Detective games. The best detective games

The “golden age” of detective quests came at the end of the last century, but we, of course, will not consider too old games - who is interested in the hassle of running “dinosaurs” on the current OS, and then trying to put together an image from a pixelated mess? Therefore, our top list presents more or less modern projects that are guaranteed to work on gaming PCs.

10. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

A visual novel with detective elements, in which the main characters, students of an elite school, will become participants in a sinister deadly game. The gameplay revolves around finding clues, talking with characters and comparing facts in order to identify the killer among all the suspects. Aside from the anime-like visual style, which may not be to everyone's taste, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (and its sequel Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair) is a fun detective story with an intriguing plot and an unpredictable ending.

9. Deadly Premonition

8. Broken Sword

A series of detective quests, which dates back to 1996, and has gone through several re-releases during its existence. This is why it made it onto our list: you can easily download remakes of classic games from the Broken Sword line and immerse yourself in exciting investigations, while enjoying modern graphics and gameplay. Today there are five serialized parts of the series, each of which is dedicated to the adventures of the American adventurer George Stobbart and the French journalist Nico Collard.

7. Fahrenheit

A cult game in the “interactive cinema” genre from the French studio Quantic Dream, which later released the PS3 hit Heavy Rain. Fahrenheit says full of mysteries and a mystical story, during which players will alternately take on the roles of a murder suspect and a police detective investigating a crime, and the gameplay of the quest is built mainly on QTEs, requiring you to press the keys that light up on the screen in a timely manner to effectively perform various actions.

Alas, the initially intriguing plot of Fahrenheit blurs towards the end, becoming predictable and banal, but it is still not recommended to skip this interactive drama if you are a fan of quality quests.

6. Murdered: Soul Suspect

An "otherworldly" detective story that tells the story of a dead cop whose soul cannot rest until he completes his investigation. The main character will have to explore the infamous city of Salem, help others " dead souls"and hide from aggressive ghosts.

The game Murdered: Soul Suspect is interesting not only for its entertaining plot, but also for its original gameplay discoveries: for example, the protagonist can easily pass through locked doors and walls of houses, inhabit living people and read their thoughts, and reconstruct chains of events based on the evidence found. The project can become an almost ideal detective story for you; The impression is spoiled only by forced battles with ghosts, which could have been completely avoided.

5. The Sexy Brutale

Behind the intriguing title lies a very interesting puzzle, during which the player will have to investigate a mysterious murder. The game is notable for its spectacular design, original setting - the action takes place in an underground casino club during a masquerade party - as well as an interesting gameplay option for rewinding time, which involves many mysteries. Jumping between past and present, spying on characters and searching locations for clues, the main character must get close to solving the mystery and escape from his “Groundhog Day”.

4.Still Life

A detective duology (or rather, a trilogy, since both parts of Still Life are a continuation of the Post Mortem quest), dedicated to FBI agent Victoria McPherson, who is investigating brutal murders. Still Life is not shy about showing the player bloody scenes and makes you rack your brains over puzzles, and the intriguing plot connecting two eras - Chicago in 2004 and Prague in 1929 - motivates you to immerse yourself in the adventures of the heroine.

Still Life 2 turned out to be not as exciting as the previous part, and it is also replete with bugs, but you still have to play it if you are interested in the outcome of the story of the mysterious maniac.

3. Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

Frogwares studio has been producing games about Sherlock Holmes for fifteen years now. The first projects of game makers were classic point-and-click quests, but over time (and the experience of the developers) they transformed into action-adventure games, where leisurely episodes with investigations alternate with dynamic chases and battles.

All games from the Sherlock Holmes series are worthy of attention, but Crimes and Punishments is especially interesting: here the storyline covers as many as six crimes based on the works of Conan Doyle, and armchair detectives will have to use attentiveness, logical thinking and even deduction.

2. The Wolf Among Us

This game deserves to be in the top three of our top for several reasons. Firstly, it is based on the popular Fables comic book series, the plot of which revolves around fairy tale characters living in the modern earthly world, masquerading among ordinary people. Secondly, The Wolf Among Us was developed by Telltale Games in its better times(when she had not yet started releasing games in batches, not really caring about their quality). Thirdly, the project is made in the rare genre of neo-noir detective, which is reflected in the color scheme, humor, and character images.

The Wolf Among Us tells the story of Bigby, the Big Gray Wolf, who retrained as a sheriff, trying to atone for past sins. The hero takes on the investigation of a series of murders of strippers at a local club, and in the course of this investigation he will get to know the dark ins and outs of the world of Tales. Players can expect meetings with familiar folklore characters, battles, unexpected plot twists, and all this - in the unforgettable atmosphere of fairy-tale-noir New York.

1. L.A. Noire

The first place in the selection was obvious: Los Angeles of the 40s of the last century, jazz, Hollywood and the dirty secrets hiding behind the external shine of a rapidly growing city. Team Bondi, led by Rockstar Games, has done a brilliant job of creating a thrilling detective story with memorable cases. Not the least role in the creation of the Australians was played by MotionScan technology, revolutionary for its time, which allows you to accurately convey the emotions of the characters, which made it possible to catch insincerity in answers during interrogations and expose suspects.

Do you want to feel like a real detective, sleuth or interrogator? Do you want to take part in the investigation of a mysterious murder or missing person and avoid new victims? Install the game, go to the crime scene, look around and start collecting evidence. Actively use a diary for notes and a map that will not allow you to get lost. Met a closed door? Use your set of master keys - all methods are good in the work of an investigator... A variety of detective stories await you, the development of events in which and the unpredictable ending will surpass the books of Daria Dontsova herself.

  • A very valuable exhibit was stolen from an old museum. Help the girl Anna get on the trail of the thief and find the stolen relic.

  • A little girl disappeared under strange circumstances near an abandoned town. To find the child, you have to uncover all the secrets that this place hides. Look around the shops, the square, and stop by the snack bar. Someone took great pains to hide all the evidence. To find at least some information about this place, you will have to rack your brains through puzzles, mini-games, and even talk to ghosts.

  • To understand the mysterious rumors about an abandoned cemetery, you, along with journalist Karen Murphy, penetrate its fence. Everything that happens next depends on your resourcefulness, courage and ability to do right choice V difficult situation! You will find travel through time and space, fights with bloodthirsty bats, puzzles, riddles, a sea of ​​adrenaline, as well as a bonus section in which you will find a lot of interesting things!

  • Jack went to Vishville, promising his wife to return soon. However, the poor woman is seriously concerned about her husband’s long absence and intends to go to this mysterious city to find your loved one and return home with him. Keep some company desperate housewife, do your own research and find out the real reason Jack's disappearance. Collect useful equipment and solve tricky puzzles. Good luck!


  • That evening Alice, as usual, went for an evening jog. As she ran across a bridge in the park, someone pushed her into the water. Alice felt that a fragment of a mirror appeared in her hands, and after a couple of moments she found herself in another world - the fragment turned out to be a portal...

  • Envious friends, deceived lovers, corrupt police officers - the case of a bloody museum robbery and the theft of a royal relic, during which the criminal was convicted and executed, collected the most disgusting traits of human nature. After 12 years, all participants in the process anonymously received mysterious tokens, and then began to die! Who is behind this sophisticated revenge? Find out and shed the light of truth on the affairs of bygone days!

  • Damn hotel. Captured by evil. Collector's Edition

    You have been invited to become an expert on the TV show "Spirit Hunt", which is filmed in the abandoned Alexander Valentine Hotel. And when you arrive at the filming location, creepy, inexplicable things immediately begin to happen...

  • The circus that arrived in Paris amazed all the townspeople with its fiery fire show. Spectators flocked to the performances and were ready to give their last money to see the grandiose spectacle. But they didn’t even know who the circus star was, a young beautiful circus performer in a mask. One of the wealthy spectators fell in love with her, but was soon found paralyzed and blind. Find out what happened to him!

  • Beyond. Lines of fate

    While the two sisters were walking, one of the girls mysteriously disappeared, literally evaporating into thin air. The only clue in the detective investigation is the mysterious image of a human figure in a blue robe...

  • The ghost of the dead bride takes revenge on everyone who offends her family. The police turn to a detective for help, who, while walking around the city, meeting townspeople and relatives of the deceased, encounters mystical events. Will you be able to complete this unusual task?

  • The owner of a mystical hotel likes to play a game with visitors - you need to pass a series of tests, but if you fail, the visitor will be stuck in this hotel forever. Only a new player who wins the challenges will be able to save all the prisoners. And so, our hero voluntarily decides to undergo tests in order to save his relatives imprisoned in the hotel.

  • There was a fire in a children's boarding school. Everyone was evacuated except a boy named Bili and his girlfriend Sarah. Later, the police were unable to find their remains. Perhaps they managed to escape and escape, or were they kidnapped? As detective Anna, who has the ability to travel through time, go back in time and restore the course of events. Who knows, maybe you will meet the ghost of a white lady, about whom kids love to tell horror stories before bed.

  • During the plague, the doctor was unable to protect his family from the infection and was forced to resort to black magic. Wanting to resurrect his loved ones, he turned to the sorcerer for help. To local residents They didn’t like it and they burned the unfortunate doctor at the stake. However, legend says that the spirit of an evil sorcerer moved into the amulet of the murdered doctor and now haunts the residents of the city...

  • Hunters of secrets. Shadowfield

    You are an agent performing searches for missing people and complex investigations. But one thing haunts you - the mysterious disappearance of a woman. You even began to have nightmares. Go to a psychotherapist, immerse yourself in hypnosis and try to find answers to your questions...

  • You have been in an accident and, unfortunately, you do not remember anything about your past life. Amnesia has plunged you into darkness and only in your dreams do you see a little ghostly boy... Did he drop his wallet with a photo from your wedding? Perhaps this little guy will help you remember the old days? But what if a dangerous monster catches the boy before you find out the truth about your past?
  • From a girl with the nickname Lady Di on the forum you received a video from the Redemption Cemetery: a young guy disappears in the fog, and suddenly appears in his place creepy monster with burning eyes... The girl asks for help, and you immediately go to the scene!

  • The star of the imperial dance theater practices black magic. Driven by revenge, she intends to get rid of everyone who stands in her way. You have to resist her charms and save the whole kingdom.

  • Living legends. Damn gift. Collector's Edition

    The evil genius of the previous parts of the “Cursed Legends” saga, the vile little San Germain, is again interfering in people’s lives and plotting their intrigues! This time he kidnapped young Sebastian Mallow, heir to an ancient family that holds the secret of eternal youth! To protect him, you will need to muster all your courage - the creators tried to make the game as terrible as possible! Save the boy from the hands of the scoundrel and don’t let Saint Germain find out his cherished secret!

  • Myths of the peoples of the world. Fire of Olympus. Collector's Edition

    Prometheus gave people fire to make them stronger. But Zeus did not like this, and he decided to punish the violator of the laws of Olympus: before the trial, he chained Prometheus to a rock, and deprived his daughter Lysandra of her divine gift and sent him to mortals. Help the girl solve the tasks set in the game, restore lost strength and save her beloved father from terrible punishment.

PC game (English: PC game), or game for a personal computer (English: personal computer game) - a computer game that is designed to run on a personal computer (PC), and not on any other device such as a game console or arcade machine. Multiplatform version computer game for PC is called the PC version of the game.

A game that is only released on PC is called a PC-exclusive game or simply PC-exclusive. Most of these games are released for Microsoft Windows; less often (and sometimes later) versions are released for Mac OS X or Linux.

Although personal computers only became popular with the advent of affordable microprocessors, mainframes, and minicomputers, the first PC games appeared in the 1960s. One of the first PC games was the space simulator Spacewar!, developed in 1961 by MIT students for the PDP-1 computer, which was used at the institute for statistical computing.

The first generation of PC games were primarily text-based adventures or interactive stories in which the player "talked" to the computer by entering commands through the keyboard. The first text adventure game, Colossal Cave Adventure, was developed for the PDP-10 by Will Crowther. in 1976 and expanded by Don Woods in 1977. By the 1980s, PCs had become powerful enough to run text-based games like Colossal Cave Adventure, but interactive computer graphics had already begun to emerge at this time. Later games combined text commands with basic graphics, as seen in the Gold Box series from developer SSI.

By the mid-1970s, PC games were developed by groups of enthusiasts and distributed increasingly among these groups. However, there were already gaming magazines such as Creative Computing and later Computer Gaming World, through which PC games also began to be distributed. These publications distributed games in source code form, which encouraged consumers to develop their own games and modifications.

Microchess was one of the first games to go on sale publicly. Since launching in 1977, the game eventually grossed 50,000 copies sold. It was distributed on cassette tape.

Detective games are not like the usual action game genres. Here the player will need his ability to be ingenious and solve puzzles. The ending of gamer detective stories is sometimes very difficult to predict. This is what captivates and attracts users. Detective games on PC are presented to the attention of gamers - a list of the best.

10 Agent: Special Assignment

The top ten best detective games for computer opens with the adventure quest from Activision “Agent: Special Assignment”. The game is the seventh in the Call of Duty series. Main character Special service agent Konstantin Gromov is sent to the southern city to investigate the case of the disappearance of a criminal authority. The gamer will have to gain confidence in the gangster groups that control the drug trade in the city. The information collected by the agent puts his own life at risk if declassified. The game is considered one of the most successful in the gaming industry.

9 Archie Barrel: Case No. 2. Casino Golden Palace

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In ninth position is the detective game Archie Barrel: Case No. 2. Casino Golden Palace. The game takes place in Russia. The main character is American private detective Archie Burrell. Fed up with the pleasures of his native country, a wealthy detective decides to look for exotic things in the Russian expanses. His adventures begin on the train, where he meets a charming blonde. He finds himself handcuffed and penniless. Archie will have to uncover a group of scammers that left him without capital. At the same time, the hero will have to go on the trail of a major spy. Having returned all his money and solved the crime, the detective rushes into the abyss of erotic pleasures in a foreign land and gambles.

8 Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express

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Eighth place in the list of the best detective games on PC goes to Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express. At the center of the events is one of the best detectives of all time - Ecule Poirot. Financial magnate Samuel Ratchet asks the detective to become his personal bodyguard. Poirot refuses, and that same night Ratchet, who was traveling on the Orient Express, is murdered. The detective will have to take part in yet another unraveling of a mysterious murder. There will be no well-known ending based on Agatha Christie's novel. The developer has provided several alternative endings for those who are familiar with the writer’s work.

7 Murdered: Soul Suspect

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The seventh position in the ranking of the best detective games on PC is occupied by the quest from the Airtight Games studio - Murdered: Soul Suspect. The action takes place in the small town of Sailem. The main character of the game, detective Ronan O'Connor, is killed by a local criminal, the Beller. The detective's restless soul begins an investigation into his own murder. Otherwise, the detective will face an unenviable fate - to remain on earth forever in the guise of a demon. The gamer will have to investigate crime scenes, go through walls, and read the thoughts of other characters.

6 Still Life 2

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In sixth place among the best games is the gaming detective Still Life 2. Here the user will have to play alternately as two characters - journalist Paloma Hernandez and FBI agent Victoria McPherson. The bloody serial killer continues to commit his atrocities. Young girls are disappearing in the city again, and after that the maniac sends video materials about the details of violence and death to the journalist. Paloma is investigating the murders and calls Victoria for help. Soon the psychopath kidnaps Paloma, who tries to escape from him. Victoria has to figure out and catch the killer.

5 L.A. Noire: the complete edition

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The fifth place among the best detective games on PC is L.A. NOIRE: THE COMPLETE EDITION. The gamer will find himself in the 40s, in Hollywood. The main character for whom the user will have to conduct investigations is a Los Angeles police detective. The hero will have to fight the thriving drug business and corruption. The growing crime took root among his colleagues. The meticulous policeman will have to unravel brutal murder plots step by step, and in the end he will get to the solution to the most hidden secrets of the criminal world.

4 The testament of Sherlock Holmes

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In fourth place is the detective game The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. At the center of the investigation is the universally recognizable Sherlock Holmes. The detective receives a letter from the bishop, in which he asks to visit him. Arriving at the bishop, Holmes finds him murdered. The detective and his partner Watson begin an investigation. But a few days later, the police discover evidence implicating Holmes in the murder. The hero has no choice but to hide from justice and find evidence that speaks in his favor. The next serial game will delight gamers with new and more exciting puzzles.

3 Max Payne

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The top three detective games on PC are Max Payne. The shooter will reveal to gamers the gangster secrets of New York. The main character Max Payne is a former police officer who turned out to be an outlaw. He receives information about the criminals who killed his family several years ago. Max is overwhelmed with a sense of revenge and he rushes in pursuit of the killers. In addition to trivial shootings, the player will find a lot of acrobatic stunts.

2 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

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In second place among detective games is Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies. In the next part, the main character is still lawyer Phoenix. The actions taking place in the virtual world are divided into two parts. In the first, an investigation takes place, during which the gamer collects all the necessary material evidence. The second part takes place in the courtroom, where the main character comes to the defense of the defendant. A new version The game has some innovations: the user will now be able to make notes in a notepad, the crime scene can be viewed in 3D volume. The outcome of the final process in the new part may depend entirely on a few words. Unpredictable turns and denouement await the gamer.

1 Blade Runner

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Topping the list of the best games in the detective quest genre is Blade Runner. This is a rather unique game where the gamer faces an intricate investigation. Each of the material evidence found will lead to a unique outcome. The main character of Blade Runner, Ray McCoy, begins to search for evidence in the case of destruction in one of the pet stores. But as the game progresses, some details of the hero’s participation in this crime become clear. The character will regularly be faced with the problem of choosing - the bad or the good side. The main task of the gamer is to fire the replicants. Special tests or indisputable evidence will help you find out whether you are a replicant.

Without a doubt, sometimes we get tired of shooting, destroying everything around us and want to immerse ourselves in various mysteries - the best detective games on PC will help with this.

Condemned: Criminal Origins. The game is quite extraordinary, since in addition to investigations using various devices, you will also need to shoot or manually kill a couple of dozen bandits and drug addicts to get to the bottom of the matter.

Condemned: Criminal Origins system requirements:

  • System: Windows XP;
  • Processor: Pentium 4/Athlon XP 1.7 GHz;
  • RAM: 512 Mb;
  • Video card: 3D accelerator with 64 MB of memory;
  • Disk space: 7 Gb.

Gemini Rue. Designed in the style of the good old Sega games, it allows you to investigate the disappearance of a person on a very distant planet. It has a fairly strong plot and an intense atmosphere. It can be considered to some extent as a stylish graphic novel. Worth every penny spent.

Gemini Rue System Requirements:

  • System: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista;
  • Processor: Intel Pentium IV (1.5 GHz) / AMD Athlon XP 1500+;
  • RAM: 128 Mb;
  • Video card: DirectX 5;
  • Disk space: 1 Gb.

Grim Fandango. Another very interesting detective story in terms of design and characters, which will give us the opportunity to unravel the conspiracy in which the seller Manny Cavalera participates. All characters, without exception, are made in the form of funny skeletons. The game is quite old, but recently received a remaster with high-quality graphics.

Grim Fandango system requirements:

  • System: Win Vista 32;
  • Processor: Core 2 Duo E4300 1.8GHz/Athlon II X2 220;
  • RAM: 4 Gb;
  • Video card: GeForce 8600 GTS/Radeon HD 4650;
  • Disk space: 4 Gb.

Fahrenheit. This is exactly the project that all others are currently focusing on - it was the one that gave us intricate stories, changing characters during the game and a non-linear plot that could ultimately lead to a rather unexpected ending. The beauty is that you yourself hide the crime and investigate it.

Fahrenheit system requirements:

  • System: Win Vista 32;
  • Processor: Pentium III/Athlon 800 MHz;
  • RAM: 256 Mb;
  • Video card: 3D accelerator with 32 MB of memory;
  • Disk space: 4 Gb.

The Wolf Among Us. The game is built from separate episodes and designed like a comic book. We have to immerse ourselves in the world of real life fairy-tale creatures and conduct an investigation step by step, periodically making choices that affect the outcome of the passage.

The Wolf Among Us system requirements:

  • Processor: Core 2 Duo 2GHz;
  • RAM: 3 Gb;
  • Video card: ATI or NVidia with 512 MB video memory;
  • Disk space: 2 Gb.

Sam&Max. A detective game in which you have to take control of Sam and Max - the first is a dog and the second is a rabbit. Quite an interesting and unusual adventure, which shows that games in this genre do not have to be dark.

Sam&Max system requirements:

  • System: Windows XP Service Pack 3;
  • Processor: 1.5GHz processor;
  • RAM: 128 Mb;
  • Video card: 32MB 3D-accelerated video card;
  • Disk space: 1 Gb.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. A very good indie game about a detective with supernatural powers. You have to travel through time to solve crimes. Excellent detective component plus enchanting landscapes of the empty Red Creek valley.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter system requirements:

  • System: WindowsXP SP3;
  • Processor: Intel Core2 Duo;
  • RAM: 4 Gb;
  • Video card: DirectX9c compatible with 512MB memory;
  • Disk space: 9 Gb.

L.A. Noire. Somewhat similar to GTA, but in a noir style, and of course more serious general mood. You have to investigate various murders, interrogate witnesses, look for evidence and look for various criminals - from car thieves to serial killers.

System requirements L.A. Noire:

  • Processor: Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz, AMD Dual Core 2.4GHz;
  • RAM: 2 Gb;
  • Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 512MB, Radeon HD 3000 512MB;
  • Disk space: 16 Gb.

Murdered: Soul Suspec t. Even if it is a little linear, it nevertheless presents us with a rather complicated and interesting case that has to be investigated while dead - you will have to play the role of a detective who was killed by an unknown person. It is this killer that you have to find in the form of a ghost.

Murdered: Soul Suspect system requirements:

  • System: Windows 7, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows XP;
  • Processor: High-Performance Dual Core or Quad Core;
  • RAM: 2 Gb;
  • Video card: AMD Radeon HD 3870 512MB video memory / Nvidia GeForce 8800GT;
  • Disk space: 12 Gb.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments. An exceptional quality detective story that invites us to immerse ourselves in stories written by Arthur Conandoyle. You have to examine crime scenes, carefully note the details of the behavior of the suspects, their motives, etc., in order to piece together the picture. As a result, you may even get confused and draw the wrong conclusion about the case.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments system requirements:

  • System: Windows 7, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows XP;
  • Processor: AMD/INTEL DUAL-CORE 2.4 GHZ;
  • RAM: 2 Gb;
  • Video card: RADEON HD 3850/NVIDIA GEFORCE 8600 GTS or better;
  • Disk space: 14Gb.

Welcome to the world of mystical secrets and investigations.

From battered and unsociable alcoholic private detectives to naive newbie enthusiasts, meet the best detective games for PC with the most interesting protagonists.

Release year: 2014 | Developer: Frogwares | Buy

Frogwares had been releasing Sherlock Holmes games for several years before, but this one was a definite hit. This is one of the few games that makes you feel like a real detective. Evidence scattered throughout detailed crime scenes can be pieced together into a single picture in Sherlock's head, but there is no guarantee that this picture will be correct. This is elegant and made in the spirit of the famous British TV series. The only thing that spoils the impression a little is the strange approach to creating puzzles and riddles, but overall we have one of the best representatives of the genre.

Release year: 2016 | Developer: Spike Chunsoft | Buy

A group of students is invited to study at elite school called Hopes Peak Academy, where they become pawns in a sinister deadly game. Locked in a school with the mysterious villain Monokuma, they learn that the only way to escape (or "graduate") is to kill another student. And when the heroes begin to die one after another, you have to find out whose hands it was - to do this you will have to look for evidence, interview witnesses and bring charges. But if you call an innocent person a murderer, then everyone will die in the end.

Release year: 2011 | Developer: Team Bondi | Buy

Inspired by pulp detective stories and hundreds of old noir films, this crime thriller was an unexpected step away from Rockstar's usual open world concept. It's a slow-paced game of methodically examining clues and conducting investigations in a vibrant 1940s Los Angeles setting. The city is not like those we saw in GTA; it's more like a film set where scenes of serial murders quickly give way to car thefts. The game is more linear than it seems at first glance, but its undoubted advantages include a rich atmosphere and really interesting cases to investigate.

Release year: 2015 | Developer: Sam Barlow | Buy

Her Story is interesting because the versions of all the participants in the events are strikingly different from each other. You have to go through a non-linear path in trying to solve the mystery, while watching an archive of videos - after each of them the story becomes a little more clear. This unique structure, combined with realistic footage of police interrogations, makes the action truly believable. And trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together can bring out the detective in any of us.

Release year: 1996 | Developer: Revolution Software | Buy

An American lawyer vacationing in Paris begins an investigation into a cafe explosion that claimed several lives. The first part of Broken Sword is still considered the best, because it elegantly combines real history with fictional cults and conspiracy theories. George Stobbart is proof that a real detective doesn't need a badge or a gun.

Release year: 1993 | Developer: Sierra Entertainment | Buy

Sierra's Police Quest series traditionally features us as a cop, while Open Season puts us in the role of a detective investigating a series of murders. The action takes place in Los Angeles in the 90s, and this is probably the most realistic game on this list, since it recreates the protocol of detectives at a crime scene and all subsequent procedures. Overall the game wasn't the most memorable, but at least it was a pretty interesting attempt.

Release year: 1999 | Developer: Perfect Entertainment | Download

Based on the Discworld comic book series by Terry Pratchett, this mixture of detective stories has a truly British sense of humor. The rainy and gloomy city of Ankh-Morpork came out surprisingly atmospheric, and the game manages to be both a successful parody and a respectful homage to noir detectives.

Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You

Release year: 2016 | Developer: Osmotic Studios | Buy

Detectives do not always act as positive characters. For example, in this game you control an agent of a totalitarian government who monitors personal correspondence, social network profiles and by email hundreds of citizens. No right to anonymity.

Release year: 1998 | Developer: LucasArts | Buy

Grim Fandango, set in the world of the dead, introduces sales agent Manny Calavera, who finds himself at the center of a dark intrigue. Strictly speaking, this is not a detective game, but its visual style and atmosphere smacks of noir so much that it could not be included in this list - besides, by investigating this intrigue, you willy-nilly reveal the makings of a detective in yourself.

Release year: 1994 | Developer: Access Software | Buy

Lazy jazz, melancholic monologues and a main character sporting a long trenchcoat make no mistake: Under a Killing Moon was inspired by classic detective stories, but its action takes place in San Francisco in 2042. Murphy, a private detective and big drinker, suddenly realizes that he has crossed the path of an extremely aggressive cult.

Release year: 2011 | Developer: Joshua Nuernberger | Buy

The events of this cyberpunk adventure take place in the distant future on a distant planet somewhere in the constellation Gemini. The urban landscapes in which the main character Asriel Odin is trying to find his missing brother immediately give rise to associations with Blade Runner. There are two playable characters here, whose stories eventually come together.

Kona

Release year: 2017 | Developer: Parabole | Buy

Private detective Carl Faubert arrives in a snowy town in northern Quebec to discover that all its inhabitants have mysteriously disappeared. In this atmospheric game, adventure is mixed with, and although the emphasis here is not on the detective component, the investigation of the mystical mystery turned out to be extremely entertaining.

Release year: 1997 | Developer: Westwood Studios | Download

The point-and-click adventure perfectly captures the mood of Ridley Scott's classic science fiction. Playing as rookie detective Ray McCoy, you'll be tasked with tracking down a group of replicants. The story follows the events of the film in many places, but McCoy, unlike Deckard, is deeper into the investigation. You'll spend most of your time on the rainy streets of futuristic Los Angeles searching for clues. There is also a well-realized element of surprise here - in each new playthrough, a different character becomes a replicant, and even Ray is not immune from this.

Release year: 1993 | Developer: LucasArts | Buy

This adventure game from LucasArts is most often remembered when talking about the studio. Its main characters are freelance detectives Sam (dog) and Max (rabbit), who are investigating the disappearance of Bigfoot from a carnival. During their adventure, they will visit all corners of the United States, getting stuck in one interesting story after another.

Release year: 1997 | Developer: Smoking Car Productions | Buy

Set on the Orient Express in 1914, The Last Express is a superb crime thriller with a unique real-time system. You are given a limited time to investigate all the mystical events, which include the brutal murder of one of the passengers (by the way, a friend of the main character). We haven't seen anything like this since the release of this game.

Release year: 2005 | Developer: Quantic Dream | Buy

Before the plot gets into the supernatural jungle somewhere in the middle of the story, Fahrenheit (published in North America entitled Indigo Prophecy) is a tense and exciting thriller. The very first scene, in which you need to hide evidence at a crime scene as one character, and then, playing as another, try to find it, is simply incomparable. Overall, the game suffers from too much genre juggling and a weak story, but it's worth playing through for some standout moments.

Release year: 1993 | Developer: Sierra Entertainment | Buy

Another classic adventure game from the '90s takes us to a city rarely seen in games: New Orleans. Knight investigates a series of murders linked to a voodoo cult. He is not a detective, but just a writer collecting information for his book, but this does not stop him from studying crime scenes and interrogating suspects in search of the truth. Sins of the Fathers was inspired by the brilliant neo-noir Angel Heart by Alan Parker, which raised similar themes.

Release year: 2010 | Developer: Access Games | Buy

Inspired by David Lynch's iconic Twin Peaks series, this is one of the strangest games on PC. It tells the story of an FBI agent hunting a serial killer in a small American town, and the game's unique mechanics allow you to study crime scenes and interview witnesses for a limited time.

Release year: 2017 | Developer: Spooky Doorway | Buy

For games of the point-and-click genre, a huge number of interesting references has already become traditional, but here it is complemented by an excellent script and great characters. You play as Francis McQueen, who, along with his partner Dooley, investigates cases related to paranormal phenomena. Ben Prunty, responsible for the music in FTL, once again pleases us with an authentic soundtrack.

Release year: 2014 | Developer: The Astronauts | Buy

In this atmospheric indie game we control Paul Prospero, a private detective with supernatural powers. He can visualize the events that occur at a crime scene and uses these powers to uncover the secrets that the peaceful Red Creek Valley holds.

Release year: 2015 | Developer: CD Projekt RED | Buy

Geralt of Rivia is essentially a fantasy detective who begins most of his quests by using his instincts to find clues. And his gloomy voice and unsociability make him similar to classic heroes from noir films. And, like any cop, he investigates murders, fights corruption and searches for traitors.

Release year: 2005 | Developer: Monolith Productions | Buy

This dark and greatly underrated horror is notable primarily for its main character, who solves crimes with the help of high-tech gadgets, while beating drug addicts with a steel pipe. Towards the end of the game, the investigations fade into the background, but the crime scenes from the very beginning are in many ways reminiscent of the film "Seven".

Release year: 2006 | Developer: Wadjet Eye Games | Buy

The Shivah was created by Wadjet Eye's Dave Gilbert, who decided to make a middle-aged rabbi the main character of the game. She can't brag long duration, however, is notable for the fact that it does not lead the player by the hand through the plot. The story begins with former member synagogue dies at very mysterious circumstances(as usual), and the main character decides to find out the cause of death. This adult story, in which questions of faith and morality are raised, but in which there is also room for humor. Be sure to look under the name Kosher Edition.

Release year: 2013 | Developer: Telltale Games | Buy

Based on the Tales comics by Bill Willingham, this episodic adventure from Telltale is every bit a film noir. The action takes place in a world in which fairy tale characters live and hide in New York. And the main character Bigby Wolf becomes embroiled in a mystical conspiracy after he discovers the severed head of a girl on his doorstep.

KGB

Release year: 1992 | Developer: Cryo Interactive | Download

It's time to take a little break from noir. This is an old game, which was published on CD-ROM under the name Conspiracy, which invited us to penetrate the bowels of the KGB at the end Cold War and try to destroy it from the inside. A rather unexpected take on the detective genre, making the game incredibly challenging. We've warned you.

Release year: 2002 | Developer: KCET | Download

In this forgotten game from Konami (titled Shadow of Destiny in North America), you'll have to move between multiple time periods in an attempt to figure out who keeps killing you and why you keep coming back to life. It's a quirky and quirky game with some pretty interesting ideas.



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