Hello, and welcome to another episode of Talk This! It’s Dangerous to Podcast Alone. This week, we’re talking about mystery video games! Do you know what an octagon is?
As always, you can listen to our podcast basically anywhere you want. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Pandora (or head over to our episodes page for even more options). Or just listen below!
The Topic
What makes something a mystery game versus a game with a mystery? What are the different ways games try to gamify the act of solving a mystery? How many of these games are also detective games, and how many try to be something else? Where do you put the line between discovery and keeping players on track?
The Actual Discussion
You can figure this out Hajime, I believe in you.
We talk about different approaches to writing mysteries, and where to cast the player – how should they switch between driver and passenger seat? We also talk about common mechanics and how different games approach letting the player have open-endedness in their investigation. Also, we take some time to identify what isn’t a mystery game, even if it may seem like one at first glance.
–
Enjoy the episode! Tell us what you think in the comments or on social media. Make sure to check out last week’s episode and look forward to next week’s where we’re talking about The Silver Case and Honkai Star Rail.