Visual novel adventure game Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved is confirmed for a Nintendo Switch release sometime in 2025.
Previously announced for a Steam release, Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved will likely appeal to fans of classic adventure titles like Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii’s The Portopia Serial Murder Case, as well as more modern takes like 2024’s Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club. However, as influenced by Japan as Detective Instinct may be, developer Armonica is an American indie studio.
Check out the Switch announcement trailer below to get a feel for this retro-inspired, crime-solving narrative adventure.
Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved Overview
Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved is a new command-select ADV/Visual Novel from American independent developer Armonica, in the style of classic Japanese adventure games like Famicom Detective Club, Hotel Dusk, and Ace Attorney. Players will lead an investigation on a cross-country train, interrogate a cast of colorful characters, and uncover a dramatic story about a mysterious missing woman.
The main features of the game are as follows:
– A dramatic and moving story, inspired by hard-boiled crime fiction, classic cinema, and other classic adventure (ADV) games
– Classic command-select gameplay, designed to maximize player experimentation and deduction while minimizing the need to brute force solutions
– A unique mixed-media art style, combining highly expressive 2D pixel art portraits, old-school pre-rendered 3D backgrounds, and traditional illustrations
– A colorful cast of characters to converse with, with many unique interactions and optional dialogue that rewards exploration and curiosity
– Lavish original soundtrack in various musical styles, featuring many live instrument performances
The mystery VN subgenre is a unique and interesting niche that’s attracted a dedicated international fanbase. Although not without their innovations (check out our top 20 DS RPGs for cult classic adventure games like Hotel Dusk: Room 215), VNs offer a perfect platform for simpler handcrafted titles that focus heavily on narrative, character, and story.
VNs have found their place on Steam in a major way due to ease of publication and its wide player base, but it’s been really exciting to see more of these titles make their way to the Switch, a platform that offers a surprisingly comfortable and engaging way to experience these types of games.
Here’s hoping Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved finds its niche when it comes to Switch and PC via Steam in 2025. A PC demo is available, so why not whip out the old magnifying glass and investigate this one for your self?
Wanna start your own investigation into RPGs, VNs, and ADV(enture) games? RPGFan has got you covered! We’re on the case, and we will not rest until you know the who, what, and where of our favourite genres.
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