Detective Dotson – Sherlock Holmes u Indiji

• DEVELOPER: Masala Games Private Limited
• IZDAVAČ: Masala Games Private Limited
• PLATFORME: PC (Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 – kasnije ove godine)
• ŽANR: Cozy / Adventure / Point & Click
• DATUM IZLASKA: 24. travnja 2025.
• POČETNA CIJENA: 14,79€
• RECENZIRANA VERZIJA: PC

Detective Dotson pleasantly surprises with its unique blend of point-and-click puzzles and a 60-minute animated movie, all set within the rarely explored and beautifully realized Indian culture. Playing as Dotson, a Bollywood actor turned detective in the Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata-inspired Dotcity, you delve into the mystery of his father’s death. The game’s vibrant 2D art in dynamic 3D settings also create a rich cultural tapestry and a loving tribute to Indian folklore. Despite its short playtime and some repetitive elements, Detective Dotson offers an engaging and likely satisfying adventure.

Beyond its core detective work, Detective Dotson features light platforming, allowing you to jump across buildings and areas, with a parachute for safe landings. The narrative unfolds through four interconnected main cases, driven by exploration, clue-gathering, and engaging evidence board puzzles. While mini-games and a clever disguise system offer welcome variety, the fundamental gameplay loop and navigating the environment proves perhaps too effortless.

Exploration is decent, but gameplay gets repetitive

Building on Detective Dotson’s exploration focus, the side-scrolling world features a continuous, interconnected map of Dotcity’s bustling streets, temples, and apartments. You engage with colorful NPCs such as shopkeepers, gangsters, and aunties through dialogue trees, trading items or information to advance the four main cases, with icons above NPCs’ heads indicating needed objects. While the nonlinear exploration lets you roam Dotcity freely, the small map (about 10 screens) and lack of a fast-travel system make backtracking feel tedious.

The four main cases center on evidence boards where you connect clues, like notes and pictures linking suspects, to solve mysteries. Masala Games describes this as solving “sentences with missing nouns,” which feels satisfying when clues align but frustrating when the game doesn’t clearly indicate if you’ve gathered enough evidence. Just as the later cases begin to deliver on the promise of greater complexity and a deeper exploration of Dotson’s father’s death, the game unexpectedly cuts off after the third case, resulting in a cliffhanger that feels like an unfulfilled narrative thread.

Following the clue-driven cases in Detective Dotson, the Bollywood-inspired disguise system adds a playful twist, letting Dotson wear costumes like Sadhu robes to “read minds” or Karishma’s attire to blend into kitty parties, unlocking new dialogue or areas. Lively NPC conversations, filled with humorous chats about AI startups or bribery rates, bring Dotcity to life, but their lack of depth limits any proper character development. Additionally, a unique mechanic lets you throw objects like trash or rocks to distract dogs, throw them at other humans to make them angry, disable cameras, or earn coins by littering responsibly.

“The four main cases center on evidence boards where you connect clues.”

Enjoyable mini games

The inclusion of mini-games in Detective Dotson adds welcome breaks and opportunities to earn currency for items or trades, with addictive hidden object puzzles offering simple, replayable timed challenges. Culturally rich additions like engaging street cricket (though potentially difficult for non-fans), Bollywood dance-offs (styled after Guitar Hero with a desi flair), and wedding baraat challenges are particularly noteworthy, sometimes even linking directly to the narrative by unlocking clues. However, this initial charm, much like the core gameplay loop and dialogue, eventually succumbs to repetition.

Before diving into Detective Dotson’s cases and mini-games, you’re encouraged to watch Detective Dotson: The Movie, a 60-minute animated prequel (free on YouTube and bundled with the game) that explores Dotson’s backstory, his father’s murder, and the shady Tupka Corporation. Created in Unreal Engine 5, the film combines 2D characters with photorealistic 3D environments, delivering a darker, more serious tone than the game’s comedic vibe and shallow NPC dialogue.

It introduces key characters like Journalist Jotson and traces Dotson’s reluctant journey to becoming a detective. However, the film’s absence from the game client, slow start, and rushed second half can feel uneven, much like the game’s abrupt narrative ending. Skipping it may leave you confused, as the game assumes familiarity, but you can still jump into the gameplay without too much trouble.

“Where’s my Biryani?”

Detective Dotson is worth trying if you’re a fan of cozy detective games

Detective Dotson vividly brings its “mishmash of different cities” to life with landmarks reminiscent of India’s wonders, such as Taj Mahal-esque temples, and authentic everyday details like movie posters and bustling street vendors. However, this immersive atmosphere is undermined by immersion-breaking bugs, including disappearing NPCs, vehicles clipping through Dotson, and UI glitches, compounded by clunky platforming animations.

In conclusion, Detective Dotson marks a promising and heartfelt indie debut from Masala Games, successfully capturing the chaotic charm of modern India through its cozy mystery gameplay and visually striking 2D-3D art style. Its authentically realized Dotcity setting, engaging mini-games, and Bollywood-infused narrative, enriched by the animated prequel, position it as a noteworthy addition to the adventure genre, particularly appealing to fans of titles like Venba. However, the abrupt cliffhanger, repetitive mechanics, and technical glitches ultimately prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite these drawbacks, its budget-friendly price point makes Detective Dotson a worthwhile consideration for enthusiasts of cozy mysteries seeking a unique cultural experience.

“Great pick for cozy fans.”

Recenzentski primjerak ustupio izdavač

3.5