Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind

I don’t think anything is gained by playing either Famicom Detective Club that can’t be gained by watching a playthrough because the puzzles are at best throwaway and at worst barely present. These are inherently flawed games, but if somehow the idea of slogging through menus isn’t a turn off there are absolutely two great, down to Earth murder mysteries to be experienced here.

It's wonderful to have the classic Famicom Detective Club games remade with modern artwork and with full Western localisations, but the flow of these visual novel detective stories is distinctly lacking and infuriatingly obtuse at times. Still, we can hope this is a sign that Nintendo is considering a truly modern revival of the Detective Club series in future.

Famicom Detective Club bundles two games for 60 euros. The fact that these are old games meant only for the Asian market is clearly visible. The dialogues are in Japanese and the games are clearly polished in various aspects. Still, if you like a good story or two and feel the connection with your inner detective (and have a lot of time on your hands) these games scream for you. The writing of Metroid creator Yoshio Sakamoto only justifies the price even more.

The Famicom Detective Club titles are a piece of Japanese gaming history that has finally graced the western markets. They can be a milestone in the visual representation, a great example of what future visual novel titles can become. They can also be a great nuisance to players, due to their archaic investigation and progression mechanisms that shout their age loud.

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind is an engrossing tale that fans of the visual novel and point-and-click adventure genre will enjoy. The updated art style and voice acting add much-needed layers of modernity to the game. It’s a one-and-done experience, though, so manage your expectations accordingly. Regardless, this is definitely one ghostly adventure you won’t want to miss.

Overall, the Famicom Detective Club games are interesting gaming curiosities from an older era of gaming. If you are more of a Nintendo historian, then you will find these games fascinating. For everyone else though, they are an acquired taste.

Quotation forthcoming.

Both Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind are fascinating remaster projects. They both tell deep, interesting stories and they both look and sound like state-of-the-art visual novels, but both games play like a clunky edutainment adventure game you might find on a primary school computer. Despite the ceaseless issues that I have with the clunky gameplay, I enjoyed my time with both The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind. The narratives are compelling enough for me to brush aside some archaic gameplay flaws, and both games have a tremendous aesthetic that hooked me from the start.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind are both well written adventure games with engaging stories. A striking visual overhaul does a great job of bringing both games into the twenty first century, without a doubt. Though this isn’t enough to do the same for the gameplay, which could have used a bit more streamlining.

While this remake is a welcome look into Nintendo's diverse game productions and provides a story that'll satisfy most thriller buffs, some aspects hold it back from being a must-buy.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind are well-told and compelling mystery games presented in a loving remake that improves on the original titles while sometimes remaining a little too faithful to outdated designs.

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind has an excellent murder mystery plot that is sadly obscured by frustrating and arbitrary road blocks. The visuals, writing, and soundtrack are excellent, but actually getting to those will take a lot of patience.

It’s both an astonishing and exciting time in gaming to see Nintendo willing to dig into their archives and bring back a retro adventure title. It’s even more exciting that they took the time to release a full-on remake. With that said, there are still elements of the game such as the menu control that feel antiquated today. So much so that it will likely turn off players who weren’t expecting it or have no familiarity with this era of gameplay. Those interested in playing an older style adventure game will be pleased with Famicom Detective Club’s twists and turns.

Those with an interest in Nintendo's history should undoubtedly pick up Famicom Detective Club, and those simply looking for a couple of good mystery yarns will have a fun time with it too. Just be aware that it’s a very linear adventure, and once you’re done there’s very little replay value.

There's a good game here - two, indeed - with fascinating stories and enough things to enjoy overall, but only if you're a patient, analytical soul with the perseverance of a merry Sherlock Holmes. Otherwise, Famicom Detective Club is up there with the most frustrating things I've ever done, and I worked in the Civil Service.

There are times when Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind shows its age. It absolutely isn’t user-friendly sometimes. However, its story is surprisingly timeless, and the new presentation is stunning. It’s a gorgeous adventure with a mystery that’s more well thought out and serious than I expected. I’d even say it can be approachable in spite of itself. But more importantly, it’s an opportunity to see another side of Nintendo’s history that for years we didn’t get to see.

Anyone that has been dying to play the series or doesn’t mind a standard graphic novel will probably enjoy playing The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind. New players may also enjoy it, but don’t be too surprised if you find its guessing game gameplay to be too frustrating to enjoy things.

A beautiful-looking game, which is perfect for those with a lot of patience and a natural desire to uncover the truth. I just wish it was more interactive and allowed to do more than just ask questions.

An interesting historical curio that has its charms, and some surprisingly good storytelling, but the old school gameplay and very modern pricing are not a good combination.

I hope that this remake/revamp is the precursor to a new follow-up sequel being announced. There is still a place for the Famicom Detective Club. The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind look and sound great thanks to the remake, but unfortunately, the game portion is an unintuitive, obtuse slogfest. Both games work well as murder mysteries; the story and characters are a highlight. Players who want to play the games as close to the originals as possible will get a kick out of this piece of Nintendo history, while it might frustrate everyone else. Regardless, it is nice to see Nintendo give a classic game such a lavish update.