If point and click adventure games are your bag, then we have something new for you. Voodoo Detective, by developer/publisher Short Sleeve Studio, is the newest, smoothest noir that reminds me of good times playing The Curse Of Monkey Island.
We open up with our story’s protagonist, Voodoo Detective, marketing himself from the comfort of his office. Then suddenly his next client enters through the door. Mrs. Fontule, but she does not seem so sure that is who she really is. She tasks Voodoo Detective with unearthing the mystery surrounding her amnesia, leaving a mysterious pendant in his possession. A pendant given to Mrs. Fontule in a dream! Lucikly for our detective, the Fontules are wanting for nothing and have the means to pay you for your services.
Our island home is in the middle of being turned into a tourists’ paradise, and you will notice the visitors are everywhere. From the street outside of your office to taking poses on tombstones in the graveyard. The locals have mixed feelings about the new venture capitalists demolishing their traditional places, like their area of worship, and turning everything into a post card resort. Some would argue that business is good thanks to the new attractions. Of the seed capitalists, the Fontules are among them and are the most influential.
I love the overall tone in this game. The writing is fun and humorous, holding up the dialogue that is not always so lively. I enjoy listening to Voodoo Detective speak, because he holds up the noir tone as everything else is light and tropical. The depiction of Voodoo is interesting, and you read all kinds of recipes collected by Voodoo Detective’s grandmother. There are also moments that also break the fourth wall, namely the introduction when the Title of the game appears in flaming text and you need to sleuth your way to extinguishing it.
True to the genre, the gameplay is you pointing and click around the stage and looking for clues to help you solve puzzles, advancing the story. You meet a variety of characters, and you also have a variety of interactions. Voodoo Detective’s brother has intense trances when he is playing music on his piano. Not even whacking him with a chair will stir him from his melody. The world building is amazing and it’s great to fill it with colorful characters.
Overall, if you are looking for a casual game and fancy puzzles, mystery, and intriguing stories, then I would highly suggest putting Voodoo Detective on your radar. While I compared Voodoo Detective with Monkey Island, I would point out that there are more adult themes present in this title. As playful as it is, the game can get dark in some moments, like when we discover the butler’s alcoholism. Voodoo Detective is enjoyable and I think it deserves a 9.5 out of 10.
Voodoo Detective is available for PC and mobile (Steam, Epic, iOS, Android, macOS).
Related: Reviews by John Pruitt
I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.
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