Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Reviews
Although not without its faults in due part to the trial-and-error situations that require exhausting all options in conversations, Emio - The Smiling Man is a game that will keep fans glued to the end, topped off with a very appealing art style and fair 10+ hour storyline that doesn't overstay its welcome. There isn't much else to see and do once the full story is done, but it is one worth experiencing.
A slow burner that while modernized still feels like a natural extension to the series that stopped more than 3 decades ago. One that rewards those who persevere.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
The brand new Detective Club title brings very compelling plot luring players to discover murders and mystery. On the other hand, gaming options might be limited and linear for some adventurers ' if you come for the lengthy dialogues and investigation, you will like the outcome.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
To say anything else about Emio would be doing you all a disservice, as it’s a winding, twisting mystery that is best enjoyed unspoiled. If you did play the remakes of the first two Famicom Detective Club titles then you’ll get more of the same here, just with modern standards of writing. That alone makes it a much stronger experience, because the narrative in this thing is incredible.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is an intriguing option for Nintendo Switch users looking for a mature and dark story. The game allows players to find a wide cast of characters, any of whom might be considered suspects at any moment, and gives the chance to analyze every action and word from them to advance in their investigation. Despite some obstacles posed by its interface, the title offers an engaging experience for those seeking a memorable adventure.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is one of the most engaging and emotional visual novels I’ve ever played. The well-written, unpredictable story, multi-dimensional characters, and beautiful anime-style visuals makes the newest entry in the Famicom Detective Club series a must-have for anyone that loves murder mystery and psychological horror.
Although Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club has some strange pacing choices that lead to a lack of excitement in early chapters and a lessened emphasis on solving the case through detective work, it makes up for it with an excellent presentation, fun attention to detail, and a dark, emotional story that answers all its questions in the end.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a phenomenal piece of work from Yoshio Sakamoto and Nintendo that sits as one of the best games of 2024. From the haunting story to the wonderful characters, this is a game I'll be thinking about for the rest of the year and beyond. I truly hope that Nintendo continues the Famicom Detective Club series, as it sits as a very special IP within the company's history.
While the experience is marred by its many drudging moments, Emio—The Smiling Man is a highly entertaining, engaging, and well-produced entry that fans will likely enjoy.
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, with a mystery much closer to our reality than the other two games in the series, surprises with its narrative quality. It is quite difficult to reach a concrete conclusion about this title, but I dare say that, in addition to being the best entry in the Famicom Detective Club series, it is, above all, a solid recommendation for fans of suspense stories. Don't be fooled by the text adventure label and gameplay that harks back to the last century: even with its small flaws, the case of the smiling man is promising from start to finish. And honestly speaking? I hope this is not the end of Famicom Detective Club, but if it is, we have here a golden ending.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
"Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a captivating visual novel that immerses players in a dark tale blending a modern murder mystery with a chilling urban legend. The beautifully crafted visuals, atmospheric music, and strong voice acting enhance the experience, drawing you deeper into Emio's ominous world. However, the story is occasionally hindered by frustrating gameplay mechanics that make interactions feel repetitive and unnatural. Despite these flaws, fans of narrative-driven games with a taste for suspense and mystery will find Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club a memorable experience."
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is an interactive narrative with a terrifying lore, an absorbing mystery and charismatic characters, marred by a very linear structure and little gameplay.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club revives the classic mystery series with a thrilling new adventure. This game features meticulously crafted storytelling, immersive character interactions, and stunning Live2D animation. Players take on the role of a teenage sleuth, investigating a chilling urban legend while solving puzzles and piecing together clues.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a classic visual novel that hooks you right in from the beginning and comes from a very unlikely developer. Despite this, the game fits on the Nintendo Switch. With the modernized art, better pacing, more engaging characters, and fully voiced dialogue, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is easily the best entry in the series.
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, the third game in this series, tells a compelling and deep mystery that is far darker and more disturbing than anything we've seen from Nintendo before.
In terms of presentation, "Emio" also does well thanks to lovingly designed backgrounds, numerous animated cutscenes and the beautiful soundtrack. Nevertheless, we would have liked to see a little more dynamics, i.e. animated background objects, in some scenes - such as the train station of Kofuku. If you can overlook this shortcoming, the genre-typical rather shallow gameplay challenges and the lack of English voice acting, you will still get your money's worth.
Review in German | Read full review
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club improves on the old-school mystery visual novel mechanics that the 2021 remakes refined, eliminating some of the trial-and-error frustration while keeping things focused on interviews with witnesses. While the mystery of Emio isn't my favourite of the series, it's still a mostly well-crafted story with gorgeously animated characters.
Emio – The Smiling Man has a rich, empathetic heart, there's just not enough of it. Solid character work and a decent setting can't get around the fact that the game isn't ever all that thrilling.
“Emio – The Smiling Man” is a suspenseful and at times disturbing crime thriller. The last third of the game in particular completely blew my mind and left me sitting in front of the screen with my mouth open. The uneven pacing of the narrative and the somewhat outdated gameplay formula with its trial-and-error approach spoil the excellent overall impression. In terms of audio-visuals, “Emio” is convincing across the board. Beautifully drawn game characters and backgrounds bring the interactive story to life, while the catchy soundtrack provides the ideal background music. I hope we don't have to wait another 30 years for a new detective adventure from Nintendo.
Review in German | Read full review