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The Case of the Golden Idol is my first time dipping these puzzle gamer toes into this sort of detective game (and, full disclosure, my first Steam review—because who doesn't want that shiny new badge?) Detective games aren't typically the sort of game you want to replay, but it's worth the coin if the first go around promises a good time, and I think The Case of the Golden Idol delivers on that.
I started with the free demo and, at first, was taken aback at these pixelated characters who all resembled wadded-up chewing gum with teeth. They looked like they'd just crawled out of a Victorian-era hospital ward with a deadly case of the fuglies. I was instantly smitten and raced to buy the full game, as one does.
Upon starting, you immediately get thrown into the lion's den; there's no hand-holding here. The game play is split between 'Exploring' mode, where you poke around the gruesome crime scene, and 'Thinking' mode, where you play detective with a fill-in-the-blank style puzzle. It's like those refrigerator magnetic poetry tiles mashed up with glorious pixelated British MUH-DUHHH!!!
Each scene is populated by a cast of anxious, panic-stricken characters—which makes sense, given that they're in the middle of some rather tense and gruesome murder situations. The social and political undertones add another layer of intricacy to your suspicions.
The soundtrack is worth mentioning—it's rather enjoyable, if occasionally unsettling. The jaunty tune at the Little Mermaid Inn and the music at the dinner party are my personal favorites. It's just the right amount of uneasy charm that nestles in perfectly with these scenes.
The one thing that notably solidified this game for me was rummaging through my nightstand for a pen and pad of paper to take notes or snapping pics of some clues to return to later. The last time I did that was in the burgeoning gaming days of MYST/RIVEN. Some of the puzzles were embarrassingly obvious in hindsight. Still, others were quite challenging and made me feel like a pixelated Sherlock Holmes, complete with the inevitable smug self-satisfaction and 'Elementary, My Dear Watson' moments.
Note to self: burn the incriminating sheets of chicken scratch.
In the end, this game isn't just about solving the who-done-it… it's about appreciating the beauty in the bizarre. If you're looking for something quirky and offbeat with some satisfying detective-solving moments, The Case of the Golden Idol might be worth a little of your time.