The Sexy Brutale

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 78
  3. Negative: 8 out of 78

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Underpants158
    May 16, 2017
    6
    The concept of a groundhog day mixed with murder mystery is intriguing but it never feels satisfying. Thwarting a murder is just about finding the information (usually through eavesdropping and tracking people throughout the day) that you need to stop it. I never felt like I came up with an ingenious way to stop a murder only like I stumbled upon the solution and there is only one solution.
  2. Germashko
    Apr 16, 2017
    6
    Nice game but very basic. Good concept that was not explored to it's full potential, puzzles are very simple, they are designed for you to feel smart without actual complexity and challenge, wich feels like alot of lost potential.
  3. DaveTheJackal
    Apr 20, 2017
    7
    Slick production values, a cutesy gruesome aesthetic, the occasional laugh. i am all for bewildering plots which eventually kinda work out, and when it does eventually work out, the Sexy Brutale's tale is engaging enough, but there may be plenty of bemused wandering around before that, not really knowing what to do, never mind understanding what's going on and, importantly (for me) notSlick production values, a cutesy gruesome aesthetic, the occasional laugh. i am all for bewildering plots which eventually kinda work out, and when it does eventually work out, the Sexy Brutale's tale is engaging enough, but there may be plenty of bemused wandering around before that, not really knowing what to do, never mind understanding what's going on and, importantly (for me) not having fun. Still, it did work out in the end and I liked it overall. The puzzles could really do with more depth.… Expand
  4. drlowdon
    Jul 6, 2018
    7
    Lafcadio Boone wakes up in the middle of a party being held at the The Sexy Brutale casino mansion. A mysterious woman explains that all the guests are going to be murdered over the course of the next 12 hours and that it’s up to Boone to prevent them and eventually figure out who, or what, is behind the killings. To help him he is given a watch that allows him to restart each day any timeLafcadio Boone wakes up in the middle of a party being held at the The Sexy Brutale casino mansion. A mysterious woman explains that all the guests are going to be murdered over the course of the next 12 hours and that it’s up to Boone to prevent them and eventually figure out who, or what, is behind the killings. To help him he is given a watch that allows him to restart each day any time he chooses.

    The Sexy Brutale’s original premise is certainly interesting and the events behind each murder, as well as the overall plot, are well written and it was this that made me want to see the game through to the end. The gameplay however never really feels totally satisfying. Rather than “solving” the puzzle behind each murder I found myself largely just wandering around until I stumbled upon the solution, or in some cases had to look up the answer because of some obscure detail I’d missed.

    If you want to try something a bit different it’s worth giving this a go but I can’t help but feel it could have been something more.    … Expand
  5. wesker2012
    May 4, 2017
    6
    Unique puzzle/stealth/mystery game with gorgeous aesthetic. Gameplay was a bit lacking though and I got bored before I finished the game. If the gameplay was more fleshed out, this title would be more enjoyable.
  6. Hurrikhan
    Jun 14, 2021
    7
    Buying the game, I was hoping for a variation of a way more difficult and interesting a game from 2001 called "Shadow of Memories" (also called "Shadow of Destiny"), but only the basic idea is the same.

    Sexy Brutale is a very easy game that could be summarised in "be at the right place at the right time". You must save guests from assassination and to achieve this you can rewind time    Buying the game, I was hoping for a variation of a way more difficult and interesting a game from 2001 called "Shadow of Memories" (also called "Shadow of Destiny"), but only the basic idea is the same.

    Sexy Brutale is a very easy game that could be summarised in "be at the right place at the right time".
    You must save guests from assassination and to achieve this you can rewind time to Saturday noon every time you want.
    Every character in the game is doing the exact same thing every day. You can follow and spy their every move and conversation to devise a way to save one specific target.
    Most of the solutions are so straightforward calling them puzzle is a bit of an exaggeration.
    The story is pretty easy to guess and you'll see the twists coming from several miles away.

    I've liked the music, the graphics and the little details of the back-story.

    The one part that disappointed me is that I've tried several time to see if I could manage saving everyone in a single rewind. Alas the game stops you as soon as you save anyone else than your target and rewinds the game for you.
    Until the end, I've expected this to be the final challenge but : nope.

    I've been on the fence choosing between "recommend" and "not" but it's generally enjoyable so it's a thumbs up.
    Just don't buy it expecting a challenge.    … Expand
  7. MatchWest
    Jan 28, 2018
    7
    Sort of like a cross between Cluedo and Groundhog Day, The Sexy Brutale is a puzzle game in which you use time travel mechanics to save people from gruesome deaths – about ten in total. It’s set in a swanky casino which you’re invited to attend a masked ball by a mysterious host and it immediately that not all is as it seems. Each guest is lured into various areas where they’re killed offSort of like a cross between Cluedo and Groundhog Day, The Sexy Brutale is a puzzle game in which you use time travel mechanics to save people from gruesome deaths – about ten in total. It’s set in a swanky casino which you’re invited to attend a masked ball by a mysterious host and it immediately that not all is as it seems. Each guest is lured into various areas where they’re killed off without remorse. It’s up to you to use the power of a trusty pocket watch to work out how they’re going to die. And then to stop them from doing so.

    The trick to it all is that you can’t be seen by any of the guests. The masks they wear – or have been purposefully designated – contains a hidden power that attacks you should you enter the same room as them. In order to avoid this, you have to find ways to work around it. You can hide in wardrobes, peek through doors, and watch them on surveillance cameras. But the trick is that you only have 12 hours to do so.

    As such it's imperative to play through each death. Travelling back in time to an earlier part of the day allows you to gain knowledge of their actions, including who they interact with and where they’re going to die. It might sound complicated but in practice it works seamlessly. It requires the player to figure out ways around the mansion that don’t involve confronting them directly and to make sure the guards don’t find a successful way to bump guests off.

    In many ways, it’s quite similar to a point and click adventure. You acquire items throughout your trips around the hotel, which you can use to interact with other things. The only thing you need to remember is that certain things will only be found, or work, at certain parts of the day. Rewinding time means you lose each item. It opens up the rescue as a process that comes together as you repeat each day.

    Pleasingly, the story is well-designed. Aside from an exposition dump in the last 30 minutes, the game sticks to the tried and tested formula of playing out each death as a chapter like in a tragic storybook. Characters themselves are minimal yet always quite interesting. However, it’s your relationship with the casino’s owner where the game shows its narrative strength. To mention it in any depth at all would be to spoil it but rest assured it’s a strange tale of regret, death, and remorse.

    While there were times when I found myself stumped – I had to look up the answer on at least two occasions - the puzzles are mostly all fair. The art-style is brilliant, as is the jazzy soundtrack, and there’s something extraordinarily satisfying about investigating the casino’s ground. The limit to each day made it feel like there was something to accomplish each time I turned back the clock, and while I unwittingly saved at least two guests by complete accident, the game kept me fully engaged throughout its five-hour duration.

    Overall, it’s a smart, delightfully-designed game that shows how a low-production budget needn’t hold a game back from daring to use new ideas. While not a complete masterpiece it's still a very unique experience.    … Expand
  8. joiyua
    Aug 22, 2021
    7
    Got better and better. Unfortunately kinda short, otherwise I would've rated it higher.

Awards & Rankings

88
#88 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jul 7, 2017
    50
    But no mask – no matter how flamboyant – can fully hide The Sexy Brutale’s faults. [July 2017, p74]
  2. games(TM)
    Jun 17, 2017
    50
    A novel idea becomes a bland experience. [Issue#187, p.77]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jun 14, 2017
    50
    It seems to have all the right ingredients on the outside looking in. That's before you start trying to unravel its awkward puzzles via its tedious time mechanics. [June 2017, p.86]
See all critic reviews »