Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir

 Switch
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 5 out of 22

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  1. ItsTamo
    Jun 2, 2021
    8
    It's was an enjoyable game for what it is.

    The character sprites and animations are fabulous. I loved them. The characters felt lively. The voiceover was great and it made the repeated dialogues a lot less frustrating. I'm bit mixed on the story progression method and the UI. I understand that it's a remake of an old game and they wanted to keep the (quote on quote) gameplay aspect.    It's was an enjoyable game for what it is.

    The character sprites and animations are fabulous. I loved them. The characters felt lively. The voiceover was great and it made the repeated dialogues a lot less frustrating.

    I'm bit mixed on the story progression method and the UI. I understand that it's a remake of an old game and they wanted to keep the (quote on quote) gameplay aspect. I had to click the same dialogue option to find one menu command that would let me proceed in the story and it was oftentimes frustrating. I do think that they could have done a lot better if they decided to stray away from that old gameplay. It's really a dilemma in any remakes. I've had this question on 'what makes a good remake' ever since Link's Awakening came out, and I'm having the same question with this game too. Still, in my opinion, the gameplay has aged quite badly, but the devs tried to improve on it as best as they could without changing too much of it, and I was able to see that during my playthrough.

    There's no auto skip/advance on the dialogues, and I don't know why they chose not to include it. It's a norm to include auto-progression in any games with long dialogues, including RPGs, and it was a bit tiresome to click the A buttons way too many times while I just wanted to read the scripts.

    I don't quite get why they didn't program the use of touch screens for investigations. I liked clicking random things with my stylus on Professor Layton or Pheonix Wright. It was a bit disappointing that I couldn't do that in this game.

    The story was well fleshed out, while it was somewhat predictable. However given that the game is from the 1980s, I can understand that the trope the story uses became kind of old. Still, it's quite a murder mystery and has stood its age relatively well, better than I expected it to.

    I personally can't stop thinking that the ios or android version would have been more suited for this game. I normally hate mobile ports of console games (like, square enix should stop doing their terrible mobile ports), but VN is just one genre that I think is better suited on mobile than home consoles since I can lie down on my bed and just read through the story, requiring minimal player input. Even the length would be perfect for a mobile port since the game lasts less than 10 hours to complete. The mobile version may simplify the animations and the sceneries, but I really don't think this would hurt my experience.

    It's a real nice remake. I liked it. But the problem is that it WAS a remake. I can see that the devs were constrained by its original release. Be ready to pull out of walkthroughs from progression blocks. But otherwise, enjoyable experience and a nice murder mystery.    … Expand
  2. redbattle
    May 23, 2021
    8
    These games will probably be a bit love or hate for a lot of people as their rigid and obtuse nature can be off putting but if your willing to put up with some head scratchingly confusing progression road blocks and a distinct lack of gameplay then these are some incredible stories to check out.

    From that description it sounds like there's not much to like but you'll find yourself weirdly    These games will probably be a bit love or hate for a lot of people as their rigid and obtuse nature can be off putting but if your willing to put up with some head scratchingly confusing progression road blocks and a distinct lack of gameplay then these are some incredible stories to check out.

    From that description it sounds like there's not much to like but you'll find yourself weirdly compelled to move forward thanks to the plots and the odd sense of satisfaction when you best the game at its confusing little battles of whit. Well worth checking out for something different and great stories.    … Expand
  3. iMustang
    Jul 10, 2021
    8
    After 30 years of being locked in Japan, Nintendo has remade and released the Famicom Detective Club games stateside giving a chance to try their only murder-mystery visual novels to date. These games (made by the creator of Metroid) were a wonderful ride with beautiful visuals, an amazing soundtrack that is worth pausing to jam out to, and two incredible stories filled with twists andAfter 30 years of being locked in Japan, Nintendo has remade and released the Famicom Detective Club games stateside giving a chance to try their only murder-mystery visual novels to date. These games (made by the creator of Metroid) were a wonderful ride with beautiful visuals, an amazing soundtrack that is worth pausing to jam out to, and two incredible stories filled with twists and turns all the way to the very end. Each journey tells a very different type of story, this one a series of mysteries and several murders along the way. Both hint at supernatural elements, overturn theories you may have come with along the way, and save the biggest plot twists for the final hours. Never at any point were these games predictable, and even if you can guess some things, you can never guess everything and it's a great feeling.

    These games are not perfect, as they're very faithful remakes that sometimes make the greatest challenge of the game just trying to play it. You'll have to mash the same prompts over and over, check random things, then try prompts again... It's frustrating, and sometimes finding a guide is the only practical solution. But even with those frustrations aside, seeing the groundwork that would inspire games like Phoenix Wright was an absolute joy, and a must play for fans of murder mysterious that keep you on the edge or your seat, visual novels that seemingly come to life with flawless uses of the environments, or really anyone who wants to experience a lost piece of Nintendo history, these are definitely worth picking up as a bundle. I'll always remember my time with these games fondly, and I'm certain I'll find myself listening to the soundtrack on more than one occasion.    … Expand
  4. otakumhgamer
    Jul 8, 2021
    9
    famicom detective club's story was very amazing it had its own little flaws but thats ok but i think the main issue is the gameplay most of the time you don't have a clue to what to do you just randomly selecting the commands or you have to use a guide but all and all its an amazing game
  5. AlejandroPonce
    May 24, 2021
    10
    Juegazo para descubrir el origen de un género que ha marcado los videojuegos.
  6. Onioncreature
    May 23, 2021
    9
    Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir is a wonderful remake of the previously Japan exclusive title. The narrative is gripping and unfurls at a good rate, there are several unexpected twists and turns which were simply riveting. The modernized visuals and sound are fantastic, the characters are all very well acted, animations are expressive and polished, and the music is tremendouslyFamicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir is a wonderful remake of the previously Japan exclusive title. The narrative is gripping and unfurls at a good rate, there are several unexpected twists and turns which were simply riveting. The modernized visuals and sound are fantastic, the characters are all very well acted, animations are expressive and polished, and the music is tremendously atmospheric and memorable. The only real complaint I have is that there are one or two moments in which the path forward is needlessly obtuse, though these instances were very infrequent. The ending is also ever so slightly anti-climactic, it's quite good overall, but it doesn't feel as though there was quite enough time spent resolving all the various plot-lines. I highly recommend checking out this game, it's well worth your time.… Expand
  7. ViKabbu
    Aug 8, 2021
    7
    6.5 - Haven't finished it because it barely kept my interest. Although it is a pretty solid point and click. Hotel Dusk/Last Window is better, but if I had to recommend FDC, I'd probably say give it a shot.
  8. Wario9527
    May 16, 2021
    10
    推理AVG的金字塔 除此之外沒什麼好說的 這次重製雖然畫面大幅升級 人物做了一些微調 但30年前的傳統 卻原汁原味的繼承下來 事實證明 有些事物不做改變 才是上策
  9. LukeMaster27
    Apr 24, 2022
    4
    This is probably the most disappointing game I've ever played. I have so many problems with every aspect of this game, but I can't say it's the worst as it is still an important part of video game history, and it was the 1st of the Famicom Detective Club duology, so as a standalone thing from its time, it's fine. But as it is now...
    The gameplay is so stupid. There was no SNES remake that    This is probably the most disappointing game I've ever played. I have so many problems with every aspect of this game, but I can't say it's the worst as it is still an important part of video game history, and it was the 1st of the Famicom Detective Club duology, so as a standalone thing from its time, it's fine. But as it is now...
    The gameplay is so stupid. There was no SNES remake that refined how it worked, and MAGES did barely anything to actually refine it themselves. So much time is spent being sent into town to talk to the pointless, idiotic NPCs who only have one piece of actually relevant information, but you have no idea who would even know it, or how you'd get it out of them.
    The cast of named characters are so boring. The Ayashiro family are all pricks who I didn't care about at all when they died. I kinda feel like they deserved it. The butler and Genshin are ok I guess, but the maid is annoying. It's stupid that it's extremely obvious she knows crucial information about the case, yet you can't actually pursue and pressure her at all. You only get what you can out of her when the game allows it. The protagonist is a nothing character, and it's all because of the idiotic amnesia plotline, which ultimately adds nothing, ruins everything, and could be so easily written out in favor of an actual personality for the protagonist, and much better character interactions. Not only could it still be understandable for him to not remember his family members, but maybe he'd have an actually good, and tangible arc that doesn't drag down the entire series as we know it. The doctor and Ayumi are the only good characters. I really like when the doctor tries to help you in the case, and Ayumi shows how much she's grown as a person since she joined the detective agency. She's gone from a shy, vulnerable student, to an independent woman who can go to bars to dig up information on the yakuza. I almost would've preferred if the game was about her, or maybe you could switch between her and the protagonist like in the Famicom Mukashibanashi games. Or maybe MAGES could've added a side story to see what she got up to. Or, idk, remake BS Tantei Club for God's sake.
    The visuals and animations share the same strengths and weaknesses as the other remake. Music is ok, but it gets much more repetitive as you keep playing.
    The best thing about the game is the tone, and how the plot points tie into it. As the game goes on, the curse of the Ayashiro family feels more and more real, as the family members are killed off in more graphic and mysterious ways. While the townspeople are still annoying, their increased hysteria as the game goes on adds even more. It is kinda ruined by the fact that the killer is identified way before the game actually ends, but it shows that this game had potential.
    That's the thing. There was so much potential with the content of this game, because as stated before, on it's own, it's a serviceable classic adventure game. But because it seems like a series wasn't in mind with the development of this game, yet the prequel/sequel ended up being better than this game could ever be, The Missing Heir, and the Famicom Detective Club series as a whole, is retroactively ruined.    … Expand
  10. CaptainCharisma
    Jul 29, 2022
    9
    It is like reading a book but better because of actual animations! Must play for people that like good stories or played the original 30 years ago.
  11. jpreg
    Jan 5, 2022
    2
    A port and translation of a 30 year old game is interesting, but there are too many flaws.
    The characters and animations somehow look like a flash game vector animation despite being 3D, I think this is because of choppy animation and robotic like movements.
    The use of inclusive language in places where is not needed is just annoying. There's a delay between the menus appearing and    A port and translation of a 30 year old game is interesting, but there are too many flaws.
    The characters and animations somehow look like a flash game vector animation despite being 3D, I think this is because of choppy animation and robotic like movements.
    The use of inclusive language in places where is not needed is just annoying.
    There's a delay between the menus appearing and being ready to use that is just annoying, also the save game feature is called "quit investigation", not a very intuitive name.
    the story is just OK (not bad, not great), but at many points the player has to use a slow cursor to poke around the screen or select random commands just to guess how to continue.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 65 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 65
  3. Negative: 0 out of 65
  1. Ninty Fresh Magazine
    Dec 3, 2021
    80
    This classic piece of Nintendo history lives up to its promise of an engaging and thrilling mystery, but the gameplay can sometimes feel too dated. [Issue #4, p.54]
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 6, 2021
    80
    If you're a fan of visual novels, adventure games and/or mysteries, I think you'll enjoy what Famicom Detective Club has to offer. Just be prepared for the gameplay to test your patience! [Issue #53 – July/August 2021, p. 19]
  3. ZTGD
    Aug 5, 2021
    70
    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.
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