On Your Tail is developed by Memorable Games | Published by Humble Games
On Your Tail is a cozy, narrative-driven detective adventure that drops players into the charming seaside town of Borgo Marina. Playing as Diana Caproni, a young writer searching for her voice, players unravel a string of local thefts with the help of some time-travel sleuthing. Despite a few rough edges, the game manages to deliver a heartwarming, character-rich experience.
Story
On Your Tail follows Diana Caproni, an aspiring mystery writer whose dreams hit a snag when her professor critiques her work for lacking emotion and authenticity. After overhearing her parents expressing concern about her future, Diana impulsively heads to the village her grandmother once loved: Borgo Marina. What begins as a soul-searching getaway soon turns into an unexpected opportunity for real-life experience, as she’s thrown into an active investigation the moment she arrives—literally crashing her Vispa while swerving to avoid a mysterious cloaked figure.
The first mystery kicks off in the villa of a couple named Orlando and Beatrice, who were robbed the same night Diana arrived. While they claim nothing was taken, the strange circumstances spark Diana’s curiosity. This case becomes the first of many as she discovers that Borgo Marina is home to a much deeper web of secrets—ranging from petty thefts to missing persons, an assault at a local church, and hints of tragedy buried in the town’s history.
Adding a unique flavor is the fact that all characters are anthropomorphic animals, which gives the world a distinctive, whimsical feel without detracting from the grounded storytelling. The town is home to over one hundred unique inhabitants, each with their own personalities, relationships, and routines. Whether you’re meeting punk rockers, aging inventors, flirty photographers, or grumpy cops, each character feels lovingly crafted and contributes to a growing sense of community and belonging.
Gameplay
The gameplay in On Your Tail is split between investigation, minigames, and social simulation (i.e., romancing that grumpy fisherman with the scar). Diana explores a beautifully stylized 3D world, interacting with townspeople, taking on part-time jobs, and enjoying vacation-themed activities like fishing, stone skipping, cooking, photography, and even delivering mail. These elements create a warm, relaxing loop that encourages immersion in daily life just as much as solving mysteries.
You can even choose where to live—perhaps a beach house for fishing or a home near a restaurant for fresh food. And yes, you can romance characters, too (four options total), with relationships influencing activities and offering unique interactions, cutscenes, and upgrades. For example, local inventor Chea Jatti helps upgrade your fishing rod and Vispa, while photographer Paun gifts you a camera and introduces a fully fleshed-out photo mode.
When it comes to mystery-solving, On Your Tail uses a combination of environmental clue-finding and a unique puzzle system powered by the Chronolens—a magical device passed down from Diana’s grandmother. The lens allows Diana to peek into the past at specific locations to spot changes in the environment. Clues are then collected and turned into cards, which you use in a board game-style diorama to reconstruct the crime.
I really like this mechanic: each card represents a part of the timeline, and it’s your job to play them in the correct sequence to recreate the event. If you get some placements right, they’re locked in for the next attempt. As mysteries grow more complex, you’ll need to combine cards and think logically about cause and effect.
Later puzzles can involve dozens of cards and turns, leading to a lot of trial and error and repetition. It’s not uncommon to spend 30 minutes on a single board, especially without clear logic guiding your choices. Thankfully, there is no penalty for wrong answers. Players can logic through the sequence of events as many times as needed, and there are Joker Cards that offer hints.
Beyond detective work, On Your Tail thrives in its variety of minigames, most of which are tied to relationships and jobs.
- Running the gelateria or waiting at the local cafe helps Diana earn money to repair her Vispa and buy movie posters.
- Competitive Marble Races and Stone Skipping – helps Diana form deep bonds with the romanceable characters.
Some minigames are hit or miss, like the overly finicky cooking sequences.. But most contribute meaningfully to the overall atmosphere, adding depth and replayability to the town life.
While the town and characters are brimming with charm, the technical performance leaves something to be desired. Frequent loading screens break immersion, particularly when exploring the town (and exploration is at least 80% of what Diana needs to do in the game). Area transitions sometimes cause crashes, and bugs—like dialogue freezes—occur often enough that a “Unstick Player” option exists in the menu.
Overall
9/10
If you’re looking for a gentle, story-rich adventure with lovable characters, slice-of-life activities, and light detective work, On Your Tail is worth visiting—especially if you’re patient with its slower pacing and occasional bugs. It may not be perfect, but much like Diana herself, it’s full of heart and just trying to find its voice.
On Your Tail is available for PC via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Michelle Jones
I'm a completionist gamer who just needs to find that one last object and clear that final dungeon. I love all video games, from open world sandboxes on a console to a mindless match three on my phone. In addition to gaming and writing, I am a graduate student working on a thesis about the ancient Icelandic Sagas. Feel free to ask me anything about Vikings.
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