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Games with good "Detective Mechanics"

Zombra

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You know, I didn't even think of Noir Syndrome ... and it does have some nice mechanics. Added.

I assume by Call of Cthulhu you mean Dark Corners of the Earth? Doesn't really have detective mechanics that I remember, I guess there are one or two puzzles and some reading but that's it. Definitely worth checking out, in fact everyone should play it, but I'll list it under "mixed opinions".

Those other ones just look like bog standard adventure games with a trenchcoat in it at best and not worth listing. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 

IHaveHugeNick

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The Last Express maybe? The mechanics are pretty unique, but a lot of it is basically detective work in real time...plus it is essentially a murder mystery.
 

Tramboi

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I assume by Call of Cthulhu you mean Dark Corners of the Earth? Doesn't really have detective mechanics that I remember, I guess there are one or two puzzles and some reading but that's it. Definitely worth checking out, in fact everyone should play it, but I'll list it under "mixed opinions".
"The Hound of shadow" would be a better fit but it's not really a detective game either.
 

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That's a really :obviously: thread, keep it coming!
As a personal contribution, I can suggest two Legends of Murder game, just for their uniqueness - they are RPG/Adventure hybrids where you solve murder mysteries in a high fantasy setting. The second one is miles better than the first one (which doesn't really know how to make its different elements work together), but I'd probably put them both into the "mixed" category anyway.
 

Zarniwoop

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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Updated original post. Added Wolf Among Us as a "mixed opinion" title ... it does have a great vibe but no "detective mechanics" to speak of.
In that case, might as well add LA Noire too.

Also, one of the CSI games wasn't horrible. Can't remember which one though.
 

IHaveHugeNick

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CSI games? Those were glorified hidden object games with a crime theme, if I remember correctly. Nothing interesting about that.
 

Zenith

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Blade Runner really was p. great, iirc your investigative tools would become a plot point as well. Really getting an itch to replay it right now.
Condemned: Criminal Origins also had extensive crime scene investigation.
I wouldn't call "press this button now" a mechanic.
 

Lautreamont

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-KGB (1992)
-Ripper (1996)
-Black Dahlia (1998)

These could be added to the mixed section if you think their detective mechanics aren't all that special.

Dark Fall: The Journal (2002) deserves consideration for simulating paranormal investigation pretty well. It had you intuiting when and where to use an electromagnetic tracker, thermal radiation goggles to detect anomalies, typing in your own questions for the Ouija board, and using your cell phone to extract information. Writing things down on a real notebook is essential to make sense of the runes, some of the puzzles, and even the cryptogram letter (unless you discovered an in-game clue about decoding it). There's also navigating all the textual and audiovisual files on the ghost hunter's computer, which caters to a sleuthing mindset.
 
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IncendiaryDevice

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As expected, there are well intentioned people recommending good games that have zero detective mechanics or gameplay whatsoever, turning this into a "mystery" themed adventure game recommendation list instead. Which would be informative if most adventure games weren't mystery themed, so it ends up being a generic adventure game recommendation thread.

That's what I was thinking.

After 3 pages I still have no idea what people are using to separate the distinction between a detective game and an adventure game. I mean, if the Nancy Drew series is just an adventure game series, then what's the exact thing people are defining as 'actual' detective mechanics?
 

Tramboi

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I think that "With Deadline-like mechanics" is the purest form of SS Van Dine-like "Detective Fiction". Like Mortville Manor (pure), Maupiti Island (pure), Colonel's Bequest(mild), GK3(mild)...
* Non-linear
* You make your own deductions
* Time elapses, and therefore there is meta-gaming because you miss some stuff during a play

Ok course all this is not necessary for a good detective game, like Discworld Noir or Tex Murphy's games, but I think these are the sleuth mechanics OP was interested in :)
 

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