many awful jokes the gaming community can make out of that one line, but that line is probably the reason why the game is so popular. In the game, you’ll play the role of the detective, David Young, who is on a mission to discover the mysterious meaning behind his wife’s last words. When you’re playing the game, be on the lookout for any words or names that start with the letter “D.” (I can hear all the awful jokes you’re thinking right now by the way.)

For a detective game, the player does have one advantage though. David Young has the ability to travel back in time when he places certain objects on his head. Hunt for the “D” in the present or the past to help David, and prevent his wife’s death from ever occurring.

He doesn't look happy.

Serious interrogation time.

14. Day of the Tentacle

Day of the Tentacle Remastered: GAMEPLAY AND OVERVIEW!

Created by LucasArts, Day of the Tentacle is a whimsical sequel to Maniac Mansion. In this cartoon adventure, three friends must solve puzzles in order to stop Dr. Fred’s purple tentacle from achieving world domination. While it is a point and click adventure game, the adult humor mixed with animation is one reason why the game is so beloved that it was brought back and digitally remastered. Solving puzzles isn’t the only entertainment in this game. You also get to mess around with time travel. Goofy characters, fun animation, puzzles and time travel are the perfect combination for an entertaining evening.

Original 1993 art.

And remastered glory.

13. Gone Home

Gone Home part 1 gameplay

Imagine your life was the beginning of a horror movie. That’s basically the experience you get when you start playing Gone Home. You play the game from a first-person perspective as Kaitlin Greenbriar, who just returned home after spending time away during a year abroad. Everyone expects their family to be there to greet them after being away for long time, but Kaitlin’s family is nowhere to be seen. Anticipation builds as you explore the house, search for clues about where your family is, and try to uncover what happened while you were away. Gone Home is a game that only moves forward by your own curiosity.

Pretty nice house for being completely devoid of people.

Looks like my teenage bedroom.

12. Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure

Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure trailer

While the name Tex Murphy instantly draws up visions of cowboys, that assumption isn’t far off. Tex Murphy is the typical lone-ranger detective archetype. Instead of stirring up trouble on the frontier though, he seeks it in San Francisco during the year 2050 after World War III has created an unfortunate dystopian society. Tex Murphy was a popular franchise in the 90’s, and the Tesla Effect, released in 2014, is the sixth game in a series of Tex Murphy adventures. As a full-motion video game, the new story brings back some characters from previous Tex Murphy adventures. In Tex Murphy’s latest adventure, he wakes up on a fire escape outside of his office and realizes that he doesn’t remember anything from the past seven years. In order to save the future, Tex Murphy has to first solve the mysteries of his past.

Is this a video game or a movie?

Yeah, still can't tell.

11. Murdered: Soul Suspect

Murdered: Soul Suspect - Official Trailer

Murdered: Soul Suspect intertwines the supernatural with the thrill of a murder-mystery detective game. From a third-person perspective, you play the role of Ronan O’Conor, a Salem detective who was brutally killed, and your goal is to solve your own murder. With the aid of a teenage medium, you will explore the town and attempt to bring your killer to justice so that your soul can finally move on and find peace. As a ghost, Ronan has supernatural powers that help him search for clues and leads, such as reading minds and influencing the living to perform certain actions. Interrogate other spirits, walk through walls, and collect evidence in this supernatural mystery-thriller.

That's probably pretty surreal.

Even death won't stop things from trying to kill you.

10. Alan Wake

Alan Wake gameplay

Steven King vibes radiate around this psychological action thriller game. Set in a small town, Alan Wake is a horror writer who is suffering from writer’s block and hopes some peace and quiet will be the perfect remedy. Unfortunately, the small town isn't as peaceful as he hoped it would be. With the mysterious disappearance of his wife and strange things that go bump in the night, there’s an obvious light versus dark theme that plays a big role in the game. As you explore the town at night, you may encounter monsters, and the only way to defeat them is with objects of light, such as a flashlight or torch. Do your best to combat the darkness as your nightmares come to life in this creepy mystery game.

Light is the key.

Or we could just go back to town and get a hotel room.

9. Her Story

Her Story part 1 – Yogscast Hannah

Her Story gives you access to a police database with live action footage of multiple interviews of the same woman. This woman was brought in on account of her missing husband. You can search the database of interviews by using keywords, such as “murder.” Based on the keywords you choose, you’ll find different videos that might lead you to vital clues about the murder faster. You can even save clips that you think are important to solving the case. One video might cause you to feel sympathy for the woman, and another might convince you that there’s a reason the police have interviewed her so many times. No matter what, you have to play this game more than once in order to get the whole story and solve the crime.

She looks like someone just died... oh wait.

The main way of interacting.

8. Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper

Holmes vs Jack the Ripper gameplay

Set in the Victorian era, Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper is a game that combines fiction and history to create a gruesome and thrilling detective story. Can the greatest detective ever defeat the most elusive serial killer? Well, you can try your best as you slip into the shoes of the ultimate sleuth. Hopefully, you have a strong stomach because some of the scenes can get pretty graphic as you examine the the ripper’s work. Boast about how it’s all elementary when you uncover the identity of the notorious ripper.

I wonder if Watson understands that board.

Ewwwww, gnarly.

7. Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

Crimes and Punishments gameplay

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments gives you a series of eight cases to solve. Lead your investigations as the one and only Holmes. From murders to theft, you’ll have the chance to analyze them all. Interrogate suspects in the game by freezing time and studying their appearance. When you’ve gathered all your evidence, you can deduct who the culprit is and choose whether or not to convict the guilty party.

The ability to customize Holmes' appearance leads to some interesting combinations.

A key way of sussing out suspects.

6. Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter

The Devil’s Daughter gameplay

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter is intriguing at first glance because it combines the supernatural with everyone’s favorite detective. In the game, there are four cases to solve, and some say it is a prequel to Crimes and Punishment due to the youthful appearance of Holmes. Investigate, find clues, gather evidence, and make deductions. Be sure not to stray off course in this game as there are many mini-games to distract you from your investigation. Explore multiple neighborhoods within Victorian London and hunt evil down across the city.

Parkour!

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they look.

5. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

Ethan Carter gameplay

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a game in which you must solve the disappearance of a young boy from a first-person perspective. As detective Paul Prospero, you will use your psychic powers to determine the cause of Ethan Carter’s disappearance and other strange occurrences in Red Creek Valley. The game’s challenges are far and few between. It often points out clues to you in the form of a psychic message as words drift across the screen. If you miss some clues, there is a map that tells you which leads to investigate further. If the clues are not challenging enough for you, then the game is still unique and worth playing because of the beautiful, landscape artwork.

The best looking detective game ever.

Railcar? Railcar? RAILCAR????

4. Orwell

Orwell gameplay

Orwell’s literary dystopian warning is brought to life in this game. So beware. Big Brother is watching. In this five-part adventure, Orwell is the name of the program that the government uses to surveil the population. You play as an investigator for the government and analyze any suspicious activity from citizens in order to uncover the culprit responsible for serial bombings. Sort through multiple forms of communication, and decipher which bits of information are reliable facts. If you love conspiracy theories, then this is the game for you.

Snooping on people is fun, right?

Spot the irony.