The American motel has become a compelling setting for fictional narratives. It evokes images of criminals on the run, hidden horrors, and an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue. 

Games have explored this setting, from the eerie world of Alan Wake to the unsettling reality-bending, in between world of Control. In DETECTIVE – The Motel, a murder has occurred, and you arrive as a detective to investigate the scene, explore the rooms, and piece together the clues to solve the crime. Sounds simple, right?

The Detective series from JanduSoft has gained popularity with its bite-sized, memorable mysteries. I’ve reviewed a couple of entries in the franchise – DETECTIVE: Stella Porta Case and Detective Minerva Case – in recent months. These games offer engaging narratives with supernatural twists, requiring you to gather clues and deduce the truth. DETECTIVE – The Motel takes a different approach, focusing on a single location and providing a more open-ended investigative experience with minimal hand-holding.

You arrive at the motel in the first-person, with limited guidance on how to proceed. The classic motel setting features a parking lot with a couple of cars and a two-story building to explore. The motel has twelve rooms, eight of which are accessible, while the remaining four require codes or keys to unlock. On the top floor, you encounter a chalk outline of a body, marking the scene of the crime. Your objective is to identify the victim, the perpetrator, and the other occupants of the motel.

As mentioned, guidance is minimal, and even figuring out how to interact with objects can be initially challenging (it’s the RB button, in case you’re stuck). However, this hands-off approach effectively immerses you in the role of a detective, forcing you to rely on your observation and deduction skills. You must meticulously examine every room, searching for clues and piecing together the narrative. A date on a calendar might reveal a password, or arranging photographs in a specific order could unlock a vital piece of information. Thoroughness is key to unraveling the mystery.

At any point, when you feel confident in your deductions, you can press the Y button to access the deduction screen. Here, you assign guests to their respective rooms, identify the victim and the murderer, and even determine the date of the crime. Once you’ve submitted your accusation, you’ll receive a score based on your accuracy, along with feedback on your detective work and a brief narrative summarising your performance.

The visuals are impressive, with each room meticulously designed to reflect the occupant’s personality and preferences. The attention to detail creates a believable and lived-in environment, with scattered documents, laptops, and photographs adding to the immersive atmosphere. The focus on a single location likely allowed the developers to dedicate more resources to environmental detail. 

However, the sound design is functional and somewhat sparse. And there’s absolutely no doubt that whilst the voice acting is decent overall, it occasionally veers into AI and uncanny valley territory.

DETECTIVE – The Motel offers a refreshing change of pace for the franchise. While the previous games explored supernatural elements and provided more structured investigations, this one focuses on player agency and open-ended exploration. The lack of hand-holding and the centralisation on a single, richly detailed location create a unique and engaging detective experience. 

While some players might find the lack of guidance challenging, DETECTIVE – The Motel is a rewarding puzzler for those who enjoy piecing together clues and testing their deductive skills.

Unravel the Mystery of Detective – The Motel on Xbox, PlayStation and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/unravel-the-mystery-of-detective-the-motel-on-xbox-playstation-and-pc/

Buy DETECTIVE – The Motel on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/detective-the-motel/9nh4nwm72m3p