Video games give you the opportunity to experience mysteries in exciting and immersive ways. You don’t have to sit idly by and watch a detective put together the pieces of a puzzle; instead, you can roll up your sleeves and investigate the case yourself.
If you’ve got the urge to gather evidence and solve crimes, there are plenty of games that can scratch that itch. Not sure where to start? These are 10 of the best mystery investigation games on Steam.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Typically, a mystery game asks you to take on the role of a detective. In Return of the Obra Dinn, you’re an insurance inspector. After a long-missing merchant ship suddenly reappears with no survivors on board, you must appraise the ship and figure out what happened on its ill-fated voyage. This is a unique and incredibly engaging game with a distinct 1-bit visual style.
Return of the Obra Dinn is also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
The Painscreek Killings
In 1995, a shocking murder shook the town of Painscreek to its core. Today, the murder is still unsolved, and the town is mostly abandoned. You play as a young reporter, Janet, that’s sent to visit the town and investigate this cold case. While The Painscreek Killings isn’t a horror game, it can be genuinely frightening to explore the empty town. The game has minimal handholding and asks players to do real detective work in order to uncover the town’s secrets.
The Painscreek Killings is also available on GOG.
Contradiction
Even though Contradiction asks you to solve a grisly murder, this FMV game is a genuine joy to play through. You take on the role of Inspector Jenks as he questions suspects. Your job is to spot the contradiction in statements and catch suspects in a lie. While this is a single-player game, it’s best enjoyed with family or friends in the room with you. This is a title that anyone can enjoy, even if they’re not much of a gamer.
Contradiction is also available on iOS.
Lacuna
In this hard-boiled sci-fi noir adventure, you’re tasked with investigating a murder that could throw the entire solar system into chaos. Not only will you have to interview witnesses and gather evidence, but you’ll have to make tough decisions about the secrets you uncover. Should you bring the truth to light at all costs, or should you prioritize peace and public safety?
Lacuna is also available on PlayStation, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. If you’d like to give the game a try, there’s a free demo on Steam.
Why Am I Dead At Sea
Most mysteries begin with a murder. In Why Am I Dead At Sea, that murder is your own. Since you no longer have a body, you’ll have to inhabit other people and use their bodies to figure out why you’re no longer living. Your ghost powers also allow you to read minds, which makes it slightly easier to collect evidence. Although this title has cutesy visuals, it’s surprisingly well-written, and the core mystery is thrilling. This title has multiple endings, and you’ll want to make sure you see them all.
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is a title that’s hard to accurately explain. Yes, there’s a murder, and you’ve been tasked with solving it, but that barely scratches the surface of what the game has to offer. Disco Elysium is about being inside someone’s head and seeing all the thoughts and impulses that make them who they are. It’s about making choices that reflect how others see you and shape who you become. It’s a fascinating title with hilarious and insightful writing, and if you don’t mind doing a lot of reading, I’d say it’s a must-play.
Disco Elysium is also available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
Danganronpa
Danganronpa has an absurd, over-the-top premise, and if that puts you off, it’s probably not the game for you.
You’re a new student at the prestigious Hope’s Academy, a school for ultra-talented students that excel in their field. When you arrive for your first day, you discover that you and your classmates have been locked inside the school. You’re summoned to the gymnasium by a robotic teddy bear, where you are told that the only way to escape the school is to murder your fellow students.
Eventually, some of your classmates decide to participate in the killing game, and that’s where the gameplay loop begins. You’ll spend your time getting to know your fellow students, investigating murders as they occur, and identifying the culprit in a courtroom trial. There are three mainline Danganronpa games in total, and if wacky anime murder mysteries are your thing, all of them are worth playing.
Danganronpa is also available on iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Whispers of a Machine
Part-Nordic noir, part-sci-fi, Whispers of a Machine casts you in the role of a cybernetically enhanced detective investigating a string of grisly murders. As the game progresses, you’ll be able to choose new augmentations, and those upgrades change the way you investigate. Even though the game is on the shorter side, all of the puzzles have multiple solutions, giving it plenty of replay value.
Whispers of a Machine is also available on Android and iOS.
The Occupation
Some investigative games trend towards the fantastical, but The Occupation feels surprisingly grounded. Set in 1980s England, this events in this immersive thriller take place in real time. When a minute passes in the real world, a minute passes in the game. You’ll have to race the clock and use every second wisely if you want to get to the bottom of the case before it’s too late.
The Occupation is also available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you’d like to check it out, there’s a free demo on Steam.
Death Come True
You wake up in a hotel room unsure of how you got there. You take a look around, only to discover that there’s an unconscious woman tied up in your bathtub. Before you can panic, you’re distracted by a news report. Police are closing in on a serial killer, and that serial killer has your face.
Described as a “new wave interactive movie game,” Death Come True is a mystery title from Kazutaka Kodaka, the creator of the Danganronpa series. As you progress in the game, you’ll be asked to make choices, many of which will lead to your death. Every time you get a new death, you’ll be awarded with a death medal, and the game will start over from the beginning. Although you can reach the ending in a few hours, you’ll have to play for longer to see all of the game’s deaths.
Death Come True is also available on Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
