Case of the Golden Idol is one of the best puzzle games of the year

There are some games that are useful to have a notebook handy. elden ring, tunicWhen disney Dreamlight Valley remind.And then there’s the game you’re in requirement carry a notebook. golden idol incident is one of those games.

A point-and-click detective mystery from developer Color Gray Games Return of Obradinand for good reason — a tightly wound mystery that requires skill and precision to untangle. golden idol incident Spanning 40 years and 12 deaths in high (and secret) society in the 18th century.At the center of it all is a mysterious golden idol. An instrument of magic and intrigue, which very powerful people are willing to kill and steal. The essence of idols and those who seek the power that comes with them are brought to life in 11 static pixel art scenes. Each level captures a moment of murder in its impact – the moment a character bursts into a ball of fire, or the moment a woman is poisoned at the dinner table. You’re a detective, literally another screen with gaps scattered throughout the story, tasked with filling in the blanks to find out who was involved and how the murder unfolded.

The gameplay requires you to collect keywords and clues by clicking through each increasingly complex scene.this part of golden idol incident This is the “exploration” stage. In the “Think” stage, you will input what you have learned and solve the puzzle for each case. generally, golden idol incident You will need to enter a brief summary and label each person at the crime scene. You will also need to fill in details such as the meaning of esoteric symbols and your dining location preferences.

golden idol incidentThe first few cases of are apparently simple and serve as a kind of tutorial. The game begins with a man falling off a cliff as another man watches. I have two backpacks in a small camp. Both men have stuff in their pockets to inspect, with more in their respective bags. By sifting through these characters’ possessions, we begin to weave an imaginary tapestry of these people’s lives, leading to the moments just before the murder.

But where do notebooks go? golden idol incidentCases are jam-packed with intricacies, and small details can lead to surprising twists in later cases. Lots of logic puzzles along the way, like guessing who sat where at the table or how someone’s glass got poisoned. I’ve found it helpful to create a “tree” of people, their motivations, and interpersonal relationships. golden idol incidentThe story spans decades in an aristocratic society where everyone is in power.

Understanding the terrifying nature of the quest for these characters’ powers and how those powers distort society is as essential to solving the game as it is to logic puzzles. It certainly helps to be able to come and go freely. more than that golden idol incident You can also return to the menu screen to access other cases. There is no rush to settle any case and there are no penalties for asking for help. There is a hint system that provides clues designed to guide you to the answer.but the developer do Be careful that players don’t use this system without consideration. No real reason given, but my guess is that developer Color Gray wants players to take the time to think deeply about each scene and get to it. Eureka! own moment.

Image: Color Gray Game/Playstack

As with many detective games, there is a lot hidden throughout Curse of the Golden IdolObserving an item intently for minutes can help you discern its true meaning later when you’ve largely forgotten it. It’s a world made up of details that gradually spiral into something bigger, and there’s joy in stepping back and seeing the bigger picture. Color Gray Games has created a mystery story in which every element seems essential. This is all the more impressive given the sheer amount of information that is ultimately absorbed.

golden idol incident is a TV detective game where you slam pictures against the wall and draw a red line between them. Threads of those threads crisscross throughout my notebook, tying characters to murder weapons and motives. You seem to be the smartest person on earth. golden idol incidentlike any deep detective game, expands beyond its own boundaries into the pages of your notebook, making you think about clues long after you close the game.

Curse of the Golden Idol It was released on October 13th on Windows PC. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.