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Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Nintendo
Aug 28, 2024 - Nintendo Switch
Strong

OpenCritic Rating

78

Top Critic Average

69%

Critics Recommend

Eurogamer
3 / 5
Hobby Consolas
78 / 100
Areajugones
8.5 / 10
Shacknews
8 / 10
IGN Italy
8 / 10
God is a Geek
8.5 / 10
Nintendo Life
7 / 10
Digital Trends
4 / 5
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Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Media

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club — Launch Trailer — Nintendo Switch thumbnail

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club — Launch Trailer — Nintendo Switch

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Teaser - Nintendo Switch thumbnail

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Teaser - Nintendo Switch

Critic Reviews for Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a successful homage to the venerable series, which tells an enticing story despite its repetitive nature.

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It gives just what one expects. Few surprises in the gameplay, but quite a few in the plot, which is what it is about, in this case. Ideal for those who want a slow-paced adventure.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Emio – The Smiling: Famicom Detective Club is presented as an authentic detective experience with which Nintendo has met each and every one of the expectations. Both its plot, as well as the characters and its development, is a real joy for players who are fans of the genre of interactive visual novels. If the game already seemed attractive in its first appearance, as players start it, they will not be able to stop until they finish it. Will Emio be a simple legend or will he end up being a cruel murderer who we will have to stop so that the full weight of the law falls on him?

Review in Spanish | Read full review

I can see why longtime Famicom Detective Club producer Yoshio Sakamoto was so excited to share the story of this game. Emio - The Smiling Man is an intriguing story that takes us on a deeply emotional journey. The characters, both old and new, are very fun and easy to follow as well, not to mention coming out great in their animations and dialogue. I wish Emio stretched its legs a bit in terms of gameplay, but I also can’t argue too much with a working system that’s mostly meant to be a vehicle for an engaging mystery. If this is the final Famicom Detective Club game, it’s a strong one to go out on, but I can't help but hope we get more Famicom Mystery Club with this game acting as a stepping stone to the series’ future.

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After the remake of the first two episodes of Famicom Detective Club I was really hoping for a return of the franchise, and Emio - The Smiling Man does not disappoint thanks to first-class art direction, an interesting plot and its retro soul.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a superbly told story, and is engaging from start to finish.

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Emio - The Smiling Man has been hyped up a little too much in terms of how dark in tone the whole thing is. This is still silly, kooky stuff, just like its predecessors. The sometimes frustrating core mechanics also haven't seen any refinement this time around, which is a shame. And so it's left to some top-notch writing to save the day, which it just about does. Once this troubling and intriguing story has its hooks in you (remember there are three demos to try if you're unsure), it's hard to put down. And that, at the end of the day, is all Tantei Club fans will be looking for.

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Despite thin detective gameplay that may be light on actual deduction, Emio — The Smiling Man makes up for that with a slow-burn visual novel story that goes in completely unexpected directions. Its grisly tone and M-rating may feel surprising for a Nintendo game, but Emio meets young players at a level Nintendo is uniquely positioned to reach them at.

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Industry Coverage

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