Unmask the Truth in Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, Coming August 29th

Three decades after The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind, developer Nintendo has brought back the Famicom Detective Club series with a new mystery adventure game titled Emio – The Smiling Man. This third installment will debut on August 29th exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. Digital and physical pre-orders are now available on the official Nintendo Store for standard copies, retailing at $49.99 USD.

Preview the said announcement, featuring series producer and writer Yoshio Sakamoto:

Exactly a week ago, Emio was first teased in a 15-second video uploaded to the Nintendo of America YouTube channel. Some fans speculated that it was a new IP being developed, but in the end, few were able to guess what the mysterious horror trailer was really about.

Admittedly, I was one of those people. I mean, who could have guessed that, 30 years later, we’d be getting a new entry in the Famicom Detective Club series? So this was absolutely a pleasant surprise.

In Emio – The Smiling Man, you play as an assistant private investigator who has to unravel a string of unsolved murders involving heads covered in paper bags with a smiling face drawn on them. The unidentified killer, Emio, is known to give his victims “a smile that will last forever.” Color me intrigued.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Overview

Investigate a brutal death and its connection to an urban legend

A student has been found dead! His head was covered with a paper bag with an eerie smiling face drawn on it—much like the victims of Emio, the Smiling Man—a killer of urban legend who is said to place such a bag over his victims’ heads.

As an assistant private investigator, you are tasked with helping police solve this crime, which is reminiscent of a series of unsolved murders from 18 years ago. Has a serial killer returned, or is this the work of a copycat? Are these crimes inspired by the Smiling Man story, or the origin of it?

Discover the answers to these questions and more as a member of the Utsugi Detective Agency in this intense story of suspicion, isolation, and fragility.

Explore an interactive drama full of interesting characters

Continue the adventures of the Utsugi Detective Agency with the return of familiar characters—including the returning protagonist from previous games, and Ayumi Tachibana, who is now playable in certain sections of the game for the first time in the series! 

Playing as the investigative duo, you’ll need to learn a lot about the personalities and backstories of the other characters if you want to discover the truth. Who is harmless, and who is keeping important secrets? Ask questions, reference your notes, and make connections—you’ll have to order your thoughts and examine your leads carefully to draw the right conclusions.

Screenshots

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club releases on August 29th for the Switch. Check out our detailed reviews of the Switch remakes of The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind if this is right up your alley. Stay tuned here at RPGFan for more updates coming your way!