Are you looking to download mystery games? You’ve come to the right place. “Whodunnit” games are one of the most celebrated and popular genres among gamers who prefer a good story, puzzles, and investigative scenes over shooters, beat ’em ups, or action games.
Whether you’re on PC, console, or mobile, there’s an endless array of mystery games at your fingertips that will test your mind, creativity, and powers of deduction. Are you ready to download some of them? Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat because here are the best mystery games of the moment. We hope you enjoy them!
1. The Phoenix Wright Saga
If you enjoy mystery games, you’ll love Phoenix Wright. Also known as Ace Attorney, it is one of the most well-known and celebrated investigative video game series on the market. Created by Shu Takumi, the Phoenix Wright games put us in the shoes of this spiky-haired lawyer and his successor, Apollo Justice, on a crusade to solve the most bizarre cases.
Packed with humor and unforgettable characters, the Phoenix Wright series stands out for its excellent gameplay. Each case features a superb investigation and interrogation system that culminates in a final act where we must combine everything we’ve learned to defend our client and accuse the true culprit in the courtroom.
Regardless of whether you’re on PC, console, or mobile, you have a wide range of Phoenix Wright games at your disposal. If you’re new to this series, we highly recommend downloading Ace Attorney Trilogy, where you can enjoy the first three cases of the saga. If you get tired of Phoenix, you can also try your luck with Apollo Justice, his young successor. Personally, I highly recommend The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, a fantastic game where you take on the role of Naruhodo Ryunosuke, an ancestor of Wright who must unravel the most intricate mysteries in feudal Japan alongside Sherlock Holmes (or Herlock Sholmes).
2. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
With its remaster just around the corner, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective climbs to the second spot on our list. This brilliant mystery and investigation game from Capcom comes once again from the mind of Shu Takumi (Phoenix Wright). In this game, we’ll leave the courtroom behind to become an amnesiac ghost seeking answers about our own death. Sounds intriguing, right? Brace yourself, because twists and turns are coming!
Available for Android mobile devices and soon also for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective puts us in the shoes of a ghost detective right after his death. He has lost his memory, so he doesn’t remember who he is or what led to his untimely demise. That’s when our ghostly investigation begins, where we must solve puzzles and navigate through all sorts of ingenious situations by possessing objects. But that’s not all, you can also control time, rewinding and jumping back to the past whenever you want.
3. The Danganronpa saga
With three investigation games (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony), a third-person shooter (Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls), a board game (Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp), and an anime adaptation under its belt, the Danganronpa series has become a favorite among anime lovers, fans of the bizarre, and gore enthusiasts.
The main Danganronpa saga always follows a similar storyline. A group of elite students has been trapped against their will by Monokuma, a teddy bear with a sinister death game. To escape, one of them must murder a fellow student, and then a trial must be held to uncover the culprit.
If the killer is discovered, they will be subjected to a cruel and often gory execution. If, on the other hand, nobody finds out, the killer will escape while the rest of their classmates perish. While the first installment may be predictable and somewhat disappointing, the second and third entries are excellent.
For all Danganronpa fans, it’s worth noting that we will soon be able to enjoy Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE. This new mystery and investigation game will feature the sinister and fantastic touch that characterizes the creators of this series.
4. The Tex Murphy Game Series
You may not be familiar with the name Tex Murphy if you’re a novice gamer, but he was one of the most beloved detectives in PC games during the 90s. Mean Streets, Martian Memorandum, Under a Killing Moon, Overseer… there are plenty of Tex Murphy games to choose from. But why do I add them to this list? Thanks to a Kickstarter project, Tesla Effect arrived on our computers, a new title in the series that benefits from all the advantages of new technologies while retaining the charm of classic games.
In this game series, we step into the shoes of Tex Murphy, a detective in the year 2040 who, besides not being very good at his job, is obsessed with the golden age of private investigators like The Maltese Falcon.
What usually starts as a seemingly trivial case, like finding a lost cat, ends up turning into a scenario more akin to a James Bond saga. Only the sarcasm of the clumsy detective and, of course, your investigative skills will save the planet. Highly recommended for lovers of comedies and the film noir genre.
5. Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (remake)
One cannot talk about mystery games without including a title featuring the most famous detective of Baker Street. From the hands of the Ukrainian developer Frogwares comes Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened, an excellent remake of the classic 2006 game. This project, born out of an exceptional Kickstarter campaign – in which I myself participated – brings back one of the most iconic titles in the Holmes game franchise. And this time, the detective isn’t facing a simple case, but the very myths of Cthulhu.
Set during the war against Russia, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a faithful portrayal of the original game but with cutting-edge graphics, a new soundtrack, and new cases in the form of DLC. One of the most notable enhancements is the revival of the appearance, voice, and personality of Holmes that we saw in the superb Chapter One, paving the way for a possible resurrection of the detective’s remaining adventures. It’s a must-play for those seeking a great game, and especially for lovers of the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.P. Lovecraft.
6. The Wolf Among Us
While we eagerly await news about The Wolf Among Us 2, its first installment is undoubtedly a game that deserves to be on the list of the best mystery games. It is based on the DC Comics series Fables and its charm lies precisely in the fact that well-known characters from fairy tales are living among humans incognito… but not quite as we remember them.
In The Wolf Among Us, we take on the role of Bigby Wolf (based obviously on the Big Bad Wolf) and find ourselves involved in a series of murders where the victims are all these characters from fables and children’s tales. The Wolf Among Us is a thrilling title that will keep you glued to your screen until you solve the mystery across its five episodes. However, be mindful of your decisions because, as is typical in TellTale Games’ titles, each choice and path you take will have repercussions on the story’s development.
7. PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
Fans of visual novels have a must-play experience with PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. This true gem developed by Square Enix immerses us in a story of mystery and terror set in late 20th century Japan. In this game, we take on the role of different characters involved in strange deaths where there is a common factor: deadly relics, vengeful spirits, and a mysterious resurrection ritual.
Although at its core it is a visual novel, PARANORMASIGHT is a game where we can interrogate, use objects, employ logic, investigate thanks to its brilliant 360-degree environments, and even curse and kill our enemies. However, where the game truly excels is in its story. It is intricately woven with so many twists that you won’t be able to stop playing until you unravel its mystery. In short, it’s an incredible game that no one should miss out on.
8. Thimbleweed Park
Created by Ron Gilbert, Thimbleweed Park is a love letter to the old point-and-click games of the era of Maniac Mansion, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In addition to being a true gift for nostalgic players, it is a truly entertaining mystery game where we must investigate a strange murder on the outskirts of the bizarre town of Thimbleweed Park.
Fun like few others and with humor that surpasses the absurd, Thimbleweed Park is a marvel. The game perfectly manages to make you laugh at all times while keeping you glued to your seat until you uncover the killer in the quirky town specialized in pillow sales. A special mention goes to its sheriff-a-reeno, a character that once you meet him, you will never forget him. It is a must-play for fans of graphic adventures and, unlike the controversial Return to Monkey Island, it provides a gratifying experience from beginning to end.
9. Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers marked a before and after in Sierra Online’s graphic adventures. The fantasy stories of the King’s Quest series were left behind to immerse ourselves fully in a title not recommended for minors, conceived by thriller writer Jane Jensen. In this game, we travel to New Orleans, where we step into the shoes of an egocentric and opportunistic writer on his quest to solve a series of murders related to voodoo.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a surprising, mature, and complex game with a storyline worthy of the best film. It’s not surprising that to this day it is considered one of the best graphic adventures for PC and mobile devices. The game even received a remake with updated HD graphics and 3D characters, further enhancing its appeal.
10. AI: The Somnium Files
We conclude the list with AI: The Somnium Files, an excellent mystery game created by Kotaro Uchikoshi, the mind behind the superb Zero Escape series (if you haven’t played it yet, you’re missing out). In this game, we take on the role of detective Kaname Date, a special agent tasked with investigating the serial killings of the so-called Cyclops. The killer’s modus operandi is to disembowel their victims and steal one of their eyes. To aid us in our investigation, we have the assistance of Aiba, an artificial intelligence located in Date’s eye, and the ability to enter the dreams and memories of the characters.
As is customary in Uchikoshi’s games, The Somnium Files features a gripping story that combines moments of comedy with more serious and even gruesome ones. The end result is a surprising plot full of twists and an exceptional conclusion. If you enjoyed AI: The Somnium Files, don’t miss its sequel, AI: The Somnium File – NirvanA Initiative, which, while not quite reaching the same heights as the first installment, is still highly entertaining.
