Murder by Numbers

This has to be one of the most enjoyable games I've played in a long while. The nonograms were top notch, the plot was fun and exciting, the characters were loveable and incredibly well written. The 90s charm was palpable and very nostalgic. All in all, I deeply enjoyed Murder by Numbers, and I'm hoping with fingers crossed that there will be a sequel!

Honestly, I just got the game because I enjoy Picross puzzles, and I got what I wanted. Some of the puzzles are really easy, some are more challenging, and there are even "hidden" puzzles you need to unlock by finding and doing well on all the puzzles in each episode (some puzzles each episode are optional). If you are new to this type of puzzle, or need extra help, the game offers some features to assist you. The game is broken up into 4 episode. The story is a mix of serious topics and jokes; I think it does a good job of balancing the two. I'd recommend this game as a downtime game. You don't need to invest a ton of time in this, you can just play when you have a few minutes, and want to solve a puzzle.

Murder by Numbers is a fun and enjoyable game in the style of Ace Attorney and other similiar VNs. It's cliché, it has various humerous characters and the soundtrack, while a bit repetitive, is nice to listen to. It's very much a western love letter to both Japanese VNs and the picross genre. You play as a former actress turned private investigator, solving murders together with a robot that you find. There are four cases where each have its own storyline and characters, but it also has overarching plot where you get to know both the main character, her companion and the recurring supporting cast (such as her mother, a police detective, a stylist, etc.). It all ties together neatly in the fourth and last case. Well almost. The gameplay is interesting as the developers mixes your typical VN together with picross which adds more to the game. With that said, I do think that some of the timed puzzles are very hardcore and at times it felt like pure luck was the reason why I managed to finished them (mainly during case 3 and 4). I definitely recommend this game! It's fun and the picross puzzles aren't too hardcore, but instead enjoyable to solve. I want more of this, and apparently so did the developers as there is a slight hint for a continuation towards the end of the game. However after this game release the studio, Mediatonic, released the popular game Fall Guys and subsequently got bought by Epic Games. I unfortunately do not see the studio working on any other games for a foreseeable future.

Music wasn't bad. They got the 90s vibe right. And some of the characters were fun. Some of the characters got annoying fast. The mysteries weren't very mysterious. And it's not a detective game. My fault for assuming 'mystery' meant detective. But if you're looking for a game that challenges you to figure out whodunit, keeping looking. I'm sorry I paid full price for it.

Plot is awful (also, no autoscroll). Picross is ok (especially hacking minigame).