The Famicom Detective Club series made an unexpected return this year, delivering one of the most suspenseful gaming experiences with "Emio – The Smiling Man." This new entry in a long-dormant series builds on a surprising teaser featuring a masked figure, Emio, leading players into a gripping narrative filled with tension and intrigue.
In "Emio – The Smiling Man," you follow a slow-burn detective story that spans approximately twelve hours. Set a few years after "The Missing Heir," it sees the Utsugi Detective Agency teaming up with police detectives Junko Kuze and Daisuke Kamihara to investigate the suspicious death of a teenage boy found wearing a paper bag adorned with a smiley face. This shocking incident draws parallels to a series of unsolved murders from eighteen years prior, prompting the suspicion that the same perpetrator might be at large.
The investigation kicks off with the chilling urban legend of the Smiling Man, who is known for approaching crying girls at night, ultimately strangling them and leaving behind the eerie paper bag with a smiley face. As the story unfolds, players encounter a complex web of clues, red herrings, and dead ends, often finding progress frustratingly elusive.
The game skips ahead to its penultimate chapter, where you embark on a journey through the city in search of new leads. A chance encounter with two construction workers leads to a disconcerting revelation regarding the missing person’s identity. They recall working with a man named Minoru Tsuzuki and subsequently driving him home in an isolated area, a twist that shifts the investigation’s assumptions and amplifies the sense of dread.
The final chapter culminates at Yamanba Pass, the haunting mountainside setting where the last sighting of Minoru took place. The atmosphere becomes increasingly unsettling as players navigate this foreboding terrain, fraught with tension as the storyline builds toward a climactic encounter with the Smiling Man. The game’s masterful use of atmosphere and sound enhances the sense of impending horror, creating a compelling and deeply immersive experience.
In the epilogue, every lingering question is addressed with poignant finesse, underscoring the emotional weight of the entire story. While "Emio – The Smiling Man" may not have garnered extensive mainstream attention, its expertly crafted narrative solidifies its place as a standout title in 2024, blending moments of levity and heartache into an unforgettable journey.
Further insights can be found in various best-of lists from 2024, showcasing notable games and exclusive releases.
